Personalized, Complete, and Flexible Tours in Rio de Janeiro
Be Free Tours has been operating private tours in Rio de Janeiro since 2013 — over 12 years of showing this extraordinary city to travelers from every corner of the world. Founded by Marcelo Gomes Elias, a carioca born and raised in Rio, the company was built on a simple conviction: the best way to truly experience Rio is privately, at your own pace, with a local guide who genuinely loves this city.
In over 12 years of operation, we have welcomed more than 15,000 guests from over 80 countries, earning a 4.9 out of 5 average rating across TripAdvisor, Viator, and Civitatis with more than 800 verified reviews. Every tour we operate is private — your group, your guide, your pace. We have never offered mixed group tours and never will.
Our team of certified local guides — Karina, Flavio, Higor, Wagner, Gabrielle, Nathaly, Julio, and others — are fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. We offer 14 private tours ranging from the city's iconic landmarks to day trips to Petrópolis, Búzios, and Ilha Grande by private speedboat. Complimentary pickup is included from all Rio hotels, Airbnbs, airports, and the cruise port.
The values that make Be Free Tours unique
Every tour is designed around your group — your interests, your pace, your schedule. We consult with you before the tour to understand what matters most and adjust in real time on the day. With 12 tours available and full customization within each, no two Be Free Tours experiences are identical.
Our guides are cariocas — Rio-born locals who know the city not as a destination but as home. They share the Rio that doesn't appear in guidebooks: the neighborhood bakery open since 1940, the viewpoint only locals know, the story behind the street name. This is the authentic Rio experience.
Private touring means the itinerary serves you, not the other way around. Want to linger at Selarón Steps for photography? Done. Prefer to skip one attraction and spend the time over lunch in Santa Teresa? No problem. Your guide and driver adapt to your decisions throughout the day.
With 12+ years operating private tours in Rio, our team has guided guests through every neighborhood, every season, and every situation this city can present. We know which cable car queue is shortest on a Saturday morning, which month Petrópolis is at its most beautiful, and how to make the most of a cloudy day at Christ the Redeemer.
CNPJ & Cadastur: 19.400.673/0001-67
Certified local experts, fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese
All guides are Rio-born certified professionals fluent in English and Portuguese. Most also speak Spanish.
Let us show you the Rio we know and love