The 15 Best Tijuca Forest Tours in Rio

1.Christ, Selaron Steps, and Tijuca Park Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 857 reviews · 7 hours · from $68Our pick

See Rio’s major sights in seven hours with an English, Spanish, or Portuguese-speaking guide. Visit Christ the Redeemer early, explore Park Lage and Tijuca National Park, enter the Cathedral, stop at Selaron Steps, and finish at your hotel or Sugarloaf Mountain. Guides such as Vanessa, João, Ricardo, and Edmundo are praised for clear explanations, helpful photos, and careful timing.

“What a fantastic trip! Vanessa was a brilliant and lovely guide with great tips for avoiding most of the crowds and local knowledge. The tour was immersive in local culture and great value for money.”

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2.Guided Jeep Tour through Tijuca Rainforest

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 740 reviews · 4 hours · from $90

Spend four hours exploring Tijuca National Park by open-top Jeep and on foot. Guides such as Roberta, Jorge, Everton, and Darius explain Rio’s forest, wildlife, and reforestation, with stops at Vista Chinesa, Mayrink Chapel, and Taunay Waterfall. The easy hike suits most active visitors, but mist can limit the views.

“Gabriel was amazing on our tour!! Wallace was a great driver too! Went above and beyond to ensure we had a blast!”

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3.Jeep Adventure: Guided Tour through Tijuca Rain Forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 554 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $88

Ride an open-top Jeep from selected Rio hotels into Tijuca National Park. A multilingual guide such as Everton, George, or Lucy may lead you to Cascatinha Taunay, Cachoeira dos Primatas, Vista Chinesa, Mayrink Chapel, and Emperor’s Table. Expect an easy 15 to 30 minute forest walk, photo stops, and lessons on Mata Atlântica plants and reforestation.

“Wonderful experience and amazing tour guide. Would 100% recommend this tour to anyone seeking an adventure”

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4.Tijuca Forest Small Group Hike to Caves and Waterfalls

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 536 reviews · 6 hours · from $69

Spend six hours exploring Tijuca Forest with a bilingual guide such as Vini, Riccardo, or Tito. The 6.2-kilometer hike visits Taunay Waterfall, Mayrink Chapel, a suspension bridge, coffee-era ruins, Morcego’s Grotto, and Baronesa Cascade. Expect a moderate uphill walk, rainforest history, and a welcome waterfall shower.

“Riccardo was an amazing guide. He was very knowledgable and informative. The pace of the day was just right, and we had the time to make the most of all the sites. If you are into forest walks then you should give this a go!”

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5.Half-Day Jeep Tour at Floresta da Tijuca

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 353 reviews · 4 hours · from $60

Ride from your Rio hotel in a restored open-air military Jeep to Tijuca National Forest. Stop at Vista Chinesa, Cascatinha Taunay, and Capela Mayrink, then walk easy forest trails and watch for monkeys, coatis, and toucans. Guides such as Dario, Aline, Gustavo, and Luciano are praised for lively nature and history talks. Swimming at the waterfall depends on weather.

“Our guide & driver were excellent throughout our trip. The Rain forest was just as we thought, dense foliage and even better with it raining.”

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6.4-Hour Botanical Garden & Tijuca Forest Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 275 reviews · 4 hours · from $51

Spend four hours exploring Rio’s Botanical Garden and Tijuca National Forest with a Spanish-, English-, or Portuguese-speaking guide. See Brazilwood, orchids, giant water lilies, and Taunay Waterfall, then take in views toward Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain. Vista Chinesa is available on weekdays only.

“We got very nice weather. Our guide was very funny. We had a very good time exploring the Tijuca Forest & Botanical Garden!”

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7.Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden & Tijuca Forest Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 168 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $55

Spend four hours exploring Rio’s Botanical Garden and Tijuca National Park with an English, Spanish, or Portuguese-speaking guide. You’ll see grand palms, flowers, birds, Taunay Waterfall, and forest viewpoints. Guides such as Newton, João, Alexia, and Gabriela have earned praise for making the short afternoon tour informative and easygoing. Vista Chinesa may be skipped on weekends.

“If you are concerned how much walking there might be, it's not massive and it's a nice break from the city centre. Good variation in what's seen. Alan our guide wasvery good.”

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8.Tijuca Forest Challenge Hike Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 163 reviews · 9 hours · from $86

Spend a full day hiking through Rio’s Tijuca National Park with an English or Portuguese-speaking guide such as Gustavo, Ricardo, Pietro, or Tito. You’ll climb Taquara Hill, visit Cascatinha Taunay, explore old coffee-farm ruins, enter a grotto and Bat Cave, and cool off at a waterfall. Hotel pickup is included in Rio’s South Zone.

“I enjoyed every part of it. The length and difficulty was perfect! The hike was very fun! Pietro, my guide, was fun to talk to. He was very knowledgeable about the different parts of the forest and its history. He even gave me recommendations for food and other things to do in Rio. Highly recommended for those with a little bit of hiking experience.”

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9.Jeep Tour in the Tijuca Forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 108 reviews · 4 hours · from $82

Spend four hours exploring Tijuca National Park by open-top Jeep, with bilingual commentary in English, Portuguese, or Spanish. You’ll stop at Vista Chinesa, Alto da Boa Vista, short forest walks, and a natural pool. Guides such as Angely, Carlos, Liza, and Rafael are praised for their warmth and local insight. Bring insect repellent and a swimsuit.

“We got to explore the natural side of Rio without travelling too far away. Fresh air and amazing sights of plant and animal species. Travelling in an open top jeep helped with the views along the way to hike points. The guide gave us interesting facts and information.”

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10.Tijuca Forest & Horto Waterfalls Circuit Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 99 reviews · from $56

Spend four hours hiking Rio’s Horto trails and Secret Waterfall Circuit with a bilingual guide. Bathe at Jequitibá and Cachoeira do Chuveiro, climb natural obstacles, and watch for monkeys and forest life. The moderate route suits active visitors, but good grip footwear and plenty of water are essential.

“The trip was very rewarding, there was a little climbing but nothing to worry about. Highly recommended for getting out of the city for couple of hours”

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11.Rio de Janeiro Jeep Tour : Tijuca Forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 96 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $83

Spend about four hours exploring Tijuca National Park by convertible jeep, with a short forest walk to Cachoeira dos Macacos, a stop at 35-meter Cascatinha Taunay, and weekday access to Vista Chinesa. Guides such as Ana, Jane, Amelia, and Alex are praised for clear nature and history talks. Bring water, sunscreen, and comfortable shoes.

“This was a fun tour that showcased some really beautiful views of Brazil. Guides were great and it went very well”

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12.Tijuca National Park and all its wonders

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $68Top rated

Join Thomas, Lucas, or another EcotuRio guide for a four to five-hour hike through Tijuca National Park. You’ll visit 35-meter Cascatinha Taunay, at least two smaller waterfalls, and possibly caves, climbing areas, and wildlife. The route and pace are adjusted to your group, but moderate fitness is needed.

“Had the best time with Thomas! He was full of energy and was so funny, interesting in his stories and facts about the what we saw, and he customized the tour to suit what we were looking for. He was so accommodating when our Uber dropped us off at the wrong place and was so patient waiting for us. We will remember this as a highlight of our trip to Rio!”

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13.Tijuca National Park Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 85 reviews · 4h 30m · from $79

Start with hotel pickup and ride into Tijuca National Park for a guided walk through Brazil’s largest urban rainforest. Visit Taunay Waterfall, Cachoeira das Almas, Gruta dos Morcegos cave, a heritage building, viewpoints, and forest trails. Guides including Thalles, Samuel, Dudu, and Sylvio lead tours in several languages.

“Great experience and great guidance. Down to earth with a lot of knowledge and good vibes in general. Big recommendation!”

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14.Tijuca National Park Small-Group Hike to Pedra Bonita

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 79 reviews · 5 hours · from $63

Ride from Rio’s South Zone into Tijuca National Park for a five-hour guided hike to Pedra Bonita, a 696-meter summit with views of Pedra da Gávea and the coast. English and Portuguese guides, including Tito, Alex, and Eddie, explain the forest, coffee farms, wildlife, and Rio’s past.

“Great half day trip - funny guide Alex. Collected on time & lots of information given & time for photoes.”

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15.Hiking in the Tijuca Forest : Waterfalls and Caves

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $62

Spend about five hours exploring Tijuca National Park with guides such as Eduardo, Victor, Eric or Júlio. Visit Canoas Lookout, Taunay Waterfall, forest cascades, the Bat Cave, Emperor’s Table and Chinese View Lookout. Expect light-to-moderate hiking, wildlife spotting, hotel pickup and a maximum group of 15.

“This tour was my absolute favourite highlight of my entire visit to Brazil (and there were many highlights). From beginning to end the experience was efficient and fun. I booked very last minute and still received prompt and comprehensive communication and were picked up at my doorstep punctually early the next morning. Eduardo is an unforgettable and magnificent guide who clearly loves sharing the ins and outs of not only the Tijuca forest, but the whole of Rio. His energy and enthusiasm is very contagious. And - as other reviews certainly mention - his photography skills are second to none. He managed to make everyone feel comfortable, taking into consideration…”

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