Once shunned as dangerous no-go areas, Rio de Janeiro's sprawling favelas are now attracting more visitors than some of the city's most iconic landmarks. Official data from 2024 shows that more international travellers visited Vidigal and Rocinha – the country's largest favela – than the famed Christ the Redeemer statue or the Selarón Steps.
The trend reflects a growing appetite for immersive cultural experiences, with tourists waking before dawn to hike the Two Brothers Mountain above Vidigal. Hundreds queue for motorcycle taxis and trek through Atlantic Forest to watch the sunrise, while others queue for hours at a Rocinha rooftop to film a viral drone video. Spanish singer Rosália and English footballer Jesse Lingard have both been spotted exploring the neighbourhoods in recent months.
But a recent shootout in Vidigal has prompted some travellers to reconsider. Around 200 hikers were trapped on the mountain when gunfire erupted during a police operation against alleged cartel members. Angel Njoku from Canada, who visited in April, said members of her group were wary of the risk. Polish tourist Daria Kurpiewska, who completed the hike in March, described seeing armed men next to a playground as unsettling.
Urban studies professor Mariana Cavalcanti from the State University of Rio de Janeiro says violence has long been an everyday reality for residents, though shootouts in South Zone favelas like Vidigal and Rocinha are less frequent than in the past. She attributes part of that change to the presence of tourists, which she says has helped reduce the number of bullets flying.
Visitors like Portuguese tourist Isabel Fernandes defend the experience, saying she wanted to understand realities beyond the surface. However, the ethical questions remain: whether favela tourism offers genuine cultural exchange or risks glamourising poverty.
