Description
Favela Tour is a wonderful way to get an unusual perspective and a deeper understanding of Rio and of Brazil. Many people are skeptical about visiting a poor neighborhood, thinking, “it’s a neighborhood, not a zoo”. However, Favela Tour founder, Marcelo Armstrong, knew that there could be some value in helping people understand the reality of the abstract idea of “favela”. Favela Tour accomplishes this goal gracefully, tastefully and appropriately.

Tour 1: Half Day Favela Tour
During the three-hour tour your knowledgeable and approachable guide explains the ‘hows and whys’ of the poor hillside shantytowns. As your small group (3-9 people) hops in and out of an air-conditioned van, admires expansive views, wends its way through a maze of narrow alleys, and watches kids at work and play in an after-school center, your guide draws connections between the surroundings and the history of the favelas, dating back to the abolition of slavery in Brazil. You begin to understand the complexities of the favela-dwellers’ daily life, including drug trafficking, police corruption and government urban reform. After 10+ years of running these tours, Marcelo and his team of guides continue to provide unbiased and sobering views on the subject. This reality tour takes you beneath the surface of tourism.

During the tour you will visit two favelas: Rocinha, which is the largest favela in Rio with over 67,000 inhabitants; and Vila Canoas, which is home to Para Ti, a school established by an NGO and partially funded by Marcelo's tours. You will feel completely safe, and only at one point do you get the tourist sell when you stop to view (and potentially buy) local artwork. You may want to bring some extra money to support these local artists.

Three-hour tours in the morning and the afternoon daily, with the exception of Sunday afternoon. Tours are usually done in English but can also be requested in French, German, Spanish and Italian.