Private shore excursion in Rio de Janeiro

At a glance

How it works from the terminal

Your ship docks at Píer Mauá, in the Porto Maravilha district at the north end of downtown Rio. Before the call we agree the meeting point with you outside the terminal, where the operator has areas for tourist vans and coaches. The guide waits there with a name sign, and the car is close by.

Everything starts from your all-aboard time, which the cruise line gives in its program for the call. We plan the route backwards from it, with a time buffer, and choose the order of the stops by your hours in port. The Píer Mauá schedule for 2026/2027 runs from October 24, 2026 to April 8, 2027, and on some days three or four ships are in port. On those days we book timed tickets earlier and allow more time on the roads. More about the terminal itself is in our Rio cruise port guide.

Routes by port time

These are suggestions. The final plan depends on your hours, the day of the week and the weather, and the proposal shows the times.

Short call: the center and the port district

On a call of a few hours you can stay close to the pier. The Museum of Tomorrow stands on the pier at Praça Mauá, near the terminal. It opens Thursday to Tuesday from 10:00 to 18:00, last entry 17:00, and is closed on Wednesdays. From there the car can take you into the historic center and to the Selarón Steps, the tiled staircase between Lapa and Santa Teresa. On a Wednesday we swap the museum for another stop.

Standard day: Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf

Take a ship in port from 7:00 to 21:00, with two passengers who want Christ the Redeemer first and Sugarloaf if there is time. That order suits the morning: The Corcovado train runs from 8:00, and the platform opens after the morning blessing, held between 7:30 and 8:00. Going early also helps while the number of visitors at the top is halved.

Sugarloaf comes after. The park opens at 8:30 on weekdays and 7:30 at weekends, the last car up leaves at 19:30, and the park suggests at least 2 to 3 hours for both hills. Whether both fit depends on when you can leave the ship and on all-aboard time. If they don’t fit, we tell you in the proposal and suggest one of the two. For the landmarks in more detail, see Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain.

Long day or overnight call

With more time, add a stop on the Copacabana seafront, or keep Sugarloaf for the late afternoon and the view over the city. On an overnight call the second day can cover the port district or anything from our private tour of Rio.

Carnival and New Year’s Eve calls

Some ships are in port during Carnival 2027 and on New Year’s Eve. On those dates the city closes roads: around the Sambadrome on parade days and in Copacabana on December 31, as described on our Rio Carnival and New Year’s Eve in Rio pages. We plan the route around the closures.

Tickets and time slots

Every main stop on a shore day runs on time slots, so we book them before the call:

• Christ the Redeemer by train: departures every 20 minutes from 8:00 to 18:00, with check-in at least 40 minutes before your slot. The station has no luggage storage.
• Christ the Redeemer by official van: departures every hour from boarding points that include one in Centro, the Metropolitan Cathedral. You board only at the time on your ticket.
• Sugarloaf: tickets are for a date and a time slot, and you can enter only within your slot. On busy days we can quote Fast Access (Acesso Rápido), with priority lines at every station.
• Museum of Tomorrow: each ticket is for a set hour.

Tickets are bought on the official channels and handled as set out in your proposal.

Seniors and limited mobility

What the official sources say about stairs and access:

• Christ the Redeemer: until about the end of May 2027 the escalators at the top are being replaced. Lifts cover part of the way, but everyone climbs the last 80 steps. Stair-climbing carriers for standard wheelchairs and stair-climbing chairs are available, but they don’t run in rain or on wet floors.
• Sugarloaf: the stations have lifts and lifting platforms. Each station has one wheelchair to lend, subject to availability. The priority line is for people aged 60 and over, each with one companion.
• Museum of Tomorrow: elevators and adapted restrooms, and wheelchairs in limited numbers.

Tell us in advance if anyone in your party finds stairs hard. We plan the order of the day, and a backup, around it.

Airport to ship and ship to airport

If you fly in on embarkation day, a driver meets you in the arrivals hall at Galeão (GIG) or Santos Dumont (SDU) and follows your flight time. The terminal operator puts Galeão 16 km away, about 25 minutes without traffic, and Santos Dumont 2 km away. We drop you at the terminal within the cruise line’s check-in window. For families we book child seats under Brazilian rules: send us each child’s age, height and weight.

On disembarkation day the driver can take you straight to the airport, or you can tour first with the suitcases locked in the car. The Corcovado train has no luggage storage, and Sugarloaf does not allow suitcases or large bags, so they stay in the vehicle. Details are on our Rio airport transfer page.

Groups from a ship

For about 10 people or more, see our shore programs for cruise groups, with coaches and sample timings for each format.

How to book

Write to us with:

• the ship’s name
• the date of the call
• the hours in port and all-aboard time
• the number of people, and children’s ages
• the language for your guide
• anyone who finds stairs hard
• flight numbers, if you need an airport transfer

A person from our team replies the same working day, and the proposal follows within 24 hours. Our fee is already included in the price. You can cancel at no cost up to 48 hours before the tour.