About Us
Favela United Tour was created to share the real Rocinha - not through headlines or stereotypes, but through lived experience, connection, and community. Founded by brothers Roberto Junior and Roberto Viera and led entirely by local residents, our project is more than a tour. It’s a bridge between worlds.
We exist to tell our own stories, in our own voices. Rocinha is often misunderstood from the outside, yet those who live here know it as a place of creativity, strength, resilience, and solidarity. Yes, there are challenges, but there is also joy, innovation, art, and a powerful culture thriving in every alleyway and on every rooftop.
Our mission is to shift perspectives. By welcoming visitors into our daily lives, we reveal the human side of the favela - a side full of complexity, warmth, dignity, and pride. Every guide you meet is rooted in this community. They are artists, activists, students, entrepreneurs, storytellers - each offering a unique lens into the life and heartbeat of Rocinha.
We don’t offer “poverty tourism.” We offer respect, honesty, and meaningful exchange. Our tours are intentionally small, personal, and centred on mutual understanding. Every step you take with us supports local initiatives, small businesses, and youth programs that help empower future generations.
Favela United Tour is a celebration of community pride. We invite you to walk with us not as tourists, but as guests - to learn, to connect, and to see beyond the walls that separate people.
Welcome to Rocinha, through our eyes
Mission
To promote conscious, human, and transformative tourism in Rocinha by connecting visitors to the daily life of the favela through experiences led by local residents. We share real stories, strengthen the community’s economy, and celebrate the living culture of the favela — breaking stereotypes with respect and authenticity.
To become a global reference in community-based tourism, showing that the favela is not just a place - it’s a movement of resistance, creativity, and social power. We aim to inspire a new perspective on urban peripheries, where local people lead and real exchange happens.
Vision
Respect: For every person, culture, and story that shapes the favela
Authenticity: We show Rocinha as it truly is - no filters, no staged routes
Local empowerment: We create real opportunities for residents, valuing talent and generating income within the community
Listening and exchange: Our tours are encounters - we’re here to listen and to be heard
Social responsibility: Every step of our work is designed to benefit the community in an ethical and transparent way
Favela pride: We believe the favela is powerful, cultural, and worthy of being represented by those who live it
Values
Favela United Tour
Contact
Favela United Tour newsletter
favelaunitedtour@gmail.com
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