Helicopter Ride in Rio de Janeiro - 30 Minutes

Give these guys a miss!

I would recommend people don't use this company. I requested an English speaking pilot and our pilot said nothing at all to us. He did not point out any locations to us at all. There were no safety instructions at all. We were solely asked if the 3 of us had flown before and when we all replied yes, we were told "let's go". The pilot did not check our microphones or headsets. We were told to just put them on. Within a minute of the flight taking off the microphones failed so we were unable to chat with each other. I was sat in the front with the pilot but my 2 friends sat in the back. They both informed me that their views were heavily restricted, due to the type of helicopter we flew in. A helicopter crashed the following day killing 4 people. When reading about it I saw that there had been something like 66 helicopter crashes in Brazil during 2026. Therefore, I completely fail to understand why there were no safety instructions provided. Sorry to say, but I felt this was a complete waste of money and a very disappointing experience.

via Tripadvisor

A memorable experience - a MUST DO whilst in Rio

This is a MUST-DO whilst in Rio! I must preface this by saying the pre-flight experience left much to be desired but don't let this put you off booking. We arrived on time 15 minutes prior to our 1230pm booking, as stated in the confirmation email. The receptionist seemed surprised to see us and clearly wasn’t expecting us. She couldn’t find any reference to our booking, which was frustrating as 1) we were obviously excited about this holiday highlight event and 2) we’d travelled nearly an hour from central Rio by taxi to get there. Eventually a phone call seemed to suggest they did in fact have the booking. A different woman anrrived and said that although the booking said 12.30pm, it was actually 1pm as we had to undergo a half hour of induction. Odd as induction comprised filling in a few forms and took 5 minutes. We were left with the sense that they have somehow forgotten our booking. We ended up getting taken to the helicopter about 45 minutes after our appt time. It felt a bit micky mouse-ish and we just hopped this wasn’t going to be reflected in the quality of the helicopter and pilot. Fortunately, the actual flight itself was brilliant and we had a fabulous pilot who was determined that we would be able to see Christ the Redeemer despite the cloud cover so made quite a few attempts to get us up close. On the last attempt, the clouds parted and we got great views and photos. The flight was definitely a highlight of our South America travels so go ahead and book but maybe check ahead that your booking is expected.

via Viator

Incredible flight, but very disappointed in the media package

​I booked a helicopter flight on Monday, February 16th, and the actual flying experience was spectacular. The views were breathtaking and the ride itself was professional and smooth. ​However, I am extremely disappointed with the video and picture package I purchased. For the additional price paid, I expected high-quality, clear captures of the landscape. Instead, the footage and photos are: ​Blurry and out of focus: The quality does not represent the beauty of the tour. ​Very limited: There were very few shots included for the cost. ​Poor value: The results do not justify the premium price tag of the package. ​I truly enjoyed the tour, but I feel the media package was a waste of money given the technical issues. I would appreciate it if Viadora could reach out to issue a refund for the photo/video portion of my booking, as the product provided was not of professional standard.

via Viator

TripAdvisor Bookings Get Last Priority — Misleading Time

I booked a helicopter tour for a confirmed 3:00 PM time slot through TripAdvisor, but when I arrived, I was left waiting for over an hour before being told the earliest available flight would now be 5:00 PM. No one informed me of this delay at check‑in. What made the situation worse is that the staff openly admitted that customers who book through TripAdvisor are not given priority and are assigned different time slots, while direct bookings are prioritized. This completely defeats the purpose of selecting a specific time when booking through TripAdvisor. The lack of transparency, the long wait, and the clear second‑class treatment of TripAdvisor customers made the experience extremely disappointing. I couldn’t take the tour because of the delay, and the entire situation felt misleading. I would not recommend booking this tour through TripAdvisor until they ensure that confirmed time slots are honored and customers aren’t deprioritized simply because they booked through the platform.

via Tripadvisor

Must-do experience with a professional outfit

Highly recommended, especially without doors! A great way to see Rio with fresh eyes once you've visited most of the sights from the ground. The crew were super professional and friendly from start to finish.

Response from the operator: We only can say thank you, thank you for coming, we are so glad you have enjoyed it and Rio de Janeiro misses you so come back soon! Best Regards

via Tripadvisor