7 days · Brazil
Ultimate Rio Carnival Experience
From AED 9,985per person, twin share
Seven days in Brazil built around the Rio Carnival, with beach time in Rio de Janeiro and the chance to join the parades.
- 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
The Ultimate Rio Carnival Experience runs for seven days of Brazilian culture built around the Rio Carnival. Expect days by the beach in Rio de Janeiro, free time of your own to fill, and plenty of chances to watch, or join in, the parades themselves.
Highlights
- A local Brazilian tour leader with expert knowledge
- Copacabana beach
- A welcome dinner in Rio with feijoada, Brazil’s national dish
- Your Carnival Kit: a T-shirt, mask and glitter
- Sun on Rio’s Ipanema Beach
- A Bloco de Carnaval street party with the locals
- The Sambódromo Parade
- The quieter Barra da Tijuca Beach
Show all 9 highlightsShow fewer highlights
- A farewell dinner to close the Carnival trip
See the journey come to life
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
Dinner includedYour Rio Carnival trip starts this evening. At the hotel, you meet your tour leader and the rest of the group, then set off for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant, seeing Copacabana Beach and walking along its promenade on the way. Dinner is feijoada, Brazil’s national dish, and you receive your Carnival Kit. The rest of the evening is free, and you might head out into Rio’s 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
Day 2
Ipanema Beach
Breakfast included
After breakfast, you head out to experience Rio the way a Carioca, a Rio resident, would. The metro takes you to Ipanema Beach for a day of sun and sand. In the evening you can join the optional Carioca Dinner Experience, a Carioca-style meal with drinks at a lively 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
Day 3
Bloco Carnival
Breakfast included
Today, this Rio Carnival tour joins the locals out on the streets, for a part of Carnival that many see as essential to the whole celebration. Blocos de Carnaval, or Carnival Blocks, are local street bands pulling in crowds and keeping them moving with lively music and dancing. Once the day of festivities is over, the evening is yours to spend as you wish.
Included
- Join a Bloco de Carnaval street party with local bands and dancing
- Overnight
- Rio de Janeiro
- Hotel
- Windsor Plaza Copacabana
Day 4
Sambódromo Parade
Breakfast included
After last night’s festivities, the morning is a relaxed one, with free time today to spend however you like. This afternoon, you can join the optional excursion to a local Churrascaria for a Rodizio, with as much as you can eat. Then comes one of the highlights of this Rio Carnival tour: a seat at the Sambódromo for the world’s biggest party, 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
Day 5
Rio de Janeiro: Free Day
Breakfast included
The day is yours, free to spend however you wish, perhaps at Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf Mountain or the Botanical Gardens. Tonight, the optional Parade Day performance lets you join the festivities in person: rather than only watching the biggest show on earth, you take part in it.
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
Day 6
Barra da Tijuca Beach
Breakfast and dinner included
After breakfast, there is free time before an afternoon at Barra da Tijuca Beach for sun and quiet. Fewer people know it, and it is far less busy than the popular Ipanema Beach. This evening, a final group dinner awaits at the deck bar, with a drink of your choice, a 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
Day 7
End of tour in Rio de Janeiro
Breakfast includedAfter a week spent immersed in Brazilian culture and daily life, taking part in the Rio Carnival, the tour wraps up this morning after breakfast. Swap numbers and addresses with the friends you have made from around the world before everyone goes their own way.
Dates & prices
Prices per person, sharing a double or twin room. A single room costs the supplement shown.
Thu 4 Feb – Wed 10 Feb 2027
Available
AED 9,985
Single room +AED 7,235
What’s included
Included
- 6 nights in mostly 3-star and 4-star hotels, in twin rooms with a private bathroom
- A room to yourself for a single supplement, subject to availability
- 6 breakfasts and 2 dinners, with a vegetarian option at every meal on request
- Air-conditioned vehicles
- Guided from start to finish
Not included
- Flights to the start of the tour and home from the end: we can book them from Dubai
- Travel insurance: take out a policy that suits your trip
Optional extras
Excursions and upgrades you can add to the tour. Prices are per person.
Carioca Dinner Experience
Day 2AED 185per personJoin 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.
See day 2 in the itineraryTraditional Brazilian BBQ Lunch
Day 4AED 185per personSit 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.
See day 4 in the itineraryRio Carnival: Join a Parade
Day 5AED 3,125per personPut 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.
See day 5 in the itinerary
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 your Rio de Janeiro hotel, where you meet your tour leader before the welcome dinner. If you land after 6pm, look for the hotel lobby’s information sheet, which explains how to join the group. The tour ends at 10am on day 7, after breakfast at the same Rio de Janeiro hotel.
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 extras 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 in a minute. Your seats are held as soon as you book; you name the other travellers and pay once we have confirmed them.
Questions before you book? Our support team is on WhatsApp +971 4 589 0001.
Questions about this tour
What will my days look like?
Days are full. Most start with breakfast, then the main sights with a local guide or your tour leader. Afternoons often leave free time to wander, stop for a coffee or join an optional extra. Expect a fair amount of walking: some days mean two or three hours on your feet, so bring comfortable shoes.
Who will I be travelling with?
Travellers from all over the world, of different ages and backgrounds, who share a wish to see more. Up to 41 people share this tour, and most know each other’s names within a few days.
What are the hotels like?
Mostly 3 and 4 star, all clean, comfortable and well located, with private en-suite bathrooms. They are chosen so you sleep well and are ready for the next day. The destinations come first, but the hotels are never an afterthought.
How active is this tour?
You carry your own luggage, sometimes up hotel stairs. Some walking tours run for up to three hours, and a few sites have plenty of steps. The itinerary and the activity level at the top of this page show whether the pace suits you.
How do optional extras work?
Optional extras run in the tour’s free time, and your tour leader tells you what is on offer as the tour goes. Some are booked with your tour leader on the day. Others sell in advance and must be bought before the tour starts: to add one of those, mention it in your booking notes and we confirm it with your seats. Each extra in the Optional extras section says which way it is booked.
Will I have time to explore on my own?
Yes. The itinerary builds in free time to wander at your own pace, and your tour leader can point you to the places that suit you, so you are never left to work it all out alone.
What support do I have while I’m on tour?
Your tour leader travels with you from start to finish. They know the places most visitors miss, can suggest a restaurant before you ask, and deal with whatever crops up on the way. Transport and hotels are all arranged for you.
There is also an emergency number staffed 24 hours a day, and our team in Dubai is there to help.
How do I book Ultimate Rio Carnival Experience?
Press Book now, choose a date, your travellers and rooms, and give your name, email and mobile. We hold your seats and email your booking reference straight away; you then add each traveller as their passport shows on your booking page. 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
Take the trip now. Pay for it in pieces.
Every booking qualifies, from holidays and tours to visas. Spread it over 3 to 12 months at 0% on a credit card plan, or with Tabby or Tamara; some banks add 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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