My experience stargazing at the Lençóis Maranhenses night tour
I went to the Lençóis Maranhenses night tour without much expectation, I just had time in the itinerary and thought it would be pretty to look at the dunes and the pools under the moonlight. Luckily, I was impressed to see hundreds of stars, comets, and even the Milky Way by the naked eye.
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Lençóis Maranhenses night tour options
There are three main ways to experience this incredible landscape at night:
1. Regular night tour
Drive 15 to 30 minutes into the park to find a spot dark enough to see stars, shooting stars, and the Milky Way. From this type of spot, you can still slightly see the light pollution from nearby cities on the horizon, as well as some sparkly lights far away. This is an affordable and accessible way to experience the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park at night, with private tours starting at R$350.
2. Remote night tour
Drive ~1hr into the park and get to some of the darkest spots in the region (e.g. near the oasis). Typically, this is a lot more expensive than the regular night tour, and can be hard to find!
3. Trekking/Camping tour
Although logistically and physically complex, this is the best way to see the night sky at Lençóis Maranhenses. This option is scarce and needs to be booked way in advance. A good friend who lives in Atins recommended Emanuel (Whatsapp: +55 31 99469-4910) as a guide for this type of experience.
The light pollution from Barreirinhas seen behind dunes in the regular night tour does not stop you from seeing the many stars in the sky (and the Milky Way!)
I liked having just a little bit of light from the nearby cities, as it provided just the right amount of illumination for us not to feel disoriented. Also, the light served as the perfect background for taking silhouette pictures!
My experience at the regular night tour at Lençóis Maranhenses
Booking and pickup
We quoted the regular tour at multiple agencies but found the best price booking Bernardo via WhatsApp (his number is +55 98 9171-7728). Bernardo and I briefly chatted and agreed on the price tag of R$350 for a 2-person private tour happening from 8 to 10 PM.
Bernardo came to pick us up in our hotel in a ‘jardineira’ vehicle, which is a 4×4 truck where tourists sit on the back. We drove ~30 minutes into the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, and upon arrival, Bernardo set up chairs for us to sit and watch the stars. We also brought drinks, which he put in a cooler by our chairs!
The Lençóis Maranhenses night tour experience
To our surprise, Bernardo just dropped us off in a dune and drove away to another dune to give us privacy. He simply instructed us to signal with our phone flashlights whenever we’d like to be picked up.
We enjoyed every bit of the privacy in the dunes, which made us comfortable to try: running like crazy people around the dunes, throwing sand in the air, lying and watching falling stars, and even swimming in a natural pool! We really appreciated the swim, although the water level in the lagoon was low (~15 inches) because we visited in August. For fuller pools, it is best to visit the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in June.
It was surprising to learn that the temperature at the park at night is quite comfortable. We were able to stay comfortable with regular summer clothes. The water temperature in the lagoon was also pleasant, which allowed us to enjoy the freshwater for a long time!
The fact that stargazing in Lençóis Maranhenses is not cold comes as a treat, as real deserts can get extremely cold at night (I still shake when remembering my stargazing tour in the Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan.)
Surprise! You can even come across wildlife
When we thought this tour couldn’t get any better, I saw a shining green dot far away and decided to follow it. To my surprise, it was a firefly hanging out inside the sand!
The receptionist in my hotel said that people have reported seeing a black jaguar walking through the dunes at night… I honestly think that this is too good to be true!
Taking night pictures
This tour was amazing, and to take pictures of this magic experience, all we had was an iPhone 13… which did the trick! All the pictures you see in this post were taken using just an iPhone set up for long exposure and our hands (no tripod!)
The stars and the Milky Way were so bright that our phones only needed a 3-second exposure to catch them. Next time, I will definitely come more prepared with a tripod and camera equipment.
Once it was time to leave, we made a light signal to Bernardo and he promptly came to pick us up. During the drive back to our hotel, we were completely mesmerized and already planning for the next time we would visit the Lençóis Maranhenses at night. The temperature, the beauty of the park, and the lack of mosquitos/other scary creatures at night made me want to try the trekking and camping tours available.
Exploring Atins and Lençóis Maranhenses through tours
This night tour was one of the many awesome tours I did in Atins. If you’re visiting Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, check out our guide with the best tours in Lençóis Maranhenses! As a spoiler, here are two my favorites:
- Revoada dos Guarás Tour: Watching dozens of beautiful birds go back home during sunset
- Lençóis Maranhenses Day Tours: there are multiple tours to take you to different lagoons across the park. This is a must-do tour, as it provides you with a classic view of the landscape and allows you to swim in the blue and green lagoons inside the park.
