3-day Lençóis Maranhenses Tour from Santo Amaro
PlanetaEXO
TripsBrazilLençóis Maranhenses

3-day Lençóis Maranhenses Tour from Santo Amaro

Brazil
2 Nights·3 Days
Lençóis MaranhensesMulti-ActivityComfort Adventures

Overview

Explore Lençóis Maranhenses from Santo Amaro on this 3-day trip. The small village sits right at the edge of the dunes, in the park’s quieter eastern sector, away from the usual crowds. Tours are short and easy, making it a great option if you’re traveling on a tight schedule.

The journey highlights the mesmerizing contrast between the white sand dunes and the crystal-clear rainwater lagoons. During the tour, you will visit some of the park’s most breathtaking spots, including Lagoa do Junco, Lagoa do Reflexo, and Lagoa Verde.

  • Full itinerary: 4x4 rides across the dunes and swimming in iconic lagoons.
  • Visits to some of the park's most photographed lagoons (Lagoa do Junco, Ponta Verde, and Lagoa do Reflexo).
  • Easy, scenic walks on the dunes, perfect for travelers looking for relaxation.
  • Uncrowded spots with gorgeous views of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Santo Amaro.
  • Activities led by highly qualified guides.
  • Round-trip transfer from São Luís in comfortable vehicles.

  • Please note: the daily schedule is a suggested plan, confirmed on arrival and adapted to weather, water levels, and the group’s pace. The 4×4 transfers depend on vehicle availability and seasonal rains.

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in Santo Amaro / Lagoa do Junco

  • DrivingSão Luís → Santo Amaro · 245 km (4 hrs)
  • 4x4 transferSanto Amaro → Lagoa do Junco trailhead · 30–40 min
  • HikingShort walk over dunes · ~1 hr · 2 km
  • SwimmingLagoa do Junco · ~2 hrs

PlanetaEXO’s local partner will pick you up at your accommodation in São Luís at 8 AM. The road transfer to Santo Amaro takes about 4 hours, with a short break for snacks along the way. The final stretch into the village is only accessible by 4×4.

After check-in at the inn and lunch on your own, the group meets at 3 PM for a 4×4 ride to the Lagoa do Junco trailhead. From there, a short walk over the dunes leads to the lagoon.

Lagoa do Junco is a freshwater pool with clear blue-green water, framed by white dunes. Swimming masks are available on request. The group stays at the lagoon through sunset before returning to the inn for the night.

Meals included: Breakfast

Aerial top-down view of a lone swimmer floating in shallow, crystal-clear water over a rocky seabed in the Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro region, the figure tiny against the vast green-tinted shallows
An open-top 4x4 vehicle carrying a group of visitors along a sandy track beside a shallow lagoon, with vegetated dunes rising under a blue sky in Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro
A crescent-shaped turquoise lagoon nestled against a sweeping white sand dune under a partly cloudy blue sky in Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro, with the shallow shoreline fading from clear aqua to deep teal
A traveller lies back on a white sand dune in Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro, photographing a large orange sun setting over the horizon with their smartphone
A three-storey colonial building covered in blue-and-white Portuguese azulejo tiles on a cobblestone street in Santo Amaro, with colourful neighbouring facades, parked cars, and locals going about their day at golden hour

Day 2

Ponta Verde / Lagoa do Reflexo

  • HikingPonta Verde circuit · ~3 hrs · 5 km
  • SwimmingLagoa do Reflexo · ~2 hrs
  • Lunch stopPonta Verde village restaurant · ~1.5 hrs

The group sets off around 9 AM toward Ponta Verde, a small fishing village near some of the most beloved lagoons in Lençóis Maranhenses. Unlike the open dune crossings further west, the Ponta Verde circuit passes through vegetated dunes with cashew trees and mirim bushes (a wild guava-like berry).

Lagoa do Reflexo is the main stop—a wide, mirror-like lagoon known for the way it reflects the sky on still days. There is time to swim, rest in the shade, and take photographs before walking on to Ponta Verde for lunch.

After lunch at a restaurant overlooking Lagoa Verde (not included), the group returns to the lagoons and stays through sunset before heading back to the inn.

Meals included: Breakfast

Aerial view of Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro, showing sweeping white sand dunes dotted with turquoise and emerald rainwater lagoons stretching to the horizon, with a single person standing at the water's edge under a blue sky
White sand dunes and shallow rainwater lagoons of Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro viewed through a 4x4 vehicle window, with the side mirror reflecting cloudy sky
Silhouette of a woman walking across rippled sand dunes at sunset in Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro, with a shallow lagoon and orange-glowing sky behind her
Rustic driftwood fence and gate at the entrance to Rancho Canoas restaurant and camping in Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro, with thatched-roof huts, flowering shrubs, and guides in blue shirts gathering inside
Wide freshwater lagoon flanked by rippled white sand dunes under a clear blue sky in Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro, with scattered green vegetation on the far dune ridge

Day 3

Departure

  • DriveSanto Amaro → São Luís · 245 km (4 hrs)
  • DepartureSanto Amaro → São Luís airport or hotel · 9 AM start · ~1 PM arrival

Say goodbye to Lençóis Maranhenses from Santo Amaro and head back to São Luís in the morning. PlanetaEXO’s local partner picks you up at 9 AM and drives you to the airport or your hotel in São Luís, with arrival expected around 1 PM.

The first part of the route is a 4×4 stretch, and then it joins the paved highway. We recommend booking onward flights from São Luís for late evening or the following day, in case of road delays.

Meals included: Breakfast

A person sitting alone on a white sand dune in Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro, watching the sun set over a still lagoon fringed with grasses and distant tree line
Vast white sand dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses Santo Amaro stretch to the horizon, with several turquoise and green rainwater lagoons nestled between the dune ridges under a broad blue sky

What is Included

  • Meals (daily breakfast at the pousada)
  • Private transfer (round-trip São Luís ⇄ Santo Amaro)
  • 4x4 tours to Lagoa do Junco and the Ponta Verde/Lagoa do Reflexo circuits
  • Multilingual guide on request (English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Japanese)

Not included

  • Flights
  • Accommodation in São Luís
  • Accommodation in Santo Amaro (available for separate purchase)
  • Meals: lunches and dinners
  • Drinks
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal expenses (laundry, phone calls, etc.) and tips
  • Any services not previously mentioned

FAQ

Reviews

“I reached out to PlanetaEXO really at the very last minute to try and organise a trip to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park while I was in Brazil. I was helped by Ana who was beyond helpful in accommodating me. She helped organise everything for me, and I ended up having a great time - and that wouldn't have been possible without her. Fully recommend using PlanetaEXO”

— Tom Thacker

“Spectacular experience! Great communication, professional and seamlessly organized from the transfers from & back to Sao Luis to the tour of the stunning Lençóis Maranhenses! Our tour guide Oscar was phenomenal, so personable & interesting. A wealth of information, it’s obvious he takes great pride as a guide and he’s a wealth of information! Feel very fortunate to have had him for our tour. Our dune drivers were amazing at navigating and showing us the best of the dunes and lagoons. The lunch experience with the locals was great and the food was some of the tastiest we’ve had in Brazil! All in all the tour was top notch and we highly recommend! Thanks to all involved 👏🏼”

— Tamara

“We made 3 days trekking from barreirinhas to santo amaro. We slept in a guest house in the oasis on the hammocks. We loved the experience, we saw a lot of unforgettable landscapes. The guides were very friendly and helpful.”

— Enrico

“PlanetaEXO team was also very responsive and provided all information needed in a timely manner.”

— Enrico Katz

“I think this was the best experience I ever had. I booked far in advance and had many questions beforehand. Every single time I texted, I got a super nice, fast and helpful answer. The trek itself was really great. I felt safe at all points. It was challenging but in an adventurous way. I loved that we didnt see any other tourists almost the entire time and that I didnt feel rushed at any point. I'll never forget the views and the quiet. The food was also really great although I am a vegetarian! Only thing I was a bit sad about was that our guide didnt have the expected level of English. Since 3 people in our group spoke perfect Portugese and English, our guide simply left it to them to translate for us. That made me feel a bit like he is bothered by us not speaking his language.”

— Jonna

“It was an incredible and unique experience with a wonderful group and guide. The agency always answered quickly at my questions and were very available for me which is important because I am not a Brazilian.”

— Ianis Cousin

“The entire itinerary is followed punctually. The guides and drivers are excellent—kind, responsible, and very knowledgeable about the area. The vehicles are quite comfortable and always stocked with water and fruit. We had a wonderful picnic with a sunset at Lagoa Azul. I always recommend this agency to my friends who want to visit Lençóis Maranhenses.”

— Mariangela

“Excellent company to get to know the Lençóis. Always very attentive to my doubts, with the best predisposition. Ryoma a total genius. Thank you very much for the excellent attention.”

— Luis

“Company and employees out of 10! We were served with a mastery that could be an example for many agencies (look, we traveled all over Brazil). Congratulations to Caetés! They created our personalized itinerary and in just a few days we received everything correctly, with unparalleled punctuality, we got to know the most beautiful places in Lençóis Maranhenses. They serve throughout the National Park and it was incredible! The guides, drivers and transport we took, everything was very good! It was one of the best trips we've ever taken. You can trust and rest assured about the service, you won’t regret it! Congratulations, when we return to Lençóis we will already know who to trust!”

— Antonio

“We did transfers and tours with the company. Everything was great, from punctuality to quality. The cars were good, and the guides were very helpful. One of the tours we did was "Living Among the Stars," which is definitely worth it.”

— Ana

Check availability for your trip

Free inquiry – no commitment

Who's joining the adventure?

2
0

Your next trip

Travel date*

Tell us about your trip

Contact details

How should we contact you?*

From

$ 450/ per person