Favela Santa Marta Tour

I discovered this trip by coincidence and I am very lucky I did! The owner Thiago, of the company was so friendly and answered quickly when I booked and there were no problems. We were picked up close to our hotel at the Copacabana beach, he even shared his position so that we could see when he was coming. The minibus was new and comfortable. He drove us to the top of Santa Marta favela where the tour started. We were a small group of four so it was perfect size. Gabrielle was our guide. She spoke excellent English (we have had som bad experiences here with guides with terrible English). She was very friendly and attentive to all our questions. She was very knowledgeable and gave us lots of information. You could see she knew the favela well and the people living there. We got to see many different places, among them the place with the statute of Michael Jackson. He made his Brasil video of “They don’t really care about us” in this favela. We also visited the home where Thiago lived for many years and now his mother that we could visit, a very nice woman. It was a very authentic experience of a favela and I highly recommend it. Thiagos company and Gabrielle as a guide is one of the best guided tours I have ever been on.

We really enjoyed the tour. Gabi and Michelle were our guides and they spoke very good English, gave us lots of information and facts. Everything was organised well.

A brilliant experience, getting to know the life inside the favelas was amazing and we learnt a lot! Would definitely recommend to all who are in Rio. Felt very safe with the tour guide, had no issues and was really great to see how daily life is in the favelas. Safety issues are a misconception, the residents within the favela are kind and respectful and just expect the same back, just a fantastic tour and must-do activity when in Rio!

It was a very nice experience and she was very kind an patient :) <3

Everything was perfect, especially the guide, Gabriella.She told about everything and answers on all the questions

This tour gives you an authentic, meaningful connection to the local culture and community. Our guide was super friendly and attentive to the group at all times. The people in the Favela were very friendly and we had the opportunity to visit Thiago's house and met his mother. In terms of transportation, they pick you up in a comfortable van and return you to the meeting point. We really enjoyed the whole experience. 100% recommended

I spent a long time researching and trying to find an ethical favela tour, and I’m so glad we chose this one. Our guide, Juliana, was absolutely phenomenal. Her knowledge of the Santa Marta community was incredible, and I asked her so many questions throughout the tour — every single one was answered with honesty, insight and compassion. What really stood out to me was Juliana herself and her own background. She has a choice about the work she does; she could be doing something else, but it was clear that this is something she is truly passionate about and wants to do. One of the highlights was spending time with Tiago’s mum and learning about the social projects they run, including the work they do to involve and support children in the community. Watching the clips and hearing about these initiatives gave a much deeper understanding of the people behind the place. Of course, we saw some of the famous locations — where Fast & Furious was filmed and the square where Michael Jackson filmed his music video. We even met someone who appeared in the background of the Michael Jackson video. One thing Juliana said has stayed with me throughout the entire trip. When I asked how residents felt about tourists walking through the favela, she explained that it reminds the world that they still exist and reminds them that their lives matter. This was an incredible ethical and respectful tour. It does not glorify life in the favela or ignore the challenges; instead, it shows the reality — a place with issues, but also a place full of love, resilience, pride and community. A truly unforgettable experience.

​After 12 wonderful days exploring Rio de Janeiro and Petrópolis, our tour of the Santa Marta favela with Mr. Firminho and his team was easily one of the absolute highlights of our trip. ​Anyone can come to Brazil and relax on Copacabana beach for a week, but if you only do that, you won't genuinely experience the country or its heart. This tour gives you an authentic, meaningful connection to the local culture and community. ​Highlights of the Tour: ​An Outstanding Crew: A huge thank you to Mr. Firminho and his fantastic assistant for guiding us so thoughtfully and sharing the rich, authentic history of the community. ​Warm Hospitality: We are deeply grateful to Mr. Firminho’s mother, who so generously opened her home to welcome us. ​Inspiring Youth: Playing football with the local boys in the favela was an unforgettable moment. They were exceptionally respectful, polite, and well-mannered—true role models and wonderful representatives of their community. ​Pro Tip for Travelers: ​Bring cash with you! Whether it's tipping the local kids who play football with tourists, thanking those who perform music and dance, or buying unique souvenirs, having cash on hand is essential. ​Coming from Aruba—an island with decades of experience as a tourism powerhouse—I know firsthand how vital tipping is. Honest talk: tips aren't just appreciation; they are a key motivator. Directly supporting the community encourages local residents to deliver great service, grow professionally, and build a sustainable future in the hospitality sector. By taking this tour and tipping generously, you are directly helping to boost the local economy and empower the people of Santa Marta. ​We left Brazil with incredible memories, and the people of Santa Marta will always hold a special place in our hearts. Do not miss this tour!

This was an excellent insight into Santa Marta favela. Nice size group of 10 people and led expertly by Gabrielle who was informative and engaging. Amazing views, and the opportunity to see where Michael Jackson filmed one of his videos. As well as to play football ⚽️ with the local guys, and have a drum show, right by the MJ statue. Thoroughly enjoyed this unique opportunity.

It was so amazing! Gabrielle was an amazing tour guide!

A good and impressie tour. You hear the story of the Favela and see how they live in the community.

Great experience in Rio, very interesting and fun. We enjoyed a lot visiting Santaarta with Gabriella, and we learned a lot too about the life in the favela and the people who live there

Lovely eye opening educational experience, playing football with the locals and learning about the culture. If you decide to play Football I advice socks or shoes.

Out tour guide was very knowledgeable and warm. Great job gabby!

Very nice van provided for transportation. Interesting stops through the favela. Felt safe and professional.

An insightful and instructive experience that provided a genuine perspective on the realities of community life in Santa Marta. The tour challenged stereotypes, highlighted resilience and local pride, and offered a deeper understanding of the social, cultural, and historical context. Highly recommended for anyone seeking a meaningful experience beyond the usual tourist attractions.

Thought provoking tour of a different way of life. Really enjoyed the opportunity to play football with the local kids. Felt very safe.

We had a great and safe time. Carolina was amazing as a guide and has a great future ahead of her. We got to learn her story as a resident of Santa Marta. She helped us navigate the Favela, and also taught us about them. She was great!

Very very interesting, grabrielle is a wonderful person really caring for her job and make us feel safe and explain every detail, she speaks a wonderful English and a really good Spanish I really recommend her. The driver Tiago is sick a great person doing a lot for this community, almost a celebrity because of his multiple contributions and actions. Very recommended

Very insightful! Thank you Chago for driving us- hero without a cape! Gabrielle was excellent!!! Thank you for all the info, engagement and fun moments. Mega recommended tour!

Good experience, the guide was very professional and friendly. Ppl in the favela are cool with tourists.

The tour was fantastic, highly recommend. This was the perfect way to round out our Rio trip.

Excellent guide and experience I would really recommend it for everyone who wants to know more about the Brazilian culture!

This tour of Favela Santa Marta was one of the most meaningful experiences of our trip. It’s a fantastic way to learn about the culture and daily life of the favela in a very responsible and respectful manner. Our guide, Juliana, did an amazing job and shared so much valuable information with us. We felt warmly welcomed by all the residents we met along the way. It’s also great to know that a portion of the tour price goes directly back into social projects within the community. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a deeper, more authentic look at Rio!

Thiago was an amazing tour guide, he was very knowledgeable and friendly during the tour answering any questions we had. The tour in general was really interesting and the touch at the end made it very special, an experience we will never forget! I would recommend anyone going to Rio and wanting to do a favela tour to book with Thiago! Obrigada

This was my third time in RJ, but the very first time I visited and walked a favela. Last time, in 2015 I don't recall such tours were offered, let alone 1997 when I was first time there. That 2015 there was Teleferico Alemao which was built for local commuting in northwestern favelas and it was a cheap and safe way to visit favelas from birds perspective, however without walking through them (I mean it wasn't forbidden, but not advisable). This year I learnt that cable car was robbed by locals, taking materials from it for building houses or selling and it was dismantled. This years Favela Santa Marta Tour was a highlight of our 3rd RJ visit as all major attractions we saw before. Tour is flawlessly organized starting with a pick up at Copacabana. Santa Marta is a smaller favela above Botafogo beach and first stop is at a viewpoint. Shortly after, before entering the favela itself we were briefed how to behave, what to do and what not. Gabrielle was our tour guide - very knowledgeable and informative and answering all our questions. She gave an interesting history of Favelas as a community category in general, with all rules present there, followed by a movie we watched in her house we've visited. She gave precise instructions where we could take photos and where we had to put them in pockets without even holding them in hands when passing by heavy armed check points you see in movies. Tour starts from the highest point, descending your way down over 800 steps in uneven, narrow and of course not hygienic surroundings - therefore absolutely not suitable for people with mobility issues. Locals we were passing by were friendly, greeting us and occasionally we could sneak into their homes, small groceries, repair shops, hair saloons, etc.... We've visited two houses - one where Michael Jackson filmed his 'They don't really care about us' video and her own. Both are interesting - Michael Jackson's is on the more commercial side with selling paintings and art crafts, also with a local street dance included, yet still interesting and authentic. Her house, specially the view from the upper terrace blew me away - she has a direct view to Christ Redeemer to the right, Sugarloaf to the left and Copa beach in between (see my pics). We met her father who showed us the entire house, spread on three levels yet very tiny. The tour lasts around 3 hours and we left full of impressions, so I highly recommend this tour.

The experience was great, we had a great time visiting the favela and the learning the history behind it. Our driver and tour guide were amazing! They were also very punctual.

We had an amazing experience. We started at the designated spot and Thiago and Gabriela gave us all the important information straight away. The communication was easy since they speak excellent English. We had the chance to play football with the locals, saw a musical performance of Samba and even visited Thiagos house and met his mother. The day was made, when we walked down the favella for a full feeling of how life there can be hard&fun. Won't spoil the otger details.

5 out of 5 for tour guide Gabrielle, we really enjoyed our time in the Favella. The rating is low due to hassle around the agreed time of the tour. We were put under pressure to change from pm to am the night before.

Our Santa Marta favela tour was one of the most meaningful experiences we had in Rio, and a huge part of that was our guide, Iris. She grew up in Santa Marta and, through an academic scholarship, learned flawless English — something that immediately adds depth and credibility to everything she shares. She is clearly proud of her community, and her commitment to improving life for the people who live there is inspiring rather than performative. What stood out most was how balanced and respectful the experience felt. We learned about the history of the favela and gained real insight into daily life for residents — the challenges, the inequalities, and the realities of living there — but also the strong sense of pride, community and resilience that exists alongside those hardships. It never felt like a “poverty tour.” Instead, it felt like being welcomed into a living, breathing neighbourhood by people who care deeply about how their story is told. Thankfully, the walk was mostly downhill after starting at the top. Everything felt relaxed, friendly and unforced. The tour itself was well thought out and personal. We stopped by local stores, and shared a much enjoyed beer too (the day was hot!). Walking through the narrow alleys while hearing the story of Santa Marta gave important context you simply wouldn’t get on your own. The visit to Laje do Michael Jackson — and the statue — was a highlight, as was the unexpected joy of watching a drum and music performance and even kicking a football around with local kids. This is a tour that educates without exploiting, and connects you with people rather than just places. If you want a deeper understanding of Rio beyond the postcard version — delivered with honesty, warmth and dignity — this is absolutely worth doing.

This was just perfect. An experience you cannot mis. We played football with the kids. It was amazing. We saw al lot of impactful things.

The tour guide is Pedro. He knows the place very well. He has 18 years experience for Favela Tour. He loves the Favela place and people. He knows the culture there a lot. For every 3 min walk, he met some of his friends there and talk each other. The people there loved to talk with him as We can see he has hundreds of friends there. As he really loves the place, he can impress us loving the place. During 3hrs, he clearly let us know what can take Pic or not. He let us learning to respecting ppl there. He also let us visiting one home. The place is decent, clean & nice. Pedro takes care of all ppl. He is considerate and very polite. We enjoy the trip. The company of this tour runs by Thiago. He also contributes to the Favela community. He organized lots of activities to the Faveka kids on monthly basis including christo redeemer and film watching. We love Pedro, Favela and Marta Favela Tour. We wish them all happiness and best all the way. Thanks Pedro. You are such a lovely guy

We booked the tour and we were 9 people. You need to go with an open heart if you want to know more about the favela culture. Juliene our guide was excellent and full of information. We loved it and didn’t had any unsafety feelings.

It was great, informative, fun, and really interesting. Thank you for this amazing experience. I really enjoyed and I loved it

There are thousands of more trustworthy tours than this one; they seem to have a habit of deceiving people. I recommend booking with other agencies, based on other reviews and my own experience. They changed my meeting date and then scheduled me for a different day and time... only to later claim I wasn't there. I arrived 30 minutes early with my partner and we didn't see anyone. I didn't receive a contract or any communication from the company. It's truly appalling how they play with people's time.

Our guide was Juliana. She gave us a wonderful tour. She knew all the rules and what areas to avoid. She was patient, kind, friendly, and well knowledgeable. She answered all of our questions and allowed us to take breaks when we were tired (it's a lot of steps). We got to see inside the home of one of the other tour guides, play football with some of the locals, listen to music, and stand where Michael Jackson stood during his music video in the 90s. We definitely recommend this tour. Thank you Juliana!!

It was great: Thiago and Gabriella are really insightfull and tell the honest story about the favela. Also, while doing the tour you get to meet people who live there and want something better: playing football or just listening to samba music: this Tour has it all

I lost my leg GG BRUV IM NOT GOING THERE AGAIN WHAT THE HELLY MASON GAVE ME A 67 HAIRCUT IT WAS TERRIBLE I CANT SEE I GOT A SOUTHSIDE FADE WITH DOWNSYNDROME BUT ANYWAYS W TRIP NICE EXPIERENCE THANK YOU I GOT AIDS BUT IT WAS WORTH IT

Great experience. Felt very safe. Very friendly tour guides. Would recommend to other visitors. Especially the drum performance.

Our excellent guide Tiago, introduced us to an amazing community and the people who live there. I highly encourage overs to participate in Tiago’s tour and I hope to go back soon when my family comes to visit.

Top Erfahrung! Kann ich nur empfehlen. 100% machen wenn man in Rio ist. The tour guides were just amazing and the vibe was geeat, they show the duality of the favelas.

Absolutely the best!! Very informative and genuine Favela experience. Walking through the narrow alley ways was a world away from the other areas of Rio. We were given lots of information by our awesome guides, a visit into a home and an incredible performance by local musicians. Watching local kids fly kites from roof tops will be in my heart forever. Thank you Pedro & Thiago

With our guide Raissa we got an authentic and unique experience. She was very kind and answered all sorts of questions that came up while we were going through the little streets. The tour also included a short football game with the local kids and a drumming performance at the end. We learned a lot about the community and are super grateful about the values that were transmitted. We can definitely recommend this tour.

Really enjoyed this tour. Went at a good pace. Gave a good insight into some of the realities for those living in the favela. Was also safety conscious. Only for the open minded I’d say, as some of stuff you see may be uncomfortable but the people we encountered were friendly and I loved that we went into the tour guide owners openers home, they live on the favela , and they are clearly trying to help the young people to enhance their lives- through the community centre and samba band that played for us. You can buy stuff from the community shops but no one was pushy. Really glad we did it. Great views too from the top of the favela. Our guide was energetic and really personable. A great tour.

Great tour. Sensitively done for people looking to understand the favelas without being patronising. Very informative guide Juilanna was fantastic.

Very informative and we'll organized. The van that took up was very comfortable. The guides were really nice and personable. Juliana's English is easy to understand and the translations were quick and accurate. The people in Santa Marta were very welcoming and pleasant. We felt very safe. We highly recommend it!

Our family did this tour and it was absolutely incredible. My children are 9 and 11 years old and I can honestly say this was a life-changing. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and has been doing this tour for 10 years. We felt completely safe the entire time. The tour organizers have close, long-standing ties to the favela and its residents (the owner's family still lives there) and we felt welcomed by everyone we interacted with. There was a beautiful Samba performance by the locals that our kids joined in on and loved. This particular favela has closer ties to the surrounding community and is generally considered safer with better infrastructure than some other favelas in Brazil (ie we were able to ride a cable car up to the top and walk back down to the bottom over about 2 hours). We learned so much about the history of Brazil's population and the resilience of favela residents who have been marginalized and largely abandoned by the government. I think this tour should be a part of everyone's visit to Rio.

This tour was excellent and highly recommended to really understand Brazil and the Favelas. Pedro was Fantastic. He knew everyone, was authentic, honest, personable, funny and made the tour truly great. I know there maybe some people afraid to take this tour, there is not need to be worried. Way more crime happening everywhere around you anywhere you go, and the Favelas felt totally safe. Pedro's English was also great, so understanding the area and what we were doing was very easy. I highly recommend this tour to see the real side of Rio and definitely with Pedro!

Pedro, our guide with flawless English, is extremely knowledagble (I have been teaching about Brazil for 10 years, so I am quite familiar with the information and analysis he shared.) Taking this tour will open your eyes to the complexity of urban problems, and the intersection of politics, poverty, and power. I highly recommend this tour. Before or after it, watch a documentary The Other Side of the Postcard to add some context.