10 days in Northeast Brazil from Lençóis to Jericoacoara

This route runs 10 days from São Luís to Fortaleza, about 900 km (560 mi) of coast across Maranhão, Piauí and Ceará. The core stretch from Lençóis Maranhenses to Jericoacoara is about 500 km (310 mi). It links white dunes and rainwater lagoons, a river delta full of mangroves and scarlet ibis, and a kitesurfing village on the Ceará coast. The first leg is a 6 a.m. bus from São Luís to Barreirinhas. The last is a bus or flight from Jericoacoara back to Fortaleza.

Why do this route

This is the most scenic one-way trip in Northeast Brazil. It strings together three very different landscapes in a single line, with no backtracking.

Lençóis Maranhenses is a national park of white sand dunes that hold blue and green lagoons after the rains. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage site in 2024. The Delta do Parnaíba is a maze of islands, mangroves and channels where the Parnaíba River meets the Atlantic. Jericoacoara is a sand-street village inside a national park, known for sunset on the dunes, wind sports and lagoons nearby.

Brazilians call this stretch the Rota das Emoções, the Route of Emotions. Much of it runs on sand tracks, rivers and beaches, so 4x4s and boats do a lot of the work.

Getting there

Fly into São Luís (SLZ) and out of Fortaleza (FOR). The two airports are the ends of the route, so you never retrace your steps. Book an open-jaw ticket, or two one-way domestic flights. For airlines, fare families and bag rules, read domestic flights in Brazil. For the ride from the airport into town, see airport transfers.

Jericoacoara also has an airport. Regional flights from Fortaleza take about 50 minutes and land 32 km (20 mi) from the village. A transfer then takes you over the sand. This is useful if you want to save the long bus ride at the end.

US citizens need an e-visa to enter Brazil. See Brazil e-visa for US citizens.

When to go

May to October is the best window. The lagoons in Lençóis Maranhenses fill with rain from the first half of the year and look best with settled weather from May. July is the peak month for visits, with the most crowds and highest prices. September and October bring steady wind, which draws kitesurfers to Atins, Barra Grande and Jericoacoara. Lagoons start to shrink late in the season.

January to April is the rainy season along this coast. Roads and sand tracks get harder, and some lagoons are still filling. Brazilian school holidays in July and the weeks around New Year are the busiest times.

For rain by region, read best time to visit Brazil.

Where to base

Barreirinhas is a working town on the Rio Preguiças with the most hotels and tour agencies. Atins is a small sand village at the river mouth, with pousadas and kite schools. Parnaíba is a mid-sized city, so you will find chain hotels as well as guesthouses. Jericoacoara has the widest choice on the route, from hostels to upscale pousadas.

Book ahead for July and the New Year period. Contact each pousada directly and ask whether transfers are included. Many in Atins and Jericoacoara can arrange the next leg for you.

Day by day

Day 1. Arrive in São Luís. Sleep near the bus station or the airport so the 6 a.m. departure is easy. If you arrive early, walk the tiled colonial center, a UNESCO site of its own.

Day 2. São Luís to Barreirinhas. The distance is 260 km (161 mi), all on paved road, with some potholes. The Cisne Branco bus leaves the São Luís bus station at 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. The ride takes about 4.5 hours. Return buses from Barreirinhas leave at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Agencies also sell van transfers, usually twice a day, with hotel pickup.

Day 3. Lençóis Maranhenses. Tours from Barreirinhas use authorized 4x4 vehicles to reach Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita. These are the most visited lagoons. Go barefoot on the dunes and bring a hat, sunscreen and water. There is no shade. Book through an agency that uses guides and vehicles authorized by ICMBio, the federal parks agency.

Day 4. Barreirinhas to Atins by river. Fast motorboats run down the Rio Preguiças, with stops at Vassouras, the Mandacaru lighthouse and Caburé. At Vassouras, small dunes meet the river. Atins is a popular kitesurfing base, with Praia dos Lençóis and Lagoa do Kite nearby. Residents of Queimada dos Britos, Baixa Grande and Canto dos Lençóis offer lodging and meals inside the park. Pay these community businesses directly.

The multi-day Travessia dos Lençóis trek runs on foot from Atins to Santo Amaro and does not fit in this plan. ICMBio’s 2026 rules require a prior booking at the community-run support points and cap groups at 10 people per guide. Add three days if you want to do it.

Day 5. Atins to Parnaíba. The standard route goes by 4x4 to Tutóia, then by speedboat across the Delta, then by transfer from the Tatus port to Parnaíba. This is the longest day. Some packages make the move from Barreirinhas in one day by shared bus, van and 4x4.

Check before you go: This leg runs through agencies, and prices and departure times shift with the season and tides. Book it in Barreirinhas or Atins a day or two ahead, and confirm what is included.

Day 6. Delta do Parnaíba. Boats leave from Porto dos Tatus and sail about 40 minutes through the channels to watch the scarlet ibis (guarás) fly in at sunset. The area is an environmental protection area (APA) created in August 1996. Many local residents live from crab gathering. Ask the operator whether the boat belongs to a local community or cooperative, and pay it directly.

Day 7. Parnaíba to Jericoacoara. Private guided tours often start from Barra Grande, on the coast near Parnaíba. They cover 115 km (71 mi) of asphalt, then a raft crossing of the Coreaú River, Tatajuba and a ferry at Guriú, timed to the tide. The bus is the cheaper option. Expresso Guanabara runs between Parnaíba and Jijoca in about 4 hours, with fares around R$ 91 (about US$18, checked Oct 2026). From Jijoca, a 4x4 takes you to the village.

Check before you go: Buy the Parnaíba to Jijoca ticket at the Guanabara counter in the Parnaíba bus station, and ask for the day’s departure times. Compare the shared 4x4 beach route with Parnaíba agencies.

Days 8 and 9. Jericoacoara. The village is reached by a 4x4 from Jijoca. Walk up the Duna do Pôr do Sol for sunset. Hike or ride a buggy east to Pedra Furada, a rock arch on the beach. Spend a day at Lagoa do Paraíso, with hammocks in the water. Take a kitesurfing or windsurfing lesson, or simply walk the sand streets at night. See Jericoacoara for the full picture.

Day 10. Jericoacoara to Fortaleza. The Guanabara bus leaves at 7:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 11:55 p.m., with a change at Jijoca. The ride takes 7 to 8 hours. The 4x4 jardineira from the village to Jijoca is included in the ticket. If you fly out the same day, book a late-evening flight.

Costs

Prices below convert at US$1 = R$ 5.08, checked Oct 2026.

The tourism fee goes to the Jijoca de Jericoacoara municipality. Children up to 12, people over 60, people with a medical report of disability, Jijoca residents and workers with proof of employment are exempt, with documents shown on arrival.

The big variable costs are 4x4 tours in Lençóis, the boat to Atins, the Delta boat and the transfer from Atins to Parnaíba. Ask two or three agencies in Barreirinhas and Parnaíba for quotes, and confirm whether the price is per person or per vehicle. Shared tours cost much less than private ones.

Guided 10-day packages of this route sell from about £1,910 per person, excluding domestic and international flights and insurance. That gives a reference point for an all-in trip.

Practical tips

• Carry cash. Small villages such as Atins and the Lençóis communities have few ATMs, and card machines fail when the signal drops.
• Pack light in a soft bag. Bags ride in 4x4 beds and small boats.
• Protect your phone and camera from sand and spray with a dry bag.
• Bring strong sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses. The dunes reflect the sun.
• Respect the dunes. Do not drive or walk off marked routes in the park, and take your trash with you.
• Keep a buffer day. Tides, wind and road conditions can shift a transfer by a day.

Skip it if

• You have fewer than 7 days. The route needs at least a week to avoid spending every day in transit.
• Your dates fall before May. The lagoons may still be filling and rain is more likely.
• You want fixed timetables for every leg. The Barreirinhas to Parnaíba stretch depends on tour operators and tides.
• You need a quiet beach week. This route is a one-way line with several 4x4 and boat days, so there is little time to stay put.
• Long, bumpy rides wear you out. Several days include hours on sand tracks.

For the wider region, read the Northeast Brazil travel guide, Lençóis Maranhenses and the Rota das Emoções.