You can definitely visit Rio de Janeiro main attractions with your own taxi driver. All you need is a tour itinerary, carefully calculated to save you time and money.
What is the best way to get to Corcovado, or to avoid long lines at Sugar Loaf? What are the must-see cultural and historical sites? What are the off the beaten-path Rio de Janeiro sites that a smart traveler should and can visit by taxi?
Chapter 3 of “My Rio Travel Guide” provides easy-to-follow descriptions of the most efficient way to visit seventeen key sites in a day and a half, split in four tours. These self-guided tours by taxi are designed to minimize aggravation and avoid wasted time and money in traffic delays and endless queues.
The itineraries presented here were designed with convenience and comfort in mind, with minimum walking and maximum safety. If you follow these guidelines carefully, you will be able to see quite a lot in a limited amount of time, while receiving great value for your money. This chapter incorporates essential information, such as:
• Customization – All of the tours allow you to delete a couple of the suggested sites without damaging the basic itinerary, enabling you to tailor your self-guided tour to your own interests.
• Your Communication with the Taxi Driver – Since most taxistas (taxi drivers) speak no English, Portuguese-and-English bilingual instructions are included to be read by your taxi driver. A map is included in the end of this chapter, to clarify each tour’s itinerary.
• Taxi Fares – All taxi fares have been carefully calculated to provide an accurate estimate of your transportation expenses. “Total taxi cost” includes the ride plus the cost of driver wait time. The calculations assume you are departing from Copacabana (unless otherwise stated) with a “flag-down 2” fare arrangement (20% more expensive, used in December, Sundays, holidays, and nighttime Mon. – Sat. from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.).
• Prices – Besides taxis fares, fees and other charges are clearly identified to help you determine the tour’s total cost (and have sufficient reais available to cover all charges).
• Best Times – Site open hours and best times of the day, week, and year to visit.
• Safety – Every visit suggested has a safety rating, which varies from 0 to 5. A 5-star rate, for example, means that going to that sight the way described in the book (by taxi) is 99,99% safe. The means of transportation plays a major role on the safety rating and a yellow taxi is your best choice.
Visit Rio by yourself by taxi saving time and money; get a copy now of the most practical, updated and concise travel guide e-book: My Rio Travel Guide – The Essential How-To Visitor’s Guide to Rio de Janeiro.