Road Trip

A 7-day Lençóis Maranheses itinerary

October 27, 2022

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If you’re on the lookout for an incredible Brazilian journey vacation spot that’s off the overwhelmed path, look no additional than Lençóis Maranhenses. This unimaginable space is situated within the northeast of Brazil and is made up of white sand dunes and crystal-clear blue lagoons. It’s undoubtedly price including to your journey bucket listing as this is among the greatest locations to go to in Brazil! In this weblog submit, we’ll present an in depth 7-day Lençóis Maranhenses itinerary. From the place to remain to one of the best issues to do in, this Lençóis Maranhenses journey information will make it easier to plan a incredible journey to this Brazilian gem!

Other journey guides you may discover helpful…

Lençóis Maranheses is a nationwide park situated within the state of Maranhão, within the northeastern area of Brazil. The park is made up of enormous sand dunes (lençóis) and freshwater lagoons (maranhenses). It’s a really distinctive place you gained’t discover wherever else on the earth!

This place is probably not the simplest to get to, however I’ve highlighted learn how to get to Lençóis Maranheses on this weblog submit so travellers from close to and much can expertise this pure marvel for themselves.

The greatest time to go to Lençóis Maranhenses is from late June to September when the rains have stopped, and the lagoons are filled with water. However, remember the fact that that is additionally the busiest time of yr, so it’s greatest to e-book your lodging and excursions upfront. It’s excessive on Brazilians’ and worldwide travellers’ bucket lists because it’s probably the greatest locations to go to in Brazil.

Before studying on, listed here are some businesses I’d suggest reserving excursions listed on this itinerary with:

Caetes Turismo (Barreirinhas)
G.I Concet Viagens (Barreirinhas)
Nativus (for Atins)
Atins Dunas Tour (Atins)

And in relation to lodging and the place to remain, there are suggestions on the place to remain in Lençóis Maranhenses all through the itinerary.

So with out additional ado, right here is your detailed Lençóis Maranheses journey information for a 7-day itinerary.

A 7-day Lençóis Maranheses itinerary…

Day 1: São Luis and Barreirinhas

Catch a morning flight to São Luis so you may profit from this primary day of travelling; you’ll wish to profit from your time to discover probably the greatest locations to go to in Brazil!

After arriving within the metropolis of São Luís, make your technique to the bus station to catch a bus headed to Barreirinhas. The journey will take roughly 4 hours. Once you arrive in Barreirinhas, verify into your resort and chill out for the remainder of the day.

There are many inns and pousadas (guesthouses) to select from in Barreirinhas, however I like to recommend selecting a resort barely outdoors of city and by the river as it is a a lot quieter space and most of the pousadas have decks and pontoons you may chill out on whereas having fun with the river views.

If you haven’t booked a tour on-line or with a tour company already, communicate to reception and ask them to e-book tomorrow’s tour. They will then affirm what time pick-up is for tomorrow morning (often round 8-9 am).

I stayed at Pousada Boa Vista and would 100% suggest staying there for the primary a part of your Lençois Maranhenses itinerary. It’s nice when it comes to affordability. The rooms are easy however have aircon (you’ll need this after an extended day within the solar!), and the meals is scrumptious. The workers are additionally extremely pleasant and useful.

Other pousadas you could possibly keep at:

Day 2: Take a tour of Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up out of your resort in a 4×4 in your tour round two of the largest lagoons within the National Park: Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita. This tour, despite the fact that essentially the most touristy, remains to be one of many greatest issues to do in Lençóis Maranheses. No Lençóis Maranhenses journey information could be full with out this tour!

Both of those are proper on the fringe of the park, so they’re straightforward to get to on foot when you get to the doorway into the dunes. But attending to the doorway of the lagoons is a complete totally different story! Be ready for a day of river crossings, dune bashing and off-roading in a jeep, as that is the one technique to get round right here (it’s a part of the enjoyable!).

The first cease in your tour might be at Lagoa Azul, which is known for its gorgeous blue waters. You’ll have a while to chill out right here and dip into the refreshing waters. You’ll additionally get swarmed by little fish who will nibble at your toes (it’s ticklish, however don’t fear, they gained’t chew).

The remainder of the morning might be spent exploring the close by dunes and taking refreshing till the jeeps come again to select you up at round 11:30 am to whisp you off to lunch. Lunch is at a neighborhood restaurant the place you’ll have the prospect to attempt a few of the conventional dishes of Maranhão and take a well-needed break from the warmth.

After lunch (and fairly a little bit of time for digesting!), you’ll get again in your jeep and head to Lagoa Bonita. Lagoa Bonita is among the largest and extra touristy lagoons within the park (there may very well be properly over 100 jeeps there at sundown directly) BUT that is one of the best a part of the park to be at for sundown, which is why most excursions end right here within the afternoon. It’s a must-do on any Lençois Maranhenses itinerary. The dunes are infinite, and most of the people are lazy to make it previous the primary two lagoons, so all you’ll want to do is stroll a bit of additional and get a dune all to your self.

Word of warning: don’t be too removed from the doorway to look at the sundown as you don’t wish to be caught on the again “race to your jeep” rush as quickly because the solar goes down. The highest viewpoint is kind of actually on the prime of the steps of the doorway anyway, so it’s the place to be to absorb the sundown. There aren’t many phrases that may describe the sundown from Lagoa Bonita (however the picture under can). The cause this tour is unmissable is due to this! Watching the solar go down over Lagoa Bonita is among the greatest issues to do in Lençóis Maranheses and, in all probability, probably the greatest issues to do in Brazil.

Day 3: Boat Tour down Rio Preguiça & arrive in Atins

Time to kill two birds with one stone: attending to your subsequent vacation spot on this Lençois Maranhenses itinerary, the city of Atins, the place you’ll be staying the following couple of nights, and taking the boat tour down Rio Preguiça. You can take your baggage with you, the boat can maintain the suitcases!

There’s additionally an choice of packing a smaller backpack or suitcase to take with you for the following couple of nights and leaving your bigger suitcase in your resort in the event you plan to return to Barreirinhas (ask them if they provide this).

The boat tour takes round three hours in whole and can drop you off proper at your resort in Atins. On tour, you’ll see a few of the mangroves and get to know a bit of bit extra concerning the river ecosystem, in addition to see a few of the animals that dwell there. You’ll additionally cease within the two native fishing villages of Caburé and Mandacaru, the place you may discover a bit, climb as much as the highest of the lighthouse, purchase some souvenirs or attempt some açai!

The final cease on the boat tour might be Atins. Your resort can have organised a 4×4 or quad to select you and your baggage up. There are not any roads in Atins, all the things is simply sand, so the one technique to get round is by quad or jeep.

Atins is kind of a small village, however there’s sufficient to maintain you busy for the following couple of days. There are a number of eating places, a few bars and some memento outlets. There’s additionally a lovely seashore which is nice for swimming, sunbathing or enjoyable with a e-book. It’s additionally proper on the sting of the nationwide park so you may discover {that a} bit too!

For the remainder of the afternoon, I’d suggest both having a relaxing one and heading all the way down to the seashore to sit down again on a chair and watch the kitesurfers till sundown or happening a sundown horse driving tour! Sempre Atins is the one firm that runs these excursions, and the value for the sundown tour is R$540 per individual. I’ve included this journey in my greatest issues to do in Lençóis Maranheses weblog (which you’ll learn right here), because it’s really EPIC.

Where to remain in Atins:

Day 4: Exploring Canto de Atins

If you’re feeling energetic, e-book your self onto a mid-morning quad bike tour to discover the dunes on this aspect of the park, or in the event you really feel like hitting the water, you may e-book your self onto a kite-surfing lesson. Vila Guara gives classes for learners and likewise lends out gear for extra skilled kitesurfers.

Alternatively, if the previous couple of days of your Lençois Maranhenses itinerary have caught up with you, you could possibly all the time take the morning to your self to have a late breakfast by the seashore and end up a sunlounger in one of many seashore cabanas to lie on for the remainder of the morning. Atins seashore actually appears like a bit of piece of paradise, and enjoyable on the seashore with an açai bowl in hand is among the greatest issues to do in Lençóis Maranheses in the event you ask me.

After your chosen morning exercise, take a second to have some lunch; there are a lot of seashore huts dotted alongside the bay and decide one which takes your fancy. Charme Beach Bar is the fashionable place to be in the event you’re on the lookout for a little bit of a buzz, however all of the eating places down the seashore serve up contemporary seafood if that’s what you’re craving.

After lunch, it’s time to move again into the dunes to discover the lagoons additional into the Park, known as Canto de Atins. Make certain you e-book onto the tour that takes you to Lagoa do Gaveāo in addition to Lagoa das Sete Mulheres, these are the 2 greatest lagoons to go to in Atins, and no Lençóis Maranheses journey information could be full with out it. This tour will take about 4hrs, and decide time might be between 2-2:30 pm.

You’ll spend the remainder of the afternoon swimming within the lagoons, enjoyable on the dune or simply taking within the views. You’ll discover this a part of the park is MUCH quieter than the primary tour in Barreirinhas to Lagoa Bonita and Lagoa Azul.

The tour information will drop you again in Atins simply after sundown, the place you may get pleasure from a quiet dinner at one of many eating places on the town. If you fancy it, there’s additionally a bar with dwell music some nights. Check together with your resort reception to see what’s occurring throughout your keep (that is often at Jungle restaurant bar, although!)

Restaurants I’d suggest:

Day 5 & 6: Overnight keep in Santo Amaro

After seeing the dunes on each these sides of the park, you should be pondering, “it can’t get better than this?!” But, let me let you know, it may well! Santo Amaro is the furthest village into the park, and it’s the place you’ll discover essentially the most stunning dunes, lagoons and seashores. This Lençóis Maranheses itinerary needed to embrace at the very least in the future in Santo Amaro! (If you’re staying for longer than seven days, I’d suggest a second evening right here!)

The solely technique to Santo Amaro is by 4×4 from Atins. There are many tour corporations in Atins that supply a switch service to Santo Amaro. Ask your resort to contact them and e-book this for you. The switch will take about an hour, and the value is often round R$120 per individual.

Once you arrive in Santo Amaro, verify into your resort (I like to recommend Vila do Junco) and take a second to settle in and stroll by way of the village (it’s small and gained’t take lengthy).

Grab a chew at one of many native restraunts for lunch, like Pousada Agua Doce or Pousada Cajueiro, earlier than setting off into the dunes to go to Lagoa da Gaivota and Lagoas das Andorrinhas. This is a 3hr tour and, as all the time, takes you to wash in some stunning lagoons earlier than taking you to the highest of the tallest dune to absorb the sundown views. (I hope you’re not sick of this Lençóis Maranheses journey information but!)

For dinner, I like to recommend heading to Rancho das Dunas as they do a incredible seafood moqueca (a conventional Brazilian dish).

Get an early evening, as the following day might be an extended day.

On the second half of your in a single day keep in Santo Amaro, you’ll be doing fairly a little bit of trekking as you head to a particular (and ultimate) lagoon: Lagoa Emendadas. This is a half-day tour and requires a sure degree of health as you’ll be trekking 2 hours to get to the lagoon and two hours again.

The Lagoa Emendadas is a novel lagoon as a result of it’s one of many solely lagoons within the park that doesn’t dry up throughout the dry season, and because it’s one of many few excursions that require fairly a little bit of climbing, it’s additionally one of many much less touristy lagoons.

Make certain you’re taking loads of water, sunscreen and bug repellent with you as there are not any amenities on the lagoon itself.

After your time on the Lagoa Emendadas, it’ll be time to begin making your method again to the place you began: Barreirinhas!

Day 7: Sobrevoo over the National Park and again to São Luis

It wouldn’t be an entire Lençóis Maranheses itinerary with out the enduring sobrevoo (flight) over the National Park. This is one of the simplest ways to see the dimensions of the dunes and lagoons, get some superb aerial photographs and actually end the journey on a excessive (fairly actually, on this case).

Two corporations function flights over Lençois Maranhenses: AVA Sobrevoos and Voar Fotografia Area. Still, the simplest technique to e-book is thru a tour firm, like G.I Connect and Sunrise Tour.

There are totally different routes you may take for this flight, and I’ve written extra about them in this weblog submit that highlights one of the best issues to do in Lençóis Maranheses. Prices for the sobrevoo over the National Park begin at R$450 for a 30min flight and might take as much as 4 or 6 folks relying on the aircraft’s measurement.

After your early morning sobrevoo, it’ll be time to take a look at of your resort and make your method again to São Luis in your subsequent flight (this can be a flight again house or wherever your subsequent vacation spot in Brazil could also be!).

I hope you loved this Lençóis Maranhenses itinerary and that it impressed you to go to this really distinctive and magical place! It’s an absolute must-visit and probably the greatest locations to go to in Brazil.

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Looking past a 7-day Lençois Maranhenses itinerary? This weblog on one of the best issues to do in Lençóis Maranhenses offers you extra inspiration on what to do.