Private Tour: Rio de Janeiro Customizable City Sightseeing with Optional Corcovado and Sugar Loaf Tickets

Framed by the granite peaks of Urca and Sugar Loaf Mountain, and embraced by Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro is a beautiful city to behold. The ‘marvelous city’ offers a multitude of fascinating beachfront and hillside neighborhoods to explore, from the bohemian Santa Teresa – with its pastel mansions along cobblestone streets – to the upscale Jardim Botânico, which houses Rio’s historical botanical gardens.

This create-your-own-itinerary option allows you to design your own private tour with maximum flexibility. See the world-famous beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana or venture to Flamengo Park, Rio’s largest leisure complex. Stop by Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, bordered by Rio’s most fashionable neighborhoods – including Lagoa, Leblon and Gávea – and take in the views overlooking Guanabara Bay. View the Sambadrome, where samba schools compete during Carnaval, or admire historical buildings in Cinelandia Square.

Upon confirmation, you will receive contact details to work directly with your guide to build your custom 4- or 6-hour tour, depending on your choice. Your private guide can offer suggestions of things to do and see, or you can simply design your itinerary as you see fit. Please list any special interests you have (art, architecture, history, culture) at time of booking to alert your guide, so that he or she can better prepare for your private tour. If you'd like to stop for lunch, your guide can offer recommendations.

Upgrade your tour to include Sugar Loaf or Corcovado – or a combination of both – including entrance fees and guided transport to each fantastic site (see descriptions below).

Sugar Loaf Mountain:Your private guide will take you to the Urca neighborhood, where one of Rio's most iconic symbols is located – the monolith of Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pao de Acucar). Board the glass-walled cable car, making a brief stop at a vista point approximately 700 feet (215 meters) above sea level. Capture unrivaled panoramic views of Rio, including the Rio-Niteroi Bridge and Corcovado Mountain across Guanabara Bay. Finally, ascend to the summit of Sugarloaf for breathtaking vistas of Copacabana Beach and beyond (visibility dependent on weather conditions)!

Corcovado:Your private guide will accompany you on a cog train ride through the scenic Tijuca Forest, a national park. When you reach the 2,329-foot (710-meter) granite peak of Corcovado, climb the steps (or ride the escalator) to the foot of the iconic Christ Redeemer statue, which stands 125 feet (38 meters) tall with outstretched arms over Rio. Enjoy magnificent photo opportunities of the panoramic vista (visibility dependent on clear weather), which includes downtown Rio, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, and several hillside favelas.