7 days · Brazil
Ultimate Rio Carnival Experience
From AED 7,988per person, twin share
Spend 7 days exploring Brazil’s highlights & culture during one of the country’s most famous celebrations, the Rio Carnival!
- Duration
- 7 Days / 6 Nights
- Route
- Starts and ends in Rio de Janeiro
- Country
- Brazil
- Activity level
- Light (2 of 5)
- A relaxed city stay in one hotel, with beach days, a street Carnival party and seated parade viewing: no hikes and no hotel changes
- Accommodation
- 3- and 4-star hotels, 6 nights in Rio de Janeiro
- Meals
- 6 breakfasts and 2 dinners
- Group
- Group tour, up to 41
- Guide
- Local Brazilian tour leader throughout
- Transport
- Air-conditioned coach
- Best time to go
- Runs in February for Rio Carnival: hot, humid midsummer weather, so pack light clothing
Tour overview
Are you ready to embark on the Ultimate Rio Carnival Experience? Spend 7 days deep diving into Brazilian culture around the Rio Carnival! Experience the highlights of Brazil travel, including Rio de Janeiro beach days, free time to explore and every opportunity to see and take part in the parades!
Highlights
- Enjoy the expertise of a local Brazilian tour leader
- Visit the world-famous Copacabana beach
- Taste feijoada, Brazil’s national dish, at a welcome dinner in Rio
- Get a Carnival Kit complete with a T-shirt, mask and glitter
- Soak up the Rio sun on Ipanema Beach
- Join the locals for a lively Bloco de Carnaval street party
- See the world’s biggest party, the Sambódromo Parade
- Laze on the less-crowded Barra da Tijuca Beach
Show all 9 highlightsShow fewer highlights
- Say goodbye to Carnival spirit with a farewell dinner
Route and hotels
Where the tour goes and where you sleep, night by night.
Rio de Janeiro
6 nights · Days 1–6
Windsor Plaza Copacabana
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Start of tour in Rio de Janeiro
Meals included: DinnerYour Rio Carnival adventure begins tonight! Meet your tour leader and group at the hotel before heading to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner. En route, admire Copacabana Beach and walk along its iconic promenade. Enjoy feijoada, Brazil’s national dish, and receive your Carnival Kit. The evening is yours - why not dive into Rio’s legendary nightlife?
Included
- Welcome dinner featuring feijoada, Brazil’s national dish
- Walk along Copacabana’s mosaic promenade on the way to dinner
- Receive your Carnival kit: a T-shirt, mask and glitter
- Overnight
- Rio de Janeiro
- Hotel
- Windsor Plaza Copacabana
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 2
Ipanema Beach
Meals included: Breakfast
After breakfast this morning, head out for a day of experiencing Rio like a Carioca (Rio resident)! Take the metro to the dazzling Ipanema Beach for a day of fun, sun and sand! This evening, further embrace the Carioca lifestyle by joining the optional Carioca Dinner Experience for a mouthwatering meal and drinks at a buzzing local bar.
Included
- Metro ride to Ipanema Beach for a day of sun, sand and swimming
Optional extras
- Carioca Dinner Experience · AED 185 per person
- Overnight
- Rio de Janeiro
- Hotel
- Windsor Plaza Copacabana
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 3
Bloco Carnival
Meals included: Breakfast
Today, this Rio Carnival tour takes to the streets like locals do for what's considered an integral part of the overall Carnival celebration. Blocos de Carnaval (Carnival Blocks) are local street bands that draw crowds to the streets and get them moving with spirited music and dancing. After a full day of festivities, spend the evening as you wish.
Included
- Join a Bloco de Carnaval street party with local bands and dancing
- Overnight
- Rio de Janeiro
- Hotel
- Windsor Plaza Copacabana
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 4
Sambódromo Parade
Meals included: Breakfast
Enjoy a relaxing morning after last night’s festivities and spend today’s free time however you like. Don’t miss out on this afternoon’s optional excursion - an all-you-can-eat Rodizio at a local Churrascaria. Then, it’s time for one of the highlights of this Rio Carnival tour. Take a seat at the Sambódromo for the biggest party in the world on Parade Day!
Included
- Free time in Rio after the previous night’s celebrations
- Reserved seats at the Sambódromo to watch the Carnival parade
Optional extras
- Traditional Brazilian BBQ Lunch · AED 185 per person
- Overnight
- Rio de Janeiro
- Hotel
- Windsor Plaza Copacabana
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 5
Rio de Janeiro: Free Day
Meals included: Breakfast
Today is free to spend as you wish. See Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf Mountain or the Botanical Gardens! Tonight offers the opportunity of a lifetime to join the festivities and actually take part in a Parade Day performance! Not only can you see the biggest show on earth but you can be in it too.
Included
- Free day in Rio: time to visit Christ the Redeemer or Sugarloaf Mountain independently
Optional extras
- Rio Carnival: Join a Parade · AED 3,125 per person
- Overnight
- Rio de Janeiro
- Hotel
- Windsor Plaza Copacabana
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 6
Barra da Tijuca Beach
Meals included: BreakfastDinner
After breakfast, enjoy free time before heading to Barra da Tijuca Beach for sun and serenity this afternoon. This beach is a bit of a hidden gem and not nearly as busy as the popular Ipanema Beach. This evening, enjoy the final group dinner at the deck bar, including a drink of your choice, a delicious main course and dessert!
Included
- Free time before heading to Barra da Tijuca Beach for the afternoon
- Farewell dinner at a deck bar: a drink, a main course and dessert
- Overnight
- Rio de Janeiro
- Hotel
- Windsor Plaza Copacabana
- Meals
- Breakfast and dinner
Day 7
End of tour in Rio de Janeiro
Meals included: BreakfastAfter a week of getting immersed in Brazilian culture, living like a local, and experiencing the iconic Rio Carnival, this tour wraps up after breakfast this morning. Remember to exchange contact details with your new global friends. We hope to see you on the road again soon!
- Meals
- Breakfast
Dates & prices
Prices per person, sharing a double or twin room. A single room costs the supplement shown.
FromThu 4 Feb 2027ToWed 10 Feb 2027
Available
AED 7,988
Single room supplement +AED 5,785 single
What’s included
Included
- 6 nights hotel accommodation in twin rooms with private bathrooms. The majority of our accommodations are of a 3- and 4-star standard, offering excellent value, comfort and convenience
- Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room (subject to availability)
- 6 Breakfasts, 2 Dinners *Vegetarian options available for all meals on request
- Air-conditioned vehicles
- Fully-guided tour
Not included
- Flights: Arrange your own flights for the start and end of the tour
- Travel insurance: Purchase a suitable policy that meets your needs
Optional extras
Excursions and upgrades you can add to the tour. Prices are per person.
Carioca Dinner Experience
Join your tour leader at a popular local bar away from the tourist areas and taste three Carioca specialities: a pastel, cod pataniscas and a feijoada-style snack, with drinks included. US$50, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 185 per person
Traditional Brazilian BBQ Lunch
Sit down for a rodizio-style lunch at a local Churrascaria: an all-you-can-eat barbecue of pork, beef, chicken and fish, with a salad buffet included. US$50, booked with your tour leader on the day.
AED 185 per person
Rio Carnival: Join a Parade
Put on a costume and take part in the Carnival parade itself, with transport to and from the venue and water to keep you hydrated included. US$850. Book it before the tour: add it to your booking notes.
AED 3,125 per person
To add an extra, mention it in your booking notes, and we confirm it with your seats before you pay. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day instead: their description says so.
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Good to know
Practical details to read before you travel.
Passport & visas
Brazil’s entry rules depend on the passport you travel on: some nationalities need a visa and others do not. Our visa team checks your passport against Brazil’s requirements and handles the application for you if one is needed.
Make sure your passport has enough validity left for your travel dates, and tell us your nationality when you book so we can confirm what, if anything, you need to arrange.
Flights and timings
Flights to and from Rio de Janeiro aren’t included.
Your tour starts at 6pm on day 1 at the hotel in Rio de Janeiro, where you meet your tour leader before the welcome dinner. If you land after 6pm, look for the information sheet in the hotel lobby for how to join the group. The tour ends at 10am on day 7, after breakfast at the hotel in Rio de Janeiro.
Our team can book your flights from Dubai to match.
Meals and dietary needs
6 breakfasts and 2 dinners are included: a welcome dinner of feijoada on day 1 and a farewell dinner at a deck bar on day 6. Lunch is on you every day, giving you the freedom to try Rio’s restaurants and street food.
Tell us about any dietary needs, halal included, when you book, and we pass them on before the tour.
Money
Brazil’s currency is the Brazilian real. Cards are widely accepted in Rio’s hotels, restaurants and shops, but it is worth carrying some cash for taxis, markets, tips and the Bloco street parties.
Optional experiences booked on tour are paid to your tour leader in cash or by card, in the currency shown.
Weather and packing
This tour runs during Rio’s Carnival in February, at the height of the Brazilian summer: expect hot, humid days and warm evenings.
Pack light, breathable clothing, swimwear for Copacabana, Ipanema and Barra da Tijuca beaches, comfortable shoes for the Bloco street party and the Sambódromo parade, and a light rain jacket for sudden summer showers.
Carnival crowds and your kit
Carnival week is Rio at its busiest and loudest: streets fill for the Bloco parties, and the Sambódromo is packed for the parade. Keep valuables close, carry only what you need for the day, and agree a meeting point with your group in case you get separated in the crowds.
Your Carnival kit, a T-shirt, mask and glitter, is handed out on day 1: wear it with pride at the street parties.
Plan your trip
Our Dubai team arranges what goes around the tour, so it is booked in one place.
Visas
Our visa team in Dubai applies for UAE residents once the tour is booked. For Brazil, ask them what your passport needs.
Flights
Flights are not included. We can book them with the tour: Dubai to Rio de Janeiro and back. Tick “Flights” when you book and we quote them with your confirmation.
Pay in instalments
Split the cost with Tabby or Tamara, or over 3 to 12 months on a UAE bank credit card for bookings from AED 1,000.
Book this tour
Book online in a few minutes. Your seats are held as soon as you book, and you pay once we have confirmed them.
- Choose your date, travellers and roomsPrices are per person, and the total updates as you choose.
- Name each traveller as in their passportYour seats are held and your booking reference is emailed straight away.
- Pay by secure link once confirmedOur Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails your payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
Questions before you book? Our support team is on WhatsApp +971 58 582 4488.
Questions about this tour
What will my days actually look like?
Full days, zero filler. Most mornings start with breakfast before heading out to the main sights with your Tour Leader or a local guide. Afternoons often include free time to wander, find a coffee or join an Optional Experience. Expect a good amount of walking too. On some days, you could spend two to three hours on your feet. Comfortable shoes are your best friend.
Who will I be travelling with?
People from all over the world. Different ages, different backgrounds, same instinct to see more. Groups have on average between 35-45 travellers. By day three, you’ll already know everyone's name.
What are the hotels like?
Clean, comfortable and well located. Mostly 3 to 4 star, with private en-suite bathrooms. They're chosen so you can sleep well and feel ready for the next day. They're not the centrepiece. The destinations are. But they're never an afterthought.
How active is this tour?
All travellers carry their own bags, including up hotel stairs where needed. Walking tours can last up to three hours, and some sites involve a fair number of steps. Read through the itinerary to decide if the pace is right for you.
How do Optional Experiences work?
Optional Experiences happen during your tour's free-time slots, and your Tour Leader will tell you about what's on offer during the tour. Most can be booked on the day, but some are pre-sold and must be purchased before your tour begins, so it's worth checking the tour page beforehand to see what's available and get in touch with our team to book anything in advance.
Will I have time to explore on my own?
Yes. Free time is built into the itinerary, giving you space to wander and explore at your own pace. Your Tour Leader can point you towards the places worth your time, so you're never left completely to figure it out yourself.
What support do I have while I'm on tour?
Your Tour Leader is there to look after you during your tour. They know the places most people walk straight past, they'll have a restaurant recommendation ready before you've asked, and they'll sort anything that comes up along the way. All transport and accommodation are arranged for you.
You'll also have a 24-hour emergency contact number and the Holidayys team in Dubai.
How do I book Ultimate Rio Carnival Experience?
Press Book now, choose a date and your rooms, and enter each traveller as their passport shows. We hold your seats and email your booking reference straight away. Our Dubai team confirms the seats with the tour operator, then emails you a secure payment link. Nothing is charged when you book.
When do I pay?
Once the tour operator confirms your seats. We email you a secure payment link for the total in AED, and your booking is complete when it is paid. To pay in instalments, say so in your booking notes.
Is the price per person?
Yes. Prices are per person sharing a double or twin room. Travelling alone? A single room costs the supplement shown next to each date.
Are flights included?
Only when the tour lists them under what is included. We can book flights from the UAE to the start city and home from the end city with your tour.
Do I need a visa?
That depends on your passport and the countries on the route. Our visa team arranges Schengen and other visas for UAE residents, and can apply for yours once the tour is booked.
Payment plans
Pay over time, at 0% interest
Every booking qualifies, from holidays and tours to visas. Pay later with a credit card instalment plan or a buy-now-pay-later account; some banks charge a one-time processing fee.
- Credit card plans from AED 1,000
- Tabby and Tamara, no minimum
- Terms from 3 to 12 months
Find your bank’s plan
Credit cards, from AED 1,000
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