Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: A Black History Tour through Gamboa

(10 reviews)

Rio de Janeiro audio tour: Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: A Black History Tour through Gamboa

This is a 0.8mi walking tour

It takes an average of 40 mins to complete.

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

$11.99

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About the Tour

Gamboa, the city’s port area, is full of secrets, hidden history and forgotten stories that, once uncovered, can shed light on a fascinating part of Rio de Janeiro. On this walking tour, we’ll visit several sensitive sites like the Valongo Wharf where slaves arriving from Africa disembarked, and Pedra do Sal where they settled. Through the port and art districts, you’ll learn about the slave trade, the bittersweet history of sugar mills and coffee farms, and the struggles and resilience of everyday people.

On this walk, I hope to offer you an understanding of Brazilian culture, unveil the myth of racial democracy in this country, and teach you about our diaspora. Along the way, I’ll explain why sharing, listening, and exchanging stories empowers our communities.

My name is Kelly Tavares, and I’ll be your guide. I’m fascinated by South America’s mixed heritage and hope to share some of my ancestors’ stories with you, and tell you why I feel that music, dance, and social life make life worth living. I run my own tourism company, Rio Encantos Experiences, promoting socially responsible tourism with the aim of creating global connections.

Let's unite and have some fun!

Tour Producer

Kelly Tavares

1 tour

I am a certified tour guide and founder of Rio Encantos travel agency. I have been promoting the African Legacy experiences in Rio de Janeiro since 2013.

I graduated in Community Arts Education at the Federal University of Espírito Santo and I hold a Master’s degree in Community Arts Management, at the University of Oregon in US.

More About Me

I'm a native Carioca with a deep love for Rio, its history, and its art. In 2013, I founded Rio EnCantos to create a more meaningful, personal, and culturally rich travel experience for visitors. As a historian and passionate advocate for Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous heritage, I've spent years building a network of local guides, cultural organizations, and community partners to showcase the city’s true essence.

At Rio EnCantos, we personally curate and lead tours, ensuring that every visitor experiences Rio in a way that is authentic, engaging, and unforgettable. Whether you’re looking for historical insights, artistic inspiration, or a deeper connection to Rio’s diverse communities, our team is here to bring your vision to life.

We offer fully customizable tours that go beyond the usual tourist spots, giving you a deeper, authentic experience of the city. No two tours are the same - Explore Rio’s Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous history, connect with local culture, and uncover hidden gems tailored to your interests.

Preview Location

Location 11

The Old Valongo Wharf

Now, you should be standing at the top of the steps, facing the remains of the Old Port. Feel free to walk down the steps and have a closer look.

African peoples of different nations, the banto, iorubá, jeje, nagô were brought here by force, coming from places that today wo... Now, you should be standing at the top of the steps, facing the remains of the Old Port. Feel free to walk down the steps and have a closer look.

African peoples of different nations, the banto, iorubá, jeje, nagô were brought here by force, coming from places that today would make up the territories of Congo, Benin, Nigeria, Senegal, Mozambique, Angola. They were captured and enslaved, sold, exploited, and queued as commodities on sale. When they arrived they were baptized and forced to forget their own names. They received a Portuguese name and a surname based on the nations they came from, such as: Joaquim Congo, Mariana Crioula, Geralda Mina and so on. On the new land, they were forced to forget everything they carried with them: their beliefs, language, culture, family, and their past.

Notice the oil-stained stones on the ground and try to find a few iron rings still firmly attached to some of the stones.

The slavery system was based on old scholastic religious beliefs and legal reasoning to justify an emerging economy raised by the occupation of the Americas. This system strongly endorsed by the Portuguese, lasted almost four hundred years. The slave trade was abolished in 1830 when the port officially ended its sordid activity to gain a new reputation. Although, illegal trafficking was the norm until 1850, the promulgation of Eusébio de Queiros Law, implemented harder law enforcement for those who still kept the illegal business.

The slave ships or “tumbeiros” were dreadful and many people died right after their arrival. To bury the massive number of victims the Santa Rita parish built a mass grave 800 meters from here, known as the cemetery of Valongo. Today it is the location of the Institute of New Blacks; a memorial site dedicated to safeguarding the place as an educational archaeological site. We have a full walking tour in this area where we visit the Cemetery of the New Blacks, explaining why they were called that.

The colonizers who sustained the slavery system and the prejudices’ generated a stigma still present nowadays. The stigma is visible through the precarious conditions that our society lives immersed in, and through our struggles to overcome colonialism and the imposed myths of a racial democracy developed on our mixed-race society.

Please walk back up the steps and look on your right. I want to show you something.

You’re looking at the bricked structure in the British industrial style: the Artillery Pavillion of DPII. On its side is the Pro Matre abandoned maternity where I was born.

The Pavilion was built in 1871 by Engineer André Rebouças. It was a warehouse which hosted a gun powder factory and an artillery deposit. Its location in front of the Valongo Wharf was strategically set to receive and ship goods coming from England. On the building's project document, André Rebouças. stated:

“It was on May the 2nd in 1862 while visiting the admirable Victoria London-Docks that I came up with the idea to build on Rio de Janeiro’s Port a similar project”.

The city of Liverpool had a fleet connecting England to Rio's port, bringing passengers and goods. In Liverpool, they would load the ships with goods of all sorts produced all over Britain. Commercial relations were always based on unfair trade and these unbalanced relations were constantly called to people's and governors' attention as warns from Rebouças’ counterpart and quarrels.

We're going to go closer to the Pavilion now. Please carefully cross the street all the way to the other side and turn left. Read More

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Major Landmarks

Museu do Amanhã
Praça Mauá
Rio Museum of Art
Largo São Francisco da Prainha
Pedra do Sal
Cais do Valongo
Morro da Conceição
Casa da Tia Ciata
Hanging Garden of Valongo
Praça dos Estivadores
Ass. Cultural e Recreativa Afoxé Filhos de Gandhi
Boulevard Olímpico
Avenida Presidente Vargas
Etnias - Mural de Graffiti (Estúdio Kobra)
Institute of Research and New Black Memory

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Praça Mauá, 5 - Saúde, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20081-240, Brazil
Total distance

1km
Final location
Orla Pref. Luiz Paulo Conde - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20220-460, Brazil
Distance back to start location

577.62m

Directions to Starting Point

The starting point is easy: right in front of the MAR (Museu de Arte do Rio) in Praça Mauá (/Mawaa/) square. Get there by Uber or access through metro (Cinelândia stop) and connect with VLT (Light vehicle over Tracks) stopping at Parada dos museus stop.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

Tomorrow Museum, MAR Museum, Largo São Francisco da Prainha, Pedra do Sal, Valongo Wharf, Street Art Walls

Best time of day

Early morning or at 2 pm or at 4 pm during Brazilian Summer time

Precautions

Try to keep your phone in your pocket for the most part of your walk, but with no worries. Enjoy your surroundings!

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App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”

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Questions and Reviews

4 / 5

10 Ratings

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Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: A Black History Tour through Gamboa

About the Tour

Tour Producer

Kelly Tavares

Preview Location

Location 11

The Old Valongo Wharf

How VoiceMap Works

Major Landmarks

Museu do Amanhã

Praça Mauá

Rio Museum of Art

Largo São Francisco da Prainha

Pedra do Sal

Cais do Valongo

Morro da Conceição

Casa da Tia Ciata

Hanging Garden of Valongo

Praça dos Estivadores

Ass. Cultural e Recreativa Afoxé Filhos de Gandhi

Boulevard Olímpico

Avenida Presidente Vargas

Etnias - Mural de Graffiti (Estúdio Kobra)

Institute of Research and New Black Memory