Free tour

Rocinha Favela Local Tour

4.80

Excellent(319)

Rio de Janeiro

Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Languages: English

Guru: Luiz

Registered on 27 January 2022

Tourist Guide in Rocinha since 2012. An ambitious and avid young man who knows what he wants.

Free reservation and cancellation

Pay-what-you-want tour, no set price, reservation and cancellation are free

Tour description

Please read the entire tour description before booking!

Hi, my name is Luiz, and I’ll be your guide through Rocinha, the largest favela in South America. I was born and raised here and have over 12 years of experience guiding visitors through my community. I speak fluent English and focus on clear, direct communication when explaining local history, daily life, and answering questions openly and honestly.

This is a small-group, locally guided walking tour that starts at the top of the favela (a safe access point) and follows a downhill route to the São Conrado subway station. Along the way, we stop for sightseeing, photos, and cultural explanations. The tour is straightforward, respectful and grounded in real experience, with an emphasis on safety, context and genuine conversation rather than scripted performances or stereotypes.

My goal is to show Rocinha as it actually is, beyond media portrayals, through lived knowledge, practical awareness, and zero nonsense.

Important Information – Contribution & Access

To operate favela tours, local guides are required to pay a mandatory association fee per visitor. In addition, groups of 10 or more guests must be accompanied by an authorized local helper, which is also a fixed cost.

To keep this tour sustainable, safe, and properly organized, the minimum contribution is 120 reais per person.

This amount covers the association fee, operational costs, and ensures the tour can be offered responsibly and without rushing or overcrowding.

For context, most favela tours currently charge between 160 and 250 reais per person. I’ve chosen 120 as a fair and accessible rate while maintaining quality and local standards.

If this contribution does not work for you, I completely understand and encourage you to explore other tours on the platform that better fit your budget.

Booking Notes:

If the booking is full, send me a private message. I can often accommodate additional guests.
Please provide a correct WhatsApp number so I can share the meeting point details and confirm your booking.
Payment is accepted by contactless card (tap to pay on mobile), cash (Brazilian reais), or bank transfer (USD, EUR, or GBP).

Meeting Point & Transportation:

Centro Municipal de Saúde Dr. Albert Sabin, Gávea, Rio de Janeiro
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wHz7Se78SED5pETG6
We meet at 10:00 AM and begin at 10:15 AM. Because of local access rules, it’s not possible to join the tour after it has started. Please plan to arrive on time at the meeting point.
Uber or taxi are the easiest options. There is also a local ride app called 99, which works similarly to Uber.
If you arrive by subway, the nearest station is São Conrado – Acesso A. From there, a short moto taxi ride is required to reach the meeting point (10 reais per person, cash only), which is a common and widely used local transport option.
Buses are possible only if you are already familiar with Rio’s bus system. If not, the subway is the recommended public transport option.

Safety & Details:

You are safe throughout the tour. My family has lived in Rocinha for over three generations, and I guide locally and responsibly. You are welcome to bring phones, cameras, and personal belongings.
Recent news about incidents in other areas of Rio may give the impression that all favelas are unsafe. This does not reflect the current situation in Rocinha. Daily life here continues normally, and tours operate as usual.
Occasionally, some Uber drivers may decline trips to the meeting point. If that happens, I recommend using a taxi or the 99 app. If a driver expresses safety concerns, please know that the tour route and meeting point are established and safe.
The tour lasts approximately 1.5 to 2 hours.
Shops we pass accept cash (Brazilian reais), and many also accept card.

Highlights

What will we see on this tour?

Meeting point:

Estr. da Gávea, 250 - Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22451-264, Brazil

We meet in front of Centro Municipal de Saúde Dr. Albert Sabin, in Gávea. This is a blue public health building located at the base of Rocinha, on Estrada da Gávea. When you arrive, you’ll see: • a small open area in front of the building • people waiting near the entrance • cars and taxis stopping briefly on the street I will be waiting outside the building, near the entrance, wearing a red mask, so I’m easy to recognize. Please wait at this exact spot and do not walk up the hill on your own, even if you arrive early. I will meet and wait for everyone here until 15 minutes after the scheduled meeting time. If you have any trouble finding the spot, just message me on WhatsApp +5521995859390

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end the amount they consider appropriate (amounts usually range from €15 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).