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Vidigal Experience: Cultural Favela Insights
5.0
37 Ratings
Leblon
Discover Vidigal: Engage with locals, explore cultural projects, and enjoy stunning views. Experience Rio’s vibrant favela life with a resident guide.
Discover Vidigal: Engage with locals, explore cultural projects, and enjoy stunning views. Experience Rio’s vibrant favela life with a resident guide.
Duration:
3 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Vidigal - Reaching the summit of Vidigal by motorcycle taxi, participants are treated to a breathtaking panoramic view of the city, including Rio’s beaches and the surrounding mountains’ natural beauty.
Next, visitors are invited to explore a local artist’s studio, offering a glimpse into the vibrant local art scene.
After walking down the hill…
- Vidigal - Reaching the summit of Vidigal by motorcycle taxi, participants are treated to a breathtaking panoramic view of the city, including Rio’s beaches and the surrounding mountains’ natural beauty.
Next, visitors are invited to explore a local artist’s studio, offering a glimpse into the vibrant local art scene.
After walking down the hill through narrow streets and alleys, it’s time to unwind with a cold beer at one of the local bars. Here, visitors can mingle with residents and soak in the friendly and laid-back atmosphere of Vidigal’s daily life.
The Favela Tour Vidigal is an unforgettable experience that blends adventure, culture, art, cuisine, and hospitality, giving visitors an authentic and enriching insight into life in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas.
What's Included
- Local guide
- Local guide
What's Not Included
- Private transportation
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Private transportation
- Alcoholic Beverages
Additional Information
Vidigal Hang Out offers an immersive experience in one of Rio de Janeiro’s most culturally rich and engaged favelas, making you feel like a part of the community.
No Jeep or Van rides. To foster better integration between tourists and locals, we will use local transportation, interact with favela residents, visit community projects, and enjoy the city’s…
Vidigal Hang Out offers an immersive experience in one of Rio de Janeiro’s most culturally rich and engaged favelas, making you feel like a part of the community.
No Jeep or Van rides. To foster better integration between tourists and locals, we will use local transportation, interact with favela residents, visit community projects, and enjoy the city’s most stunning views. We’ll also have a beer at a local bar within the community.
With small groups capped at 10 people, you’ll always feel welcome.
This is a cultural, social, and safe tour, guided by a local resident.
This tour will open your eyes, mind, and heart. You’ll leave with a new perspective on the favela. Come and experience the hill!
Location
Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort
Avenida Niemeyer
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(37 Ratings)
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1 star
Joseph
Oct 19, 2024
Informative and fun I definitely recommend ! - Mirela is a top notch guide. She has a ton of information on Vidigal to share and she is very friendly. I really got to know and love Vidigal because of her and I would definitely recommend this tour for anyone !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tati2583
Jul 26, 2024
Unique moment - We loved our experience with Mirela, who knows the favela and its inhabitants very well. She shared a lot with us. The visit was very interesting and with all respect to the community that lives there. The tour was done only with Mirela and our family, much better than in large groups. We spoke with several residents and were very well received. It was a unique experience and we never felt in danger, quite the opposite. If you want to live this experience with Mirela you must do it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thaisay9808ih
Apr 16, 2024
Incredible experience in RJ - The Favela Tour Vidigal provides a genuine opportunity for interaction and immersion in the daily life of the Vidigal community, highlighting its culture, music and gastronomy.
The experience provided by guide Mirela goes beyond the conventional tourist aspect, offering visitors an authentic and respectful perspective of Rio de Janeiro's favelas.
The tour is educational and exciting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
308milanb
Mar 9, 2020
Wow, what a day... mind changing - The tour was amazing. Mirela took us by foot around the favela that she lives in. We went to the real top to enjoy the fantastic view and made our way down. She knows a lot about her neighborhood ( the favela) from history to current things. We felt more then safe the entire time. Having seen this wonderful neighborhood with it's great people living there changed my opinion about favelas in total. Also one really feels like being right in the moment, right in the place. Not at all as it might have been from a Jeep, just watching at it, one is in it. I just really really recommend it to everyone. It's a personal experience, a good and happy atmosphere and we just had an amazing day. I can't stress that enough!!! Thank you Mirela!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kidkat13
Mar 2, 2020
Amazing tour of the Vidigal Favela! - We would highly encourage everyone to take part in this tour with Mirela. It was a wonderful experience seeing inside the favela. We felt perfectly safe the entire time. Many people in the community know Mirela and it was fun watching her interact with the kids and other people that live there. She was extremely knowledgeable about the favela and about Rio in general. This tour gives a good mixture of nice views from the top of the favela and also a firm understanding of what the inside of the favela looks like. My boyfriend and I ended being the only ones on the tour, which was nice. Mirela limits the tours to only 5 people so it always feels very personable. I would highly recommend this tour over any other tour of the favela- it’s much better to do a small tour with a local than a larger tour with tons of tourists.
Mirela- Thank you so much for everything! It was lovely meeting you! Abrigada!
- Anna and Kole
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joyce
Feb 29, 2020
MUST TRY this Vidigal Hangout Tour - Thank you, Mirela! Your introduction to Vidigal was educational, interesting, fun & most importantly authentic. Riding on a motorcycle taxi through the hilly & narrow streets up to the top felt like a scene from the movies. It was a fascinating experience and the scenery up top was stunning. Mirela is friendly, knowledgeable and warm as she introduced her friends & neighbours to me in her close knit community. Learning about their daily lives and living conditions was truly an eye opener. This hangout included a few drinks at 2 bars (1 catered to tourists & the other one for locals). Both were very enjoyable as you felt safe there and welcomed by everyone. I highly recommend Mirela as she has many great stories to share and her passion for contributing to her favela truly stands out.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joyce_c
Feb 29, 2020
Must try this Vidigal Hangout Tour - Thank you, Mirela! I didn’t know what to expect on this private tour. Your introduction to Vidigal was educational, interesting, fun & most importantly authentic. Riding on a motorcycle taxi through the hilly & narrow streets up to the top felt like a scene from the movies. It was a fascinating experience and the scenery up top was stunning. Mirela is friendly, knowledgeable and warm as she introduced her friends & neighbours to me in her close knit community. Learning about their daily lives and living conditions was truly an eye opener. This hangout included a few drinks at 2 bars (1 catered to tourists & the other one for locals). Both places were equally enjoyable as you felt safe and welcomed by everyone. I highly recommend Mirela as she has many great stories to share and her passion in contributing to the Vidigal community truly stands out.
Review provided by Viator
Adnana91
Feb 28, 2020
Excellent human experience - What a great experience ! At the begining, I was sceptical about visiting a favela in Rio because of what local people and tourists say about the danger in there. But Mirela showed us the social part of the favela : we discovered a world full of kind people, good food and nice views. You have to see it to believe it !
Mirela is such a lovely person ! She speaks perfect english, is very invested in the social life of the favela and wisely guides you in interesting spots. The second day, she even helped us to find a ride to Ilha Grande !
We definetly recommend this experience !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Libbhoff
Feb 18, 2020
Authentic, Local & Fun Community Experience in the Rio Favelas - With a background in social work, history and mental health, I feel drawn to the more impoverished or "real" parts of a city even on touristy vacations. That being said, an authentic experience is for real reasons, not always possible. Bringing tourists or outsiders into impoverished and difficult areas requires local leaders who both know and love the community and can translate and commune with foreigners. Mirela makes this trip. She voluntarily lives in the favelas, has long-created relationships to the community members. She is warm, kind, loving and full of stories of her own travels. If you can make it to the favelas during your time in Rio, do it with Mirela. You can even end with a sunset view, beer and snack at a local dining spot and watch life happen around you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maximusmarine89
Jan 30, 2020
Exceptional tour with a master tour guide! - My wife and I were initially hesitant to embark on a tour into a favela, especially given the reputation they have developed through pop culture. After researching and seeing Mirella’s reviews, we decided to take the plunge.
We met in the Sheraton and then walked to the main entrance to Vidigal. She is a local and it is evident when walking around how warm the community is and how happy everyone is to see her. You are truly in good hands, as she knows the area and all it’s secrets. We walked in and she arranged a motorbike taxi to the top. The experience felt like we were in an action movie and the experience was unforgettable, we highly recommend you experience it.
We took in the beautiful drinks and the stunning views atop the mountain at Bar da Loja. After relaxing, we then walked the streets to see numerous beautiful passageways and art deco graffiti. WARNING: do exactly as she says. Vidigal is safe, however there is still drug activity taking place and making the wrong move can lead to things going south fast. Always check with her whether it’s safe to take pictures and definitely make sure you wear sensible shoes for the adventure.
After winding through the streets for several hours and stopping at another local bar, our tour then came to an end. We had a wonderful experience and can’t recommend Mirella enough- you can’t go wrong. She speaks perfect English, along with Spanish and Portuguese as well (of course!). Definitely reach out- there’s a whole new experience waiting for you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor