an easy and mandatory first step, is checking whether the favela has been pacified by the UPP - the polícia pacificadora keeps an updated list of pacified favelas on the force's official website on this link.

if a favela is not listed as pacified by the UPP, visitors are advised not to attend bailes funk organized there - with or without a local guide.

in fact, as with any foray into a favela, it is always best to go with a guide who is familiar with the people of the favela, the accompanying social dynamics and the lay of the land.

to the unfamiliar visitor, favelas may seem like labyrinths of concrete, with seemingly no organization or clear path from point A to B - the possibility of getting lost is real and because of this it is important to enter with a trustworthy companion who is familiar with the safest routes throughout the community.