The journey between Jericoacoara and Sao Luis along Brazil’s northeastern coast and through the Lençois Maranhenses is one of the world’s most special 4×4 adventures. We’ve included stylish accommodation, an overflight of the national park and lots of magical touches to ensure your time in this spectacular part of South America is filled with delight and wonder.
June to September is the best time to visit, when the lagoons of the Lençois Maranhenses have been recharged after the spring rains.
Price depends on the experiences and accommodation included, and your time of travel. It is based on two adults travelling for 13 nights and does not include international flights.
1 night in Sao Paulo, 2 nights in Jericoacoara, 1 night in Parnaiba, 2 nights in Atins, 2 nights in the Lençois Maranhenses, 3 nights in Santo Amaro do Maranhão, 2 nights in Rio de Janeiro
What makes your Brazil adventure journey special?
- Drive along beaches and cross rivers as you explore a spectacular and rarely visited part of Brazil.
- Feel tiny as you walk across and swim in the lagoons of South America’s largest dune sea.
- Enjoy wonderful accommodation throughout from stylish beach retreats to colonial boutique boltholes, and a remote desert maloca camp.
- Take a flight over the Lençois Maranhenses, perfect for photographers and for appreciating the vastness of this surreal landscape.
Your luxury Brazil holiday itinerary
Laid back Jeri
JERICOACOARA
Arriving in Brazil, you’ll have a night in Sao Paulo to shake out any weariness from the flight before flying up to Jericoacoara (or ‘Jeri’ as the locals call it) in Brazil’s far northeast where your adventure really begins. Ensconced in a suite at the lovely Chili Beach Hotel, take time to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of Jeri’s sand streets, try your hand at some kite-surfing and wander along the beach for a sunset to remember. Here you’ll meet your private guide who will lead you through to Sao Luis on what is undoubtedly one of the world’s great offroad trips.
Wonderful wetlands
PARNAIBA
Setting off early, you’ll travel by 4×4 and boat towards the sleepy colonial town of Parnaiba. Driving a mixture of asphalt and sand tracks, you’ll arrive at the delta of the Parnaiba River for lunch. Passing remote caboclo settlements, giant sand dunes and mangrove channels, explore the heart of this beautiful wetland by speedboat. As the day softens into evening, watch in wonder as thousands of scarlet ibis return to roost. Continuing by 4×4, you’ll arrive at your delightful boutique hotel in time for dinner.
A village lost in time
ATINS
Standing at the gateway to the Lençois Maranhenses, Atins is a truly unspoiled beach village not connected by road and only really visited by those in the know. Reached after a beach drive and a river crossing, it’s the kind of unsullied place you could hole up for months and write a novel. With just a sprinkling of chic hideaways to choose from, we suggest Anacardier Prive for its understated style and thoughtful service. While your time in Atins is mostly about low-key relaxation after two long drives, tucking into fresh-caught lobster and caipirinhas or discovering local crafts, we have included what is sure to be a highlight of your adventure. Taking to the skies in a light plane, you’ll get a taste of what’s to come as you fly over the Lencois Maranhenses and experience this wondrous landscape from above.
Nirvana. Earned.
LENÇOIS MARANHENSES
Leaving at first light, jump into the 4×4 and drive into the otherworldly Lençois Maranhenses. Here mile upon mile of enormous white dunes and vivid azure and turquoise seasonal lagoons await. Enjoy a picnic lunch and a refreshing swim, before deciding you’d like to walk all or some of the remaining eight miles, with a seat in the 4×4 ready if you’re beginning to flag. You’ll enjoy a magnificent sunset from atop a dune, before walking the final stretch to Patacas in moonlight. This heavenly palm oasis feels a million miles from anywhere, and you’ll have two nights here to imbibe the very special atmosphere of this remote community, spending your time swimming in lagoons and falling for the charm of its few local inhabitants who will be delighted to exchange perspectives on life and introduce you to their unique culture.
Lazy days in paradise
SANTO AMARO DO MARANHÃO
A morning’s stroll through the dunes from Patacas, punctuated by swims, brings you to your waiting 4×4 for the short drive to Santo Amaro at the western edge of the national park. Here, amidst the chic refinement of OIA Casa Lençois, your days can unfold as lazily or as actively as you wish. Begin by exploring the vast, sculptural dunes around you, finding a quiet corner beside a crystalline lagoon to swim or watch the light shift across the sands. If you prefer to be a little more adventurous, walk, kayak or quad-bike your way through the dunes, stopping for delicious al fresco lunches set up beneath a canopy before returning to candlelit dinners beneath night skies thick with constellations.
A fabulous send-off
RIO DE JANEIRO
Conclude your Brazilian adventure in sultry, sensuous Rio de Janeiro. Set in the hills of Rio’s chicest neighbourhood, the Santa Teresa M Gallery is the perfect place for a blow-out in the Cidade Maravilhosa. We’ll set you up with expert local hosts to bring Rio to life for you. Christ the Redeemer and the Sugar Loaf are de rigueur, of course. With maybe a helicopter or a yacht thrown in so that you can experience Rio in inimitable style. But if you prefer to dance to a slower beat, wander through Rio’s wonderful botanical gardens; browse its most exclusive boutiques and art galleries; or install yourself in one of our favourite restaurants for a slap-up dinner and watch the lights of Guanabara Bay twinkle far beneath you.
Where you'll stay
Great journeys need great places to lay your head. These are our tried and tested suggestions.
Hotel Emiliano
The Emiliano blends sleek modernism with warm Brazilian sophistication in the heart of Sao Paulo’s upscale Jardins district. A sanctuary of quiet elegance, the hotel features minimalist design softened by natural textures, curated art and impeccable service. Rooms are airy and refined, some with Japanese-style soaking tubs and cityscape views. The rooftop spa and vertical garden offer a tranquil contrast to bustling Paulista Avenue just steps away. At Restaurante Emiliano, contemporary Italian cuisine meets Brazilian flair.
Chili Beach
Tucked away on a sand street in the world’s wind-surfing capital Jericoacoara, Chili Beach blends barefoot ease with refined design. Just a handful of villas and bungalows open to palm-draped lawns and a saltwater pool that seems to melt into the dunes. Interiors pair Brazilian woods with crisp linens, while shaded verandas invite hammock idling. The restaurant leans on coastal flavours—freshly caught fish, tropical fruit cocktails—best enjoyed as the sun dips behind the wind-sculpted sands. It’s an intimate retreat where seclusion, style and the rhythms of the sea converge.
Casa de Santo Antonio
Housed in a meticulously restored 19th-century mansion in colonial Parnaiba, Casa de Santo Antonio is a gorgeous boutique hotel blending colonial elegance and Brazilian coastal charm. Thoughtfully curated interiors reflect the region’s rich history, while attentive service and lush gardens foster an atmosphere of quiet indulgence. Discover the town’s vibrant local culture and architectural heritage, and explore the spectacular Delta do Parnaíba—South America’s only open-sea delta—with its mangroves, dunes and rich wildlife. At Casa de Santo Antonio, history and softly-spoken luxury meet in one of Brazil’s little known corners.
Anacardier Prive
Hidden among the quiet sand streets of Atins, Anacardier Prive blends rustic elegance with the raw beauty of Brazil’s Lençois Maranhenses. Set among cashew trees, Anacardier’s minimalist bungalows and suites open to ocean breezes and starry skies. Mornings begin with fresh tropical fruit and slow-dripped coffee; afternoons melt into hammock lounging or kitesurfing adventures. It’s the kind of place where time slows, the Wi-Fi fades, and barefoot tranquility takes hold. Anacardier Prive doesn’t just offer a stay—it offers a rare sense of place that lingers long after you leave.
Casa Patacas
A remote but unexpectedly refined camp in the Lençois Maranhenses, Casa Patacas acts as an overnight stop for those doing the combined 4×4 and trek across this extraordinary national park. Reached after a moonlit hike following a day spent crossing the dunes by 4×4 and on foot, stopping off to swim in natural pools, accommodation is in a converted old cabin with just three stylish rooms. Here you’ll enjoy a well-deserved rest, with superb food and a million stars overhead, in the heart of a pristine and magnificent natural setting.
OIA Casa Lencois
Located in Santo Amaro do Maranhão at the western edge of the Lençois Maranhenses, OIA Casa Lençois offers a rare blend of seclusion and sophistication. Its minimalist bungalows, designed with earthy textures and open-air flow, sit quietly among palms and dunes. The atmosphere is hushed and intimate—more sanctuary than hotel—with intuitive, personalized service that feels more like hosting than hospitality. After dune treks and lagoon swims, return to candlelit dinners from a Michelin-star chef, caipirinhas by the pool and a stillness that lets the landscape speak for itself.
Hotel Santa Teresa MGallery
Set among the winding, art‑filled streets of Rio de Janeiro’s bohemian Santa Teresa district, Hotel Santa Teresa MGallery is a boutique retreat set in a lovingly restored 1850s coffee plantation mansion. Its 43 individually designed rooms and suites exude a quiet Brazilian sophistication, with tropical woods, local stone and objets d’art. Lounge by the lovely hilltop pool with sweeping views of Guanabara Bay, indulge at Le Spa and dine at Térèze—where contemporary Brazilian cuisine meets Latin flair. It’s an intimate urban hideaway brimming with local culture and elegance.
Customise your journey
All of our journeys are fully bespoke, and can be customised to meet your needs, interests and preferences. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.
If you’d prefer to do the off-road driving yourself, let us know and we’ll set you up with a vehicle and a lead guide and mechanic to ensure you don’t go astray
Spend some post-adventure relaxation time on the remote tropical beaches of Fernando de Noronha
Continue your adventure in the Amazon Rainforest—we know some very special lodges where you can spot rare wildlife and have authentic encounters with Amazonian communities
Hit the beaches of Bahia for a few days of stylish barefoot luxury
Take a wildlife safari and search for jaguar, giant anteater and more in the world’s largest and most biodiverse wetlands, the Pantanal.
Looking for more inspiration?
We have a huge range of inspiring private experiences and accommodation options available. Get in touch with our Brazil specialists.
ENQUIRELearn more about our luxury holidays, or call our expert Latin America team on +44 1367 850566 / 1-855-216-5040 (toll free) to discuss how we can turn your dreams into something truly magical.
