South America · HELICOPTER TOURS
Prices, durations and what travellers said, for 7 helicopter tours. The top entry is there for a reason, so start at it and work down.
Meet at Jacarepaguá Airport for a 20 or 25-minute shared helicopter flight over Rio. You’ll pass Christ the Redeemer, Rio’s beaches, Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, and, on the longer route, Sugarloaf Mountain and Copacabana. Flights use three or four-passenger helicopters, with Portuguese, English, and Spanish support.
“Great experience and a bucket list item! Definitely a must in Rio 🩷”
Fly above Rio for 25 to 35 minutes with an English, Portuguese, or Spanish-speaking guide. From Heliporto do Recreio, you’ll pass Barra and Copacabana beaches, Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Rocinha, and Tijuca Forest. Seat selection is by draw among three passengers, and weather and minimum occupancy can affect departure.
“Amazing experience. First time on a helicopter 🚁 and it felt great! Not to talk about the stunning views...and the pilot Juliana, which was incredible and you can tell with lots of experience. Loved it!”
Take a private helicopter flight for two to four people over Rio’s beaches, Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. The 25 to 30-minute route includes one or two circles around Christ the Redeemer. English and Portuguese support is available, with optional hotel transfers.
“The flight path was great, coming in from the west outside of Rio and getting the best views of the beaches, islands and Christ the Redeemer. It was a solid 25 minutes of flight time in a very comfortable two-seater with sliding windows. The only warning would be the drive to the helipad (if you're staying at Copa) it was almost a 90 minute drive.”
Fly with Rio2Fly from Vargem Grande for a 35 to 40 minute doors-off tour over Rio’s beaches, mountains, Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf, and Tijuca Forest. You’ll wear a headset and safety equipment, leave bags on the ground, and may share the helicopter with up to two other passengers.
“Flying over Rio de Janeiro by helicopter was hands down one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Seeing the city from above is something words can barely describe, the views of the coastline, the mountains, and the city itself were simply breathtaking. Everything felt professional and safe from start to finish. The pilot was friendly, calm, and clearly very experienced, which made the whole experience even better. Taking off and soaring above such an iconic city gave me chills, it’s a totally different perspective of Rio that you just can’t get from the ground. If you’re in Rio and considering this experience, do it without hesitation. It’s worth…”
Take a 10-minute helicopter flight over Iguazu Falls from Av. das Cataratas in Foz do Iguaçu. The small aircraft carries up to six people, with Portuguese, English, and Spanish support listed. You get the grand overhead view, but only part of the flight is spent directly over the Falls.
Take a private helicopter over Rio with Falcon Táxi Aéreo, departing from Jacarepaguá Airport. The 30-minute flight sweeps over Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Barra da Tijuca, and Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. Choose hotel pickup or meet at Hangar 37. English, Portuguese, and Spanish support is available.
“Het was een hele leuke vlucht met een leuke piloot helaas was 1 oortje kapot waardoor niet iedereen te verstaan was”
Spend about 10 hours seeing Iguassu Falls from every useful angle: a 10-minute helicopter flight, Brazilian-side walkways, the Macuco Safari boat ride, and Parque das Aves. Guides such as Ana Carolina, João Pedro, and Mauricio have helped make the day run smoothly, but weather can cancel the flight and the $415 price excludes the national park fee.
“We booked the trip with an english guide, and we get it as wel! Oscar was an amazing guide with a lot of knowledge. We started with the bird park, a nice place and history. After there we did a panoramic flight with helicopter at the water falls. Then we went to the National Park where we visited the Water falls in Brazilian side, that was so so beautiful. 🤩To finish we went with boat (macuco safari) to see closely the water falls, that was the most amazing, beautiful and nice experience that we had! The whole day was incredibel. If possibel you need to do this itinerary!”
Pick a coastline, an altitude or a kitchen.
