Swimming · Snorkeling · More time exploring by boat
Classic Ilha Grande Route
Ideal if your priority is swimming, snorkeling and spending more of the day exploring Ilha Grande by private boat, with a wider variety of beach and sheltered-water stops.
Island Escape: Ilha Grande by Private Speedboat
A complete private day trip from Rio, with private transportation, a licensed tour guide, a separate professional driver and a speedboat reserved for your group.
No other passengers and no shared-tour schedule to follow.
From US$ 835 Group total — not per person
★ 4.9 · 800+ verified reviews TripAdvisor Cadastur licensed Since 2013 ~15,000 travellers
About This Tour
A full-day private trip from Rio to Ilha Grande, combining private road transportation with approximately five hours by speedboat and a choice between the Classic Ilha Grande Route and the Lopes Mendes Route.
This is a complete private day trip from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande, with door-to-door road transportation, a licensed tour guide and a speedboat reserved exclusively for your group. The complete experience usually lasts between ten and twelve hours, including the drive to Mangaratiba, boarding, about five hours on the water and the return to Rio.
Three professionals have separate roles throughout the day: a licensed tour guide accompanies the group, a professional driver handles the road transportation, and a sailor is responsible for the speedboat and navigation safety. The road vehicle and boat are not shared with other travelers.
Choose between two published options: the Classic Ilha Grande Route and the Lopes Mendes Route. Each has its own planned stops and group pricing. The order may change, and an individual stop may be adjusted or may not be viable because sea conditions, weather, safety, the sailor's guidance and operational conditions always take priority.
The Classic route combines islands, lagoons and sheltered beaches, ending around Saco do Céu. The Lopes Mendes route reaches Praia do Pouso and continues to Lopes Mendes, an open-ocean beach accessed by a forest trail, before the remaining planned stops. Water and trail conditions can affect how this option operates.
Both routes may include an optional lunch stop at Restaurante Gruta das Estrelas in Saco do Céu. Lunch is not included, is paid separately by the guest and depends on restaurant availability. An optional onboard barbecue may also be requested in advance at a price on request. It is not included in the base price, depends on availability and confirmation, and may coexist with the lunch stop rather than replacing it automatically.
Regular published prices cover private groups of one to nine people. Groups of ten to twelve require a different boat and a specific quote; submitting the form remains a request for human review and does not confirm availability.
Light rain does not automatically cancel the trip. If unsafe sea conditions, an official closure, a maritime-authority decision or another operational impediment makes safe navigation impossible, the guest may choose between rescheduling and a full refund. A change in stop order or a smaller operational adjustment does not by itself mean the entire tour has been canceled.
This format is designed for travelers who want a private Ilha Grande day from Rio while understanding that maritime safety and local operating conditions govern the final route.
Which Ilha Grande experience is right for you?
Choose based on how you want to spend the day. Full route details and prices are below.
Lopes Mendes · Beach time · Forest walk
Lopes Mendes Route
Ideal if visiting Lopes Mendes is one of your priorities and you're comfortable combining the private boat experience with beach time and a forest walk.
What you'll see
- 01 Private speedboat reserved exclusively for your group
- 02 Choice of the Classic Ilha Grande or Lopes Mendes route
- 03 Approximately five hours on the water
- 04 Licensed guide, separate professional driver and sailor
- 05 Swimming and snorkeling subject to sea and safety conditions
Choose your route
Classic Ilha Grande Route
Stops on this route
- Cataguases Island
- Lagoa Azul
- Grumixama Beach
- Freguesia de Santana Beach
- Saco do Céu
- 1–4 people
- US$ 835
- 5–9 people
- US$ 1,120
- 10–12 people
- Price on request
Groups of 10–12 require another boat and a specific quote.
Optional lunch: Optional stop at Restaurante Gruta das Estrelas in Saco do Céu. Lunch is not included, is paid separately by the guest and is subject to restaurant availability.
Optional onboard barbecue: An optional onboard barbecue is available at a price on request. It is not included, depends on availability and confirmation, and may coexist with the optional lunch stop.
Sea and operating conditions: The order may change, and a stop may be adjusted or may not be viable. Sea conditions, weather, safety, the sailor's guidance and operational conditions take priority.
Lopes Mendes Route
Stops on this route
- Pouso Beach
- Lopes Mendes Beach
- Iguaçu Beach
- Saco do Céu
- 1–4 people
- US$ 1,010
- 5–9 people
- US$ 1,275
- 10–12 people
- Price on request
Groups of 10–12 require another boat and a specific quote.
Optional lunch: Optional stop at Restaurante Gruta das Estrelas in Saco do Céu. Lunch is not included, is paid separately by the guest and is subject to restaurant availability.
Optional onboard barbecue: An optional onboard barbecue is available at a price on request. It is not included, depends on availability and confirmation, and may coexist with the optional lunch stop.
Sea and operating conditions: The order may change, and a stop may be adjusted or may not be viable. Sea conditions, weather, safety, the sailor's guidance and operational conditions take priority.
What's Included
- Private round-trip transportation between Rio and Mangaratiba
- Pickup and drop-off at hotels, Airbnbs, airports and the cruise terminal within the municipality of Rio de Janeiro
- Licensed tour guide registered with Cadastur (English) accompanying the group throughout the day
- Separate professional driver and sailor responsible for the speedboat
- Private speedboat for approximately five hours
- Snorkeling equipment at no extra cost
- Bottled water at no extra cost
Not Included
- Lunch, drinks and other purchases at Restaurante Gruta das Estrelas
- Optional onboard barbecue (price on request)
- Sunscreen and towel
- Gratuities
Good to Know
- 01 The tour departs Rio early. The exact pickup time depends on your location, traffic and the boat arrangements, so prepare everything the night before.
- 02 Plan for a complete day of ten to twelve hours, including the drive, boarding, approximately five hours by speedboat and the return.
- 03 Light rain does not automatically cancel the tour. Maritime safety, official restrictions and the sailor's guidance determine whether navigation can proceed.
- 04 Bring sunscreen, a towel, swimwear, sunglasses, a hat, a light change of clothing and a waterproof bag for valuables.
- 05 Lunch is not included. The optional stop at Restaurante Gruta das Estrelas is subject to availability and is paid separately.
- 06 The onboard barbecue is optional, not included and priced on request. Request it in advance; it may coexist with the lunch stop.
- 07 For the Lopes Mendes route, wear comfortable walking shoes or secure sandals for the forest trail from Praia do Pouso.
- 08 Lopes Mendes faces the open ocean and may have stronger surf. Enter the water cautiously and follow the guide and sailor's instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Pickup and drop-off are included at hotels, Airbnbs, airports and the cruise terminal within the municipality of Rio de Janeiro. Locations outside the municipality may require a separate quote or an additional charge. Private transportation to Mangaratiba, the speedboat and the return journey are included.
Yes. The speedboat is reserved exclusively for your group and is not shared with other travelers.
The speedboat portion lasts about five hours. The complete tour usually lasts between ten and twelve hours door to door, including transportation to Mangaratiba, boarding, the boat route and the return to Rio.
No. A licensed tour guide registered with Cadastur accompanies the group, a separate professional driver handles the road transportation, and a sailor is responsible for the speedboat and navigation safety.
You can request the Classic Ilha Grande Route or the Lopes Mendes Route. Both are private and have their own planned stops and group prices.
The planned stops are Cataguases Island, Lagoa Azul, Grumixama Beach, Freguesia de Santana Beach and Saco do Céu. Their order and viability remain subject to sea, weather, safety and operational conditions.
The planned stops are Pouso Beach, Lopes Mendes Beach, Iguaçu Beach and Saco do Céu. Lopes Mendes is reached from Praia do Pouso by a forest trail, and the route remains subject to maritime and operational conditions.
Published prices are totals for a private group of one to nine people and vary by route and group range. Groups of ten to twelve require a different boat and a specific quote, so no automatic price is assigned.
No. Conditions vary. Several Classic-route stops are sheltered, while Lopes Mendes faces the open ocean and may have stronger surf. Follow the guide and sailor's safety instructions.
Yes. Snorkeling equipment and bottled water are provided at no extra cost. Entering the water always depends on the conditions and each guest's comfort.
No. Both routes may include an optional stop at Restaurante Gruta das Estrelas in Saco do Céu. Consumption is paid separately by the guest and service depends on restaurant availability.
No. It is an optional add-on with a price on request, subject to availability and confirmation. It can coexist with the optional lunch stop and does not replace lunch automatically.
Yes. You may bring your own snacks, sandwiches and drinks aboard the speedboat. For safety and organization on board, please follow the skipper’s guidance on storage and consumption.
Light rain does not automatically cancel the tour. If unsafe seas, an official closure, a maritime-authority decision or another operational impediment makes safe navigation impossible, you may choose between rescheduling and a full refund. A change in stop order or a smaller adjustment is not automatically a cancellation.
No. The road transportation, guide and speedboat are private and exclusive to your group.
Pricing & Payment
- How it works:Submitting the form sends a request, not a confirmed booking. We review the details, respond within 24 hours, and send a secure payment link only after accepting the request. Confirmation requires full payment.
- Payment deadline:Full payment must be completed at least 72 hours before the scheduled start time.
- Last-minute bookings:Requests made less than 72 hours before the start time are subject to availability. If accepted, full payment is due immediately and the booking is already non-refundable.
- Accepted methods:Credit and debit cards in USD through a secure Stripe link, or Pix with a 5% discount. Installment payments are not available.
- Important:An unpaid request is not confirmed and does not hold availability indefinitely. The date, guide, vehicle, or another required service may be released after the payment deadline.
- Free cancellation:Cancel at least 72 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund, including tickets and third-party services already purchased. Refunds return to the original payment method, subject to processor timing.
- Changes or rescheduling:Requests depend on our availability, supplier availability, attraction schedules, and any applicable price difference. They do not override the non-refundable rule inside 72 hours.
- Late cancellations:Cancellations made less than 72 hours before the scheduled start time are non-refundable.
- No-show:Failing to appear at the agreed time and place is non-refundable.
- Weather and safety:Light rain does not automatically cancel a tour. If severe weather, unsafe maritime conditions, an official closure, or another safety restriction prevents safe operation, we offer rescheduling or a full refund.
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