Santa Marta is a hillside community above Botafogo, one of the best known in Rio, partly because of its cheerful painted houses and partly because of the music video that Michael Jackson filmed there. This tour is a guided walk through it, running about three and a half hours with transport included and a maximum of fifteen people. The route listed for the tour starts at a lookout near the top of the community, with a stop of about ten minutes, then goes to the Michael Jackson statue, a stop of about twenty minutes with admission included, and spends about an hour and a half walking through Dona Marta. Along the way you move through narrow alleys, pass the residents' association and craft shops, and, according to reviews, some groups visit the guide's home. Guides are named in reviews as well known in the community, and one reviewer says the guide lives there, but itself does not state that guides are residents, so ask the operator. The tour runs on weekdays with two daily departures, and the booking page gives pickups at two Copacabana hotels, with the vehicle air-conditioned and personal accident insurance included. A free drink is listed, though one reviewer did not receive it. The page rates the tour 4.9 from nearly four hundred reviews.
Context matters. Governments such as the United States advise against travelling to favelas, even with a guide, and conditions on any given hill can change quickly, so read our guide to staying safe in Rio and visiting favelas responsibly before you decide. Santa Marta has been one of the better-known communities for organised visits, but nothing replaces checking the situation with your operator on the day. Be ready for the tour to be altered or cancelled, and do not take it as a guarantee of safety anywhere else in the city.
How to be a good guest
Ask before photographing people, follow the guide on where to walk, keep your voice down in residential lanes, and spend a little money with local craftspeople and cafes. Wear closed, grippy shoes, because the route involves many stairs and uneven paths. The booking page says it is not wheelchair accessible and not recommended for people who have trouble with stairs, and notes that infants must sit on laps.
The meeting arrangements are specific
Weekday pickups from two named Copacabana hotels at fixed times, with a note that missing the pickup is not refunded and that the meeting point can move to Botafogo, so check your email and messages before departure.
Who it suits
Open-minded adults and teenagers who want more than the beach and the monuments, music fans interested in the Michael Jackson connection, and travellers who value small-group tours with local voices. Free cancellation is listed at least twenty-four hours before the experience. A good companion for the day is the Little Africa and Pedra do Sal walk, which tells a related story of Rio's Afro-Brazilian culture, or an afternoon at the Botanical Garden to reset.
What to expect
The experience
A guided walking tour of Santa Marta in Botafogo, about three and a half hours, with a lookout stop, the Michael Jackson statue, a long walk through Dona Marta and vehicle transfer from the listed pickup points.
Best time
Weekday mornings or afternoons, when the listed departures run. The booking page gives no weekend departures.
How long
About three and a half hours in total, with roughly an hour and a half walking through Dona Marta.
Tips
Read our favela safety guide, wear closed shoes with grip, ask before taking photographs, follow the guide's route and check your email and messages before departure for changes to the pickup point.
Quick picks
- Best for
- A small-group introduction to community life, culture and music history on the hills of Botafogo.
- Families
- Suited to teenagers; the stairs and the subject matter are a lot for small children.
- Couples
- A thoughtful morning or afternoon, best followed by something relaxed on the beach.
- Pair with
- The Little Africa and Pedra do Sal walk, the Botanical Garden or an evening of samba.
- Time needed
- A morning or an afternoon.
Good questions
Why is Santa Marta well known?+
It is a hillside community above Botafogo known for its colourful houses and for the Michael Jackson music video filmed there, commemorated by a statue that is part of the tour.
How long does the tour last and how big is the group?+
About three and a half hours, with a maximum of fifteen travellers.
Where does it pick up?+
The booking page gives weekday pickups from two Copacabana hotels, with morning and afternoon departures, and notes that the meeting point can move to Botafogo. Missed pickups are not refunded, so check your email and messages before departure.
Is it suitable for everyone?+
No. The booking page says it is not wheelchair accessible and not recommended for people who have trouble with stairs. Infants must sit on laps.
Is it safe, and can I cancel?+
No tour is risk-free and governments such as the United States advise against visiting favelas even with a guide. Read our safety guide and confirm conditions with the operator. A full refund is listed if you cancel at least twenty-four hours before the experience.
