***** REVIEWS *****

"Lais is amazing! She gave us information about the history and current state of Rio while on our drive to the Botanical Garden. Once in the Garden, she had an encyclopedia of information about all the flora and fauna. The gardens are breathtaking on their own, but having Lais there provided a truly unique experience. She had innumerable stories about the plants and animals. She also wanted feedback on timing - she would give us more time in areas we really liked. We never felt rushed. This was both highly educational and extremely entertaining!" Justin F. - April 2026

"We had a fun day with Lais...from the Maze at favela Tavares Bastos, Santa Theresa community with the historical tram, Sai Bento Church, historical downtown and the Seleron steps. She is very personable and knowledgeable about the area, food and culture of Brazil. We would highly recommend her as a personal guide." Stephen B. - April 2026

"One of the highlights of our South American trip!!! Another tour with engaging, professional, smart, fun and flexible Lais! The bike ride route was lovely and it was very cool to be "out & about" with the locals on a Sunday. Knowing that we really wanted to see some of the neighborhood Carnival festivities, and being keenly engaged with her local communities, Lais knew exactly where to take us...and all of this done while still fitting in the bike route! We had the most amazing day, all thanks to Lais!" Shannon B. - Feb 2026

"Fun, Fun, FUN! We used Lais to take us around the city, bypassing Sugarloaf mountain and Christ the Redeemer sites (that we had alternate plans for). She is an extremely upbeat person that just made the day fun. She mixed the right level of history, culture, and food for us! We learned about the impact of slavery in Brazil, the origins of Samba, the structure of the Carnaval (highly competitive judging ). She gave us a wonderful, respectful tour of the modern cathedral.. Lunch was at her favorite place in Santa Teresa - she suggested food that was wonderful. She drove us to the beaches, the steps, to see street art. Arrived early - very comfortable SUV for 2 or possibly 3 people (we are big and tall) she offers hiking and biking tours. But just a warning - I suspect that she will always have energy and an engaging smile at the end of any tour. Totally customized - GREAT TOUR!" William E. - Jan 2026

"I cannot recommend this tour more highly! Laís was a wonderful guide and the tour was a fascinating dive into the history of Rio/Brazil with many links to the modern political climate in Brazil and around the world. Laís is dynamic, hilarious, and super knowledgeable and was very flexible with our group. You should try this tour!" Sarah T. - Dec 2025

"Our family of 4 spent over a week with our local guide Lais, who was phenomenal! everything one would want, and more. she is a confident driver and wonderful guide, always calm and punctual. she has immense knowledge about Rio (since she has lived her her whole life) and genuine pride and excitement for each site she took us to. she was flexible in the daily schedule, as we had to make adjustments for weather. she is willing to go above and beyond, going to some more obscure places we had on our touring wishlist, based on personal/professional interests, including Sitio Roberto Burle Marx, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, and favela tour. all her food/snack recommendations were spot on (our kids have now sampled all the best açaí in the city!). although apparently it is not typical to spend a whole week in Rio itself, we found that even a week wasn't quite enough to see it all!" Benson Y - Sept 2025

"Touring with Lais was truly an outstanding experience! She was genuinely passionate about sharing the history and culture of Brazil. We are not much into talking because we are more of a listener but she always see to it that there's an interesting topic to talk about. She was also incredibly attentive to our needs, making sure everyone felt comfortable and was happy to take the time to answer our questions. Not to mention she's a great photographer, she would really take an effort to get a good shot despite the crowd even if it means sitting/lying on the floor. We highly recommend Lais! Thank you Lais for an unforgettable experience." Jellaine H - March 2025

"Lais was just perfect! She created an itinerary for us to see sites in Rio that most tourists don’t get to visit. Her choices were excellent. We had the best day. In addition to knowing the city, she is such a nice, caring person. I couldn’t ask for a better guide. She’s now a friend also." Ira S. - Jan 2025

"If you're lucky enough to reserve Lais for your tours, you will be glad you did! She was at the airport upon our arrival waiting to pick us up the first of 3 days of touring her beautiful city! We were amazed by the gorgeous Botanical Gardens! She's very sweet and very knowledgeable of everything in Rio! She does it in a fun and interesting way so that it's not boring! Loved it!" Sherry C. - Jan 2025

"This was the 1st of 2 tours we booked in Rio with Lais. She exceeded our expectations in every way. The botanical garden was lovely, and we would not have enjoyed it nearly as much without her extensive knowledge of botany, biology, and horticulture mixed with a background about Rio's history and culture. It was a joy to spend our limited time with Lais." Cathy R. - Feb. 2024

"Lais is a very special, outstanding tour guide. This tour was transformative for all of us (graduate MFA students from the US attending a two-week residency in Rio). Lais is a true teacher. She not only deepened our understanding of the slave trade in Brazil, but helped us see the connections between this history and the ongoing struggle for racial justice in Rio and the country as a whole. I can't recommend Lais more highly!" Gayle K.- July 2023

"This is probably one of the best tours we've ever lived. We had the chance to talk with Lais about politics in Brazil, which is fascinating in itself, but also about daily life and history. She gave us a ton of informations on her hometown, that she knows inside and out, and about her country. Lais was a lovely guide, very attentive to us during a heat wave and she adapted her tour to the conditions. She is also lovely as a person and we are happy to have met her." Laurent S. - Dec 2023

"Lais is a pro. It was a pleasure to be guided around Rio by a true local, with great English, and in-depth knowledge of the city and this painful subject. She was able to share her passion for Brazilian culture and history and even followed up on a few points by WhatsApp after the tour. Thanks, Lais!" Nat D. - Sept 2022

"If you have an interest in learning about different types of trees, how, why and the different flowers and fruits they produce, as well as how and when some them arrived in Brazil and much more, this may be a good tour option for you. Not to mention the really good tour guide (Lais) that will be with you every step of the way. She has the knowledge to share & the ability to keep you interested. Wanting to know more and more about what you're hearing and seeing. She has my vote as the guide for this tour." Frederick - Feb 2022

More reviews at www.instagram.com/laistammelaguideinrio