Testimonials…read more

Rio: an easy town to traverse!”

Reviewed 13 March 2012 NEW

We waited until the last minute to book a tour guide to see Rio (afternoon before). After calling three or four listings, we found Daniel. He’s a very friendly guy and went out of his way to find someone that could take us around town (he was busy).

Eugenio Souza picked us up at the Copacabana Palace Hotel (on his birthday!) and whisked us away in a very comfortable car to see the sites. Leave your hotel early (8 AM) to miss potential cues at the popular destinations. We never had to wait in line and the pace of the day went as fast or slow as we wanted. I’m not going to list what we saw; that’s pretty much standard on all tours. Eugenio did a great job giving us his opinion on any topic we desired to learn more about. When we were ready for a break, we stopped in a market district for a great snack and coffee at Confeitaria Colombo. The eatery is very beautiful and well worth a stop.

We decided to do Sugar Loaf on our own for a little personal adventure time. The walk from Sugar Loaf back to the main road is pretty cool with lots of “professional” graffiti to ponder. It’s a very safe area. Walk until you’re too hot, then jump in a taxi and head off to a museum.

We paid when the tour was over after Eugenio helped us find a licensed football shop and pointed out some other stores we wanted to visit later in the day.

We were lucky enough to meet Eugenio’s son (also a guide) and Daniel during our excursion day. They are all obviously great colleagues with good humor and a sincere desire to please and share their culture.

Many thanks for opening Rio to us  Eugenio!- Kate, USA

 “ Eugenio treated us like family”

 Reviewed 12 March 2012 NEW

We located Daniel through the Web and were impressed with his obvious passion for the city and the sites. While he was unavailable on such short notice (one day), he passed us along to his trusted colleague Eugenio Souza, who was a delight and took excellent care of us. He picked us up at 8:00AM in a nice sedan and set off for the Corcovado to beat the crowds. We also visited the national park, another great lookout, the neighborhoods of Santa Teresa and Lapa, the bustling financial district and the funky cathedral, the shopping area and coffee at the beatiful Colombo cafe. All along the way he informed us and was very engaging and genuine. When my friend wanted an authentic soccar jersey from the local team, who knew just where to go. We also got a chance to meet Daniel and he was as professional, nice and relaxed as Eugenio. This is the team to work with while in Rio. You will have a great time and having a private guide for a day is a great way to get your bearings for the rest of your trip.  - David K. – Washington-DC

 ”We just returned from a fantastic vacation in Brazil. I cannot express my gratitude for the wonderful travel services provided by RioNative.

Mr Eugenio truly cares about making sure every detail is worked out. He took us to many places and answered our myriad of questions carefully and thoughtfully. We had questions on social, political, historical, and geographic areas as well as about the birds, plants, animals and local customs and language. His excellent English skills made the answers easy to understand.

When our scheduled time to visit the Christ statue was a cloudy day, he quickly rearranged things so that we got to go on a ‘blue sky day’ instead and had an awesome view of the Redeemer as well as the city laid out below.

He found me the best place to buy coffee beans, jewelry & anything else we asked about. The restaurants he recommended were all ones we’ll return to on the next visit. We asked if he knew of an ice cream store visited a couple years ago & he spent time walking the block around the hotel to locate it for us!

I know we will return to Brazil and we will contact RioNative for ALL future travel plans! Eugenio is the best – you will not be diappointed if you use the services of RioNative – absolutely top-notch service & care”  – Deborah – Michigan

   ”We had an amazing time in Rio thanks to Mr Eugene from Rionative who looked after us so well during our trip and showed us the best of Rio. We not only wanted to see the sights such as Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain but we also wanted to relax on the beaches, enjoy the fine cuisine and squeeze in a football match at Maracana Stadium. Eugene tailored his tours to our needs and really over exceeded our expectations. His perfect English was very welcome and his in-depth knowledge of Rio meant that each car ride on the way back from the airport or on the way to a particular sight was so enjoyable, filled with lots of interesting information about the city, we really learned a lot! He also recommended restaurants which were well kept secrets rather than the main tourist traps. We will never forget going to Maracana with Eugene and Claudia to watch Flamengo play Botofogo in the final of the league. What an atmosphere with 80,000 football crazy Brazilians! It was unforgettable! We would love to go back to Rio one day – it has the best weather, the best beaches, the best food, the best football, the best parties, the best people… and now the best guide. For anyone that wants to see the real Rio and feel like a local, look no further than Rionative“  -  Farhad & Shazma Mawani-UK

“We arrived in Rio without specific plans for any tours. Fortunately, we were contacted by Mr Eugene from Rio Native shortly after our arrival. He came to our hotel and in a few minutes, we mapped out an agenda for the following three days. It was perfect. Portuguese is a difficult language for us, so his perfect English was a welcome relief. With Eugene’s help, we were able to maximize our time and see the things that we really wanted to see. By having a guide who knows the city so well, we were able to avoid long lines and see much more than we ever could have in a large group. We have been fortunate to see a lot of the world, but our experience in Rio was one of the best because of the services of Eugene. I would recommend him to anyone. Thanks Eugene for making this a memorable trip. - Jim, Temple, Texas

Just want to say “thanks” for your excellent assistance in organising all of my trips to Brasil. In the last few years, with your help, I have had the opportunity to see the Formula 1 races, the Jogos Pan Americanas and get to know Rio like a “Carioca” every year for Carnaval, and to see all that Rio de Janeiro has to offer. With your help, I also have had the opportunity to visit and get to know Fortaleza, São Paulo and Salvador Bahia. I look forward to seeing you again for Carnaval 2009″ .  Jessie Cornish, Los Angeles, Califiornia

” We want to thank Mr Eugenio Souza for showing us “his city”. We only had 5 hours to see beautiful Rio de Janeiro. Eugenio made it possible for us to see the “Best of Rio”, not only the sights but to get a special feel for the the lifestyle of the warm and friendly “Cariocas” .There is so much to see and do and we hope to come back soon. We know we will be in good hands when we let him make all the arrangements. Eugenio’s command of the English language combined with his knowledge of the city made this an excellent travel experience. Thank you very much”  - Magdalena and Charles Willis, Mount Dora, Florida

” Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! We loved Rio and all it had to offer. Eugene made our trip very special and memorable, we only wish we could of stayed longer. Seeing Flamengo beat Sãu Paulo with 70,000 Brazilians was amazing and the early morning rise to Christ Redeemer was more than worth it! – Rich and Beck, Banbury.