The Route of Emotions 4wd: Dunes and Beaches

In this beautiful coastal region of Northeast Brazil, along the Route of Emotions that crosses the states of Maranhão, Piauí, and Ceará, the climate is warm and semi-humid year-round, with temperatures ranging from 22°C to 37°C. 
The rainy season runs from February to May and is ideal for those who prefer milder temperatures. The dry season, from June to January, is marked by sunny days and clear skies—perfect for excursions and outdoor activities.
Please note that during the dry season, some lagoons in the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park may be dry, especially between October and February.

Arrival in São Luís and accommodation in hotel with air-conditioned vehicle.
The room will be available at check in time at 2:00 p.m., still being able to leave your luggage in storage and use the common areas.

This is the first step of the trip and starting point to visit the "Rota das emoções" or the "Route of the emotions".
Remaining part of the day is to visit the city.

Overnight stay in São Luís with breakfast.

Departure in the morning between 06:30 and 07:40 on a 30-seat air-conditioned tourist minibus. We will travel approximately 270 km on paved roads to reach the city of Barreirinhas, one of the main gateways to the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. Arrival in the city is expected between 12:20 and 12:50.
Note: Seat allocation is random. For those seeking more comfort, a private vehicle can be requested for an additional fee.

At 2:00 PM, after checking into the hotel, departure for an unforgettable tour in a non-air-conditioned 4x4 jeep. We'll cross the scenic Rio Preguiças and follow a sandy trail leading to the entrance of the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. From there, we begin a hike across the breathtaking white sand dunes toward the stunning Laguna Bonita. In this natural paradise, you’ll have the chance to swim in refreshing, crystal-clear lagoons nestled among the vast dunes. These lagoons are formed by rainfall between February and June, creating vibrant green and blue pools, some reaching depths of up to 4 meters.
The landscape is constantly changing: strong winds, especially in the second half of the year, shift the dunes by up to 20 meters annually, making every visit unique.
Return to the city after 7:00 PM, following an unforgettable sunset over the dunes.

Overnight in Barreirinhas with breakfast.

Departure in the morning at 8:00 / 08:30 am ( don't forget to bring your luggage with you ) to the port in Barreirinhas, set out in motorboat down Rio Preguiça towards the ocean.
The first stop is in the Vassouras region to visit the Pequenos Lençóis Maranhenses and see local fauna in the monkey tent known as “tenda dos macacos”; second stop is in the village called Mandacarú, a small fishing village where you can to appreciate various craft shops, the best caipirinha in the region at the kiosk on the pier and if accessible, you can climb up the light house called “Farol Preguiças” navy lighthouse to enjoy an enchanting panorama that embraces the entire mouth of the river and part of the National Park of Lencois Maranhenses; we will continue by boat crossing the river Rio Preguiça and we will arrive at the Atins beach around 11:20 am / 12:30 pm, where we will wait the 4X4 jeep ( no air conditioning) that will take us to the pousada.

Some important things to know about Atins: it's a small city whose sandy streets can get hot during the dry season; there are no pharmacies; there is limited access to technology as the internet and cell phone signal is unstable; the local electricity grid is precarious; and during the high season, the traffic is very intense and noisy. There is no public aqueduct and each pousada has its own water well. The water in the rooms' bathrooms is not completely transparent, which is characteristic of the region. Due to its location in the middle of nature, insects and other animals such as small lizards, frogs and/or ants are common and sometimes manage to get into the rooms, despite the measures taken to minimize these inconveniences. In brief, anyone who decides to stay at Atins must be adaptable.

Overnight in Atins with breakfast.

Breakfast at hotel and morning at leisure to visit this small village with beautiful beaches, famous for the sport of kite-surf.

In the afternoon between 02:30 and 03:00 pm departure with a 4X4 jeep ( no air conditioning), passing through meadows that during the rainy season are flooded and in the following months gradually dry up, creating an ideal habitat for grazing various animals. The Lençois Maranhenses park is 20 minutes far away, and you can already see the first dunes called the Canto di Atins, reached which we will continue to the lagoons with fresh and crystalline waters that form between the immensity of the dunes.
After admiring an exciting sunset in the dunes, we will continue.
Return to city after 6:30 pm.

Overnight in Atins.

Departure from Atins at 11:20 am with a 4X4 jeep ( no air conditioning) for to reach the beach, we will continue with a boat with to cross the river Rio Preguiça until you reach the beach of Caburè from where we will continue at 11:40 am with a Private 4x4 air-conditioned vehicle to the city of Tutóia which is located on the border between Maranhão and Piauí states.
On this day, we take the panoramic route for 1 and a half hour, following sand trails along the beach, which in the rainy season, can be flooded,  we will coast a gigantic wind farm built in front of the sea and observe on the right side, a last stretch of dunes of the Little Lençois Maranhenses.

Upon arriving in the small city of Rio Novo, we continue traveling 34km of paved road until we arrive in Tutóia. During the car trip, we’ll stop for lunch (not included in the price) in the village of Lagoinha, in a simple but cozy restaurant located in front of a clear water lagoon.

Arriving at the port of Tutóia around 14:30,  we depart in a fast boat to visit Delta das Americas which marks the border between Maranhão and Piauí states, formed by the Parnaíba River and effluents, which in their path toward the ocean create a group of islands, offering a beautiful view of dunes, desert beaches and streams covered by mangroves and inhabited by thousands of crabs giving rise to a piece of Amazon forest in “Route of emotions”; duration of the trip is 4 full hours with stops for swimming and taking pictures.
We’re going to navigate along more than 70 km of this beautiful delta, crossing paths with native fisherman in their simple sailing canoes; it’s going to be a fascinating trip. In some places the wind and the waves can create splashes of water that enter the boat, getting a little wet is part of the adventure.
At the end of the excursion, the sunset, from July to January, offers the possibility of watching hundreds of fire-red ibises in flight to their own refuges in the middle of the forest, a truly amazing spectacle.

Overnight stay in Parnaíba with breakfast.

Departure at 8:00 in the morning in a Private air-conditioned 4X4 to the village of Jericoacoara, travelling the panoramic route through the dunes of Luis Correia and continue along 75 km of paved road until we reach Chaval where we climb go up the observatory to see look over the small city with its houses constructed in the middle of giant rocks.
We then travel 50 km of paved road until we arrive to the city of Camocim where we cross “Rio Coreaù” boarding a ferry and the trip continues long a 40-km stretch of coast, through trails, edging sand dunes, palm trees and coconut trees on the way to Tatajuba where we get to know the lagoon "Lagoa Grande” where we will stop for lunch (not included).

Our journey finally continues via Guriú and Mangue Seco, until we reach the village of Jericoacoara.
We’d like to mention that the actual duration of each visit is influenced by the schedule of the tides and is decided at the moment of the excursion.
The total duration of the trip is approximately 6 hours.

Note: the municipality of Jericoacoara requires a stay fee, already included in the cost of the tour. 
​The voucher that we will send you must be shown (in digital format) upon your arrival in Jericoacoara and also to the pousada where you will be staying (children up to 12 years and adults over 60 years are exempt from paying).
Important: There have been rumors circulating for a few days that a new environmental tax will be instituted in addition to the stay tax already included and paid in your itinerary but no timetable for when it will come into effect has been disclosed.The value is expected to be around R$ 50 (USD 9) per person and will be paid on the spot, although it has not yet been determined whether it will be collected at the hotel or otherwise. In case it comes into effect before your departure, I would like to point out that this cost was not included in our participation fee.

Overnight stay in Jericoacoara with breakfast.

Breakfast at the pousada and the rest of the day free to explore the village of Jericoacoara and enjoy the world-famous beaches that offer favorable conditions for kitesurfing or just relax on the beautiful beaches.

At the end of the day you can admire the spectacular sunset from the “Duna do Pôr do Sol”.

Overnight stay in Jericoacoara with breakfast.

Leave between 11:30 am and 12:00 noon to Fortaleza, to the city of Fortaleza aboard air-conditioned Toyota 4x4 vehicle with a capacity of up to 6 people.
This day we travel along the shortest route lasting about 5 hours, we will start going for 20 km through trails in the sand that leave Jericoacoara until arrival in the town of Jijoca; from here you will continue along a non-panoramic road covering over 280 km of paved road, until you reach Fortaleza, arrival scheduled for 06:00 / 07:00 pm.

Note: The allocation of seats is totally random and for those who want more comfort, we offer the possibility of a private vehicle in supplement.

End of the services.

Our trips are daily so you can choose without worrying about pre-determined days.