Experience the Best of Salvador Bahia

There are so many choices available - Fantastic beaches, sun and sand all day long. Or you can visit the rain forest and discover the wonders of nature. We can organize a private study tour to show you the fascinating multicultural heritage of the Bahia state, or a cooking class to discover the exotic flavors of authentic Afro-Brazilian cuisine in Bahia. 

If you love pristine - secluded beaches, island hopping boat excursions, fishing, waterfalls, or simply touring around on foot exploring the exotic and unknown – you’ll love visiting Bahia Brazil!

Our annual Salvador Bahia Discovery Tour, featuring the Festa da Boa Morte Afro-Brazilian Religious Festival, is our premier tour event of the calendar year. If you want to discover African Diaspora in Brazil – this trip is for you!

Our African Heritage City Tour will take you to the historic Pelourinho District that was once a major slave market and is home to the first African church built in the Americas. We’ll explore the many different historical aspects of Salvador da Bahia that reflect this city’s roots to a West African culture that has help shape today’s Salvador. The Pelourinho or Pelô, as the colonial city is affectionately known, is definitely worth a visit. It is the largest collection of Baroque colonial architecture in Latin America, a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

We've expanded this excursion to include a group lunch in Pelourinho and a special visit to the Afro-Brazilian museum. Moreover, we have customized this revealing excursion to appeal to our African American travel clients. We retrace the first steps of African slaves when they arrived in Salvador Bahia aboard slaves ships from West Africa. Pelourinho, which means ‘whipping stick’ in Portuguese, was the first place where slaves were auctioned off to slave traders after their arrival in Salvador.

Tuesday nights in ‘Pelo’ are special! Pelourinho's famous "Terça da Bença" (Tuesday of Blessing), originally designating the day Saint Francis of Assisi would distribute food to the needy. Since the 1970s, the Black community in Salvador chooses to commemorate this day with political, social, cultural and musical events.

Duration: Approx. 8hrs
Departures: Daily @ 9am.

The Irmandade da Boa Morte (Sisterhood of the Good Death) originated in Salvador at a time when Blacks were denied access to Catholic ceremonies. Consequently, religious rituals combining Catholic and Candomble practices were carried out in secret. Soon, several churches practiced this combination of religions. As time passed, The Sisterhood of the Good Death in the back-bay city of Cachoeira Bahia was the only one to survive.

The Boa Morte Festival is one of the most celebrated events on the Afro-Brazilian religious calendar in Bahia and is a primary destination event that historically exemplifies the presence of African Diaspora Culture in Brazil. This is a must-see tour!

Festa da Boa Morte is a celebration of the secret black religious society, who are direct descendants of slaves, these women priestess can trace their lineage directly to the African slaves that were brought to Brasil by the Portuguese who colonized the country.

Their annual festival (attended by followers from around the world) is held in August, and is a marvelous spectacle. It is led by the sumptuously bedecked Sisters, whose conspicuous gold filigree and coral jewelry belie the reserved dignity of these religious women. Besides the festivals outward expressions of joy and revelry, The Sisterhood of the Good Death's undeniable value lies in its preservation of maintaining the indivisible mark of the Saints and Orixas, characteristic of Afro-Brazilian syncretism, guarded in secrecy and taboos.

In masses and processions of a Catholic character, in ritual feasts prepared in the Candomble tradition, in the Sisters traditional black and white robes, in the candles and flowers, and in fundamentals and ceremonies, the Good Death Festival emanates the unique character of the sole surviving Sisterhood of Afro-Brazilian women, united in their faith and devotion to the Holy Mother.

Sisterhood of the Boa Morte is the oldest organization for women of African descent in the New World.

Duration: Approx. 10hrs
Special Event: (See Discover Bahia Tour Page)

Salvador da Bahia was Brazil's first political center (from 1549 to 1763), but remains its musical capital. The best known Bahian percussion ensemble is Olodum. The name OLODUM comes from the Yoruba word, "OLODUMARE" which means "God of Gods".

Brazzil News tells us that Olodum was launched decades ago as part of the "Negritude" movement, initiated in Bahia to inspire black pride. "For many years during that time, black people were ashamed of their skin," explains former Olodum musical director Billy Arquimimo. "We understood it was necessary to do something to make black people proud. We decided to do something to develop African culture in Bahia; as Salvador has the largest black population in Brazil, it was necessary to maintain our culture, our religion, our music, and our celebrations: all of which came from Africa through slavery."

The group was first launched during carnival as part of the Bloco-Afro movement. It was primarily a drum and vocal group which soon caught the attention of American pop star Paul Simon. Simon invited Olodum to play on his "Rhythm of the Saints" album and subsequent tour, which helped bring Olodum international attention. In the years since, Olodum has added more of a pop element, including a brass section, keyboards, electric guitars and bass to try to gain a more widespread pop appeal in Brazil.

The group still plays every week in the heart of Salvador's historic district, Pelourinho Square. When the group takes to the streets for Salvador Carnival every spring, literally millions join the Olodum street parade - imagine a sea of revelers singing and dancing along to Olodum's every move for as far as the eyes can see. Olodum, like many of Bahia's Blocos-Afros, is much more than just a musical group it is also one of the region's leading community organizations. Brazil has no social safety net, and the country has the largest gap between rich and poor in the hemisphere, with millions lacking housing, education, and access to health care.

Olodum's social mission includes educational projects, programs geared toward helping Brazil's street children, and the fight against AIDS, as well as other social causes that affect black Brazilians in Bahia.

 On Tuesday nights Olodum's live show takes 'center stage' in Pelourinho! These special Olodum performances in ‘Pelo’ are definitely a must-see event for all music lovers to witness while visiting Salvador Bahia!

Duration: Approx. 4hrs
Performances: Tuesdays 8pm.

Operating in Babagula Barbecue House, you will first be introduced to our typical Barbecue and then to our folklore. The show presents some of the major Afro-Brazilian cultural expressions, such as maculelê, the fishermen’s dance, Candomblé, and a host of others, including a special Capoeira performance. 

Duration: Approx. 4hrs - Monday thru Saturday @ 7:30pm

      Folkloric Ballet of Bahia Dinner Show