Favelas in Rio

As travelers, we set a cultural requirement for every trip.  I couldn’t imagine leaving Rio without experiencing the Rio culture.  Considering my little bit of knowledge came from Samba music, the World Cup/Olympics, and watching the movie City of God (Cidade de Deus), I wondered if we were going to have the opportunity to experience such a critical part of Rio life without risking our safety.

Of course, exploring any city local or abroad involves risk.  That risk is amplified in the favelas in Rio.  Like anywhere, the favelas have some safe parts and some not-so-safe.  The latter being the most common.  If you are a traveler who seeks cultural experiences and couldn’t imagine a trip to Rio without experience the favelas, then I recommend using a guided walking tour. 

The favelas are gang-run with a constant power battle between gangs. The walking guided tours are considered safe with predetermined accessibility.  I definitely do not recommend walking the favelas alone or exploring without a guide.  Through the tour, you will see evidence of gang violence that is an unfortunate reality of favela residents. 

Walking through the Favelas, we were able to hear some wonderful stories about the residents, see some of their beautiful art, and taste the delicious food.  I highly recommend a tour to learn about favela culture.  We booked our tour through Be A Local.