The Samba Crawl Concept
Samba Crawl is an immersive, guided evening connecting you to Rio’s most authentic samba circles. Inspired by the “crawl” concept, this tour visits two or three (depending on the programm of the week) traditional samba parties for an energetic, culturally rich night.
Why Samba?
Born from African roots, samba is memory, resistance, and communal celebration. Samba Crawl immerses you in living tradition and vibrant rhythms.
Experience Overview:
Nigthlife experience in Rio de Janeiro.
A Samba Class with Mayombe Team (optional).
Cultural context provided by bilingual guide
At the end, guests are returned to the hotels (please inform it on the subscription) or can be free to continue independently for more nightlife.
What’s Included:
Bilingual guide (EN/PT).
Entrance to selected parties.
Cultural storytelling on samba’s legacy.
One cachaça shot.
Not included: meals, and additional drinks
Duration: 5 hours
Departure: From your hotel (South Zone or Barra da Tijuca)
Start Time: 6:00 PM (with Samba Class) or 7:00 (without Samba Class).
End Time: 1:00 AM
Tips: wear casual, breathable attire and comfortable shoes.
Our Samba Crawl begins at Pedra do Sal, the sacred birthplace of Rio’s samba culture. As night falls, this historic square in the heart of the Little Africa district transforms into a vibrant open-air roda de samba, where music, ancestry, and community come together under the stars.
Carved into the stone by enslaved Africans in the 18th century, Pedra do Sal is more than a gathering place. It’s a site of resistance, celebration, and Black heritage. Every Monday and Friday, locals and visitors join in an authentic samba jam session, where live percussion, cavaquinhos, and heartfelt voices echo through the alleyways.
After the rhythms of Pedra do Sal, our Samba Crawl takes you deeper into Rio’s nightlife, into the electric heart of Lapa, the city’s most iconic bohemian district. Known for its towering white arches, live music venues, and timeless samba spirit.
We begin our stop with a taste of Brazil’s most traditional spirit: cachaça. You’ll enjoy a quick but rich tasting at a local spot.
To close the night, we take you to one of the most respected and beloved Casas de Samba in the city - a vibrant space where the Black community of Rio gathers to celebrate its rhythms, roots, and resistance.
This is not a tourist show. It’s where samba lives, breathes, and sweats. A welcoming house filled with live music, spontaneous rodas, and a proud Afro-Brazilian audience that carries the true spirit of samba in every beat.
Here, surrounded by joy, history, and strong caipirinhas, you'll feel what samba really is: community, ancestry, and freedom on the dance floor.
Founded in 2018 and led by professionals with over 20 years of experience in the tourism sector, Etnias Turismo is a Rio de Janeiro-based DMC specialized in Afrotourism and cultural tourism. Our team is majority Black, composed of educators, historians, and guides licensed by Brazil's Ministry of Tourism.
We design Afrocentric, decolonial itineraries that connect travelers to African ancestry, Afro-Brazilian heritage, and living memory territories - from Pequena África and the historic city center to Madureira, quilombo communities, and the Rota do Samba.
Recognized nationally and internationally, we served as official curators and operators of the Black Travel Summit (2025) and the Festival da Diáspora (2024). We are also the official curators and operators of the Rota do Samba Vila Isabel, developed in partnership with EMBRATUR.
Our purpose: conscious, immersive, and transformative travel - rooted in the valorization of Afro-Brazilian identity and heritage.
