The Lençois Maranhenses tour from São Luís, the Northeast's jewels

São Luís, a beautifully preserved colonial city

Founded by the French in the 17th century, but quickly occupied by the Dutch, then 3 years later by the Portuguese, São Luís do Maranhão is one of the most beautiful colonial cities in Latin America.

Visiting its historic center, which has been under restoration for almost 30 years, is a little like going back in time.

The historic district, called Reviver today because of its many years of neglect, offers a charming revelation of beautiful old buildings. You will blissfully walk these small cobblestone streets, between the colorful houses with tile roofs, palaces with baroque façades and discreet patios with wrought iron gates.

This ancient part of the city is also characterized by the common use of “azulejos” (white and blue ceramic tiles) imported in the eighteenth century to protect buildings from the heat and humidity. Here you will find all the Portuguese architectural influence has been adapted to the local tropical climate.

São Luís is listed as a World Heritage site  by UNESCO for being the biggest concentration of Portuguese colonial architecture in the world. Throughout the tour, your guide will help you discover the region’s past prosperity. The city was home to a large part of the country’s intellectual and artistic elite, attracted by the prosperous local bourgeoisie. It was famous for once being one of the main intellectual centers of the country but today it is famous for its incredible Reggae music. Its nicknames of “Athens” and Brazilian “Jamaica” reflect this quirky cultural mix!

In the heart of a desert of dunes and lagoons, the Lençóis Maranhenses

Located 300km east of São Luís, the national park of Lençóis (“sheets” in Portuguese), created in 1981, offers the spectacle of one of the most surprising and magnificent natural curiosities in Brazil, a desert totally different to any other on earth.

To discover this unique site, you will firstly have to reach the small town of Barreirinhas, situated on a large bend in the Preguiças river which flows peacefully through a luxuriant landscape of forest and impenetrable tropical mangroves. Setting off from this small village, you will join the park aboard a private 4X4 vehicle accompanied by a driver and a local guide. You will cross the river on a ferry and then travel 45 mins in a landscape that becomes more and more arid before arriving at the first dunes. From here, you will continue on foot with your guide, as vehicles are prohibited in the park.

At the top of the first dune, you will see the vast expanse of brilliant white dunes whose shapes resemble the folds in a fabric, which stretch as far as the eye can see. But what distinguishes this desert from all others are the natural pools of rainwater that form between the dunes and become warmed by the sun. Between May and October, you will have the pleasure of enjoying these waters that you can bathe and relax in and appreciate the silence of this incredible place.

The abnormality is created by the clay in the soil, which effectively retains rainwater on the surface. Every year the same cycle is repeated. The heavy tropical rains between March and May fill the lagoons that disappear around October, overcome by drought, to reappear the following year.

Walking barefoot in the silence of this desert where the softness of fine sand mixes with the caress of warm water will give you the impression of exploring a different planet.

The “bumba-meu-boi,”  an emblematic show from Maranhão

A folklore dance as famous as the carnival,  “bumba-meu-boi” is inseparable from the region of Maranhão.

It is now part of the Register of Cultural Heritage of Brazil, the IPHAN. This colorful parade features a giant wooden replica of an ox and a slave who cut out its tongue to feed his pregnant wife. The ox dies, provoking the wrath of the owner who imprisons the slave. After the intervention of healers, the ox comes back to life and everything is resolved!

During the processions where the different groups present their performances, you will attend a show that mixes dance, comedy and tragedy to tell this story of death and reincarnation.

This scenario is a parody of slave society and social and ethnic inequalities particularly strong in this region with many Afro-Brazilians. It is also an allegory of the ambiguous reality of master / slave relations in former colonial times.

Trekking in the Lençóis, an unforgettable experience

Walking in the Lençóis desert is a fantastic experience for any walker or trekker.

The constantly wind-swept sand is never too hot and remains relatively compact especially along the lagoons. The great pleasure of a trek in the Lençóis is that you can bathe in these pools of fresh transparent water. It is worth mentioning that the temperature does not exceed 30 to 35 ° and that the constant wind will also keep the heat at bay during your walk.

Most trekking trips start from Lagoa Bonita or Atins. You can trek for two or three days, according to your desires. We can also adapt the tour according to whether you want to walk shorter or longer distances. The days last from 4 to 8 hours.

If you go on a trek for three days, you start from Lagoa Bonita to reach the oasis of Baixa Grande with its local homes, the walk takes about 7 hours. The next day you will reach the other oasis called Queimada dos Britos, this walk takes about 4 hours. Finally on the last day you will follow the Rio Negro to the ocean before descending towards Atins, along the beach. You can then agree with your guide on where you want to finish your trek. A car can collect you and take you to the end of the trek or you can finish on foot. During your journey, you will hardly meet anyone, only a few fishermen who build temporary huts on the beach and come fishing for a fortnight or so at a time. You can also buy fresh fish from them and grill it on the spot!

Accommodation is with the locals and you will be taught how to properly lie in a hammock to have a good night’s sleep. You will eat with the locals or have a picnic brought by the guide. The landscapes are unique and beautiful and the experience unforgettable. We take care of your luggage during the trekking stage, and you will take only what’s needed for your trek.