12 hour layover enough time to see the Christ the Redeemer Statue from the airport and get back for an international flight?
On April 12 my son has a 12 hour layover in Rio de Janeiro from 9 am to 9 pm. Would it be doable and reasonable for him to try to fit in a trip to the Christ Statue? Would a taxi be costly? How long should he allow? He will have to go back through security for an international flight to the US. How early should he get there. His luggage will be checked through and he has a working knowledge of Portuguese. I read some good reviews about a woman guide who would meet him at the airport and take him there plus anywhere else he would have time to go to. Worth doing? Or taxi it? He is 22 and fairly sensible, has been working an orphanage in central Brazil for three months so this would basically be the most \"sightseeing\" he does.
Reply to this I don't know how long he'd need from and back to the airport. I would check some recent Rio blogs though as when we were there in September last year they were erecting scaffolding to carry out some restoration / maintenance work which may or may not have been completed now.
Reply to this Easy...
You've got a bus to downtown...will be way cheaper than a taxi. You have all the time to do the Corcovado...ANd the Sugar Leaf...plus a good lunch on the beach.
Take taxis only once in town....and be careful about some advertise "escort" services...they are not all completely legitimates.
beside this, it is an impressive place, i'm back there very soon!
Regards,
Peter
Reply to this Yes it is doable. Taxi is probably your best bet. When you get there, don't do the private tours that the locals are selling. Just go straight to the booth that sells train tickets. Just so you know you are looking at about 45 Reais cost for the taxi. Best of luck.
Eric Fieland
Reply to this We have been to the Corcovado just a few weeks back - don't worry no scafolding on it! and it offers indeed beautiful views over Rio.
You can either take the train from the city center, or take taxi or other transportation to the last point which car can go to, from there it is another bus ride (~20 reales) and there either some stairs or an elevator. It is only open until 6pm.
If the weather is not too good - then I am not sure it will be worth the effort...
Reply to this Thank you all for your help. As it turns out, my son has a thirteen and a half hour layover so we found a well recommended lady tour guide on Trip Advisor that will take him around to all the major sights for the day. It will be much more efficient and safer. They have a full itinerary planned for the day. I am happy to hear that the scaffolding is gone, I know that he is really looking forward to the Cristo statue and the views. After working in the orphanage in the middle of nowhere this will be a nice ending to his time in Brazil.
Reply to this Hi Tim... How did it go? I am thinking of doing the same thing... Can you send me the tour guides info?
Reply to this This is Tim's mom, I arranged the whole thing for him and he is out of the country again. We used Neyla Bontempo, her website is www.tourguideneyla.com. Couldn't recommend her higher. She met Tim at the airport and crammed the day with as much as he wanted and dropped him off at the airport. He was there the week after the horrible mudslides that killed so many and the road to the Cristo was closed but it was visible from everywhere. If the website gets censored then google Neyla Bontempo Rio De Janeiro and it will get you there. Tim's favorites were the 2 cathedrals, one old, one extremely modern, Sugarloaf, and by far, the Selaron staircase. He actually got to meet the artist and bought one of his tiles, his favorite momento from Brazil. She gave a very balanced view of Rio. Obviously loved her city but was not blind to its faults, the poverty and the crime. Hope this helps. Her English was good enough, Tim's portuguese was only passable. Let her know Tim said HI!
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