Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour
Traveler rating
4.8/5
Based on 31 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour worth booking?
Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour is a 10-hour experience in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from $630 per person. It scores 65 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 4.8/5 rating across 31 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 65 / 100
- Rating
- 4.8/5 (31)
- Duration
- 10 hours
- From
- $630 per person
Three of the most famous sights in Rio de Janeiro are at your fingertips on this day-long tour. Get to the world-famous Christ Redeemer statue at the top of Corcovado Mountain via Skip The Line Train tickets and ride the
What you get
- Internal visit to the Metropolitan Cathedral
- Live audio guide – available in 9 different languages
- Corcovado Train Ticket
- Cable Car Ticket to Sugar Loaf Mountain
- Barbecue Lunch with vegetarian options (if option with Lunch selected)
- Roundtrip Transfer to Most Hotels in São Conrado, Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana (South Zone)
About this experience
Three of the most famous sights in Rio de Janeiro are at your fingertips on this day-long tour. Get to the world-famous Christ Redeemer statue at the top of Corcovado Mountain via Skip The Line Train tickets and ride the cable cars overlooking Guanabara Bay from Sugar Loaf Mountain! Majestic views await you in Rio. You will also enjoy a quick stop in front of the world famous Maracanã Soccer Stadium and have a delightful Barbecue lunch. Listen to the story of Brazil since its discovery, all the way to the coming of the Portuguese Royal Family, Rio’s independence and the proclamation of the republic and learn all about the local’s lifestyle.
What's included
Included
- Internal visit to the Metropolitan Cathedral
- Live audio guide – available in 9 different languages
- Corcovado Train Ticket
- Cable Car Ticket to Sugar Loaf Mountain
- Barbecue Lunch with vegetarian options (if option with Lunch selected)
- Roundtrip Transfer to Most Hotels in São Conrado, Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana (South Zone)
- Panoramic City Tour
- Professional Tour Guide
Not included
- Beverages
- Optional Gratuities
What you'll see and do
Praia do Leblon
Catch up nice views from the Leblon beach, where you can get a great perscpective of the Morro Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers Hill)
Pass by without stopping
Ipanema Beach
Located between Arpoador and Jardim de Alah, it is one of the most famous beaches in the country (Have you ever heard "Girl from Ipanema"?) and one of the busiest in the city. About 2 km long, some areas of the beach have strong waves and currents, and can be used for sports.
Pass by without stopping
Copacabana Beach
Copacabana Beach is the most famous beach in the city (maybe even in the country, or in the world) and is about 4 km long. Among the trademarks is its boardwalk with waves drawn in Portuguese stone, designed by famous brazilian landscaper Burle Max. In Copacabana you will testify why cariocas have such a beautiful tan. While you travel through these neighborhoods, you will hear a few tips on what to do around them and the interesting stories that took place in these streets.
Pass by without stopping
Botafogo Beach
Head Downtown through the charming Botafogo shore where you will have the first glimpse of Sugar Loaf. You can also get nice perspectives of the Guanabara Bay. This beach is great for those who wants to practice some sand sport: volleyball, soccer, footvolley, etc. Cycling, jogging and hiking are usual there, after all, there is a bike path and boardwalk that goes to Flamengo Beach.
Pass by without stopping
Guanabara Palace
You will pass through the historic Laranjeiras neighborhood, which hosts the Guanabara Palace, the ancient home of Princess Isabel who signed the Golden Law to free all slaves. Nowadays, the Palace is the official headquarters of the government of Rio de Janeiro.
Pass by without stopping
Sambodromo da Marques de Sapucai
Before reaching downtown you will pass next to the Sambodrome, where the Samba School Parade happens every year.
Pass by without stopping
The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian
See from outside and get inside the iconic Metropolitan Cathedral which was built in a pyramidal form with an internal diameter of 96 meters and a height of 80 meters.
15 minutes here
Rio de Janeiro Historic City Center
A comprehensive city tour of downtown area. Take a panoramic tour through historical streets and buildings and get to know stories and curiosities of this prominent area. Get nice perspectives of the traditional Cinelândia Square with its historical buildings, and take a look at the Municipal Theater with its Art Nouveau Architecture.
Pass by without stopping
Aterro Do Flamengo
You will make your way to Urca through Aterro do Flamengo and its parks, designed by Burle Marx and hear all about Brazil’s participation in World War II as well as the founding of the city back in the late 1500s, just before arriving to Sugar Loaf.
Pass by without stopping
Morro da Urca
The first cable car takes you to Urca Hill, a vantage point 215 meters high for which already grants beautiful views of Guanabara Bay and its islands, Flamengo and Botafogo beaches, Santos Dummont Airport, the Rio-Niterói Bridge, Urca’s neighborhood and Corcovado Mountain.
15 minutes here · Admission not included
Sugarloaf Mountain
A second cable car takes you up to the top. When you get there, you will understand why Rio is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. At 395 meters you’ll enjoy breathtaking views from Copacabana beach, Niterói and the Santa Cruz fortress. From up there, you will have no trouble understanding why Rio is nicknamed “Wonderful City”.
40 minutes here · Admission not included
After visiting Sugar Loaf Mountain, you will head down to an all-you-can-eat-style barbecue house. Brazilian Churrascarias (Barbecue places) offer a wide variety of sides and alternative options, in case you decide to stick with a vegetarian option, you will still leave delighted. Lunch is included only if option selected. If selecting an option without lunch, our guide will offer a variety of nearby suggestions that can fit any budget or taste!
80 minutes here · Admission not included
Maracana
Take a lap around the stadium and have a short stop so you can appreciate the splendor of the two-time World Cup Finals host. There you will be able to imagine the amount of history that took place since its opening in 1950 when Brazil hosted its first World Cup. You will see the stadium from outside only.
10 minutes here · Admission not included
Parque Nacional da Tijuca
Upon reaching Cosme Velho Station, sitting at the bottom of Corcovado Mountain, we will catch the train with pre-reserved tickets to save time and it will take you up to the top, through the dense Tijuca Rainforest to the 38m tall (125ft) Christ Redeemer Statue. The 20 minute ride up will give you a chance to thoroughly appreciate the Tijuca Forest, which is considered to be the largest urban forest in the whole world. It represents 7% of the whole city`s territory! It’s breath taking and that alone already makes the trip well worth it.
20 minutes here · Admission not included
Santuario Cristo Redentor
Upon arriving at the Statue, you will have two options of reaching the top, by a lift and then an escalator, or the traditional way, by stairs, 222 Steps, but the prize makes it all worthwhile. Once up, the views and the imposing statue will take your mind off the walk up! Looking up you will feel blessed and protected by this beautiful monument of Christ with open arms, now one of the new Seven Wonders of the World! From up there you can see most of the city, all of the south zone and all the way to Niteroi. A unique view that will astound you. You will have about 40 minutes to get to know all the sides and views of Corcovado and take pictures.
40 minutes here · Admission not included
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 30 minutes before departure.
Options you can book
Shared - By Train & With Lunch
Shared with other guests: Enjoy a full-day tour to Sugar Loaf with barbecue lunch & Christ Redeemer Statue by Train with pre-reserved tickets.(9 hours) Barbecue Lunch included: Delicious all-you- can-eat barbecue with multiple sides and Ice-cream for dessert Live Guide in: English, Spanish, Portuguese. On Request: German, French, Italian. Audio Guide in all these + Japanese, Mandarim & Russian. Pickup included
Shared - By Train - No Lunch
Shared with other guests: Enjoy a full-day tour to Sugar Loaf, Free time for lunch & Christ Redeemer Statue by Train with pre-reserved tickets.(9 hours Lunch Not Included: Time allowed for lunch with lots of nearby options Live Guide in: English, Spanish, Portuguese. On Request: German, French, Italian. Audio Guide in all these + Japanese, Mandarim & Russian. Pickup included
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- de, ru, pt, cmn, ja, en, it, fr, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 30 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Gray Line Brazil
Know before you go
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Keep in mind that if you want to avoid picking other passenger, just ask us to be picked up from the last departure point on the tour.
- This tour does not operate on Carnival, Dec 24, 25 & 31 and Jan 1st
- Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat in case it’s hot
- Please be aware we offer different options. There is an option with Tickets and Lunch included and the other one without Lunch.
Photos
Good to know
- Duration
- 10 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $630 to $940
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 11
- Verdict
- Solid Choice
Who runs this experience
Operated by Gray Line Brazil, who run 56 experiences we rank across 5 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 53.4.
See everything Gray Line Brazil runsWhy this scores 65
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Rio de Janeiro.
How much does Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour cost?
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Prices start at $630 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Rio de Janeiro usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour take?
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Plan for about 10 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Rio de Janeiro is not rushed.
Is Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 65 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.8/5 across 31 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Rio de Janeiro, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 10-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour?
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Around 11 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Rio de Janeiro can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Rio de Janeiro and add a light layer if any part of the 10-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Rio by Day - Main Sights Tour start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Rio de Janeiro within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Rio de Janeiro?
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On Outty we rank every Rio de Janeiro experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Rio's Full Day: Selarón Steps, Christ & Sugarloaf – Tickets & Lunch Included, Rio: Tijuca Rainforest Hike, Wildlife, Waterfalls & Caves, Explore the Best of Tijuca Forest – Hike to Peaks, Caves & Falls. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Rio de Janeiro?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Rio de Janeiro?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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