Flexible route
Private speedboat
Grill and cooler aboard
- Hours3, 4 or 5
- FoodBring your own
- SkipperPortuguese
Group price calculator
Private boat tour in Rio de Janeiro: hiring the whole deck
Sunset sail on Guanabara Bay
★ 4.8 · 1,051 opinions
Answer in brief
A private boat tour in Rio de Janeiro puts your group alone on a speedboat, sailboat, catamaran or yacht, priced per boat, and pays off once the group is large enough to share it.
Charter essentials
Review 4 options
Private boat or shared seats
Choose a boat, enter your party size, and weigh up the totals.
- Shared sunset sailPer person, drinks in · for one person from $57
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View - Private speedboatWhole boat, own food · from $500 up
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View - Private sailboatWhole boat, sunset · from $480 up
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View - Motor yachtWhole boat, 5 hours · from $950 up
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View
All amounts are from-prices on GetYourGuide, converted at the ECB reference rate. Exact prices are shown at booking.
A private boat tour in Rio de Janeiro puts your group alone on the bay, on your schedule. This guide sets out what each type of boat gives you, how prices work per boat, and when private beats buying seats.
Editorial team, riosunsetsail.com · Updated November 11, 2026 · Read in 7 min
The essentials
- Starting pointA private speedboat for 3 hours starts from $312 for the group.
- SailboatA private sunset sail of 3 hours starts from $480.
- Biggest groupsOne speedboat takes up to 12 people for 5 hours.
- FoodSeveral boats let you bring your own and grill it on board.
- Our sailThe sunset sail sold here also offers a private option.
What private hire on the bay actually means
A private boat tour in Rio de Janeiro means the boat, the skipper and usually a crew member are yours for a set number of hours, and nobody else boards. Prices are quoted for the boat rather than per seat. A private speedboat for up to 10 passengers starts from $312 for 3 hours, while a 31-foot motor yacht for 5 hours starts from $950.
Most of the private boats in this guide leave from Marina da Gloria, the big marina on the Aterro do Flamengo beside Santos Dumont Airport.1,2 Its operator lists 220 wet berths for boats of up to 80 m, so the private fleet there ranges from small open speedboats to proper cruising yachts.3 A few private boats board instead at the Urca pier, below Sugarloaf.
The sail we sell here is normally a shared small-group trip, but its listing also offers a private option, an option to raise if you are a couple celebrating something or a family who would rather not share the deck. For larger parties and longer days, the dedicated private listings below give you more room and more freedom with the route.
Private fleet
Private boats on Guanabara Bay compared
| Boat | Hours | From | Group | On board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speedboat with snacks | 3 | $312 | Up to 10 | Drinks, snacks |
| Speedboat, Urca pier | 3 | $400 | 6 to 8 | Beer, water, soda |
| Private sailboat | 3 | $480 | See listing | Bring your own |
| Speedboat with grill | 3 to 5 | $500 | See listing | Barbecue, cooler |
| Speedboat for a crowd | 5 | $850 | Up to 12 | Beer, water, soda |
| Motor yacht | 5 | $950 | See listing | Swim stops |
| Catamaran with grill | 5 | $1,019 | See listing | Open bar, barbecue |
Starting prices for the whole boat as scraped from GetYourGuide; the booking page shows the live figure.
Speedboats: the most common private boat
Private speedboats are the workhorses of the bay. A speedboat for a group of 6 up to 8 people boards at the Urca pier, runs for 3 hours and includes beer, water and soda, with stops to dive in. A two-deck speedboat with a barbecue grill, sound system, bathroom and sink goes out for 4 to 5 hours, stopping to swim and eat at Adao e Eva beach in Niteroi.
Another private speedboat lets you choose a 3, 4 or 5-hour outing and a route to Urca, Praia Vermelha or the Niteroi beaches. Its coolers, Bluetooth stereo, barbecue and bathroom come with the boat, while food and drinks are yours to supply, and the skipper will happily grill them. It has 21 reviews averaging 4.9.
Check the skipper's languages before you book. On several of these boats the person at the wheel speaks Portuguese only, which matters little for swimming and sunbathing but more if you want a running commentary on what you pass. Where commentary matters, a listing with a live guide in English is the better fit.
Hours on the water
How long each private charter lasts
- Luxury sailboat2
- Speedboat, 10 guests3
- Private sailboat3
- Speedboat, 12 guests5
- Motor yacht5
- Catamaran with grill5
Charter length as each private listing states it on GetYourGuide.
Sailboats and catamarans for a private sunset
For a private sunset cruise in Rio de Janeiro, a sailboat is the romantic choice. A sailboat built in 2024, with 2 bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom, takes private groups out for 3 hours at sunset from $480. Guests may bring their own food and drinks, and diving stops are allowed. A 36-foot sailboat for up to 8 people offers 2 hours from $730, with extra time charged at BRL 550 for each additional hour.
Catamarans give a private group more deck. An exclusive catamaran sail of 3 hours, morning or sunset, includes drinks and snacks, a fresh-water shower and a swim at the Adao and Eva beaches, from $673. For a long celebration there is a private sailing catamaran of 5 hours with a barbecue, an open bar of beer and caipirinhas, and a swim of 1.5 hours at Praia Vermelha on a floating mat.
Sails depend on wind, so a private sunset may still be partly under engine. What you gain is control: the skipper can keep the bow pointed at Sugarloaf as the light turns, linger at a swim stop, or head home early if a child gets tired. On a shared boat the schedule belongs to everyone; on a private one it belongs to you.
Your charter
Which private boat for your group
Answer for your group and see which charter fits it.
If It is just us, with a ring
A private sunset sailboat
A 3-hour private sail at sunset starts from $480.
If We are 8 friends
The Urca speedboat
Built for 6 up to 8 people, beer and soda included.
If A big family party of 12
The 12-guest speedboat
Up to 12 people for 5 hours from $850.
If We want to cook on board
The speedboat with a grill
Bring food and the skipper grills it on the barbecue.
If We want every comfort aboard
The catamaran with open bar
A 5-hour charter with barbecue, open bar and a long swim stop.
Three charters
Speedboat, sailboat or yacht
Sunset sail
Private sailboat
Built in 2024
- Hours3
- Cabins2 bedrooms
- ExtrasDiving stops
Long day
Motor yacht
From Marina da Gloria
- Hours5
- Length31 feet
- StopsUrca, Praia Vermelha
Yachts and the luxury end
A luxury yacht tour in Rio de Janeiro starts where the speedboats stop. A 31-foot motor yacht from Marina da Gloria spends 5 hours on the water, with an hour at Urca and 4 hours at Praia Vermelha, from $950 for the group. A 42-foot motorboat with a cabin, restroom, Bluetooth sound, nautical mat and barbecue grill runs for 5 hours from $870.
At the top of the range sits the private catamaran with barbecue and open bar, from $1,019 for 5 hours. Its itinerary includes photo stops at Sugarloaf and below the Christ, a long swim at Praia Vermelha and a meal on board. These are boats for a birthday, a corporate group or a family reunion, where splitting the cost several ways makes the price per guest reasonable.
Many of the newer luxury listings have few or no reviews yet, so read the details closely: boat length, what is on board, whether drinks are included and which crew languages are offered. A private sunset speedboat with sparkling wine for the group starts from $399, and like several others it asks you to message the team on WhatsApp after booking to settle the details.
Charter planning
From your booking to the marina
Weeks before
Pick the boat
Compare size, hours and what is on board in the listings.
After booking
Message the crew
Some private boats ask you to write on WhatsApp after booking.
Day before
Check the weather
The captain or the Navy can cancel for safety.
On the day
Shop for the boat
Bring your own food on boats that allow it.
At the marina
Arrive early
One listing asks for 20 minutes before departure.
Private hire or buying seats: the arithmetic
For a couple, buying seats on a shared sail costs far less than any private boat. The shared sunset sail sold here starts from $57 per person with drinks and snacks included. A private speedboat starts from $312 for the boat, so the private option only begins to make sense as the group grows.
With a bigger group of friends the picture changes. The speedboat for 6 up to 8 people starts from $400 for the group, so split among a full boat it comes close to the shared sails, with the deck to yourselves. The speedboat for up to 12 people starts from $850 for 5 hours, which suits a large family party.
Remember the extras on both sides. Shared sails usually include drinks; several private boats expect you to bring your own food and drinks. Factor in a cooler bag from a supermarket, then let the calculator above this guide weigh the starting totals for your party, private boat against shared seats.
Video
Sailing a private yacht into Rio de Janeiro
Sailing SV Delos on YouTube · The video only starts loading on your tap.
The site offers a spectacular view of one of the best-known scenes in the city, with Sugarloaf and Corcovado in the background.
Charter checklist
Settle these before you sail
With the crew3
- The maximum number of guests on board
- Start time and the price of extra hours
- Which crew languages are offered
What to bring3
- Food and drinks if the boat expects your own
- Soft drinks for the teenagers in your group
- Swimwear and towels for the swim stops
On the day3
- The weather check and the cancellation terms
- Your own ride to the marina gate
- Life jackets for children and weak swimmers
Proposals, birthdays and special evenings
A private boat is the easiest stage for a proposal or a birthday in Rio. You choose the time, usually around sunset, and you can bring a cake, flowers or a bottle of your own on boats that allow it. Ask the crew in advance to keep a cool box ready and to hold the boat steady facing Sugarloaf at the right moment; on a small private boat they can arrange it easily.
For a quieter celebration, a private sunset speedboat with chilled sparkling wine for the group, Bluetooth sound and swim stops is priced from $399. It boards near the Mureta da Urca, the low sea wall where people gather with a beer at dusk, so the evening can carry on ashore with dinner or a last drink by the water.5
Whatever the occasion, plan the drinks with the law in mind if teenagers are coming. Brazilian law treats anyone between 12 and 18 as an adolescent and makes it a crime to serve them alcohol, even free of charge.6,7 A good crew will already know this; pack soft drinks so nobody is left out of the toast.
Booking a private boat without surprises
Book early. One luxury sailboat states that advance reservation is required, and sunset is the slot every private group wants, especially on Fridays and weekends when locals take to the water too. Every private charter in this guide lets you walk away free of charge as late as 24 hours ahead, so booking ahead is safe even if the group shrinks.
Ask about weather in the same message. One private speedboat states that it runs rain or shine, but that the captain or the Brazilian Navy may call it off when conditions are unsafe, and then offers to rebook you or return the money. Another asks you to check the weather with the operator, and decides the stops by sea conditions on the day.
Finally, sort transport and arrival time. Plan your own ride to the marina unless a listing says otherwise: one private speedboat states plainly that transport is up to you, and another listing asks guests to arrive 20 minutes early at the first restaurant at Marina da Gloria. Save the skipper's number, agree a meeting point inside the marina and you will be on the water on time.
FAQ
Fast answers to common questions.
What does private hire on the bay cost?
From $312 for the group.
That is a private speedboat for 3 hours; private catamarans start from $673 and yachts from $870.
How big a group can a private boat take?
Depends on the boat.
The listings here range from a speedboat for 6 up to 8 people to one that takes up to 12 people.
Can we bring our own food and drinks?
On several boats, yes.
Some private speedboats and the 2024 sailboat let you bring your own; one skipper grills it for you.
Where do private boats leave from?
Mostly Marina da Gloria.
The marina sits beside Santos Dumont Airport; a few boats board at the Urca pier below Sugarloaf instead.1
Is the sunset sail on this site available privately?
Yes, as an option.
Its listing offers a private option alongside the small group of at most 12.
What if the weather turns?
Rescheduling or refund.
One listing says the captain or the Navy may cancel for safety, with a new date or full refund.
Does the skipper speak English?
Check each listing.
Several private speedboats list a Portuguese-speaking skipper only.
Sources
- Axia Marina da Gloria (the marina operator, marinadagloria.com.br) · Axia Marina da Gloria ↩
- Axia Marina da Gloria (the marina operator, marinadagloria.com.br) · Axia Marina da Gloria ↩
- Axia Marina da Gloria (the marina operator, marinadagloria.com.br) · Axia Marina da Gloria ↩
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro city tourism company (riotur.rio) · Marina da Gloria
- Riotur, Rio de Janeiro city tourism company (riotur.rio) · Mureta da Urca ↩
- Chamber of Deputies of Brazil, federal legislation (camara.leg.br) · Lei 8.069/1990, Estatuto da Crianca e do Adolescente (updated text) ↩
- Chamber of Deputies of Brazil, federal legislation (camara.leg.br) · Lei 8.069/1990, Estatuto da Crianca e do Adolescente (updated text) ↩