this said, most favelas are not used to foreigners and pose a risk to individuals to decide to visit on their own terms - it is important to keep in mind that safe favelas are subject to confrontation with the police and competing groups of outlaws one risk of accesing of this type of area is being caught in the cross fire.

visitors interested in entering a favelas, are strongly advised to do so accompanied by a specialized guide or by a service dedicated to favela tours - two of such services are favelatour and favela tourism workshop.

a very interesting website dedicated to life in the favelas is viva favela, featuring blogs, arts, images and upcoming events - see more blogs here.