Salvador & the Route of Emotions like a local 16-day trip

Salvador

Day 1: Welcome to Brazil!

Bem-vindos a Salvador! Your driver will be waiting for you at Salvador Airport to take you to the hotel. Today is a free day to enjoy as you please, so take a stroll through the colourful streets and enjoy the welcoming spirit of this vibrant city.

Pelourinho - Baía De Todos Os Santos - Salvador

Day 2: Sensational Salvador

At the heart of Afro-Brazilian culture lies Salvador. Famous for its harmonious mix of influences, visible in its lively music, colourful architecture and diverse cuisine. Central to its culture is Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion that fuses Catholicism with African beliefs.

After breakfast this morning, learn more about Candomblé as the day starts at Bonfim Church, where neoclassical and Rococo design are a visual representation of the many different religious influences in Bahia.

Afterwards, explore Pelourinho’s cobbled streets, filled with colonial history and African rhythms, before ending the day in the Bay of Todos os Santos, learning the basics of sailing as the sun sets over Salvador’s stunning coastline.

Later, head back to your hotel to relax or explore Salvador's nightlife at your own pace. 

São Joaquim Market - Salvador

Day 3: Travelling through food

Have a light breakfast this morning, as today we discover Bahian cuisine, a vibrant reflection of the region’s blend of African, European and indigenous influences. Chef Moema, the guide, will introduce us to this rich culinary tradition.

Begin at the historic São Joaquim market. This favourite among locals sells everything from crafts and religious artifacts to live animals (often related to the Candomblé religion) to a rich range of food products.

Now we have our ingredients, it’s time to cook! Bahian artist Maria Adair opens the doors of her house-studio-art gallery, where we settle in for our cooking class. Together, we prepare and savour local dishes. Top off a great day by spending the evening at Miguel Santana Theater before returning to your hotel ready for another wonderful day tomorrow.

São Luís Do Maranhão

Day 4: Onward to São Luís

This morning is a free to spend as you please: have a leisurely breakfast, wander around the streets of Pelourinho, taking the the elevator down to the local crafts market or just relax at your hotel.

Around noon, your driver will collect you and take you to Salvador Airport ready to fly to São Luís, where your journey continues. 

On arrival at your new hotel, settle in and enjoy a relaxing, free evening. 

São Luís Do Maranhão

Day 5: São Luís stories

Wake up and enjoy breakfast in São Luís, the capital of the state of Maranhão and a city where history and culture meet under the Brazilian sun.

Its beautiful historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll find colonial buildings adorned with eye-catching azulejos. Take a walking tour and listen to tales of how these tiles are not mere ornaments but silent guardians of São Luís's stories.

After the walk, the rest of the day is free. Head out and explore this beautiful place some more, and find a place for dinner and a drink. 

São Luís Do Maranhão - Barreirinhas - Atins

Day 6: Beautiful boat rides

After breakfast today, you'll make the journey to Barreirinhas via land and sea. As you sail down the Rio Preguiças, look closely and you might catch a glimpse of monkeys swinging between the mangrove trees. With scenic stops at Mandacaru lighthouse, Caburé and the ‘pequenos Lençóis’ (the little desert of the Lençóis), this boat ride is a real treat for the eyes. Arrive at the village of Atins and check in to your hotel for the night.

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park - Baixa Grande Oasis

Day 7: Mesmerising moments

Prepare to be amazed today as you visit Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, a true geological masterpiece.

You'll begin a two-day trek accompanied by a local guide and explore this utterly breathtaking landscape of white sand dunes and crystal-clear freshwater lagoons. Starting early, around 3am, allow the light of the moon to illuminate this dramatic landscape. Then, as the sun rises over the horizon, the true beauty of this area appears before your eyes.

As the day heats up we'll have lunch al fresco and you can enjoy diving from one lagoon to the next as you slowly make your way to Baixa Grande oasis. After a day of exploring, pitch up in the heart of the park and experience a night like no other, as the night’s sky reveals itself and you have dinner, then drift off to sleep in a hammock beneath the stars.

Lagoa Bonita - Atins

Day 8: Sunrise swimming

Fuel up at breakfast to get ready for another day of swimming in shimmering lagoons and feeling the warm white sand between your toes, as you trek toward village of Barreirinhas.

On arrival, check into your hotel then enjoy a well-deserved restful evening at your leisure.

Caburé - Tutóia - Parnaiba

Day 9: Local lunch at the riverside

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast this morning, as you get ready for a day exploring the culture, fauna and flora of the Parnaíba Delta. Step aboard a boat, then, with your local guide, learn about the variety of ecosystems found in the delta, including some of the largest and best-preserved mangroves in Brazil. This area is not only home to a variety of marine and terrestrial species, it’s also an important stopover point for many migratory birds, with thousands stopping here each year from North America and Europe.

Enjoy a delicious lunch in the home of a local fisherman, whose family welcomes you into their home and introduces you to the traditional ribeirinha cuisine. After lunch, enjoy a cafezinho and retreat to a hammock in a full-belly slumber – a true northeastern tradition!

Afterwards, we'll head on to your new hotel, where you can settle in for the evening. 

Porto Dos Tatus - Curimãs

Day 10: Adrenaline adventures

Today is all about adventure! After breakfast, you'll head off to Porto dos Tatus by canoe. Then it’s time to hop onto a buggy for an adrenaline-fuelled day. Without doors and close to the ground, these buggy bring us close to the world around us and are ideal for driving on sand.

We'll stop for a fresh fish lunch at a small local restaurant in Bitupitá before jumping back in the buggy and heading towards the small fishing village of Curimãs. Here you’ll spend the night, enjoying the laid-back spirit of this small community.

Preá

Day 11: Tidal life

After breakfast today we continue southwards, travelling along the many beautiful beaches of this area.

You'll pass by small villages and meet local fishermen busy preparing their nets. As you journey along, we'll stop for lunch. Take time to notice the distinct way of life here, one that is dictated by the tides.

Later in the day we arrive at your new accommodation, so check in, freshen up for dinner, then wind down near the water's edge as the night progresses. 

Lagoa Azul - Lagoa Do Paraíso - Jericoacoara

Day 12: Ultimate relaxation

Today is all about relaxation and sunshine. Have a langorous, indulgent breakfast. Read your book or take a snooze after lunch in a hammock suspended above the shimmering sea, then drink in the stunning costal surroundings... a true paradise.

Spend this evening in Jericocoara, a small tourist town at the foot of the dunes, and enjoy dinner and the lively atmosphere of this laidback beach town.

Preá - Icaraizinho

Day 13: Watch the world go by

Today is a travel day, so have breakfast at your hotel then sit back and enjoy the ride, as you resume the beach route towards Moitas, stopping for lunch along the way. Watch the many windsurfers enjoying their sport along this windy coastline.

You'll arrive at your new accommodation in plenty of time for dinner and relaxation.

Icaraizinho

Day 14: Local tales

After breakfast this morning, it’s time to venture inland on this little-explored part of the Route of Emotions. On arrival in Mosquito, you'll meet with local women and learn about their way of life here. A local potter will show you her ceramic skills and afterwards you can enjoy cafezinho and tapioca with a family: some say it's the best they've ever eaten!

Later in the day we head back to the hotel for dinner and relaxation. 

Icaraizinho - Cumbuco

Day 15: One last buggy ride

After breakfast, it's time to hop back into our buggies for the last day of the expedition, skirting the beaches, from village to village, to reach the small town of Cumbuco, for a gentle return to reality and urban bustle.

Check in to your hotel and relax, or head out to explore the town independently. 

Cumbuco - Fortaleza Airport

Day 16: Goodbye!

It’s time to say goodbye. Your driver will pick you up after breakfast, ready for your onwards flight from Fortaleza airport.