Booked here
The combo day
Both lagoon circuits
- LengthA full day
- LagoonsAzul and Bonita
- Ends withSunset on the dunes
Pick-for-me guide
The best tours in Lencois Maranhenses, compared type by type
Full day in the Lencois Maranhenses
★ 4.8 · 272 ratings
The quick version
The best tours in Lencois Maranhenses for a first visit are the lagoon circuits by 4x4, ideally Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita combined in one day, then a boat day on the Rio Preguicas; quads ride outside the park, and the crossing on foot takes several days.
Tour essentials
Two questions, one tour
Lagoons, river or engine?
Tell us how much time you have and what you want from the day, and the tour type that fits appears with its starting price.
Your top pick
The combo day
from $90
Lagoa Azul, a restaurant stop, Lagoa Bonita and the sunset from the dunes in one full day.
Your top pick
Lagoa Bonita at sunset
from $51
A 4-hour evening at Lagoa Bonita with pickup, in the cooler part of the day.
Your top pick
Boat to Cabure
from $61
7 hours on the Rio Preguicas with mangroves, a lighthouse and the coast.
Your top pick
ATV day to Vassouras
from $223
9 hours on an ATV outside the park, with stops at Vassouras and Cabure.
Your top pick
Lagoons and Atins
from $81
An 8-hour day to lagoons, Atins and Canto do Atins with an English-speaking guide.
Lagoon circuits, the combo day, river boats, quad bikes outside the park and the crossing on foot, set side by side so the first tour you book is the right one.
Editorial team, lencoismaranhensestour.quest · Updated November 11, 2026 · ~7 min read
Basics
- First choiceThe combo day covers Lagoa Azul, Lagoa Bonita and sunset, from $90.
- Half a dayLagoa Azul is the closest circuit and the easiest walk to its water.1
- On the riverA boat day on the Rio Preguicas to Cabure lasts 7 hours.
- QuadsQuads may not enter the park, so their routes run outside it.2
- On footThe crossing from Atins to Santo Amaro can take up to 5 days.3
Start with the circuits the park itself describes
Almost every tour sold in Barreirinhas is built on the circuits that ICMBio, the park authority, names on its own pages. The Lagoa Azul circuit takes in the blue lagoon itself plus seasonal pools that rain fills and wind and drifting sand reshape, such as Lagoa da Preguica, Lagoa da Esmeralda and Lagoa do Peixe.4 In the words of the park it is a morning outing of half a day, a ride along a 4x4 track followed by time in the water.5
Lagoa Azul is also the easiest water to reach. The state tourism office calls it the most visited lagoon in the park, sitting closest to where the 4x4 vehicles park, and it says you can see plants on the lagoon floor and small fish that outlast the dry months as eggs buried in the sand.1,6 For children, older travelers or anyone wary of soft sand, that short walk is a real advantage.
The Lagoa Bonita circuit asks a little more of your legs and gives more back. After a 4x4 ride on sand roads you reach a wooden staircase into the dune field, and from the top the dunes and freshwater lagoons spread ahead while green cerrado covers the land behind you.7,8 ICMBio lists Lagoa do Clone, Lagoa do Descanso and Lagoa Bonita itself among the lagoons on that route.9
Every type at once
Lagoon, river, quad and trekking tours compared
| Tour type | Length | From | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lagoa Azul morning | 5 hours | $51 | 4.4 |
| Lagoa Bonita sunset | 4 hours | $51 | 4.4 |
| Combo day | Full day | $90 | 4.7 |
| River boat to Cabure | 7 hours | $61 | 4.3 |
| River speedboat | 5 hours | $43 | 4.0 |
| ATV to Vassouras | 9 hours | $223 | 4.8 |
| Private quad | 4.5 hours | $347 | 5.0 |
| Trek to Santo Amaro | 3 days | $757 | No reviews |
From prices and ratings as listed; a rating built on few reviews moves fast, so check the count.
The combo day, and why it leads this list
The combo day on this site joins both circuits into one outing from Barreirinhas: the Lagoa Azul region, a stop at a local restaurant, then the Lagoa Bonita region and the sunset from its dunes. It starts from $90 and has 272 reviews averaging 4.7, which is the deepest record among the lagoon days we compared. Pickup is included and private or small groups can be arranged.
A second full day of 8 hours covers the same two circuits from $82, naming a local lunch in an oasis among its highlights. It holds 169 reviews averaging 4.5. The two days look similar on paper, so the review record, the language of the guide and what each names as included are the honest tiebreakers. Both list a guide who speaks Portuguese.
ICMBio also describes a third circuit, Lagoa da Esperanca, on the border between Barreirinhas and Santo Amaro, where the trip takes more than 1 hour each way because it lies farther from town.10 Ask the agencies in town whether it runs in your week; it suits a second or third day once the classics are done.
Review record
How many reviews each tour type has
- Combo day272
- Two-lagoon day169
- Bonita sunset93
- Lagoa Azul morning50
- Atins day44
- Boat to Cabure21
- Quad and boat15
Review counts on each listing as scraped; a long record is the best guide to a steady tour.
What a 4x4 tour of Lencois Maranhenses really involves
Every lagoon tour starts as a 4x4 tour of Lencois Maranhenses, but the vehicle does less than you might expect. The state tourism office says access to the park is only by 4x4 vehicles from the town agencies, which drop you at the entrance to continue on foot.12 ICMBio forbids any motor vehicle on the open dune field, so the last part of every circuit is a walk in sand.13
The vehicles sit inside a regulated system too. ICMBio admits only the vehicles, drivers and guides it has accredited after a public call, and each accredited provider carries a badge and a current authorization.14,15 Anything on wheels without that authorization, from a hired car to a motorbike, buggy, quad or UTV, stays outside.2
Expect a bumpy ride. The tracks run through sand, scrub and, in some months, standing water, and a firm seat over rough ground is part of the deal. The state tourism office says the tours demand good physical fitness, so treat the ride and the dune walk as a workout as much as a sightseeing trip.16 A small backpack beats a large bag, because you carry it up every dune.
Three ways in
Dunes, river or engine
Second day
The river to Cabure
Mangroves and the coast
- Length7 hours
- HighlightsLighthouse, river, ocean
- GuidePortuguese
Outside the park
The ATV day
Vassouras and Cabure
- Length9 hours
- GuidePortuguese, English, Spanish
- ReviewsFew so far
River days on the Rio Preguicas
Barreirinhas sits on the Rio Preguicas, and the river is the second great way to see the region.21 A 7-hour boat trip downriver to Cabure starts from $61 with 21 reviews averaging 4.3, and its listed highlights are the mangroves, a lighthouse and the place where river water reaches the sea. It is the classic second day for people who have already seen the lagoons.
A faster speedboat tour of 5 hours along the river includes a visit to the Pequenos Lencois and starts from $43. SETUR-MA places the Pequenos Lencois in the park's buffer zone, where they form their own protected area of dunes beyond the national park line.22 Its rating of 4.0 is lower than the slower boat, so weigh speed against comfort.
For something different after dark, a stargazing tour of 3 hours by speedboat on the Rio Preguicas brings binoculars and astronomical instruments, from $53. Its 12 reviews average 3.26, the weakest score on this page, so book it for the novelty and the dark sky rather than for a polished experience.
Price your group
Compare tour costs for your party
Pick your party size and see the main tour types priced side by side.
Compare 4 choices
Compare tour costs for your party
Pick your party size and see the main tour types priced side by side.
- The combo dayBoth circuits · for each guest from $90
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View - River to Cabure7 hours · for each guest from $61
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View - ATV day9 hours · for each guest from $223
≈
View - Lagoa Azul morning5 hours · for each guest from $51
≈
View
From-prices on GetYourGuide, shown at the ECB reference rate. Your exact price is confirmed during booking.
A longer stay
How to stack the tours from Barreirinhas
First morning
Lagoa Azul
The closest lagoons, a 4x4 trail and a swim.5
First midday
Restaurant stop
Lunch at a local restaurant, paid on the spot.
First evening
Lagoa Bonita sunset
Stairs up the dune and the light going down.7
Second day
River to Cabure
A 7-hour boat day with mangroves and a lighthouse.
Third day
Atins or a quad
Lagoons and Atins village, or quads in the Pequenos Lencois.
Quads, ATVs and buggies ride outside the park
If you have seen photos of quad bikes on white sand, know where they were taken. ICMBio bans vehicles it has not authorized from the national park, naming buggies, quad bikes and UTVs, along with enduros and rallies.2 A quad tour near Lencois Maranhenses therefore runs outside the park, most often in the Pequenos Lencois and along the river villages.
A private half day of 4.5 hours on a quad in the Pequenos Lencois, with you at the controls and a swim in the sea or the river, starts from $347. A 9-hour ATV day with stops at Vassouras and Cabure and guides in Portuguese, English and Spanish starts from $223, with 6 reviews averaging 4.8.
A cheaper quad and speedboat combination of 6 to 8 hours starts from $174, but its 15 reviews average 3.35 and its guide score is 2. That is a clear warning to read recent reviews before you book. Quads are a fun add-on for confident riders; they are not a way into the big lagoons of the national park, which only the accredited 4x4 tours and walkers reach.2,14,12
Video
Quads, lagoons and dune views around Lencois Maranhenses
Mauka Travels on YouTube · Your tap on play is what loads the video.
Vehicles not authorized by ICMBio may not enter: private cars, motorbikes, buggies, quad bikes or UTVs, among others, and enduros or rallies are not allowed either.
What each type asks of you
Legs, time and nerve
Lagoon circuits3
River and quad days3
- Up to 9 hours out for the ATV day
- Long exposure on open water and sand
- Read recent reviews; some score low
On foot, on horseback and on the water at Atins
The most demanding tour is the Travessia dos Lencois, a long trail from Atins in the northeast to Santo Amaro through the Primitive Zone, where tourist access is on foot only.11 Treks last up to 5 days across beach and dunes, with nights in the park communities.3 For the 2026 season ICMBio caps walking groups at 10 people per guide.19
Planning matters on that route. ICMBio wants each walker to have 3 liters of water or more for every day on the trail, and only Baixa Grande and Queimada dos Britos offer support along the way.18 The one guided multi-day trek we found, 3 days out of Barreirinhas ending in Santo Amaro, starts from $757 but has no reviews yet, and a 12-hour day of trekking with lunch at a local restaurant starts from $266.
Atins, at the mouth of the Rio Preguicas where the park meets the sea, is the base for the slower activities.23,24 ICMBio lists kitesurfing, windsurfing, kayaking, stand-up paddling, cycling, horse riding and surfing there.25 An 8-hour day to lagoons, Atins and Canto do Atins from Barreirinhas starts from $81, a good way to see the village before deciding whether to stay there.
Which tour to do first
With one free day, book the combo day and nothing else. It covers both classic circuits and ends with the sunset over the dunes, the picture that put this park on so many lists. With two days, add the river trip to Cabure on the second morning, which shows mangroves, river villages and the coast that the lagoon tours never reach.
With a longer stay, give the next free day to Atins or to a quad ride in the Pequenos Lencois, and consider moving to Atins or Santo Amaro for a night. From Santo Amaro the park boundary is under 2 km away, close enough to walk or to cover in an accredited vehicle, so the lagoons begin almost at the edge of town.26 Our page on where to stay compares those bases.
Season trumps everything on this list. The state tourism office ties the full lagoons to the heavy rains that fall from January to July.27 Outside the wet months, the circuits still run but the water level drops, and ICMBio notes that some lagoons appear and disappear with the rain and wind.4 Read the page on the lagoon season before you fix your dates.
FAQ
Fast answers to common questions.
What is the best tour in Lencois Maranhenses?
The combo day for a first visit.
It covers Lagoa Azul, Lagoa Bonita and the sunset in one day, from $90.
Which is better, Lagoa Azul or Lagoa Bonita?
Can I ride a quad inside the national park?
No.
ICMBio bans buggies, quad bikes and UTVs it has not authorized from the park.2
Where do quad tours go then?
Mostly the Pequenos Lencois.
A private half-day quad tour rides the Pequenos Lencois, outside the park.22
Is there a boat tour from Barreirinhas?
Yes, on the Rio Preguicas.
A 7-hour boat day down the river to Cabure, past mangroves and a lighthouse, starts from $61.
How long is the crossing on foot?
Up to 5 days.
The Travessia from Atins to Santo Amaro lasts up to 5 days, with nights in park communities.3
Can I go horse riding near the dunes?
Yes, from Atins.
ICMBio lists horse riding among the activities in Atins, on the edge of the park.25
Sources
- SETUR-MA, the Maranhao state tourism secretariat (turismo.ma.gov.br) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Orientacoes ao Visitante (visitor guidance and rules) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Polo Oasis ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- SETUR-MA, the Maranhao state tourism secretariat (turismo.ma.gov.br) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
- SETUR-MA, the Maranhao state tourism secretariat (turismo.ma.gov.br) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Orientacoes ao Visitante (visitor guidance and rules) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Orientacoes ao Visitante (visitor guidance and rules) ↩
- SETUR-MA, the Maranhao state tourism secretariat (turismo.ma.gov.br) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Orientacoes ao Visitante (visitor guidance and rules) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Orientacoes ao Visitante (visitor guidance and rules) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Trekking - Travessia dos Lencois ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Polo Oasis ↩
- SETUR-MA, the Maranhao state tourism secretariat (turismo.ma.gov.br) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- SETUR-MA, the Maranhao state tourism secretariat (turismo.ma.gov.br) · Trekking e Expedicao Fotografica ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- ICMBio (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Barreirinhas (Polo Lagoas and Polo Atins) ↩
- ICMBio, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservacao da Biodiversidade, the federal park authority (gov.br/icmbio) · Municipio Santo Amaro do Maranhao ↩
- SETUR-MA, the Maranhao state tourism secretariat (turismo.ma.gov.br) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
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