Are you interested in traveling to Brazil, but only have a limited amount of time? Maybe you have a couple of weeks and you feel overwhelmed by Brazil's size and variety of destinations. Don't worry, we've been there. That’s why we created this Brazil Experiential Travel Guide to get you started in organizing and planning your own trip.

Early in our around-the-world journey, we spent fifteen months traveling through Latin America, but we never made it to Brazil. How did we miss the largest country on the continent, the fifth largest in the world?

Short answer: we ran out of time. Real answer: we psyched ourselves out thinking we must experience Brazil all at once. Given Brazil’s size and diversity, we understood it could take months or even years to travel and fully explore. So we put off a visit, waiting for that perfect timing, our minds darting back often to how we might approach it.

Recently, we decided: Brazil, now’s the time. We embraced the “you don’t need to do it all at once, but choose wisely” approach.

Take a ride on Brazil's southern coastal highways and you'll find roads and towns engulfed in lush, flourishing green, and jungle that opens to dazzling seas and beaches. Marvel at vast swathes of savannah, forest and rivers throughout its inland tropical wetlands. No matter the level of development and modernization across the country — and there’s plenty across its cities, towns and infrastructure — nature appears poised to reclaim.

Against the backdrop of that nature exists a cultural diversity and expression shaped from Portuguese colonial rule, the African slave trade, and waves of immigration and internal migration. This forms the foundation on which we began to understand the country – not entirely, yet deeply — in a short period of time.

If, similar to us, you've wondered how to approach this vast and diverse country with a limited amount of time, this guide is for you. The goal: to inspire ideas of things to do in Brazil, places to visit, and how to engage so as to make the most of your own travels in Brazil.

Brazil in two weeks, from Rio de Janeiro to the Pantanal: An Experiential Guide

For those of you who love maps — as we do — here is a visual of the first two weeks of our route through Brazil on the Wonders of Brazil tour with G Adventures.

Rio de Janeiro, 1-4 days

1. Take the Corcovado Railway and enjoy Rio from above, at Christ the Redeemer

What really struck me most about Rio de Janeiro when we first arrived were its natural features – dramatic mountains, urban rainforests, and long stretches of white sand beaches. Human life, including downtown skyscrapers and densely populated neighborhoods are tucked between Mother Nature’s crevices and cliffs.

We took the Corcovado Railway through the thick rainforest of Tijuca National Park, a place remarkable for both its lushness and size. Tijuca, an urban rainforest, was the result of a massive reforestation project from the mid-19th century when the city realized that the deforestation due to coffee plantations and coal mining had dried up some of the city's main water sources. A reminder not to mess with Mother Nature and her delicate balance.

Christ the Redeemer, the 30-meter high Art Deco statue atop Corcovado mountain, overlooks it all, embracing the city.

The view from the top is remarkable. I found myself wondering how all this may have appeared to colonialists upon their first arrival in the 16th century. Something must have struck them, too. Rio de Janeiro was the country’s capital for almost 200 years; its cultural significance and atmosphere still hold sway.

2. Visit the Planeterra Favela Experience in Vidigal and challenge your perception

You may wonder: “Can a ‘favela tour’ ever be ethical and respectful?” It's important to ask that and other difficult questions when it comes to tours in favelas or other marginalized communities. To find our own thoughts on the matter, we interacted with a Favela tour in Rio and met community members and leaders.

When tourism and tours are developed from and by members of the community, respectful engagement is possible. A community-focused approach enables immersive experiences shaped by local culture, stories, people, and life — just as it did with the one we experienced with Planeterra Foundation and its local partners Favela Experience and Favela Inc.

Local community leaders and organizations create and deliver the favela tour. The experience zeroes in on respect, sharing and cultural exchange. Positive impact is amplified economically and socially since the money stays local and benefit is accrued throughout the community.

Though no one experience will by itself dissolve the otherness of a favela, this one helps. It does so by swapping the story of poverty and danger with the story of human beings making their way — creating, working, living — for themselves and their families.

3. Immerse yourself in Rio’s urban art

Street art and urban art installation fanatics will find no shortage of inspiration in Rio de Janeiro (and elsewhere in Brazil). Across Rio's neighborhoods — from back alleys in the favelas to formal street art public galleries — you'll spot colorful street murals carrying socio-economic, cultural and political messages.

Perhaps no installation better illustrates how public art can impact neighborhoods and urban development than the colorful Selarón Steps at the edge of Rio's Lapa and Santa Teresa neighborhoods. A 20+ year private art project of now deceased Chilean artist Jorge Selarón has transformed a once marginal neighborhood of Rio into one of the city’s most visited sights.

Featuring tiles from over sixty countries, the Selarón Steps are living art history, a community project maintained by local artists in honor of the original project’s inclusive vision.

Ilha Grande, 2 Days

4. Hike Pico do Papagaio (Parrot Peak), the highest point of Ilha Grande

Ilha Grande, just a few hours’ drive and ferry ride from Rio de Janeiro, was a former leper colony and then high security prison (until 1994). Nowadays, the island is open to the public. It's also a car-free natural reserve whose development is restricted, meaning that you won't find any big resorts or development. And that's a good thing.

One of the best ways to appreciate the span of the island’s beauty and also that of Brazil’s southern coast is to climb Pico de Papagaio (Parrot Peak), Ilha Grande’s highest peak. Many people choose to do this as a summit-at-sunrise hike, setting off at 2:30 AM to reach the peak in time for sunrise over the ocean. (Note: Several people in our group did the sunrise hike with Sunrise Pioneers and had a great experience.)

Some of us, however, enjoy an occasional good night's sleep on the road (yes, guilty!!) and question the trade-off between that sleep and a nighttime jungle hike with headlamps. We opted to set off for our hike just after 8AM from Abraão (Ilha Grande’s town center) and reached the peak some 2.5-3 hours later after four miles uphill through thick, steamy jungle. We poked around, took in gorgeous views and watched vultures and frigate birds circle somewhat ominously overhead.

We may have missed the colors from sunrise and the nighttime jungle experience, but the mid-morning views were still spectacular. No regrets.

Note: If you do choose to hike Pico do Papagaio during the day, get an early start and carry lots of water. The heat and humidity intensify noticeably as the day progresses. This impacts comfort and the summit view due to increasing haze.

5. Relax from your hike on a tranquil (and nearly empty) beach on Ilha Grande

Our original post-hike plan was to take a boat taxi to Praia de Lopes Mendes on the opposite side of Ilha Grande. However, by the time we inquired about transport possibilities in the early afternoon it was already too late because boats were no longer headed in that direction.

We literally missed the boat. We were discouraged and disappointed.

However, we quickly discovered the jungle trails eastward from the main port area of Abraão. They allowed us to easily hop from one laid back beach to another. We sampled a few beaches along the way and settled on Praia Comprida.

Completely surrounded by jungle it felt like our own private, tropical retreat. Besides an enterprising local caipirinha salesman (who churned out cocktails from his own cooler and perhaps sampled too much of his own product), only a sprinkling of other beachgoers were about.

The water was the perfect temperature for a long swim, float or lounge. We relaxed our muscles, watched the caipirinha guy drink all the cocktails he failed to sell, and knew we’d found the place we hadn’t really been looking for after all.

6. Devour a local moqueca on the beach

A Brazilian moqueca is a hearty stew usually made with a combination of coconut milk, palm oil, relatively mild seasoning and fish, seafood or a blend of the two. On Ilha Grande, the local moqueca specialty was made with roasted bananas (moqueca de piexe con banana-da-terra). Although that combination may sound odd — particularly to the banana-averse like me – the contrast of rich savory and sweet was delicious.

A note about Brazilian food portions and serving sizes: In a word: HUGE. Many restaurants will list dishes as serving two people (or sometimes three to four people). Prices are accordingly — and sometimes shockingly — high. As a rule of thumb: take the number of people the menu indicates the dish will serve, then double that (i.e., a dish for two will usually feed four people. Strategize and order accordingly. We found single portions (that is, meant to feed one person) usually featured more than enough food to feed the two of us.

Paraty, 2 days

7. Wander the preserved Portuguese colonial cobblestoned streets of Paraty

Frozen in time, Paraty is. As one of Brazil’s oldest port towns dating back to the late 16th century, Paraty has seen the rise and fall of the gold, slave and coffee trades over its time. Its own fate and prosperity has proceeded accordingly. Thanks to a near abandonment of the city in the early 20th century, its preservation offers a living gallery of 17th to 19th century Portuguese colonial architecture. Streets run in large cobblestones and are punctuated with colorful doors, windows, and decorations. You’ll see how and why Paraty remains a traveler favorite.

The old town is laid out in a grid, making for easy wandering. If a particular street seems too busy for you, just head one or two streets away and you’ll likely have it all to yourself. Although Paraty’s streets are laid back and sleepy during the day, they come alive at night as street musicians and artists take up their acts on every corner.

8. Experience Samba da Benção, the samba night free-for-all on Paraty's main square

Samba is a Brazilian type of music and dance whose West African roots run deep. Heavy in drums and rhythm, samba makes it hard to stand still as the beat makes its way inside you. If you’re timing is good, catch Samba da Benção, the Monday-night Paraty samba dance party on Praça da Matriz, the Paraty main square. It’s free, but donations are kind…and keep the music and party going.

It starts from 8PM. Musicians come out in force, and locals and visitors get their dance on well into the night. The moves are serious, but the attitude not so much – all seem to come as they are.

If you don’t experience samba in Paraty, be sure to ask around along your journey. You'll find samba somewhere – and it will be an important stitch in your understanding of the tapestry and psyche of Brazil.

9. Soak up a lazy beach day at Trindade Beach

Trindade, an easy public bus ride from Paraty, is a favorite beach spot for locals and travelers alike. Walk the three or four beaches connected by jungle trails and determine which one fits you best in terms of atmosphere, crowds, waves and shade. From the town, we walked Praia do Meio all the way to Piscina Natural da Caixa d'Aco, which we found crowded and murky.

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Our favorite beach: Praia do Cachadaço. Why? It was huge, relatively empty, surrounded by lush jungle and home to some big trees perfect for shade. In other words, the ideal location from which to ponder the world during a day at the beach.

You can also do as we did by taking ten steps from your towel and grabbing a seat at the low key beachside Restaurante Caiçara. Then, finish and cool the day off with a bowl of açaí from the café across the street from the bus stop before you return to Paraty.

Iguazu Falls (Brazilian and Argentine sides), 2 days

10. Take in the vastness of Iguazu Falls from the Brazil side

When it comes to waterfalls we often find ourselves skeptical. “Big, beautiful waterfalls!” can often translate to the reality of a far away trickle.

Not so, Iguazu Falls (Foz do Iguaçu). Remarkable, vast, powerful, wide. Humbling. Evidence of Mother Nature’s grip of beauty and power. And a restorer of the promise of a waterfall.

From the Brazil side of the falls (they are shared with Argentina), you can truly appreciate the vastness of Iguazu — or Iguaçu in Brazil, a word derived from a Guarani indigenous root meaning “big water” — the largest network of waterfalls in the world. So large are they that a 90-120 minute walk is flush with panoramic views.

BONUS: Enjoy watching the coati, an animal which looks like an anteater cross-bred with a raccoon. You’ll see coatis all along the trail, especially when food is nearby. Do not feed them, however, as they are already too accustomed to human food and contact.

11. Get up close with Iguazu Falls from the Argentine side

While the Brazilian side of Igauzu Falls provides perspective on their vastness, the Argentine side allows you to get up close to admire — and feel — the sheer power and size of these falls. The network of walking paths throughout the park are really well done and interpreted, taking you through forest above and under slightly smaller falls. Several of the overlooks bring you very easily right next to some of the largest falls. Spend some time; you'll feel the power of rushing water right next to you as you cool off in its mist.

Cap your visit to Iguazu Falls by going into and under them aboard a speedboat. There’s no better way to feel the full force of the falls. The cool water feels excellent, and a full dose negative ions and thrill puts everyone on a natural high. Our boat went three or four times into the falls, with our group cheering for more each time we emerged. We were soaked through by the end and had perma-grins on our faces.

Although we took a similar boat ride nine years ago when we first visited Iguazu Falls in Argentina, this ride was worth the revisit. We would do it again. It’s that much fun.

Bonito, 1-2 days

12. Drift-snorkel through the clear waters of the Rio da Prata

Snorkeling a river?

When our G Adventures CEO (tour leader) told us the river would be crystal clear and full of fish, we had our doubts. Yet, snorkeling in the Rio da Prata at Recanto Ecologico near Bonito exceeded all expectations. Spectacular.

The experience of a drift snorkel down a river, whereby you swim down the river with the satisfying assist of the current, is something remarkable. No video can do it justice, but we share our brief one as a taste.

Book this snorkeling experience at Rio da Prata here.

The Pantanal, 2 days

13. Go wildlife tracking and bird spotting on a late afternoon boat ride in the Pantanal

Although not as famous as Brazil’s Amazon further north, the Pantanal — the largest inland wetlands in the world, stretching from western Brazil into eastern Bolivia and Paraguay — is also one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Home to more than 650 known species of birds and to the greatest concentration of wildlife in South America, this vast area of seasonally flooded savannah, tropical forests, grasslands and rivers is bustling with life, most of it imperceptible to humans.

For us, the most enjoyable method to get amongst it in the Pantanal: a late afternoon boat ride with a local guide. Just as the game of “who can spot the most birds?” began, we soon lost count. We encountered so many species – of kingfishers, herons, cranes, cormorants, storks, and toucans – and in such quantity, that is was imperative not to count and click, but rather to enjoy.

Pedro, a self-taught birding and wildlife expert who’d lived his entire life in the Pantanal, was our guide. His ability to spot and identify birds near and far in the distance was stunning. As he explained, any time he’d see something unfamiliar to him during an outing, he’d do his research — until he was familiar with just about every species in the Pantanal. His passion and admiration for birds and wildlife – still after all this time – is genuine and contagious. Despite his having encountered these species thousands of times, each encounter unfolds as if it were his first.

The experience of the boat itself, floating atop and within nature, delivered a peace of stillness and reflection.

14. Go piranha fishing…and feed the caimans!

In full disclosure, I’m not much into fishing and really didn’t think this was going to be particularly enjoyable or interesting. However, Pedro had a way of making it so.

Using simple bamboo fishing rods with chunks of raw meat as bait, we threw our lines into the murky river and waited. I expected that we’d leave without catching anything, as is often the case with fishing. Within minutes, however, piranhas were popping up on the lines everywhere. Piranhas are smaller than I'd expected, but their teeth look like they could do some serious damage.

Not wanting to take our catch back with us, we threw the piranhas back. This turned into dinner time for the caimans circling about.

15. Hang out with a family of capybaras and spot an elusive tapir

Encountering capybaras in the wild was a goal of ours in Brazil. We’d been mildly obsessed with these ROUS (rodents of unusual size) since we met Mimi the capybara in Paraguay years ago.

This time, we wished to see them in their natural habitat.

And jackpot!

During our boat ride, we came across an extended capybara family complete with mother, babies, teenagers and aunts. In nature, capybaras look serious, like all business. I suppose we might all be so if we and our offspring happened to be the meal of choice among a range of predators, including caimans, jaguars and eagles.

More than satisfied with the capybaras, our boat had the good fortune to also spot an elusive tapir emerging from the water. Frightened, he scampered onshore and tried to hurry away. Due to his size and clumsy fear, it took him three tries to finally scale a nearby hill of lightly packed sand.

This time, Pedro’s excitement went off the charts. Tapirs are nocturnal, so daytime encounters are quite rare.

Looking at the shape of the tapir, it seems that Mother Nature carries a sense of humor.

If all this is not enough, you’re also likely to encounter howler monkeys, capuchins, and pecarries (pig-like non-pigs) just as we did. Your birding experience will be rounded out by hawks, a spotted owl, macaws (scarlet, hyacinth and even hybrids), in addition to all the other birds we mention above.

16. Chill out at a pousada in the Pantanal

During the Brazilian summer, the Pantanal can become incredibly hot during the day. This means activities typically take place either in the early morning or late afternoon, providing ample time to slow down. What to do with the rest of that time? Enjoy it.

Sleeping or reading in a hammock, listening to the call of the macaws in the trees above, or just doing nothing but taking in the sights, smells of your surroundings quickly turns to calming bliss. (Note: doing nothing is important and under-appreciated.).

Down time will allow you to better process the remarkable experience that is the Pantanal. And it may also deliver some moments which lend clarity to the life you'll return to after your holiday.

Our days were punctuated with an early morning walk through the forest, horseback riding, a boat ride, and an evening a nighttime walk. Everything is taken at a slow, relaxed pace. This is not only good for us as humans. The animals seem to like it, too, and are less likely to be frightened away.

If you really wish to bring it down a notch – or perhaps take it up a notch – avail yourself of the strongest caipirinha in Brazil served up in a tumbler at the Santa Clara Pousada.

One is enough to lend further clarity…or haze. Trust us.

17. Get your Japanese food and sushi fix

“Japanese food in Brazil?” you might be asking. Yes, it’s a thing. Brazil features the largest population of people of Japanese origin outside of Japan, explaining the Japanese influence on the cuisine. The history of this features a fascinating twist you’d be unlikely to guess.

After you’ve enjoyed your fill of traditional Brazilian food — moquecas, steak, salgados (fried, stuffed snacks) – take a dive into Japanese-Brazilian food. You’ll find plenty of the sushi restaurant standards (e.g., sashimi, nigiri, rolls), and a few Brazilian twists where “hot” rolls and combinations are flash fried or seared.

Sushi is relatively and surprisingly inexpensive in Brazil, particularly given the quality.

18. Get your city beach on at Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches in Rio

The name “Copacabana” conjures images of tropical, exotic, luxury, scene-y. Strutting like supermodels. The Copacabana Beach we found was more inclusive and approachable, featuring ordinary people of all ages enjoying themselves on this 2.5-mile long stretch of public city beach. Same goes for Ipanema Beach right next door.

If you visit the beach, you'll have everything you need as vendors make the rounds selling everything from caipirinhas to grilled cheese logs. Frequent visits to the beach seem the ordinary rhythm of life for many in Rio. In fact, Rio's beaches take on a second surge of traffic at the end of the work day as locals drop by the beach for a cocktail, a dip in the ocean and to watch the sun go down.

Not a bad way to end the day. Or, in our case, to wrap our G Adventures tour in Brazil.

Itinerary ideas for one more week in Brazil

If you happen to have a bit more time and are wondering what to do during a third week in Brazil, we recommend taking a look at Salvador, the capital of Brazil's Bahia region, and São Paulo, Brazil's largest city. These destinations offer complements and contrasts to the experiences, culture, nature and places visited earlier. Here's why.

Salvador de Bahia, 4-5 days

Prior to our visit, we knew little about Salvador and Bahia until our friend Barbara, a travel colleague and friend who knew Brazil well, suggested we pay it a visit to round out our time in the country. She explained that Bahia would be very different from everything else we'd seen experienced on our trip.

It turns out that she was spot on.

Salvador, the capital of the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia, features a long, deep history — one that is evident and in many ways still alive today. Founded in 1549 by the Portuguese as the country's first colonial capital, Salvador also served as the first slave port and market in all of South America. A significant portion of the estimated 4-5 million slaves that were brought to Brazil, mainly from West Africa, were trafficked through Salvador.

Today, Salvador and Bahia are considered the epicenter of Afro-Brazilian culture. An estimated 80-90% of the population are descended from African slaves, and much of the music, spirituality, and cuisine that arrived with them has been passed down through the generations. Adding further complexity, some of this culture and style blended with indigenous and European traditions. What you encounter on the streets is colorful, vibrant, and lively.

All of this history, together with the backdrop of 16th-19th century Portuguese colonial architecture in Salvador's old town, has earned it UNESCO status. In fact, Pelourinho, the name of the neighborhood which forms the heart of Salvador and its old town center, is the Portuguese word for pillory, a kind of whipping post once used in the main square to punish slaves. A clear sense of local cultural pride in the Afro-Brazilian culture, music and cuisine — formed in part as a resistance and response to hardship — stands in contrast to this harsh reminder.

Our visit to Salvador happened to coincide with the season of preparation and practice just prior to Carnaval. As Salvador features the largest Carnaval celebration of its kind in Brazil, this is a serious affair. We were fortunate to take in “blocks” — or groups of musicians and performers — coursing through the street of Salvador, working out the rhythm and moves of their routines. That and arriving on the day of the Festival de Música e Artes Olodum, meant that the sound of drumbeats and voices echoed through the colonial streets from early morning to well into the night.

Salvador street art, from graffiti to full-on murals — impressed us, too. Works were striking, provocative, colorful, cultural, and reflected some serious artistic skill. Salvador featured some of the best street art in all of Brazil, really.

Our recommendation is to walk around Pelourinho, keeping your eyes open for street art and murals lining side alleys or wrapping around corners. Continue up the hill along Rua do Carmo to Largo do Santo Antonio, perhaps stopping at Cadê Q'Chama? for a hearty moqueca baiana, a traditional coconut milk and seafood stew. Make a big loop back to Largo do Pelourinho, wandering and drifting freely to admire the art and also the Art Deco architecture, much of which is in a state of revitalization.

When you've had your fill of the city's sights and sounds, head out to the beach for a few days. Bahia's most famous beaches like Itacare and Ilhaus seemed a little too far away for us for the couple of days we had. We did, however, enjoy a couple of chill days at Stella Maris beach, in the far north suburbs of Salvador.

São Paulo, 2 days

Although São Paulo doesn't feature the same allure and beauty as Rio, we still wanted to visit Brazil's biggest city before leaving the country. With limited time there, we decided to focus mainly on street art, the Vila Madalena neighborhood, some more sushi and a fresh market or two. We used Jenna's delightful guide to São Paulo to help us plan our remaining time. Her husband's family is from São Paulo, so her guide offers the perspectives of both a visitor and local.

Were our timing better, we would have booked a walking tour with Andre to explore the the older parts of São Paulo and to learn more about its history and development. Although we didn't experience this tour ourselves, we're confident to recommend it. We were able to meet Andre one evening — he's passionate about his home city and has the bearing of a thoughtful yet humorous guide. He also kept us well fed by steering us towards Tanuki Restaurant in Vila Madelena (excellent sushi!) and Mercado Municipal de Pinheiros, whose flea market center is ringed with fun restaurants and bars.

Visas to Brazil

Fortunately, visas to Brazil have recently become easier than they once were for many nationalities. Travelers from EU countries can travel visa-free for up to 90 days. And from June 17, 2019 citizens of the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia will enjoy visa-free travel to Brazil. Win-win.

If you do need a Brazil visa before this change of legislation, then you can get an e-visa here for around $44. It’s a pretty straightforward process requiring that you upload a copy of your passport and a photo, then fill in an online form. We received a response within a few days.

Safety in Brazil

We were told that safety has improved in many cities and locations in Brazil. Places that are popular with travelers are often patrolled and thus quite safe, too. We also felt safe taking the metro in Rio and São Paulo. All that said, it's wise to remain diligent, careful and aware of your belongings and surroundings.

We always asked our tour leader, local guides or hotel staff for advice. If there was any doubt, we would take a taxi or Uber instead of walking, even if the distances were not particularly long. We'd also heard stories about taxis being problematic — ripping off or robbing travelers. So we always took either an Uber or an official, authorized taxi at the hotel. [Note: Uber in Brazil is great for travelers – easy to book on the app, no money is exchanged as you can pay by credit card through the app, and we always felt safe with our drivers. We also met some interesting people along the way.]

If we were highly recommended to avoid a particular area, then we did so. For example, when we arrived in Salvador there was a huge music concert festival underway on the main square. Our guest house host told us to avoid the crowds because of pickpockets and theft — something that's common to huge throngs of partiers and concert-goers no matter where you are — so we enjoyed watching the concert from our balcony instead.

Transportation around Brazil

Brazil is huge — truly. Even though something may look close on the map, be sure to verify the distance and time on Google Maps or similar. For example, we took a 12-hour bus between Iguazu Falls and Bonito. According to our map, we'd barely moved.

Especially if your time is limited, domestic flights are worth considering to avoid spending all your time on a long-distance bus. The internal flights on our G Adventures Wonders of Brazil tour were included as part of the tour. However, we also booked one-way flights from Rio de Janeiro to Salvador, then Salvador to São Paulo — with Avianca and Latam, with generally good results.

We used Skyscanner to understand all flight possibilities and options, including those from low-cost airlines. When we booked our flights directly on the Avianca Brazil website we found that the cost in Brazilian Reals was considerably less than the cost in USD. So, it's wise to do a quick calculation comparison between currencies to be sure you’re booking in the currency featuring the lowest cost.

Buying a SIM card in Brazil

If you're a foreigner, you'll need to go to one of the official mobile phone company shops to register your passport and personal details when you buy a mobile SIM. We chose Claro as it was recommended to us for having good coverage. Their shop was also convenient to the hotel area in Copacabana, Rio. We've also heard that TIM and Vivo are good options for staying connected while traveling in Brazil.

The registration process to buy the SIM takes some time as employees must fill in forms and scan your passport. Allocate about 45-60 minutes for this initial process. After that you can recharge your prepaid plan at most pharmacies and grocery stores around the country. We ended up choosing a weekly data plan that cost 14.99 Rs ($3.75) and included 2GB. It worked pretty well throughout the country, but we just had to remember to recharge our plan just before it expired each week.

The post Brazil Experiential Travel Guide: 18 Things to Do, See and Eat + 2 Week Itinerary appeared first on Uncornered Market.

In this piece, we explore the nature and meaning of favelas in Brazil and the ethics of favela tours. Through conversations with residents and community leaders in Vidigal favela in Rio de Janeiro, we consider how community-driven favela tour experiences can create positive social impact and reduce the exclusion and separative otherness of marginalized communities.

“I used to see guides from other places taking travelers around the favela,” Russo, our local guide, said as he began his story at the entrance to Vidigal favela.

“What are they saying about my community if they don’t actually live here? I thought I could be a better guide. This favela is my home. I’ve spent my whole life here.”

We kicked off our recent trip to Brazil somewhat unconventionally with a visit to Vidigal, a favela in Rio de Janeiro. When people hear the term favela, their minds can run exclusively to poverty, gangs, drugs and violence. However, during our Vidigal favela tour with Planeterra Foundation and their local partner Favela Experience, we encountered a more complex story.

We met with community organizations and micro-enterprises that serve as the center point of cultural exchange and engagement for visiting travelers. Together, they create experiences based on local culture, stories, and people. The genesis is deliberately local. So too is the conclusion — with economic and social benefits intended to register first and foremost in the community.

Before we discuss our encounters with residents and leaders of the favela, let's talk about what a favela is, the ethics of favela tours for travelers, and what to look for when choosing a respectful and responsible favela tour.

What is a Favela?

Favela is Brazilian Portuguese term literally meaning “little bean” and roughly equating to “shanty town” or “slum.” It's basically an informal district whose residents have often built their homes in the outskirts of major cities — usually in areas like hillsides — where land was once considered uninhabitable by urban developers.

The first favelas in Rio de Janeiro date back to the late 19th century. After emancipation, freed slaves were driven into the hills because they couldn’t afford to live within city limits. These marginalized informal communities then grew through waves of internal migration (e.g., from other parts of Brazil to cities like Rio de Janeiro and Saõ Paulo), especially during times of economic hardship. A story familiar and universal: people fleeing difficulty at home seek a new life and economic opportunity in the city.

Over time, these once informal settlements became permanent. Shops, restaurants and other businesses emerged to serve local residents. Despite this development, favelas usually remained cut off from most or all government services. Economic opportunities in reality were limited, too, particularly when Brazil's population took off in the 1950s and everyone looked to cities for economic salvation.

Hence, the rise of drug trafficking in the favelas and the corresponding reputation of them as centers of violence and poverty. The temptation from a distance to generalize all favelas as slums — “they're all the same” — is reductive and often inaccurate.

“I want to demystify the favela,” Russo said. “Yes, there are bad things here. But there are more good things.”

When windows open onto neighborhoods once considered off limits, there's an opportunity to shift perceptions from objectified narratives of poverty and danger to the humanized ones of residents making their way.

The Ethics and Evolution of Favela Tourism

If you question the ethics of favela tourism and whether it pedals poverty as an attraction, that's good. Intent and impact of tourism in marginalized areas demands examination — whether those visits take place in the favelas of Brazil, the townships of South Africa, or the slums of major cities in India.

To this point, we asked a few locals in Vidigal what they thought about tours in their neighborhood.

The community representatives we spoke to are generally in favor of developing tourism in their favela. Their support is qualified, however. Tours and tourism must be developed from and by the community — as in local people creating experiences based on local culture and history, and delivering it all under a premise of cultural exchange. The money must stay local, too. Benefit must be accrued throughout the community.

A fair expectation, no?

Unfortunately, most favela tours to date have not unfolded in this way. The first wave of favela tours included tourists voyeuristically peering and taking photos from tour buses, never exiting the bus. “Too dangerous,” they were told by their tour organizers who'd charge them $150 or more for the privilege and quick thrill.

Favela walking tours were the next step. But the first of those were led by guides outside the community. Communities saw little benefit. Tour fees and money exited right back out to the tour companies.

Favela Tours with Social Impact: A New Model

Community-initiated favela experiences defined by and led by residents represent the next evolutionary step in favela tourism. When given the opportunity, local people are proud to show what is different and unique about their communities. That's our repeated experience, anyhow.

Planeterra Foundation partners with Favela Experience and Favela Inc, a social impact incubator in the favela, to identify local community organizations and micro-enterprises to form the core of a traveler's experience in Vidigal. Economic benefit is registered locally. So too is civic and cultural pride.

Interactions and conversations from these experiences will inform and shift your perspective and assumptions, just as they did ours. The result: a slow dissolving of the narrative of “otherness,” poverty and danger and its rightful replacement with the story of human beings.

As Russo explained: “None of my TripAdvisor reviews from travelers are about poverty. Instead, they are about the culture and smiles and life that they experienced here on my tour. It changed their view of people living in poor situations.”

When a traveler books a G Adventures tour in Brazil that includes the Planeterra Favela Experience in its itinerary, a portion of that tour fee is paid to the community partner organization as the lead supplier of the favela tour. The tour money is then divided further so that each of the community organizations and micro-enterprises involved is fairly compensated for their work in delivering the tour experience. This provides a steady and reliable source of income to the local organizations for employment and investment.

Furthermore, a portion of tour fees is invested in training, capacity building and support for new and interested community organizations and micro-enterprises. In this way, tour fees contribute to an ongoing cycle of community growth and sustainability.

Faces of the Favela: The People and Community Organizations We Met

The people we encountered were crucial to our expanded understanding of life in the favela. Together with their organizations and micro-enterprises, they form the network backbone of each Planeterra Favela Experience. For the traveler, they also communicate a kind of living history.

Russo and Vidigal Trilhas

Russo swept his hand across the only entrance and exit from Vidigal, a neighborhood with an official census population of 12,000 whose actual population runs nearly three times that. The neighborhood homescape ranges from modest finished buildings to others in states of mid-construction with unfinished floors, exposed brick and rebar.

Russo shared his story of growing up and spending his whole life in the favela — from a childhood in a simple wooden house at the top of the hill to working in a local shop for much of his early adult life. His stories wend their way through the early days of dirt roads to the paved streets coursing the favela today.

That our experience began with and was framed by Russo seemed appropriate. He was among the first local guides in Vidigal. When he initially noticed guides from outside the community escorting travelers through the favela, he decided, “If they can do it, I can do it too.”

With that idea, he founded Vidigal Trilhas, a local tour company, among the neighborhood's first.

As he saw it, the experience — for visitors and the community alike — could be improved if locals told the story of their community, rather than to have someone else tell it for them.

Along our walk, we came to football pitch and practice area for a local percussion group, Batuca Vidi. It was once the territory of a local drug gang. As Russo tells it, he and his friends worked to build the football field because they wanted a place to play. The pitch then fell into disrepair, becoming a drug hangout once again. He and others sought to restore it once more. In a turn of common interest, the gangs supported them and helped clean and rebuild.

As it turns out, many of the drug traffickers had children who needed a place to play, too.

Through community engagement, the neighborhood evolves.

So did what prospective visitors might see and learn.

Isis and Batuca Vidi

Shortly after our tour began, an energetic young woman named Isis appeared, as if out of nowhere. As we discovered from three unexpected encounters with her during our walk, her energy places her everywhere at once despite her busy schedule.

Raised by her grandmother, Isis began playing percussion instruments when she was nine. The most recent chapter of her story begins when, during one of her practice sessions on the street, five local kids approached her and asked, “Can you give us a class?”

Those five kids became her students. Despite having no instruments, they joined her by playing buckets. Interest grew and impromptu drum classes and jam sessions took place in the streets.

Isis later launched Batuca Vidi, a more formal percussion school aimed at teaching school children both music and dance. Batuca Vidi now has over 30 students, ranging from 6 to 17 years old.

With sponsorship from a Brazilian music company they've also transitioned to real drums and instruments.

Thanks to her self study of English and the social entrepreneurship training provided to her by Favela Inc, she now finds herself invited to share her organization's story around the world as she continues to grow it. When we met, she was about to set off for Grenoble, France to advise a local Muslim youth community interested in following a similar model. Later this year, her students will welcome this group from France for an exchange where they will stay and create music in the favela.

When you meet Isis you see a young woman who navigated difficulty to become a community leader. For her, music played a big role in providing opportunity. She wishes to offer a similar path to other favela youth.

Experiences like this reaffirm that positive ideas can travel the world in fascinating ways. And, we all have a little something to teach and to learn from the world we inhabit.

Paulinho and the Sitiê Eco Park (Ecological Park)

Our path continued to the Vidigal Sitiê Eco Park, on the favela's green edge. When I'd first heard of this favela experience component, my expectations were admittedly low. I was surprised, however — not only by how green and lush this urban forest park was, but also by how much had to be overcome to reclaim the space.

When we met the park steward, a gentle soul named Paulinho, it made perfect sense. He was a positive energy force and a sharer of natural medicine and life wisdom. We learned the story of how he and others removed more than five tons of trash over a three-year period following a 2006 landslide which ran through the area to the main road below, killing several people.

As Paulinho walked with us through the park, he treated us to an impromptu natural food and medicine tour featuring samples of tiny local sweet peppers, healing herbs and tasty greens — all of which demanded to someday appear in high-end restaurant salads. He explained the challenge of changing people's trash dumping behaviors. As he planted fruit trees, vegetables and herbs, he incentivized local people. The deal: don't throw trash here and you can come to the park for free fruit and vegetables. He was not only able to change behaviors regarding trash disposal, but also around respecting and valuing nature.

Paulihno shared a unique philosophy on the park and its role in the community. To him, the park was a place of positive energy. But, he said, it also drew in the negative energy of broken souls. He found that sometimes the down-and-out are attracted to the park, finding solace there. His role was to create a balance between these energies by helping those in need and perhaps even saving a few lives along the way.

“If you protect nature, nature will protect you,” he said.

Messias and Vidigal Capoeira

We met Messias, a master in capoeira — the Afro-Brazilian martial art that involves music, dance and acrobatics. In a training area fashioned on the top floor of a community municipal building, he explained capoeira and its West African slave origins. Once repressed by various forces in Brazil, capoeira is now a national symbol and is used to export Brazilian culture worldwide. An estimated nine million people around the world still practice it today.

Messias founded Vidigal Capoeira as a community organization eight years ago. 80 participants, young and old, are involved today.

“In capoeira circle, everyone is the same; there is no social status,” he explained.

His goal is for students to take this philosophy outside of the classroom and into their everyday lives.

During the favela experience, travelers have the opportunity to participate in a capoeira training session led by Massias' students.

I asked him if engaging with travelers on these tours changed his perspective on capoeira. His response reflected the nature of exchange.

“It’s good for the students. They see firsthand the power of capoeira to bring different people together regardless of country, size or social status.”

Then I asked him what surprised him most.

“They have so many questions for visitors,” he said. “They are curious to know about their countries, where they come from.”

Nilda and Vidigal Beer

After taking in the depth of our favela experience, we landed quite appropriately with a fresh Vidigal Beer on the rooftop of Novo Era co-living workspace, the home of Favela Inc and Favela Experience.

Luciano, the founder of Vidigal Beer, is a self-taught craft beer maker who began experimenting at home, combining traditional brewing techniques with some creative twists inspired from the favela. He and his wife Nilda used the initial investment from the Planeterra project to purchase some new brewing equipment, receive training to professionalize their operations, and to better market the Vidigal Beer brand.

During our visit, we sampled an on-point pilsner, perfect for the Rio summer heat. However, we've heard great things about the Vidigal Beer IPA as well. To get a sense of meaning and scale, the micro-brewery currently produces about 50 liters of beer a month, a sufficient volume for its owners to work and provide for their family.

It was a fitting way to end our visit with a sweeping view above the favela. We looked coastward to Ipanema Beach, a scene whose contrasts underscored that — in Rio de Janeiro and the wider world — we are all connected.

Favela Tour Questions You Might Ask

1) What questions should I ask about a favela tour in Brazil?

When you see a favela tour advertised, don't feel bad about asking hard questions to understand how the tour is organized, who is leading it, and where the money and benefit goes. This will allow you to evaluate whether the favela tour is ethical, respectful and incurs positive impact in the community.

• Who created and organizes the tour? Is it driven from the community itself?
• Who benefits from the tour? How? Do tour proceeds remain local?
• Will I have a local guide? How will I be able to engage with the community and its people?

2) Are Favela Tours Safe?

In general, yes. More and more, community members are aware of tourism and its potential benefits. And when you are guided by someone from the community, it further demonstrates your commitment to contributing positively to that community.

It’s important to note that you may come across drug traffickers, maybe even ones carrying machine guns — graffiti-covered ones, no less — during your experience. It’s important to observe just as we did: they are not concerned with you. Instead, there’s an occasional cat-and-mouse between them and local police who are typically kept at bay with bribes. Admittedly, this encounter placed me outside of my comfort zone and startled me for a very brief moment. However, I never felt threatened.

This is what you learn on your visit.

It’s also important to note that many drug traffickers respect and support social projects. Why? Because their families live in this place. Many of them harbor hope — hope for a future where their nieces and nephews and their own children won't need to be involved in the drug trade because economic opportunities exist in ways they did not when they were growing up in the favela.

3) Do I need a guide to visit a favela?

While it is possible to walk around these neighborhoods on your own, it’s not something we would recommend. The value and benefit of visiting a favela is not about the voyeurism of sneaking a peek, but about the interaction with local community members in a unique way that only a local guide can facilitate. This type of interaction highlights context and understanding about the history and evolution of a favela neighborhood over the decades, and in particular, how its residents approach life, engagement, and community development today.

A thoughtful favela experience like this places you in conversation with engaging community leaders. They are the pace-setters for the favela community. Most importantly, this is their home.

The post A Favela Tour in Vidigal, Rio de Janeiro: How to Do One Respectfully and Responsibly appeared first on Uncornered Market.