Roadtrip in Brazil: 10 days in a buggy on the Northeast coast

I’m taking you with me on a road trip to Brazil in a buggy along the Northeast coast of Brazil, in the region of Fortaleza! It’s been 6 days since I returned, and my mind and heart are still 6,800 km away from here, on this magnificent wild Brazilian coast where I lived unforgettable moments…

A stay marked by encounters, thrills, marvels and memorable laughs with my adventure partners: Marion (Mademoiselle Voyage), Anastasia and Sylvain (Switzerland Me), Laurie (TourMag), Jean-Guillaume (Travel Insight) and of course Barbara from Brazil Adventure, a receptive agency specializing in Brazil; the only one offering this type of buggy touring stay in the Northeast region.

Well, the presentations are done; now it’s time to tell you more about this road trip in Brazil in a buggy, by telling you about the highlights, giving you my impressions and some practical information.

It all starts with Fortaleza, We arrived there the evening after a 9-hour flight with TAP Air Portugal. We were greeted at the airport and then we headed to the small town of Cumbuco Located about twenty kilometers from Fortaleza, the starting point of this beautiful adventure in the the Northeast region. The very next day, our guide Carlos (exceptional, ask to travel with him if possible!) explained to us how the buggies work, and then we spent the day practicing handling the vehicles in different types of terrain: beaches, dunes, tracks, roads. The goal: to be ready to attack the first stage of 130km the next day, towards Uruau.

The buggies

I, who hardly ever drove, was rather stressed and very apprehensive, but you can imagine that after only a few minutes I was already taking control of the buggy. There are 4 gears with fairly short ratios for a buggy. quite dynamic driving, But you must avoid climbing up the towers to avoid damaging the engine. Each vehicle can only accommodate two passengers and all of them have a GPS, a small glove box, relatively comfortable seats and a space in the back to store your belongings. The buggies are in excellent condition, clean, sturdy, agile and ready to roll over any type of terrain!

The itinerary of the road trip in Brazil

Brazil Aventure offers several types Buggy tours in the Northeast, That is, going south-east from Fortaleza by taking the Rota das Falesias up to Natal, or towards the West by taking The Rota das Emoçoes passing through Jericoacoara and the Lençois Maranhenses.

The route we took followed part of the Way of the Cliffs, and a passage to the West as we went towards Flecheiras.

My favorites

It was my first time in Brazil… And what a first time! Beyond the group atmosphere, which was really great, I was first struck by the beauty of the landscapes… We go from the city of Fortaleza and its 4 million inhabitants to wild beaches that stretch out for miles in every direction, then through these immense dunes where we could admire magnificent sunsets, and then along dirt tracks that pass through immense coconut groves, cactus fields and fishing villages, Finally, we found ourselves at the top of spectacular cliffs that offer a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean… Yes, I really got my ass kicked!

I didn’t expect to see so few tourists in the region, except for a few at the hotel. Canoa Quebrada. What a joy! The opportunity to immerse myself more deeply in the culture, the local way of life, and to make some quite strong connections. When you drive on the beach during the day, the scenery is quite deserted, but in the mid-afternoon you start to see some activity gradually develop. The fishermen return from the sea in Jangada (a local boat), the locals come to meet them to buy fresh fish, the older people sit to chat on plastic chairs in front of their houses or on the terrace of a small pavilion, the children run around everywhere, the teenagers play football on the beach; there was Brazilian music, and we were there, with our eyes sparkling, to admire all these beautiful scenes of life. How could we resist all those smiles, those hand signals to greet us and invite us to join them… We didn’t want to leave!

Among the most beautiful highlights were also some mishaps that are part of the experience! I especially remember those many obstacles on the first day in the soft sand of the dunes 😀 The following days, we were all operational and we had THE technique to get out of it without the help (or almost) of our guide and hero Carlos!
Throughout this road trip in Brazil, we would sometimes have to cross rivers, putting the buggies on the back of carts. The first time I was white, extremely focused so as not to make any mistakes… Because, yes, the maneuver is done to the millimeter! The following times were much easier because I was much more confident until the moment when I was too confident!! When I tried to put the buggy on the back of the cart, one of the planks shifted, the cart moved slightly forward and the back of the buggy was partially in the water! Fortunately, I got out of it without any technical problems, yay… Well, as the rule states, I had to pay for my Caipirinha tour that evening at the hotel!

Thanks Sylvain for this photo that sums up the situation well 😀

I couldn’t talk about this trip to the Northeast of Brazil without telling you about the local specialties… I won’t hide that at the end of a buggy tour, all we wanted to do was enjoy the Caipirinha aperitif around the pool of the pousada (local hotel). It was the perfect opportunity to review the day, share our best anecdotes and start a lovely evening together.

Among the many specialties of the country based on chicken, beef, fish and shellfish, I really liked the peixada, a kind of succulent local bouillabaisse! And then there are these delicious fruits… When we talk about eating at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day, I think we have really gone over the top!

On two occasions, Carlos surprised us with some wonderful treats… One day, at the end of the morning, we came across fishermen returning from the sea with their nets full of fish. We bought half a dozen fresh fish and grilled them over a campfire in front of the sea. A delight! Second anecdote: One morning we went to the market in a small village located next to Uruau to soak up more of the local atmosphere. A little later, after continuing on the beach, Carlos cut and prepared about a dozen different fruits on the hood of a buggy… Bananas, pineapples, passion fruit (maracuja), melons, guavas, oranges, papaya, cherimol, graviola and many others… Another delicious moment! We went everywhere, but there’s nothing like getting into a swimsuit and diving into the ocean (which was about 29°-30°C).

And finally there are the sensations of driving the buggies! Whether we’re at full speed on a vast desert beach, attacking the sand dunes on vertiginous slopes, or maneuvering in terrain littered with bumps and holes, we feel like a rally driver. I really enjoyed driving the buggies so much that I couldn’t possibly take a place as a co-driver at any point! I would never have thought of saying that the day before the start!

Tips and practical information

The Brazil Aventure team will provide you with a large bag in which you will need to transfer the contents of your suitcase. It protects against splashes and sand projections, but is not completely waterproof. We all suffered from this on the last day of the road trip when we drove all day under heavy tropical rain (quite rare) and our belongings were soaked. I therefore recommend bringing with you waterproof bags (see link) Or waterproof protective covers. You can also take a flexible suitcase or sports bag that you can put in these large bags provided by the agency; this will provide you with double protection.

Buggies don’t have speakers, so I recommend you prepare a nice music playlist for adventures and bring a Bluetooth speaker that you can install in the buggy! Yes, I was the only one to have one and the others wanted to come along to enjoy the atmosphere 😀

The distances covered in the buggy varied each day. Sometimes we covered about sixty kilometers on one stage and the other time we covered twice that distance. But the driving is so much fun that you don’t notice the time passing, especially since we took many breaks to enjoy the spots we visited.

At every stage of this road trip in Brazil, we stayed in comfortable, family-run hotels called pousadas in Brazil. All of them are equipped with swimming pools, the rooms are air-conditioned, and the delicious caipirinha served is delicious! On two occasions, we stayed in very beautiful hotels that offer truly excellent services: the Bruno Marambaia hotel in Uruau with its magnificent view of the ocean (we feel cut off from the world), and the Rede Beach hotel in the Fleixeiras region. However, remember to bring adapters and a multi-outlet power strip to charge your electrical devices, because there aren’t many outlets in hotel rooms.