The 15 Beach Tours in Rio de Janeiro That Earn Their Price

1.Pedra do Telégrafo Hike and Beach Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 417 reviews · 4 hours - 390 minutes · from $56Our pick

Ride from selected Rio neighborhoods to Guaratiba, walk through Pedra Branca State Park, and climb about an hour to Pedra do Telégrafo. Guides such as Dayvison, Erick, Felipe, and Nicolas help with the pace and photos. After the summit, cool off at Grumari or Prainha Beach. The early start helps avoid heat and long photo lines.

“Awesome trip to Pedra do Telégrafo with Miguel. Transportation/pick up from hotel on time, pretty good tips during the trip and in the end a wonderful view over the sea and a relaxing finishing at beach Grumari. Highly recommend this activity.”

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2.Arraial do Cabo Day Trip from Rio de Janeiro: Boat Tour & Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 390 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $70

Trade Rio’s city streets for Arraial do Cabo’s clear water and bright beaches on a full-day trip with hotel pickup, a schooner cruise, swimming stops, and a buffet lunch option. Guides such as Newton, Andrea, Vivi, and Israel have helped English-speaking visitors, though boat commentary is mainly in Portuguese. Expect a long road journey and possible weather changes.

“The tour is very good! the whole experience of getting to Arraial do Cabo was a dream! Food at casa do piedra was amazing. The weather was the only downside, it was very cloudy and rainy but even with that we had a wonderful time on this day trip. I would recommend and I will be back someday, hoping for a sunny day next time!”

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3.Stand-Up Paddle – Copacabana Beach Sunrise

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 39 reviews · 1h 30m · from $70

Meet near Posto 6 beside the Fairmont and Fisherman colony Z-13 for a 90-minute sunrise SUP outing. An instructor explains the basics, supplies your board, paddle, life jacket, locker, and waterproof phone case, then leads you toward Copacabana Fort and the open water. The experience suits beginners aged 12 and older, but confirm the meeting point and photo package before booking.

“Pior experiência da minha vida! Conselho que dou é NÃO FAÇAM. Primeiro que fui no ponto de encontro e não tinha ninguém lá, cheguei 4h15 e o horário marcado era às 4h30. Daí fiquei em plena madrugada do Rio esperando responderem as minhas mensagem ou atenderem as minhas ligações e nada. Daí tive que ir na orla da praia saindo de quiosque em quiosque procurando o responsável pela atividade. Só conseguir fazer pois tinha um lá que tinha parceria com a “ empresa” ao qual contratei, caso contrário não iria conseguir fazer a atividade. O rapaz que me atendeu me passou a informação que eles não tinham mais o ponto…”

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5.SpeedBoat Tour – Beach Tour with Beer

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 26 reviews · 3 hours · from $56

Set out from Urca Pier with a live guide in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Cruise past Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana, Arpoador, Niterói, and more, with time for swimming at selected spots. Beer, soda, and mineral water are included. Captain Rafael is noted for careful driving and lively local commentary.

“Eigene Anreise mit dem Taxi (günstig). Dort Angekommen waren wir mit Skipper zu 5 auf dem Boot. Der Guide war super freundlich. Die Getränke waren die ganze Tour kostenfrei so viel man wollte. Am Ende durfte man sich noch was für den Weg mitnehmen. Super! Würde ich wieder machen!”

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6.Telegrafo Rock Hike with Optional Beach Stop

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · 390 minutes - 7 hours · from $86

Join guide Dudu or another Urban Jungle guide for a 1.5-kilometer uphill walk through Rio’s White Stone State Park to Telegrafo Rock. Expect rainforest, ocean views, photo help, hotel pickup, and an optional 30-minute stop at Grumari, Prainha, Reserva, or Barra da Tijuca beach.

“This tour was a big highlight of our trip. We flew in a few days early before we took a cruise ship that left from Rio. It was my teenage son and I (my husband had to work). I was really nervous about who I booked with for safety reasons. Dudu our tour guide with urban jungle was so good. He picked us up at the hotel and went over and beyond to make sure we felt safe and had a great experience. He also texted us on WhatsApp the day before to confirm. We ended up with photos that Dudu took for us at the rock that we love.…”

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7.Buzios Beaches Day Trip with Boat Ride and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.3 · 11 reviews · 12 hours · from $68

Brasil Show Turismo LTDA takes you from Rio to Búzios for a long day of beach views, a schooner ride, buffet lunch, and one hour on Rua das Pedras. You will see Azeda, Azedinha, João Fernandes, and Tartaruga from the coast and water, but beach access can be limited by the day’s boat plan and weather.

“if you want to travel 4 hours each way for a 3 hour boat trip, with the option to pay for scuba, then this is your trip. you will only see the beaches from a distance and the guide wasn't brilliant”

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8.Rio Bike Tour – Discover the Beaches and Lagoon

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 10 reviews · 3 hours · from $100

Start near the Fairmont Copacabana and follow Rio’s bike lanes past Copacabana, Arpoador, Ipanema, Leblon, and Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. Your bilingual guide sets an easy pace, explains the city, and stops for photos, including at Arpoador Rock and the Leblon viewpoint. Bikes and gear are included, but check the bike carefully before setting off.

“The tour was incredible! The people who help you book your trip are very friendly and helpful, and the tour itself is amazing! Our guide, Ulysses, was very friendly and took us through Rio's scenic neighborhoods (Botafogo, Flamengo, Copacabana, and the beautiful center of Rio downtown). You will see views of Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, and much more!”

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9.Rio’s Best Hidden Beaches Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7 reviews · 6 hours · from $80

Spend six hours exploring Rio’s less crowded coast, from São Conrado and its free flight landing site to the wild beaches of Prainha and Grumari. You’ll ride in air-conditioned transport with a guide in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, stop for photos, swim, walk, and buy seafood at a beach kiosk if you wish.

“We had a very nice English-speaking driver who showed us the most beatiful beaches. Thank you, Marcus, for this great trip and dafe driving.”

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10.Pedra do Telégrafo Hiking & Relax in a Wild Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 6 hours · from $76

Ride from Rio to Pedra do Telégrafo with an English-, Spanish-, or Portuguese-speaking guide, hike through Pedra Branca State Park, and pose at the famous rock viewpoint. Afterward, stop at Grumari Beach for swimming, with coastal views through Barra da Tijuca and São Conrado on the return.

“Very easy to book on Get Your Guide. I chose the 6:00am option and we got up to Telegrafo rock before the big crowd. The hike on the way up is easy to medium and has some great lookout points, Telegrafo obviously being the best! There was a professional photographer at the top so bring some cash if you wanna buy the pictures he takes. Our guide was very nice and easy going. We stopped for small break on the way back down and went to some beautiful beaches too! A great experience!”

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11.Pedra do Telegrafo Hike & Grumari Beach Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 6 hours · from $96

Join a small group of up to six for a moderate guided hike to Pedra do Telegrafo with Raffael or another English, Spanish, or Portuguese-speaking guide. After forest trails and shore views, cool off at Grumari Beach. Hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, and drop-off are included.

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12.Pedra do Telégrafo trail and beach stop

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $83

You’ll hike about 2 kilometers through Pedra Branca State Park to Pedra do Telégrafo with an English, Portuguese, or Spanish-speaking guide such as Guilherme, Nicolas, or Leonel. After the viewpoint, the tour visits beaches including Prainha and Grumari, with time to swim, take photos, and enjoy the coast. Hotel pickup and digital photos are included.

“Excelente nuestro Guilherme nos contó mucho sobre la ciudad y nos ayudó a pasarla increíble el mejor guía de Rio”

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13.Sugarloaf Mountain & Beaches Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 4 reviews · 4 hours · from $82

This four-hour morning tour combines hotel pickup, a two-stage cable-car ride up Sugarloaf Mountain, and a drive past Leblon, Ipanema, and Copacabana beaches. A live guide can lead in English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, French, or Italian. Traffic may shorten sightseeing time.

“Von den angekündigten 4 Stunden saßen wir 2 Stunden im Auto um von der Copacabana bis zum Hafen hoch zu fahren um Kreuzfahrtgäste abzuholen um dann wieder herunter zum Zuckerhut zu fahren . Dafür hatten wir dann 70 Minuten für den Zuckerhut . Das war ok , der Reiseführer hat sich Mühe gegeben, wollte uns dann aber nach dem Zuckerhut nicht zurück zum Hotel fahren sondern in ein Uber oder Taxi setzten . Weil er schon soviel Zeit verloren hatte . Die versprochen Strände haben wir nicht besichtigt. Entsprechend enttäuscht sind wir von diesem Ausflug.”

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14.Rio de Janeiro Secluded Beaches: Hike+Swim Prainha & Grumari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 450 minutes - 8 hours · from $86

Leave Rio’s South Zone for Prainha and Grumari with an English- or Portuguese-speaking guide. Walk 2.8 km through Prainha Natural Park to Caeté summit, then spend about three hours swimming and relaxing at Grumari. Transport, insurance, and hotel pickup are included. Bring water, food, hiking shoes, swimwear, and a towel.

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15.Pedra do Telégrafo; Grumari/ Prainha Beaches

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 7 hours · from $58

You’ll hike for about an hour to Pedra do Telégrafo with a live guide in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, then visit Prainha and Grumari beaches. Hotel pickup and return transport are included for South Zone hotels. Bring hiking shoes, beachwear, and food, since meals are not provided.

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