I am in love with the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro and its surroundings, but as a solo traveler from the United States, I am also aware of my own limitations when navigating a city like Rio on my own. At the same time, I prefer to avoid tour groups, and like to have the flexibility to explore the city at my own pace and in my own way rather than follow the schedule and plan of a larger group. 

I have done a number of custom designed tours with Marcelo and his team in September 2018 and July 2019, and have already scheduled another couple of tours for July 2021. 

Touring the city with Rio natives Marcelo and Rafael is like having local friends proudly show me around their hometown. In addition to the usual tourist hotspots like Corcovado and Sugarloaf, it is fantastic to experience the local scene at the Feira de Sao Cristovao, and take in the beauty of the city from relatively secluded vantage points like Morro Dona Marta and parts of the Tijuca rainforest. 

On my most recent trip, the tour was expanded to include the historic towns of Petropolis and Teresopolis, named after the last emperor and empress of Brazil. My next trip will definitely include a return to Teresopolis for some hiking in the Serra dos Orgaos!