Three days barefoot through the desert

This adventure can be described with the following words: overwhelming, unique, beautiful, incredible! Even today I can hardly believe how great the hike through the sand dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park was.

But from the beginning. We took the bus from São Luís to Barreirinhas. On the same evening we booked a tour with a guide from the agency Malibu and the next morning we were already on our way. First by boat and then the first hike was already in store. Barefoot through the sand - we quickly realized that this was no walk in the park. We spent the night on the edge of the national park until the alarm clock rang at three in the morning. We had coffee and rolls for breakfast, which felt like a midnight snack at this time.

Under the starry sky, we walked the first 12 km along the sea. The wind whistled in our ears, the sea roared.

Then we climbed the dunes. We walked up and down in the warm sand, following the guide in single file. Always stepping in his footsteps saved energy. With every step, we sank into the sand up to our ankles, sometimes up to our knees. We jumped, hopped, and ran down the dunes, and on the other side, we fought our way back up. When we reached the top, the view was breathtaking every time. The white sand, endless and spreading as far as the eye could see.

With a scarf, hat, and long clothing, we protected ourselves from the strong sun. The wind whipped sand into our ears.

The sand dunes are interrupted by beautiful freshwater lagoons. These form during the rainy season and taking a bath in them was a very refreshing and cooling change.

After more than 20 km, we reached a small hut in the middle of the desert. There we spent the afternoon with a siesta, bathing, swimming, and enjoying our stay. We went to sleep early.

On the third day, we continued at three in the morning. We fought for the first steps with tired and heavy legs. But the tiredness quickly disappeared. The stars, the moon, and the sand were overwhelming. It was so bright that we didn't need a flashlight and could fully enjoy the sight of the starry sky.

We had to cover another 20 km until we reached the next destination. There we bathed in the lakes, watched the sunset, and were then brought back to our hostel.

The beauty of the national park was incomprehensible. Every step, every muscle ache, a blister on the big toe was worth it. Being alone in the desert with this tranquility and vastness, a unique experience.