It’s no secret that Rio de Janeiro doesn’t have the best safety reputation. Although this lively beachside city has its one-of-a-kind attractions, it does have a dark side that tourists should avoid. On our recent visit to Rio, we explored the city both by guided tour and by ourselves.

We compared our experiences and gathered our thoughts for you here to help you answer the question – Do I Need a Guided Tour to Visit Rio de Janeiro?

Our Tour Experience

On our very first complete day arriving in Rio, we decided to book a Full-day Tour of the City. After going back and forth about the decision, we figured that since we would still be tired and adjusting to the time difference, we might not be the sharpest on our first day and wanted to ease into our Rio experience.

During the tour, we visited most of the famous highlights Rio has to offer. These include:

• Christ the Redeemer

• Sugarloaf Mountain

• Selaron Steps

• Rio de Janeiro Cathedral

• Maracana Stadium

If you’re only spending one day in Rio, this would be the perfect itinerary. Of course, not all the must-see places in Rio, like Copacabana Beach, Ipanema Beach and Museu do Amanha were on the itinerary, but this was a fantastic starting point.

So what was it like? We loved it! Here are our main reasons why the day was super enjoyable.

Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain Entrance Tickets Included

For starters, having a tour guide take care of your entrance tickets for Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain felt very necessary. To be honest, the ticket and entry process for Christ the Redeemer seemed quite confusing to me (do we hike? do we take the shuttle? do we take the train? do I buy the tickets in advance?), so it was so nice to have someone organise this and basically be on your way to the Christ the Redeemer as soon as you get off the bus. Plus, the crowds were pretty bad and I couldn’t imagine lining up to get tickets.

At Sugarloaf Mountain, the line was even worse. Trying to visit around sunset time is a bit of a nightmare because this is the busiest time of the day for visitors, and you might end up even missing the sunset because of the long line. We were super grateful to have our tickets organised beforehand by our guide.

Rio is 100% Safer On a Tour

When you’re on a tour, you’re traveling in a group with a tour guide and driver who speak Portuguese. They know the ins and outs of the city, and it’s logical that a potential pick-pocketer or mugger would avoid you in this scenario. I’m sure they would much rather prey on that lone traveller looking lost or clueless while trying to order an Uber.

Speaking of Ubers and taxis, it was so convenient having one vehicle directly take you to all the sights for the entire day. The other alternative would be you waiting for rideshares between every stop. On my tour there were about 7-8 stops, so this would be 8 times that a potential thief could take advantage of me while I waited for an Uber on my phone. There are ways to reduce the risk, such as going into a restaurant or store to wait for your car, but sometimes this just isn’t that feasible.

I didn’t feel in danger with my camera out in Rio

As a traveler and content creator, not being able to use my camera is like Ariel losing her voice in The Little Mermaid. That was the reality I was facing had I not joined a tour, as both locals and tourists warned me not to walk around with my big DSLR camera around Rio. I received this advice persistently all throughout my trip to South America.

But, when I was on my tour, I felt that the locations were safe enough, and that the tour group and guide added as a sort of ‘buffer’ to potential safety issues. Because of this, I felt confident to use my camera in all the locations – and I’m so glad that I did! Rio is a ridiculously photogenic place, and it would have honestly made me sad to not be able to take photos on my camera.

I’m not guaranteeing nothing will happen while you’re on a tour (as it will also depend on how careful and vigilant you are), but bad things are definitely much less likely to happen when you’re on a tour.

Once again, you can book the same fantastic tour we went on by clicking here.

You can use a tour to visit non-touristy places too

We went on another tour in Rio – this one a little different – it was an Off The Beaten Track, Hidden Gems Rio Nature Tour. You can read about our experience in our other blog post.

This tour was also very necessary as we would have never thought to go the places on that itinerary, such as Penhasco Dois Irmãos, Parque Natural Municipal Chico Mendes and Prainha Beach. The distances were even greater than the other tour I discussed, and I would have had to take out my phone quite frequently to get from place to place, so overall I’m really glad I went on this tour as well.

You can check out that particular amazing ‘Rio Nature Secrets Tour’ by clicking here.

Our DIY Experience in Rio

After our successful consecutive tour experiences, we were tempted to go on another tour but we couldn’t find one that aligned with where we wanted to go for the other days.

Specifically, we wanted to visit places such as Museu do Amanhã, Mirante Dona Marta, Mosteiro Sao Bento, the Mural das Etnias and other attractions that didn’t really ‘fit’ any other tour itinerary. So, we decided to venture off on our own.

BUT – we had some rules in place, that included:

• No cameras – take photos with your phone only.

• Be quick and intentional when walking – do not ‘wander’ or look lost at anytime.

• Only use Uber, do not hail a taxi off the street.

• We must be back in our hotel before sunset.

After implementing these rules, we also had a great experience roaming around Rio by ourselves! Because I didn’t have my camera with me, I felt much more liberated and secure to walk around without feeling like I had a target on me. Of course, it was a bit of a bummer not being able to capture some of the sights we saw on the DSLR, but it was a sacrifice worth making. In the end, nothing bad happened to us the few days we ventured off by ourselves in Rio.

Is Rio Really That Dangerous?

There’s no doubt that there is some danger in Rio – and a level higher than what most travellers are probably used to – but I do believe that its reputation for crime is highly exaggerated. My tour guide was telling me there was a crime statistic that basically revealed that most tourist crimes consist of unknowing travelers leaving their belongings on the beach and having them stolen. I personally would never do that – even in other countries – but especially not in Brazil!

My consensus on Rio is that it’s not actually that dangerous if you take all the necessary precautions. As a tourist, it’s unlikely that you’ll end up in an unsafe situation anyway. Don’t go wandering off into favelas. Don’t walk around at night. Put your phone in your pocket once you’re done using it. Don’t wear expensive clothing or jewellery. These are things that basically everyone tells tourists – but unfortunately, not all of them listen.

Final Verdict – Do I Need a Tour to Visit Rio de Janeiro?

I think that if it’s your first time in Rio and you’re a little bit nervous about being in any kind of danger, I would recommend going on a guided tour, at least for your first day. Especially if you’re interested in visiting a favela - I would pretty much only advise you to go on a tour for this kind of experience. Going on a tour early in your trip will at least give you an idea of what the streets of Rio are like without jumping in the deep end straight away.

For me at least, it calmed my nerves and made me feel way more confident traveling without a tour in the next few days – but I don’t think I would have felt that way had I not gone on a tour initially.

After you’ve been acquainted with Rio, then I would say it’s a lot easier to go explore by yourself. But please, with all this safety talk – don’t be put off by visiting this beautiful city – it truly is one of the best places I’ve ever visited and I would encourage all travelers to put it on their bucket list. You should definitely visit Rio, regardless whether it’s on a tour or by yourself.

Thinking of booking a tour? Check out our handpicked recommendations below.

• The Best of Rio in a Full Day Tour - Corcovado, Sugar Loaf, Selaron and more

• Full-Day Private Tour of Rio with Pick Up

• Rio's Secluded Beaches: Prainha & Grumari Hike and Swim

Are you thinking of visiting Rio de Janeiro? Let us know below!

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