Rio De Janeiro Carnaval!

Travel Advice for Seniors: Rio de Janiero: Carnaval!

Rio de Janeiro and Carnaval are synonymous especially around February and the beginning of Lent. I’ve always thought it would be great to attend Carnaval and ran it past Mom earlier this year. I was mildly surprised when she said yes but very proud of her for being brave enough to try it! It was everything and more than we expected, and we loved every minute of it!

While Carnaval includes a great deal of individual and citywide parties, it is mainly about parade competition among favelas (neighborhoods) at the Sambadrome. The Sambadrome is a football stadium-sized open air venue with each end open to allow the groups and floats to pass from end to end. Each group is allowed an allocated time for all members to enter and exit. Seats are reserved, easy to find real restrooms are provided and food is sold in stands similar to a US football game.

The spectacle includes hundreds of people from each favela with absolutely incredible costumes. There is a theme each year and every group has an entry relevant to the theme. Depending on the wealth of the group, floats are featured, usually pushed by the participants, that can be many stories high and incredibly decorated. I witnessed a crane at the beginning end lifting people onto the floats and another at the final end lifting them back out.

The favelas spend all year crafting the costumes and rehearsing the dancing and singing. The first night we attended was for the “B” groups competition and the second night was for the “A” groups competition. Wow…what a difference. The “A” groups are much better funded and have absolutely fantastic costumes, floats and fireworks.

The winners receive monetary prizes and much press. The favelas benefit by having a common goal every year and also benefit from sponsorship of athletic centers and other amenities.

It is pretty warm in February in Rio so the main competition at the Sambadrome begins around 9 or 10pm and goes until 5 or 6am. Take a nap before going! Contrary to popular opinion, it is not appear to me as a drunken party at the Sambadrome. This is a serious competition. We had no problem with any drunken people and were in a box seat across the main aisle at about (the 70 Yard line). It was optional to dress in festive clothing/hats for the event, and a few did. The biggest problem we saw was folks who wanted to take photos crowding in the aisle way in front of us and standing in our view.

Be warned that while the actual event is organized, patrolled and with assigned seats, the real problem is getting to the event and the larger problem is getting back to your hotel afterward. Make sure you use a highly rated service for transport with a guide that will be on site to make sure you get to your seat and more importantly, get back on the bus to your hotel. The first night we used a service to/from the event, but it was impossible to find when we wanted to return even though they said exactly where they would be for pick up on the hour. Given the traffic confusion, I will say that NO COMPANY can guarantee a pickup time. We ended up getting a taxi back which was pricey, but readily available. The second night, we used Blumar and had a great experience to and from. We did not stay the entire night, but made it to about 4am.

Carnaval is like nothing you’ve ever experienced in your life, even if you have attended Mardi Gras. In the experience of a lifetime category, it ranks near the top. Now that you know about it, don’t be shy – give it a try!

Where we stayed: Arene Leme, Great hotel, breakfast included. Centrally located and across the street from Copacabana beach.

How we got there: Flight from US to Rio de Janeiro. This was part of an 18-day private tour through Brazil and Argentina.

General Accessibility Information: Brazil is becoming more accessible. Rio and a few other larger cities will have accessibility at major hotels, sights and some transportation. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.