FAVELA TOUR – FAVELA TOURISM – FAVELA TOUR BRAZIL – FAVELA TOUR RIO DE JANEIRO – FAVELA WALKING TOUR RIO DE JANEIRO
Tourism in Brazil is internationally renowned, thanks to attractions such as Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Tijuca Forest, the amazing beaches of Rio de Janeiro (Leme, Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Prainha, Grumari), the Maracanã Stadium, Pedra da Gávea, among many others. Here, we will address another aspect of the marvelous city of Rio de Janeiro that is increasingly attracting people’s interest, THE FAVELAS.
The origin of the name Favela came after the end of the War of Canudos (Bahia – between 1896 and 1897), where Morro da Favela was located, and it comes from the plant known as Faveleira, existing in great abundance in that region. Upon returning victorious to Rio, in 1897, many soldiers did not receive the amount of money promised by the government, and invaded a farm in Morro da Providência to build their homes, and named the place Favela, because it reminded them of the hills they fought on while in Bahia. This place became the first favela in the city.
There are many criticisms related to tourism in favelas, because some agencies do this kind of tourism in the wrong way. They develop “poverty tourism” where they expose residents, as if the tour was a “human safari”. Tourists visit, take photos of stores, houses and people, often without the consent of residents and traders. In this scenario, only the guide and the agency benefit.
Even though they are often known for their poverty and lack of basic infrastructure and opportunities, Favelas are part of the Brazilian identity, and represent a manifestation of the local culture, present in all cities of Brazil, bringing to tourists a vast and broad cultural wealth, genuinely Brazilian hospitality and stunning views. It is precisely for these aspects that favelas have attracted the interest of people from the most varied regions of the world, who want an authentic and unforgettable experience.
The milestone in the favela tourism segment in the city of Rio was the recording of the music “They Don’t Care About Us” from singer Michael Jackson and directed by the famous director, producer and screenwriter Spike Lee. And now, thanks to our innovative tours, our tourists can get in contact with the reality of the favelas, their stories, culture, essence and lifestyle, free from stereotypes and prejudices.
Favela tourism was the theme I developed in my Master’s Thesis, entitled “Tourism as a Strategic Tool for the Development of Favelas in Complexo do Alemão”. In this dissertation, I argued that this social tourism, in addition to providing unforgettable moments for tourists, has also the responsibility of promoting the development of the community where it is carried out. In other words, it must provide economic growth to the region and improve the quality of people’s lives.
Xperiencer Tour Brazil works with tourism in favelas in an inclusive way, providing tourists with immersion and experience in the reality of the favela. Our agency works in partnership with a guide who is a resident of the favela. Our clients have breakfast at one of the inns in the region, have lunch at one of the favela’s restaurants, visit the most charming areas of the region and have a typical Brazilian drink at the top of the mountain, while enjoying the wonderful views, at some of the most beautiful viewpoints in the area.
For reasons of respect, convenience and safety, the tourists, accompanied by a local guide and by a member of our team, must follow our guidelines:
Dress comfortably (short and t-shirt).
Wear sneakers to make it easier to move around the streets and hills of the favela.
Never take photos of people or the interior of homes/businesses in the area without their permission.
In many favelas the use of drones is not allowed, so don’t insist.
Follow the itinerary suggested by your local guide.
Walking is the best way to get to know the favelas and perhaps this is the reason why the expression “Favela Walking Tour” is so well known internationally, but if we need to use transport while there, we take local vans and motorcycle taxis.
Use of local commerce (Ex: Restaurant, snack bars, craft store, bars, pharmacy, etc.). Today it is possible to rent rooms in several hostels in the favela including through the Airbnb platform.
Here in Rio, we have countless options, and here is a list of the best favela excursions:
Santa Marta.
Vidigal.
Tavares Bastos.
Rocinha.
Babilônia/ Chapéu Mangueira.
Many cities around the world are famous for tourism in favelas, after all, who have never heard about “Favela Tour Medellin” or the “Favela Tour Bogota” in Colombia, but we can say that Rio is a perfect city to carry out a wonderful “Favela tour”, due to the variety of options. Among the various proposals, Vidigal and Rocinha are the most popular destinations (Vidigal Favela Tour/ Rocinha Favela Tour).
With the purpose of turning the favela tourism into an instrument of social transformation, it is essential to ensure that residents are included in the tourist activities and that it benefits them in some way, generating jobs, encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit of the locals, contributing to improve the favela’s infrastructure, encouraging the development of cultural activities, leisure and entertainment, strengthening the feeling of belonging to the favela and even restoring people’s self-esteem.
Count on Xperiencer Tour Brasil for an unforgettable experience in the Favela Tourism.
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