When planning my trip to Rio de Janeiro, numerous people warned me of the dangers of the city and discouraged me from visiting the favelas. Not only was I advised not to visit because of safety concerns, but also due to the fact that these ‘tours’ can be seen as ‘poverty tourism’- a somewhat controversial topic. As this was my first solo trip and Rio was the first destination on my travels, I was over-cautious and felt slightly apprehensive about the prospect of visiting a favela.

After a lot of research and discussions with locals who outlined the importance of the tours and encouraged me to take one, I was eager to challenge the preconceptions surrounding the favelas and experience the different sides of Brazil for myself. I booked a tour of ‘Santa Marta favela’ with a small local company for a reasonable price. The company I used was recommended by a friend who had taken tours with this company on her visit to Rio. They can be found on Facebook or Instagram- RX Real Rio Experience.

Favelas- What are they?

Favelas are settlements of working-class communities which live in the steep hillsides. In English, the world favela translates to ‘slum’ or ‘shanty town’, although these terms can portray negative connotations and therefore the word ‘favela’ should be used. Every favela is different and therefore the architectural design differs, however most favelas are typically flat-roofed houses stacked on top of one another. Often many families will live in the same ‘block’ which can be 3 or even 4 stories high; as the families expand, the buildings will be built higher in order to house everyone. Due to the landscape of Rio, the favelas are easy to spot, having been built high up into the hills.

History of the favelas

Favelas have a long history in Rio and date back to the 1800s. When migrant workers came to Rio in search of employment, they found it increasingly difficult to find affordable housing so began to settle in the hillsides and create their own. The government tried many times to move these settlements, but failed and as a result the communities expanded. Over the years, the number of people living in favelas has increased dramatically. Rio is now home to an estimated 1000 favelas. With more than ¼ of Rio’s population living in favelas, these communities play a significant role in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Like all communities, the favelas differ significantly. Some favelas are cut off from the rest of the city and lack basic amenities such as irrigation and waste management systems, whilst others have good infrastructures and electricity.

Favelas are typically stigmatised as places of poverty with high levels of criminal activity. Due to the fact the government basically ignored the presence of the favelas, the communities took it upon themselves to set their own rules and create a living, often through organised crime groups and drug trafficking.

After many years of conflict between the police and gangs for control of the favelas, the government implemented a new approach in an attempt to control, or at least reduce the violence, crime and gang-controlled operations and introduce social change projects. The (UPP) ‘Pacifying Police Units’ programme began in 2008 and was rolled out across many favelas. Santa Marta was the first favela in Rio to be pacified and now there are approximately 44 pacified favelas in Rio de Janeiro.  

Santa Marta Favela

Santa Marta favela is located in the Botafogo neighbourhood and is home to more than 8000 residents. It would be classified as one of the smaller favelas, with others such as Rocinha housing over 70,000 residents. Once upon a time, Santa Marta was a violent favela in Rio and a tour there would definitely not have been a possibility. As a result of the pacification project, it is now one of the safer favelas and has had a lot of modern elements installed such as sewage tanks, electricity and a tram line to allow transportation up and down the hills.

In 1996 Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie put ‘Santa Marta’ on the worldwide map by choosing to film their music video ‘They don’t care about us’ there. The government initially rejected the project; however, they won the support of the community and completed the video, hiring local residents and dancers to be part of it. The film gave an insight into favela life and demonstrated the vibrant, community spirit and the injustice that marginalized communities across the world face. From then on, Michael was regarded a hero by the community and a statue and mosaic mural were created in his honour. In the little gift shops, there are TVS showing the music video and selling Michael Jackson memorabilia.

My experience in Santa Marta Favela

I met the guide David and the rest of the group at 11am at a local history museum in Botafogo neighbourhood- ‘Fundacao casa de Rul Barbosa’. There were 4 of us in the group in total so it was a nice small group. From the museum we walked to the favela where we met the local guide. He had lived in the favela all of his life and therefore had first hand experience.

We started the tour by taking the funicular to the top of the hill to admire the views over Rio. The higher up we went, it was apparent the differences in the houses. The majority of houses were made from concrete and brick, but some had been built with mud, wood and other corrugated materials. It was also a noticeable difference between the pacified favela and another ‘un-pacified’ favela which was very closely located higher in the hills.

During the tour, we had the opportunity to explore the windy alleys, browse in the little shops and bakeries and see the Michael Jackson mural and statue which overlooks Santa Marta and the city of Rio. When walking through the favela, there was an uplifting sense of community and a vibrant feel with street art on the walls and sides of buildings, music being played everywhere and children happily playing.

Before the tour, David asked us if we enjoyed playing football. Being a big football fan myself, I said ‘yes, of course, why?’. Little did we know, we would have the opportunity to play against the Brazilians! Half way through the tour, we met the local children who invited us to play a game of football against them. We played for around 30 minutes with them and I was exhausted- they were phenomenal (even with no shoes on- typical Brazilian style of course!)

As more of the community noticed we were playing, they began to join in. By the end of the match there were adults, children and toddlers playing; it was a fantastic experience and a great opportunity to engage with the community. Half way through the game we shared some snacks and drinks with the children whilst they chatted to us about football and how they played every day. I was amazed at how good the children were, even the really young children. They had clearly been taught to play as soon as they could walk!

A reality check hit when we came around the corner and walked past a young man in his mid-20s casually carrying a hand gun like it was a bag of shopping! I instantly looked at the guide and he assured me not to worry. He stated that previously the favela was 90% controlled by gangs, however nowadays it was between 5-10% due to the pacification and therefore this person would probably have been part of this percentage. Nevertheless, it surprised me!

Afterwards we were invited into the local guides house to make caipirinhas (a traditional Brazilian drink). He showed us around his house and the different floors. It was fascinating to see how a house which looked so small and somewhat basic from the outside had been transformed inside. We climbed up the narrow staircase to the third floor to begin the drinks class. We watched the demonstration of how to make the drink and then we had the chance to give it ago ourselves. Although it was very tasty, I had already experienced the effect of the caipirinhas so I went steady on the cachaca!

We spent some time talking with the guide whilst he told us stories about growing up in the favela and the different social projects that had been introduced to improve the outcomes for the local people. He was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about his community and eager to share the improvements that had been made over the years.

On our exit towards the favela, we were lucky enough to meet the ‘president’ of the favela. He invited us inside his little office building and we were given the opportunity to ask him any questions we had. When I said I was visiting from England, he was eager to show me a picture of one of the royal princesses that had visited and the photo they had taken together. Living in the favela all of his life, he explained how things had changed since it had been pacified and discussed rules and regulations in the favela. He was a very friendly and approachable man who was happy to share his experiences and answer any of our questions.

During our discussion, the president was interrupted by a middle-aged man who requested his attention stating he had an emergency. The president politely excused himself to speak with the man. Heartbreakingly, the man’s son had just taken his own life and the police needed to be called. Within seconds of leaving the building, the alley was filled with numerous armed military police carrying assault rifles, whilst 3 police carried the body bag through the favela. As we walked behind the group, residents lined the streets to pay their respects to the young man. This was a very tragic and emotional moment for everyone in the community. We were informed by the guide that this was a very rare occurrence and they had never experienced anything like this on a tour before. Sudden and unforeseen deaths happen in all communities and this could have happened anywhere, it had nothing to do with the fact we were in a favela.

As we left the favela, I reflected on the morning and although I felt speechless of what we had just witnessed, the rest of the favela experience had been very positive and exceeded my expectations. I felt very thankful for the opportunity to take the tour and learn about the community, the people and their lives.

The tour

I booked the tour with David through his Instagram page- RX Real Rio Experience and the price was 100 Brazilian reals which is approximately £15.00 GBP. This was in 2019 so the price may have changed since then.

The tour was on a morning, beginning at 11am and it took around 2-3 hours in total.

Are they safe?

To be truthfully honest, I felt safe at all times when visiting Santa Marta favela. The residents were friendly and welcoming and our guide assured us that the local people are very happy for tourists to visit, learn about life in the favela and bring money into the community.  As I took the tour with a local guide, I felt safe knowing that he was well-respected and well-known by the local people. He was very eager to show his community in a positive light and tell us all about the social change projects that were taking place there.

It would be crazy to assume that all crime has been abolished in Santa Marta; crime does still exist and you need to exercise precautions when walking around. Although I felt pretty safe, I don’t think I would have felt comfortable venturing into the favela alone.

Here are a few recommendations for keeping safe when in a favela:

• Use a local tour guide.
• Don’t wear fancy things- clothes, jewellery.
• The children will probably ask you for money. Don’t give money to them.
• Be careful when taking pictures with expensive cameras/ top of the range smartphones. 
• Respect the people and their houses. You are on a tour and it is fine to take photographs, but you do not want to offend anyone so be careful taking photos of people or inside their homes. If you are unsure whether you can take pictures, ask your guide.

Should you visit a favela when visiting Rio?

Yes, visiting the favela was a fantastic experience and one which I would totally recommend doing. As I mentioned earlier, I was very hesitant before and I am so glad I decided to take the tour. It is an eye-opening and educational experience which will broaden your awareness and cultural knowledge and allow you to see the real Rio de Janeiro, not just the affluent areas, ‘boujee’ 5-star hotels and the sandy white beaches.

If you decide to take a tour, I would recommend seeking out a tour ran by a local resident.

Do you need a tour guide?  No, it is possible to visit alone without a guide if you would prefer, however using a local guide (one that actually lives in the favela) means you are giving something back to the community. You can gain an insight into their lives, hear stories about the community and develop an understanding of the harsh realities and economic struggles that the favela has been through. I would never have learnt so much about Santa Marta if it had not been for our amazing guide. Also, it was like a maze, so I would have probably ended up completely lost!

Have you taken a favela tour before or would you like too? Share your experiences in the comments below.