Introduction: transfer to Jericoacoara
Jericoacoara is a small village located within a national park. There are 2 possibilities to reach it, the easiest and fastest one is from Fortaleza, the other one is from São Luís. If you come from São Luís, there will be a few stop worth making along the journey.
This post is the review of the trip from Fortaleza.
Table of Contents
Going to Jericoacoara
Introduction
Our host in Fortaleza told us that the easiest way to get to Jericoacoara is by a tour. The tour picks you up, organized the bus and the 4×4 plus they organized additional stop along the journey.
The other way would have been to go by ourselves, getting to the bus station, then taking a bus and then the 4×4.
Cost wise, we paid 360 BRL for both of us and 20 BRL for the park entrance. At that time, the bus tickets we found online were more expensive than that.
The bus there
So, here we are. Going to Jericoacoara with a transfer organised by a tour company called ENSENADA.
We woke up at 3:40am in order to get the 4am bus. At 4:45am a van arrived that drove us to the bus. Not only the van is 45min late, but it’s freezing in it. Then we got around town to pick another family. 5min after that, we stopped! Apparently, this family was due for another bus by another company. As Brazilian say, Tudo ben, no problem, let us return them to their home. Then the driver was trying to figure out what to do and where were the people is was supposed to pick up.
In the end, the driver left and drove us to the bus. We were there by 5:05am. No seat allocated, so we just went up-stairs and found 2 seats. The bus was the regular double decker bus that you found everywhere in south America. AC was not too strong which was good.
Along the journey a guide went up to explain stuff in a Brazilian way, but he wasn’t speaking a word of English. So, we had to manage all the way to Jericoacoara without really speaking to each other.
Breakfast stop
At 7am, we made a stop for around 1h. There was a small restaurant where you can get a small buffet. We didn’t try it out a we had made our own breakfast. We found this option cheaper and yummier. We just used the toilet after someone cleaned them because it got dirty in there with those big bus coming and leaving. You also have WC on the bus, but when the bus is stop, they do no work.
Jericoacoara park entrance
At 9:50am we arrived at the entrance to the national park. Place where we got off the bus, took our bags and follow blindly the people from our bus. There we entered an office where we paid a staying tax. 5 BRL per person, per night.
Then, we waited until the guide called us and packed us up in a 4×4 truck. We were totally 13 people in the ride when the comfort zone would have been 10 people.
Lagoon
By 11am, we arrived the lagoon. A super touristic spot which a small restaurant and a beach club. Small means that the place was super crowded.
We then found our behind it and walked along the lagoon. Must admit that the landscape is beautiful. We stop somewhere where no-one was present and chilled for a while until the rain chased us out.
We then went back inside the restaurant and waiting the 2pm departure to another spot. It was pouring now, so went we arrived at the 2nd spot, we just stayed in the car. It looked like a pound of dirty water with a few hammocks anyway.
In the end we arrived around 4pm in Jericoacoara, our bags where in the rear of the 4×4 and were completely wet when we arrived.
Returning to Fortaleza
Picking up
Our transfer included the return as well. The pickup time was 4:30pm, the van arrived at 5:05pm and we were the first one in it, so we got ourselves in the front of the car with our backpacks. At least if it rains, we would be protected.
We then went to pick up other people, but they were not present. After waiting for a while, the 4×4 left to another spot until 5:50pm.
Around 6pm, 3 more people went in the car. And we left at 6:15pm with another guide. You better not be punctual there.
The ride
The ride on the 4×4 can only be bumpy and as the rain started, water was even entering in the car. The guided asked us where they should drop us in Fortaleza. We wanted to get near the airport but that was impossible, so we agreed to be dropped at their office in the city center. Thank this guide spoke English.
Return bus
We arrived by 7pm at a spot where we would take the bus. But first 30min dinner breaks. We had our sandwiches, so we headed for the bus as soon as the guide told us to.
The bus was around the corner, so we walked there, and the guide had told us it was a blue bus. Well, there where 2 buses, one with the tour company name on it, back color and one blue bus with another name on it. That is confusing but we went to the blue one, dropped our bags a picked 2 seats.
It was a similar bus as we one we took to get there, with AC, WC, No usb. (Semi-Cama/leito/bed)
Later our guide arrived and told us that we would arrive in their office for 11pm maybe midnight.
We arrived around 00:20am. We then got to their office, ask for WIFI and call an Uber.
Conclusion
That wasn’t the best ride or transfer we had in our life and we don’t think we would take it again though it was convenient. There may be better and faster way to get there.
“The journey itself is my home.”
―
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