Santa Marta Favela Tour, Football Game + Traditional Lunch, Rio de Janeiro

Gilson and Vitor were excellent hosts. We’ve experienced the favela life from inside, seen the best views of Rio, visite...

Filka

On this tour of the Santa Marta favela in Rio de Janeiro, discover the day-to-day life of this carioca community. You'll also enjoy a delicious lunch or play a game of football with the locals.

Details

Duration

3 hours.

Language

The activity takes place with a guide that speaks in English, although it may occasionally be done in two languages.

Included

English–speaking guide
Lunch (depending on selection)
Admission ticket for the funicular to the Santa Marta favela
Football game with the locals

Not included

Drinks

When to book

You can book up to 5 days in advance if there are any seats left. Book now and guarantee your spot.

Supporting documents

Electronic voucher. Have it on your phone.

Accessibility

Not wheelchair accessible.

Minimum age

Not permitted for anyone under 6 years

Sustainability

All services meet our

Pets

Not allowed.

Frequently asked questions

If you have other questions, contact us

Free cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts. Any cancellations after this or no-shows on the day will not be refunded.

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Meeting point

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Reviews of our customers

8.2

Excellent 116 Travelers·12 reviews

April 22, 2026
Filka
Bulgaria
Gilson and Vitor were excellent hosts. We’ve experienced the favela life from inside, seen the best views of Rio, visited our host house, had a snack ...
With friends
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March 15, 2026
Saturnino
Pamplona, Spain
A great activity to do with friends or in a group. There's no better way to experience it than with locals and simply get a glimpse into a different w...
Traveling solo
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March 31, 2026
Moraima Hernández
Spain
El fundador de un proyecto local ha hecho un trabajo increíble promoviendo su comunidad para mejorar sus vidas. Recomiendo mucho esta actividad.
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January 1, 2025
Wayne Simon
Colombia
What an excellent tour by an amazing guide. It felt very personal and such a privilege to have met Gilson’s family, friends and community neighbours. ...
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April 6, 2024
Gavin
Glasgow, United Kingdom
We had an amazing tour! The two guides were awesome, the safety was never in question and we had a really great lunch. Would recommend to absolutel...
With friends
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April 5, 2024
Daniel Harwood
United Kingdom
Great Guide who grew up in the favela, very informative, felt safe and learnt a lot about life in the favela. All money goes back into the favela. Do ...
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Tour Details

At the scheduled time, we'll meet at the Tourist Information Office at Praça Corumbá, and from there, we'll make our way to the railway station to head up to the Santa Marta favela, one of the most colourful favelas in Rio!

Once we've arrived at the favela, we'll enjoy some unbeatable views of some of the most iconic locations in the city, such as Sugarloaf Mountain, Christ the Redeemer, and the Morro Dois Irmãos. We'll also see the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema.

After enjoying the panoramic views, we'll begin this tour of the Santa Marta favela, starting with the celebrities who have visited the area in the past. Among the most famous is Michael Jackson, who recorded the music video for his song They Don’t Care About Us in the colourful mural-lined streets.

We'll continue the visit by meeting with some of the locals, who'll speak to us about their way of life. Did you know that one of them has a collection of more than 300 watches? We'll also visit the various centres that encourage sustainable development projects in the favela and contribute to spreading the word about the achievements of the local community, in an attempt to rid the favelas of the often negative connotations that are associated with them.

Finally, after an approximately 2.5-hour tour, we'll finish the favela tour by continuing with your chosen option that you selected when making your booking.

Tour Options

During the booking process for the Santa Marta favela tour in Rio de Janeiro, you can choose one of the following options. After finishing your included experience, we'll return to the meeting point where the tour began.

Tour + Football Game

Up in the favela, there's a football pitch that is often used by the locals. If you choose this option, after the tour of the favela, you'll have the chance to play in a 30-minute football match that will see the tourists face off against the locals.

This activity takes place at 2 pm or at 4 pm.

Tour + Traditional Lunch

In this case, once the tour of the favela has ended, we'll enjoy a traditional lunch in a family home in the favela. The menu will include various starters: rice, beans, farofa and salad. For the main course, you can choose one of the following options: grilled chicken, breaded chicken, fillet of veal or an omelette.

This activity takes place at 10 am.

Itinerary Adjustments

Please note that, if it rains on the day of the activity, the football game will be cancelled due to safety reasons. In this case, if you booked a tour with a football game, we'll provide an alternative activity.

Points of interest in Rio de Janeiro

Christ the Redeemer Tijuca National Park Pan de Azúcar Museum of Tomorrow

Types of activities in Rio de Janeiro

Guided tours in Rio de Janeiro Free Tours in Rio de Janeiro Boat Tours in Rio de Janeiro Day Trips from Rio de Janeiro City-to-city transportation Hikes in Rio de Janeiro Traditional Shows in Rio de Janeiro Food & Wine Tours in Rio de Janeiro Helictopter Tours in Rio de Janeiro

Other activities in Rio de Janeiro

Roxy Dinner Show Tickets The Municipal Theatre, the National Library and the Royal Portuguese Cabinet Tour Rio de Janeiro Sunrise Paddle Surf Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl Tijuca National Park Off-Roading Tour Hang Gliding in Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Surfing Lesson Rio de Janeiro Sightseeing Bus Sugarloaf Mountain Hiking & Climbing Adventure Footvolley at Copacabana Beach

Tour Details

Finally, after an approximately 2.5-hour tour, we'll finish the favela tour by continuing with your chosen option that you selected when making your booking.

Santa Marta Favela Tour, Football Game + Traditional Lunch