Lowest fare
The morning half day
Lagoa Azul and a swim
- Length5 hours
- GuidePortuguese
- SuitsA first short look
See your group's price
Lencois Maranhenses guided tour prices, from half day to private day
Full day in the Lencois Maranhenses
★ 4.8 · 272 ratings
The quick version
A Lencois Maranhenses guided tour from Barreirinhas costs from a modest half-day fare for one lagoon circuit, a little more for the combo day with both circuits and the sunset, and far more for a private day; the national park itself charges no entry fee.
Price essentials
Compare 4 choices
Price the lagoon day for your party
Say how many are going and every lagoon day shows its price for the party.
- The combo dayBoth circuits · for each guest from $90
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View - Lagoa Azul morning5 hours · for each guest from $51
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View - Bonita sunset4 hours · for each guest from $51
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View - Boat to Cabure7 hours · for each guest from $61
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View
From-prices on GetYourGuide, shown at the ECB reference rate. Your exact price is confirmed during booking.
What each Lencois Maranhenses guided tour from Barreirinhas costs, why the national park itself charges nothing, and which small extras quietly join the bill.
Editorial team, lencoismaranhensestour.quest · Updated November 11, 2026 · ~7 min read
Basics
- Combo dayBoth lagoon circuits in a single day start from $90, with pickup.
- Half dayA Lagoa Azul morning or a Lagoa Bonita sunset each start from $51.
- Park entryICMBio charges no entry fee; you pay the agency for its service.1
- Private dayA private full day for your own group starts from $655.
- From Sao LuisA shared transfer to Barreirinhas starts from $47.
What the combo day on this site costs
As a Lencois Maranhenses National Park tour, the day we book for you is the full combination of the two classic circuits, Lagoa Azul in one half and Lagoa Bonita in the other, and it starts on GetYourGuide from $90. That fare buys a whole day out of Barreirinhas with pickup at your lodging, a live guide who speaks Portuguese, a stop at a local restaurant and the sunset from the Lagoa Bonita dunes at the end.
What the fare leaves unsaid matters as much as what it names. The record lists no inclusions at all, so the meal at the restaurant stop is not stated as part of the price, and it is safest to budget for your own plate and drinks. Private or small-group departures run on the same listing, which is worth asking about if you would like a vehicle with only your own people in it.
Holding a seat costs nothing up front. Payment can wait until later, and the listing gives the full amount back when you call off the day 24 hours or more ahead. Its 272 reviews average 4.7, more reviews than any other lagoon day compared on this page. That long record is the closest thing to a guarantee you can get in a place where the day depends so much on the driver and the guide.
Side by side
Lagoon and river days by starting price
| Trip | From | Length | Guide speaks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lagoa Azul morning | $51 | 5 hours | Portuguese |
| Lagoa Bonita sunset | $51 | 4 hours | Portuguese |
| Bonita and high dunes | $55 | 5 hours | English, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Boat to Cabure | $61 | 7 hours | Portuguese |
| Atins and lagoons | $81 | 8 hours | Portuguese, English, Spanish |
| Two-lagoon day | $82 | 8 hours | Portuguese |
| Our combo day | $90 | Full day | Portuguese |
| Private full day | $655 | 8 hours | English, Spanish, Portuguese |
These are from prices, not quotes; the travel date and the size of your party decide the final cost.
Half days and full days side by side
If your time in town is short, the classic circuits also sell on their own. A morning tour of 5 hours to Lagoa Azul starts from $51, and the park authority sees that circuit as a half-day morning trip, a 4x4 track out and a stop to swim.3 A sunset tour of 4 hours at Lagoa Bonita starts from the same $51. Bought separately, the two fares add up to more than the combo day, and you ride the sand tracks out of town twice.
Another full day of 8 hours covers the Bonita and Azul circuits, naming a local lunch in an oasis and a desert sunset among its highlights, from $82. It carries 169 reviews averaging 4.5, its guide scoring 4.6 and its value 4.3 in the breakdown. Compare what each day actually names before choosing on price alone; a few dollars of difference can hide a meal.
Lagoa Bonita also comes as a half day of 5 hours that crosses the Rio Preguicas by ferry and ends with sunset in the dunes, from $51. A similar Bonita afternoon of 5 hours adds a 50-minute drive by 4x4 and wooden stairs to the dune summit, from $55, with guides speaking English, Portuguese and Spanish. If Portuguese is not one of your languages, that guide line is worth the small extra.
Hours you buy
Days out of Barreirinhas by length
- Santo Amaro day10
- Private full day8
- Two-lagoon day8
- Atins and lagoons8
- Boat to Cabure7
- Lagoa Azul morning5
- Bonita sunset4
Total length as each listing states it.
Why the national park itself charges nothing
There is no gate fee to add to any of these prices. ICMBio, the federal authority that runs the park, states that it charges no visitor fee for the Lencois Maranhenses, and that the accredited agencies and operators bill for their own services.1 What you pay on a tour is the vehicle, the driver, the fuel and the guide, not a ticket at a barrier, and the agencies compete on the vehicle, the route and the guide rather than on any fee.
The badge is what you are really paying for when you choose a Lencois Maranhenses tour operator. Only vehicles, drivers and guides accredited by ICMBio through a public call may take visitors into the park, and private vehicles may not carry visitors there at all.4,5 The park asks you to request the provider's badge and authorization when you buy a tour.2 A cheap seat with an unlicensed driver is no bargain if it ends at the edge of the dunes.
Fines stand behind those rules. Breaking them exposes visitors and providers alike to penalties under Decree 6,514/08 and the Environmental Crimes Law 9,605/98.6 Booking through a licensed agency in Barreirinhas keeps you well clear of that, and it leaves the routes and permissions to the guide while you look after your sunscreen, your water and your camera.
Pick by budget
Which lagoon day fits your wallet
Name what matters most to you and find the lagoon day that fits.
If I want the lowest fare into the dunes
The Lagoa Azul morning
A 5-hour half day from $51 with pickup included.
If I want both circuits and the sunset
The combo day
A full day from $90 with 272 reviews behind it.
If I need a guide who speaks English
Bonita and the high dunes
Guides in English, Portuguese and Spanish, from $55.
If We want a vehicle to ourselves
The private full day
8 hours for your own group, from $655.
If I would rather spend the day on the river
The Cabure boat day
7 hours on the Rio Preguicas, from $61.
By budget
Half day, combo day or private day
Booked here
The combo day
Both circuits and sunset
- LengthA full day
- LagoonsAzul and Bonita
- Ends withSunset at Bonita
Private
The private day
Your own vehicle and guide
- Length8 hours
- GuideEnglish, Spanish, Portuguese
- ReviewsFew so far
River days on the Preguicas and trips beyond the dunes
The river is the other big product in Barreirinhas. A boat tour of 7 hours down the Rio Preguicas to Cabure, naming mangroves, a lighthouse and the meeting of river and ocean among its highlights, starts from $61. A faster speedboat version of 5 hours that includes a visit to the Pequenos Lencois starts from $43. Either makes a good second day after the lagoons.
Atins, the village at the mouth of the Preguicas, which ICMBio's visitor page places just outside the park and its public use plan partly inside it, has its own days.8,9 An 8-hour day by 4x4 to lagoons, Atins and Canto do Atins starts from $81 with guides in Portuguese, English and Spanish, and a second 8-hour day to the Atins beach and lagoons starts from $61. The second names grilled shrimp as an option you pay for separately.
Santo Amaro, the western gateway to the park, sits in another price bracket from here. A 10-hour day to its lagoons from Barreirinhas starts from $532, and its 17 reviews average 3.6, with transport rated 2.8. Keep the distance in mind when you read those numbers: Santo Amaro lies on the far, western side of the park, though ICMBio's public use plan notes that its road was paved in 2017.10,11
Where the money goes
From booking to the ride home after sunset
At booking
Reserve, pay later
Hold the combo day from $90 and pay nothing yet.
Day before
Last free cancel
Free to cancel until 24 hours before the start.
At pickup
Check the badge
Ask to see the accreditation of driver and guide.2
Park edge
No ticket to buy
ICMBio charges no entry fee for the park.1
Midday
Lunch is on you
No inclusions are listed, so the meal is yours to pay.
Evening
Sunset at no extra cost
The Lagoa Bonita sunset is part of the day you booked.
Private days and the transfer from Sao Luis
A private full day of 8 hours for your own group starts from $655, with a guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese and 10 reviews averaging 5.0 so far. Spread across a full vehicle, that number looks very different per head, so check on the booking page whether the fare is for the group or per traveler. Our private tour page sets out what to ask before you compare.
Reaching Barreirinhas is a cost of its own. A shared transfer of 4.5 hours from Sao Luis by air-conditioned micro bus starts from $47, and the return trip of 4 hours by van starts from $45. The outbound listing allows each passenger one bag of up to 10 kg and charges a fee for extra bags. Pack light, or pack for the fee.
A private car between Sao Luis and Barreirinhas, in either direction, starts from $265 for a drive of 4 to 4.5 hours. The state tourism office puts the drive at 3 hours by car and notes buses leaving every day from the Sao Luis bus terminal.12,13 The shared van is the budget choice; a private car pays off mainly when every seat is taken.
Video
A traveler's guide to the dunes and lagoons of Lencois Maranhenses
Roger B Stillz on YouTube · Your tap on play is what loads the video.
The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation does not charge a visitation fee to enter the Lencois Maranhenses National Park. Local agencies and tour operators accredited with ICMBio charge for their services.
Before you pay
Paid for, still to pay, ways to save
In the fare3
- Pickup at your lodging in Barreirinhas
- A live guide who speaks Portuguese
- The sunset at Lagoa Bonita to close the day
On top3
- Lunch and drinks at the restaurant stop
- Water, repellent and sunscreen to carry7
- The transfer from Sao Luis, from $47
Ways to save3
- No park entry fee to budget for1
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Ask about the small-group or private option
Extras that join the bill in Barreirinhas
Food is the main extra. The combo listing names a stop at a local restaurant but no inclusions, so carry enough for lunch and drinks, ideally some cash as well as a card. Inside the park alcohol is off the menu entirely: ICMBio forbids its sale, carrying and consumption there, so any celebratory drink waits until you are back in town.14
Then come the things you should carry rather than buy on the way. ICMBio recommends water, insect repellent and sunscreen for every visitor, and the state tourism office adds swimwear and light clothing to the list.7,15 Buying them in Barreirinhas before pickup costs far less than discovering you need them halfway up a hot dune with nobody selling anything.
Tipping your driver and guide is a personal choice, and we found no official rate to quote. A small amount in reais for a driver who found you a quiet lagoon is a kind gesture rather than an obligation. Keep a few small notes apart from the lunch money, and remember that the sand gets into wallets and phone cases as easily as into shoes.
How to book without overpaying
Book the circuit for the light you want. ICMBio pictures Lagoa Azul as a morning outing, while the state tourism office says trips usually run in the afternoon, once the sun is lower.3,16 The combo day settles the question by covering both halves of the day, which makes it the natural pick when Barreirinhas gets a single free day in your plans.
Read the language line before the price. Several of the cheaper half days list a guide in Portuguese only, while a Bonita afternoon costs a little more with English and Spanish as well. The combo on this site lists a Portuguese-speaking guide, so decide how much a translated briefing is worth to you before you pick.
Finally, use the free cancellation. The lagoon days compared here offer it up to 24 hours ahead, and the lagoons themselves appear and disappear with the rain and the wind.17 Reserve early, watch the season, and decide close to the date. The page on the lagoon season sets out month by month when the water is there and when the basins stand dry.
FAQ
Fast answers to common questions.
How much is a Lencois Maranhenses tour?
From $51 for a half day.
Half days to Lagoa Azul or Lagoa Bonita start from $51; the combo day on this site starts from $90.
Is there an entry fee for the national park?
No, entry is free.
ICMBio charges no visitor fee; accredited agencies charge only for their own services.1
Is lunch included in the combo day?
Not stated, so budget for it.
The listing names a restaurant stop but lists no inclusions, so plan to pay for your meal.
What does a private day in the park cost?
From $655.
A private full day of 8 hours for your own group starts from $655.
How much is the transfer from Sao Luis?
From $47 shared.
A shared micro bus transfer of 4.5 hours starts from $47; a private car starts from $265.
Can I cancel the combo day for free?
Yes, up to 24 hours before.
A full refund applies until 24 hours before the start, and paying can wait until later.
Can I drive my own car to the lagoons?
No, not into the park.
Private vehicles may not carry visitors in the park; only accredited vehicles may.5
Sources
- 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) · 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) · 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) · 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) - Public Use Plan (PDF, via the MMA national register) · Plano de Uso Publico do Parque Nacional dos Lencois Maranhenses (2022) ↩
- SETUR-MA, the Maranhao state tourism secretariat (turismo.ma.gov.br) · Parques Nacionais - Patrimonio Natural ↩
- 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) ↩
- 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) · 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) ↩
- 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) · 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) ↩
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