Organized Tours

Bus Tours -- Gray Line (tel. 021/2512-9919; www.grayline.com) offers a number of tour itineraries: the R$69 (US$29) tour of Rio's historic downtown and the R$62 (US$26) boat tour of Guanabara Bay with lunch at one of Niterói's better restaurants for R$102 (US$43) is a reasonable value; the R$79 (US$33) half-day tour (morning or afternoon) of the Corcovado or Pão de Açúcar is really a bit of a racket; all they're providing is transfer to and from the train station or gondola at a markup. If your time is limited you can combine several tours and see the Corcovado, Sugarloaf, and historic Rio in one full-day trip for R$175 (US$73), lunch included.

Boat Tours -- Saveiros Tour (tel. 021/2225-6064; www.saveiros.com.br) offers 2-hour tours of Guanabara Bay aboard an old wooden fishing schooner. Cost is R$30 (US$13), children 5 to 10 R$15 (US$6.25), children under 5 free, including snacks of fresh fruit. Departure is at 9:30am Tuesday through Sunday from the Glória Marina (Metrô: Glória). The tour takes in Ilha Fiscal and the navy yards, has a look at the Sugarloaf from the sea, then treks across the bay to Niterói to look at the huge Fortaleza Santa Cruz that once guarded the mouth of Guanabara Bay. If you prefer a sunset tour of the bay, contact Marlin Yacht Charters (tel. 021/2225-7434). They offer a daily tour (with a minimum of four people) from 3 to 5pm, taking in the main sights of the Bay such as the Rio-Niterói bridge, the Sugarloaf, and the beaches and fort on the Niterói side, across from Rio. Boats depart from the Glória Marina. Confirm reservations until 1pm for same-day departures. Adults and children 8 and over R$40 (US$17). Children under 8 are half-price or free (depending on your negotiation skills).

Helicopter Tours -- Rio is a town where taking the high ground is rewarded. Helisight (tel. 021/2511-2141, on weekends 021/2542-7895; www.helisight.com.br) offers sightseeing tours by helicopter. Prices range from R$150 (US$63) per person for a 6-minute circuit around the statue of Christ to R$300 (US$125) per person for a 12-minute flight over the Christ, Botanical Gardens, Rocinha, Lagoa, Leblon, Ipanema, Copacabana, and the Sugarloaf. There's a minimum of two people per flight. Tours depart from Urca Hill (halfway up to the Sugarloaf) and from the shore of Lagoa (opposite the rowing stadium in Leblon).

Specialty Tours -- Rio's hillside favelas, or shantytowns, are huge, complex, and fascinating -- a whole other world, in fact -- but as an outsider it's difficult (and dangerous) to navigate your way through this world. Licensed guide Marcelo Armstrong of Marcelo Armstrong's Favela Tour [ST] (tel. 021/9989-0074 mobile, or 021/3322-2727; www.favelatour.com.br) knows the territory; he's been doing tours since 1993, longer than any of his competitors, and has an exceptional rapport with locals. A 3-hour tour costs R$60 (US$25) if booked directly, including pickup and drop-off. A portion of the fee goes to fund a school that tour-goers get to visit. To enjoy some of the city's best hiking trails, book one of the many city nature tours with Rio Hiking (tel. 021/2552-9204 or 021/9721-0594; www.riohiking.com.br). Many of the city's trails and viewpoints are hard to access without a car. Rio Hiking's knowledgeable English-speaking guides will take you on some of the best hikes and show you some interesting parts of the city not always explored by visitors. One of the most popular tours is the visit to the Tijuca Forest which includes all the main sights of the park, a two-hour hike to the highest peak in the park, and a visit to Santa Teresa for R$155 (US$65) per person for a full day.

Cultural Rio (tel. 021/9911-3829 mobile, or 021/3322-4872; www.culturalrio.com.br) is owned and operated by Professor Carlos Roquette, a native-born Carioca and self-educated expert on pretty much anything to do with his home city. If you have a pet interest, no matter how arcane, odds are Roquette can put together a tour that'll keep your attention. His more common tours include Colonial Rio, Baroque Rio, Imperial Rio, Art Deco Rio, Black Rio, A Night at the Opera, Styles in Rio, and Modern Rio. But there are lots more, including Fetish Rio and LSD Rio (for the lonesome, single, or divorced). Tours start at around R$50 (US$21) per hour but rates are negotiable and tours can be completely customized to your interests.

Tram Tours -- Rio has far more tram track than gets used by the daily tram to and from Santa Teresa. Every Saturday, some of this track gets put to use for a special tram tour. The tour departs at 10am and runs about 2 hours; tickets are R$4 (US$1.65). The ride takes you up towards the Dois Irmãos and the forest above Santa Teresa. It's a unique opportunity to see some more of this charming neighborhood and the gorgeous Tijuca forest. For further information call the Museu do Bonde (tel. 021/2240-5709). Note: The tram station is not at all easy to find. It's behind the big "hanging gardens" Petrobras building, on Rua Prof. Lélio Gama, a little street that runs off Rua Senador Dantas.

Walking Tours -- Considering how pedestrian-friendly large parts of Rio are, it's surprising that there aren't more walking tours. Contact Cultural Rio's (tel. 021/9911-3829 mobile, or 021/3322-4872; www.culturalrio.com.br) Professor Carlos Roquette for a customized walking tour of the topic or neighborhood of your choice .

Jeep Tours -- Although we always thought they looked kind of goofy, the open jeep tours are incredibly popular with visitors to Rio. The most popular tours are the ones through the Tijuca Forest combined with a visit to the Corcovado (R$95/US$40) per person. For a more interesting tour (and only an additional R$24/US$10), book the jeep/bike ride combo. You start off exploring the forest by jeep, making your way to some of the lookouts. Once at the top, you trade the jeep for a bike and ride down the pretty park road, accompanied by one of the guides. You can ride as far as the Botanical Gardens or all the way back to your hotel, if you are so inclined. For information and bookings call tel. 021/9298-3071 mobile, or 021/2484-2279; www.indianajungle.com.br.

DIY When It Comes to Tours

When booking a tour or outdoor adventure, it's best to make the call yourself. (Don't worry about a language barrier; most tour operators speak English.) The concierges and desk staff in most hotels are remarkably mercenary. If they make the booking it will cost you anything from 10% to 50% more. Nor will you necessarily get the tour you want. Rio concierges are notorious for informing guests that a tour they wanted is "full," then putting them on a tour with another company -- one that offers the concierge a bigger cut.

Puppet, Beach & Plant Tour

Two of Rio's more interesting museums and its last semiwild beach are unfortunately so far south that most people never visit. Rio Hiking (tel. 021/9721-0594 or 021/2552-9204; www.riohiking.com.br) offers a 1-day tour, taking in all 3 of these sites: the Burle Marx Estate, Grumari Beach, and the Casa do Pontal Museum. Burle Marx was Brazil's most famous landscape designer (responsible for the wavy lines on the Copacabana sidewalk, among other things). At his 100-acre estate he assembled more than 3,500 species of plants, which he grouped according to their shape and texture. The tour spends 2 hours at the estate, then heads to the red sand of Grumari Beach for 3 hours of relaxing and a grilled fish lunch at a beachside restaurant, followed by a visit to the Museu Casa do Pontal, which houses an astounding variety of clay figures as part of its vast folk art display. Cost for a private excursion with English-speaking guide, not including lunch, is R$156 (US$65).