Skip to content
EN
Pickup in Copacabana and Ipanema

Favela tours with hotel pickup

For travellers who would rather not find the meeting point alone.

Official travel advice The US, UK and German governments advise against visiting Rio’s favelas, guided tours included. The decision to go is yours.

Read it at the US State Department, UK Foreign Office or the German Federal Foreign Office (in German).

What the advice says

The US State Department rates informal housing developments at Level 4, “Do Not Travel”, even on guided tours. The UK Foreign Office advises against all favelas, including favela tours. Germany’s Federal Foreign Office advises against visiting any favela in Rio de Janeiro, guided tours included.

Ask your travel insurer if your policy still covers a visit against official advice. More background on our page about travel advice and safety.

Tours on this page
Rocinha walking tour with a local guide and minivan pickup
Favela Walking Tour · 2 to 3 hours Rocinha walking tour with a local guide and minivan pickup
★ 4.8 (4,458) from $35
Book now
Short Vidigal favela tour
Carioca Tours with Nat · 1.5 hours Short Vidigal favela tour
★ 4.6 (44) from $53
Book now
Two Brothers hike and Vidigal favela visit
Urban Jungle · 4.5 hours Two Brothers hike and Vidigal favela visit
★ 5.0 (209) from $83
Book now
See all 5 tours in detail

Most favela tours in Rio meet at a metro station or a square below the community. Some collect their guests instead, in Copacabana and Ipanema or at a hotel of your choice. Some include the transfer, some sell it as an option, and the pickup points are not the same.

Pickup included or pickup as an option

Transfer is part of the tour

Pick this if you want one booking that covers the way there and you stay near the named hotels.

  • Favela Walking Tour picks up by minivan at the Copacabana Palace or the Sol Ipanema for Rocinha.
  • The Santa Marta tour collects guests at the Rio Othon Palace or the Hilton Copacabana on weekdays.
  • The short Vidigal tour with Nat mentions hotel pickup in its listing.

Compare the tours with pickup included

Pickup you add when booking

Pick this if you plan a longer morning with the Two Brothers hike and time in Vidigal.

  • Urban Jungle and Nattrip Brasil offer hotel pickup as a booking option.
  • Both combine the hike with a walk through Vidigal, four and a half to five hours in total.
  • Without the option, the meeting point is given on the booking page.

See the hike tours in the table

Favela tours with a transfer

Where each tour goes, how the pickup works, what the listing says about the guide and how long you are out. Sorted by number of reviews.

Photo Tour Favela Meeting point Guide from the favela Duration Reviews ↕ Price ↕ Book
Rocinha walk with minivan pickup Favela Walking Tour Rocinha Minivan pickup Resident (operator) 2–3 h ★ 4.8 (4,458) $35 per person Book now
Santa Marta with Copacabana pickup Favela Santa Marta Tour Santa Marta Copacabana pickup Not stated ≈ 3.5 h ★ 4.9 (383) $33 per person Book now
Hike plus Vidigal by Urban Jungle Urban Jungle Dois Irmãos Optional hotel pickup Not stated 4.5 h ★ 5.0 (209) $83 per person Book now
Vidigal and hike by Nattrip Nattrip Brasil Dois Irmãos Optional hotel pickup Not stated 5 h ★ 4.6 (124) $92 per person Book now
Vidigal tour with Nat Carioca Tours with Nat Vidigal Hotel pickup Not stated 1.5 h ★ 4.6 (44) $53 per person Book now

Prices are per person as the booking platforms list them today; the amount for your date shows on the booking page.

The pickup tours in detail

Who guides, where you meet and what the listing says about the community. Open a card for the full listing.

Rocinha walking tour with a local guide and minivan pickup
Favela Walking Tour

Rocinha walking tour with a local guide and minivan pickup

  • Duration: 2 to 3 hours
  • Start: Minivan pickup at the Copacabana Palace or the Sol Ipanema hotel; afternoon tours meet in São Conrado.
  • Guide: The operator’s description of this tour names the guide as a favela resident.
  • Project: Part of the price goes to the community (operator’s description)

✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start

from $35 ★ 4.8 (4,458 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide
Everything on the listing

Highlights

  • Walk through Rocinha with a local guide
  • Minivan pickup from Copacabana or Ipanema
  • Afternoon option with a meeting point in São Conrado

About this tour

Favela Walking Tour starts with a minivan ride: the minivan collects the group at a hotel in Copacabana or Ipanema; for afternoon tours the meeting point is in São Conrado, at the foot of Rocinha.

Inside the favela the tour is on foot. Camera glasses and other recording devices are not allowed.

Not allowed

  • Camera glasses and recording devices

Summarised from the tour’s listing on the booking platform, checked in October 2026.

Short Vidigal favela tour
Carioca Tours with Nat

Short Vidigal favela tour

  • Duration: 1.5 hours
  • Start: Hotel pickup, according to the listing.

✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start

from $53 ★ 4.6 (44 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide
Everything on the listing

Highlights

  • Short tour of Vidigal without the summit hike
  • Hotel pickup

About this tour

The shortest tour on this site: about an hour and a half in Vidigal, without the climb to Morro Dois Irmãos.

The listing mentions hotel pickup.

Summarised from the tour’s listing on the booking platform, checked in October 2026.

Two Brothers hike and Vidigal favela visit
Urban Jungle

Two Brothers hike and Vidigal favela visit

  • Duration: 4.5 hours
  • Start: Hotel pickup can be booked as an option.

✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start

from $83 ★ 5.0 (209 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide
Everything on the listing

Highlights

  • Hike to Morro Dois Irmãos
  • Time in Vidigal after the hike
  • Hotel pickup as an option

About this tour

Urban Jungle combines the hike to Morro Dois Irmãos with time in Vidigal itself, which makes it one of the longer tours on this site.

Hotel pickup is available as a booking option.

Summarised from the tour’s listing on the booking platform, checked in October 2026.

Vidigal favela tour and Two Brothers hike
Nattrip Brasil

Vidigal favela tour and Two Brothers hike

  • Duration: 5 hours
  • Start: Hotel pickup can be booked as an option.

✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start

from $92 ★ 4.6 (124 reviews)
Book on GetYourGuide
Everything on the listing

Highlights

  • Vidigal favela tour plus the hike
  • Hotel pickup as an option

About this tour

Nattrip Brasil runs the longest combination on this site: a tour of Vidigal and the hike to Morro Dois Irmãos.

Hotel pickup is available as a booking option.

Summarised from the tour’s listing on the booking platform, checked in October 2026.

Santa Marta tour with hotel pickup in Copacabana
Favela Santa Marta Tour

Santa Marta tour with hotel pickup in Copacabana

  • Duration: About 3.5 hours
  • Start: Weekday pickup in a van at the Rio Othon Palace or the Hilton Copacabana. If the van is out of service, pickup moves to Botafogo. No refund if you miss the pickup.
  • Group: Up to 15 travellers

✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start

from $33 ★ 4.9 (383 reviews)
Book on Viator
Everything on the listing

Highlights

  • Pickup at two hotels in Copacabana on weekdays
  • Visit to the residents’ association
  • Groups of up to 15

About this tour

This is the only tour on this site with a transfer to Santa Marta. A van collects guests at the Rio Othon Palace or the Hilton Copacabana on weekdays.

The programme includes the guide’s home, craft shops, the residents’ association and the Michael Jackson viewpoint. There are many stairs, and the listing does not recommend the tour to people who struggle with them.

Included

  • Van transfer from Copacabana
  • Visit to the local guide’s home, craft shops and the residents’ association
  • Walk through the alleys and the Michael Jackson viewpoint (Laje do Michael Jackson)
  • Personal accident insurance

Not suitable for

  • Wheelchair users
  • People who have trouble with stairs

Summarised from the tour’s listing on the booking platform, checked in October 2026.

Fixed hotels, not every hotel

“Hotel pickup” often means a few fixed points. The Rocinha minivan stops at the Copacabana Palace and the Sol Ipanema; on afternoon departures the group meets in São Conrado instead. The Santa Marta van uses the Rio Othon Palace and the Hilton Copacabana, runs on weekdays only, and moves the pickup to Botafogo if the van is out of service. Its listing also states that a missed pickup is not refunded. Check the exact point and time on the booking page and allow a few minutes of margin.

What you give up with a transfer

The tours on this site whose listings say most clearly that the guide comes from the favela meet at the bottom of the hill: in Rocinha at the São Conrado metro station, in Santa Marta in Botafogo. Among the pickup tours, only Favela Walking Tour describes its guide as a resident, and that statement comes from the operator’s own description rather than the listing. If a guide from the community matters more to you than the transfer, the Rocinha and Santa Marta pages show the alternatives.

When the pickup does not come

Some reviews on this page mention problems on the day: a guide who did not turn up, and a start time and meeting point changed the evening before. Save the operator’s phone number from the booking confirmation, keep your phone charged and reachable the night before, and contact the booking platform straight away if no one arrives.

Travellers on pickups and timing

Two of these reviews are critical and both concern organisation rather than the guides: a no-show and a short-notice change of time and place.

“I loved everything about the experience. Side note: wear comfortable shoes and clothing, unlike myself who wore casual shoes and clothes. Lots of walking including down stairs as well.”
Jonique · United States · Oct 2026 Rocinha walk with minivan pickup · Favela Walking Tour
“I would definitely recommend this tour. We went with Thaina, who was an amazing guide: super friendly, approachable, and very knowledgeable about the Favela Vidigal. She explained everything clearly and gave us great insights into the area. …”
Samantha · Spain · Apr 2026 Vidigal and hike · Nattrip Brasil
“The guide was excellent but unfortunately the tour company’s organization was terrible. I booked the tour for 8am and was sent a text the night before saying that the tour was being moved to 7am to help avoid the heat and the meeting point had been changed …”
Verified traveler · United Kingdom · Apr 2024 Vidigal and hike · Nattrip Brasil
“Guide did not show up. Couldn't do the tour.”
Verified traveler · United Kingdom · May 2026 Vidigal tour · Carioca Tours with Nat

Reviews by travellers who took these tours, from GetYourGuide.

Questions and answers

Which favela tours pick me up in Copacabana?

Favela Walking Tour collects guests at the Copacabana Palace for Rocinha, and the Favela Santa Marta Tour at the Rio Othon Palace or the Hilton Copacabana on weekdays. The short Vidigal tour mentions hotel pickup, and Urban Jungle and Nattrip Brasil offer pickup as an option.

Is there a pickup in Ipanema?

Favela Walking Tour also stops at the Sol Ipanema. For the tours with optional pickup, enter your hotel when you book.

What happens if I miss the pickup?

For the Santa Marta tour with Copacabana pickup, the listing says there is no refund for a missed pickup. Check the time on your confirmation and be in the lobby early.

Are the pickup tours led by residents?

Only Favela Walking Tour describes its guide as a favela resident, in the operator’s own description of the tour. The other pickup listings do not say. The tours whose listings confirm a resident guide meet at the foot of the favela.

Also on this site

Rocinha tours

Minivan pickup or Metrô São Conrado, side by side.

Santa Marta tours

Botafogo meeting points and the weekday van from Copacabana.

Vidigal tours

The short walk and the combinations with the hike.

Happy to make your own way there?

The tours that meet at a metro station or a square are on the home page.

Open the full table