5-day Lençóis Maranhenses Hike
Planeta Exo
TripsBrazilLençóis Maranhenses

5-day Lençóis Maranhenses Hike

Brazil
4 Nights·5 Days
Lençóis MaranhensesCultural & Community ExperiencesMulti-Day Treks

Overview

The 5-day Lençóis Maranhenses hike combines the breathtaking beauty of Brazil with the rich culture of Maranhão, crossing the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park on foot. Along the way you discover the Baixa Grande and Queimada dos Britos oases, endless white dunes, and sparkling freshwater lagoons, with incredible sunsets and refreshing swims.

You meet local families, hear their stories, and learn about the sustainable tourism that protects this natural treasure. To make it genuine, you sleep in hammocks under a starry sky and take short boat trips to connect with nature.

  • Visit two oases inside the National Park: Baixa Grande and Queimada dos Britos.
  • Combine natural and cultural beauty across 5 days of hiking in Lençóis Maranhenses.
  • Visit the welcoming communities of Vassouras and Mandacaru and immerse yourself in local culture.
  • Discover the crystal-clear waters of Atins and its stunning dunes.
  • Take a boat ride down the Rio Alegre to Santo Amaro.
  • Stay with local families to learn about their traditions.

  • More options: check out the 2-day, 3-day and 4-day treks as well!

Itinerary

Day 1

Barreirinhas / Pequenos Lençóis / Atins / Canto dos Atins

  • Departure8:30 am from Barreirinhas
  • Boat32 km · ~2 hrs (Pequenos Lençóis, Vassouras & Mandacaru)
  • Hiking8 km · 2–3 hrs to Canto dos Atins

A vehicle picks you up at 8:30 am in Barreirinhas (about 4 hours / 237 km from São Luís) for a boat tour through the Pequenos Lençóis Maranhenses APA, stopping at the villages of Vassouras and Mandacaru for community-based tourism. You reach the beach village of Atins for lunch and stay until 3 pm, then hike 8 km (2–3 hours) through a field of dunes to Canto dos Atins, swimming in lagoons and watching the sunset, with an overnight in hammocks at the lodge.

Meals included: Lunch / Dinner

Aerial view of a tall black-and-white striped lighthouse surrounded by palm trees and green vegetation, with a wide river estuary and white sand dunes stretching to the horizon — a landmark on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike route
A barefoot traveller with a straw hat and backpack walks down a sandy slope toward thatched and corrugated-iron huts nestled among palm trees beside a wide blue river on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike
White sand shore lined with tall coconut palms overlooking a wide calm river channel, with two small motorboats crossing the blue water on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike
A fluffy young capuchin monkey perches on the edge of a rustic wooden rooftop, surrounded by swaying palm fronds under a bright blue sky on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike
Three hikers walking across vast white sand dunes on a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, their footprints trailing behind them toward a pale blue sky
A lone walker traces the curved edge of a crystal-clear freshwater lagoon between sweeping white dunes during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, under a dramatic sunset sky
Aerial view of a deep-blue lagoon cutting through white sand dunes with submerged green vegetation visible on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike route
A lone hiker with a backpack and trekking poles wades through shallow tidal water on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike, silhouetted against a golden sunset over vast rippled sand flats

Day 2

Canto dos Atins → Baixa Grande Oasis

  • Hiking28 km · 9–10 hrs · start 2:00 am (sunrise on the beach)

A light meal at 1:30 am fuels an early 2:00 am start toward the Baixa Grande Oasis, reaching the beach in time for sunrise. The 28 km day (around 9–10 hours) crosses endless dunes and remote landscapes, arriving at the oasis around noon. This is one of the most remote inhabited areas in the park, home to just six families. You spend the night with one of them, return to the dunes in the late afternoon for a swim and the sunset, and gather for dinner and stories (taste the local cassava brandy, Tiquira, if you are curious).

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Two silhouetted hikers with backpacks walk toward the horizon along a vast rippled white sand dune on a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, their footprints trailing back across the foreground under a clear blue sky
A backpacker wearing a hat pauses among bleached dead trees on a vast white sand dune during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, with sculpted dune ridges rising under a bright blue sky
A trekker with a large red backpack and trekking poles crosses a wide flat grassland on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike, with pale sand dunes stretching across the horizon under a blue sky
A smiling man and woman lean out of a rustic whitewashed brick window beneath a thatched roof, offering a warm welcome during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike
Crystal-clear turquoise freshwater lagoon lapping a sandy shore during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, with sweeping white sand dunes rising against a pale blue sky in the background
Vast white sand dunes under a clear blue sky along the Lençóis Maranhenses hike, with wind-rippled ridgelines stretching to the horizon
A solo hiker with a backpack and wide-brim hat stands on vast white dunes during the Lençóis Maranhenses hike, facing a blazing orange sunset with a freshwater lagoon glimmering in the distance
A figure in motion beside a glowing bonfire on a white-sand beach at night, palm trees silhouetted against a deep blue starlit sky on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike

Day 3

Baixa Grande → Queimada dos Britos Oasis

  • Hiking12 km · 4–5 hrs · start 5:00 am

Breakfast at 4:30 am and a 5:00 am start for a 12 km hike (around 4–5 hours), crossing the dunes at first light and the Rio Negro stream, with a stunning sunrise and swims in some of the park’s most beautiful lagoons. You reach the Queimada dos Britos oasis around 10:30 am for a homemade lunch, rest in the shade, then return to the dunes in the late afternoon for more swims and the sunset, with dinner and an overnight in a local family’s home.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A woman free-diving through crystal-clear turquoise water above a sandy bottom, captured underwater during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike swim stop
Two hikers walking barefoot across brilliant white dunes beside a turquoise-green freshwater lagoon under a deep blue sky during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike
A lone hiker with a red pack and trekking pole silhouetted on the razor-sharp crest of a brilliant white sand dune during the Lençóis Maranhenses hike, with turquoise lagoon water visible at the base and a towering cumulus cloud rising behind
Aerial view of five hikers casting long shadows across vast white dunes on a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, with two turquoise lagoons gleaming in the middle distance
Crystal-clear turquoise lagoon nestled between vast rippled white sand dunes under a deep blue sky in Lençóis Maranhenses hike country
Aerial view of a lone swimmer floating in the crystal-clear shallow waters of a Lençóis Maranhenses hike lagoon, the sandy bed visible through the glassy surface
Vast rolling white sand dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses stretch to the horizon at golden sunset, with a small serpentine lagoon nestled between the dunes and tiny silhouettes of hikers visible in the distance — a defining scene of the Lençóis Maranhenses hike

Day 4

Queimada dos Britos → Vila de Betânia

  • Hiking18 km · 5–7 hrs · start 3:00 am

A 3:00 am start for a 5–7 hour hike (18 km) to the village of Betânia, stopping to watch the sunrise and for a refreshing dip in the lagoon. Lunch is in Betânia, a special village next to the Rio Alegre and surrounded by endless lagoons.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Smooth white sand dunes casting deep blue shadows over still lagoon waters in the soft light of dusk during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike
A bearded man in a cap and sunglasses sits cross-legged in a lotus pose on the vast white sand flats during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, surrounded by an endless pale horizon
Four hikers with backpacks trace a line of footprints across vast rippled white sand dunes on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike, under a pale morning sky
Silhouettes of hikers walking a sandy trail toward a vivid orange and blue sunset on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike, with palm trees on the distant horizon
Four hikers wading through shallow crystal-clear water on a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, their ripples spreading across the glassy surface as they cross in single file
A group of hikers silhouetted against a blue sky atop a vast white sand dune during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, with a green lagoon visible at the dune's base and footsteps trailing down the face
A group of travellers wading and relaxing in a crystal-clear freshwater lagoon during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, surrounded by towering white sand dunes under a vivid blue sky
A hiker rests on white sand dunes beside a clear freshwater lagoon during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, while another traveller sits at the water's edge with rolling white dunes beyond
A woman's silhouette walks across wind-rippled sand dunes during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, a glowing orange sunset and calm lagoon stretching behind her
Silhouettes of hikers walking across sweeping sand dunes at golden hour during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, with sunlit freshwater lagoons glowing between the dunes in the foreground

Day 5

Vila de Betânia → Santo Amaro

  • BoatRio Alegre · 15 min
  • Hiking12 km · ~5 hrs to Santo Amaro
  • Arrival10:00 am in Santo Amaro

The last day starts at 5:30 am with a 15-minute boat ride down the Rio Alegre, then a 12 km hike (about 5 hours) to Santo Amaro, stopping to swim, rest and watch the final sunrise. You arrive in Santo Amaro around 10:00 am, where the trek ends.

Meals included: Breakfast

Four hikers walking along the crest of a vast white sand dune during a Lençóis Maranhenses hike, tiny figures against a pale open sky
A red-and-green wooden boat named Esperança moored on a sandy riverbank, with dense green riparian vegetation and a blue sky reflected in the calm water — the final Lençóis Maranhenses hike leg begins here
A lone swimmer waist-deep in a wide green freshwater lagoon on the Lençóis Maranhenses hike, framed by smooth white dunes and a vivid blue sky
A PlanetaEXO guide equipped with trekking poles, a large backpack, and a radio leads the Lençóis Maranhenses hike under an overcast sky
Aerial view of the Lençóis Maranhenses hike landscape, with vast white sand dunes curving around a dark-green freshwater lagoon stretching to the horizon under a pale blue sky
A white 4x4 pickup truck with an open canopy carries passengers across the vast white sand dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses under a dramatic blue sky with scattered clouds, part of the Lençóis Maranhenses hike logistics

What is Included

  • Accommodation: 4 nights in local family homes (hammocks)
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner as listed in the itinerary
  • Transfers: All transfers during the itinerary, including a private speedboat Barreirinhas → Atins
  • Activities & tours: Guided trek across the dunes and lagoons of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
  • Guide: Certified local guide throughout
  • Insurance: Travel insurance

Not included

  • Flights
  • Transfers: onward transport from Santo Amaro (to São Luís or back to Barreirinhas)
  • Meals: breakfast on the first day, and lunch and dinner on the last day
  • Drinks (water, soft drinks, beer)
  • Personal expenses (laundry, phone calls, etc.) and tips
  • Any services not previously mentioned

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$ 700/ per person