🇧🇷 Brazil Trip — September 2026
Courtney + Ricky · Sep 2–20, 2026 · LA → Gramado → Lençóis Maranhenses → Rio → Natal
SEP 2026
Total estimated cost: ~$1,426–1,550 for two people. Does not include flights — all booked (see the Flights tab) except the NAT→GIG hop back to Rio, still to book.
✈️ Flights
| When | Journey | Flights & detail | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Sep 2 | SFO → LAX Delta · ref YDR9WZ |
| Booked |
Sep 3–4 | SF → Brazil LATAM · conf D8VIEG |
| Booked |
Sep 7 | POA → SLZ LATAM · conf QSCRBZ |
| Booked |
Sep 11 | SLZ → SDU (Rio) LATAM · conf LFUYHF |
| Booked |
Sep 15 | GIG → NAT Wedding · GOL · conf HYFSXH |
| Conflict |
Sep 15–20 | NAT → GIG back to Rio |
| To book |
Sep 20–21 | Brazil → home LATAM · conf EF22U4 |
| Booked |
Sep 21 | LAX → SFO home from LAX |
| To book |
⚠️ Heads up: TripIt flags the Sep 15 GIG→NAT (G3 2161, conf HYFSXH) as a Conflict, and the NAT→GIG hop back to Rio before Sep 20 still needs booking.
🏖️ LA / Venice Beach · Sep 2–3
| Date | What | Details | Cost (2 ppl) |
|---|---|---|---|
Sep 2 | ✈️ Fly SFO → LAX |
| Booked |
Sep 2 | 🏖️ Venice Beach |
| — |
Sep 2 | 🏨 Overnight LA |
| to book |
Sep 3 | 🛫 To LAX for the red-eye |
| — |
Gramado · Sep 4–6
| Date | What | Details | Cost (2 ppl) |
|---|---|---|---|
Sep 4 | 🚗 Uber to Gramado |
| ~$40 |
Sep 4 | 🏨 Hotel Night 1 Comfortable pousada |
| ~$90 |
Sep 5 | 🏘️ Full Day Gramado |
| — |
Sep 5 | 🏨 Hotel Colline de France ⭐ #1 Hotel in the World — TripAdvisor 2024 |
| TBD |
Sep 6 | 🚗 Uber back to POA |
| ~$40 |
Lençóis Maranhenses · Sep 7–10
| Date | What | Details | Cost (2 ppl) |
|---|---|---|---|
Sep 7 | 🚗 Transfer to park |
| ~$60 |
Sep 7 | 🏨 Hotel Night 1 Barreirinhas pousada |
| ~$60 |
Sep 8 | 🏝️ 4x4 Lagoon + Sunset Tour |
| ~$76–140 |
Sep 8 | 🏨 Hotel Night 2 |
| ~$60 |
Sep 9 | 🚤 Rio Preguiças Boat Tour |
| ~$50–80 |
Sep 9 | 🐦 Revoada dos Guarás Scarlet Ibis Sunset Tour |
| ~$50–80 |
Sep 9 | 🆍️ Dinner |
| ~$40–60 |
Sep 9 | 🏨 Hotel Night 3 |
| ~$60 |
Sep 10 | 🌅 Free morning |
| — |
Sep 10 | 🚗 Transfer to SLZ |
| ~$60 |
Rio de Janeiro · Sep 11–15
| Date | What | Details | Cost (2 ppl) |
|---|---|---|---|
Sep 11–13 | 🏨 HomeExchange — Marc's home Cosme Velho / Laranjeiras · Rua Alice 1658 |
| 392 GP |
Sep 13–15 | 🏨 Hilton Rio Copacabana Standard City View · 2 twin beds |
| 120,000 pts |
Sep 12 | 👪 Friends arrive! |
| — |
Cost Summary
| Category | Cost (2 people) |
|---|---|
| 🚗 Ubers + transfers (x4) | ~$200 |
| ✈️ POA → SLZ (2 tickets) | $288 |
| ✈️ SLZ → SDU (2 tickets) | $172 |
| 🏨 1 night pousada Gramado | ~$90 |
| 🏨 Hotel Colline de France (1 night) | TBD |
| 🏨 3 nights Barreirinhas | ~$180 |
| 🏨 4 nights Rio de Janeiro | ~$320 |
| 🏝️ 4x4 Lagoon Tour (x2) | ~$76–140 |
| 🚤 Boat Tour + Scarlet Ibis (x2) | ~$100–160 |
| TOTAL | ~$1,426–1,550 |
Getting there · Sep 3–4 · LATAM · conf D8VIEG
| Flight | Route | Times | Travel time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DL 1715 | SFO → LAX | Tue Sep 2, 11:54 AM → 1:26 PM | 1h 32m | Booked · ref YDR9WZ · Venice Beach |
LA 603 | LAX → SCL | Thu Sep 3, 3:55 PM → Fri Sep 4, 5:35 AM | 10h 40m | Santiago |
layover | Santiago (SCL) | 8 hr 20 min | — | — |
LA 740 | SCL → POA | Fri Sep 4, 1:55 PM → 6:15 PM | 3h 20m | Porto Alegre — Gramado |
Within Brazil
| Flight | Route | Times | Travel time | Conf / status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
LA 3433 | POA → SLZ | Mon Sep 7, 5:15 AM → 11:10 AM | 5h 55m | QSCRBZ |
LA 3805 | SLZ → SDU (Rio) | Fri Sep 11, 5:05 PM → 10:10 PM | 5h 05m | LFUYHF |
G3 2161 GOL · wedding | GIG → NAT | Tue Sep 15, 12:45 PM → 3:50 PM | 3h 05m | Conflict HYFSXH |
NAT → GIG | back to Rio | Sep 15–20 | — | To book |
Getting home · Sep 20–21 · LATAM · conf EF22U4
| Flight | Route | Times | Travel time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
LA 3875 | GIG → GRU | Sun Sep 20, 7:35 PM → 8:45 PM | 1h 10m | São Paulo |
layover | São Paulo (GRU) | 2 hr | — | — |
LA 8086 | GRU → LAX | Sun Sep 20, 10:45 PM → Mon Sep 21, 7:00 AM | 12h 15m | Home |
LAX → SFO | LAX → SFO | Mon Sep 21 — after 7:00 AM | ~1h 30m | To book · home from LAX |
⚠️ Check: TripIt flags the Sep 15 GIG→NAT flight (G3 2161, conf HYFSXH) as a Conflict — worth resolving. And the NAT→GIG hop back to Rio before the Sep 20 departure isn’t booked yet.
Where You’re Going
🇧🇷 Your Brazil Route
⛰️ Gramado
Sep 4–6 · Rio Grande do Sul
→
🏔️ Lençóis Maranhenses
Sep 7–10 · Maranhão (SLZ)
→
🏙️ Rio de Janeiro
Sep 11–15 · GIG
→
🌊 Natal
Sep 15–20 · Wedding
Open in Google Maps →Sep 4–6 · Rio Grande do Sul
→
🏔️ Lençóis Maranhenses
Sep 7–10 · Maranhão (SLZ)
→
🏙️ Rio de Janeiro
Sep 11–15 · GIG
→
🌊 Natal
Sep 15–20 · Wedding
⛰️ Gramado
Sep 4–6 · 2 nights · Fly into POA
One of Brazil’s most surprising towns — full European alpine aesthetic, Swiss/German architecture, pine trees, hydrangeas. Looks like Bavaria got dropped into southern Brazil. Very walkable, great food, completely unexpected.
- Lago Negro — scenic lake walk through town
- Rua Coberta — covered pedestrian street, cafes + chocolate shops
- Chocolate + fondue — mandatory
- Gramado Film Festival: Aug 12–22 (you just miss it)
- Hotel Colline de France — #1 Hotel in the World (TripAdvisor 2024) · 9.9 Booking · Stay Night 2 (Sep 5)
🏔️ Lençóis Maranhenses
Sep 7–10 · 3 nights · Fly into SLZ
Endless white sand dunes broken by crystal-clear freshwater lagoons. The name means “Bedsheets of Maranhão.” One of the most otherworldly landscapes on the planet — still relatively off the beaten path for international tourists. September is peak season.
- 4x4 Lagoon + Sunset Tour — swim Lagoa Azul, sunset from dunes
- Rio Preguiças Boat Tour — mangroves, lighthouse, river village
- Revoada dos Guarás — scarlet ibis sunset (hundreds of red birds)
- No rental car — need 4x4 with park authorization
- Base in Barreirinhas — main gateway
🏙️ Rio de Janeiro
Sep 11–15 · 4 nights · Direct from SLZ
September is slightly off-peak — good hotel value, less humidity. Stay in Ipanema or Leblon. Friends arrive Sep 12.
- Cristo Redentor — go early morning to beat clouds
- Sugarloaf Mountain — cable car, sunset views
- Ipanema + Leblon beaches
- Santa Teresa — colonial hilltop, galleries, live samba
- Feira de São Cristóvão — Northeastern culture market
- Eat: churrascaria, açaí bowls, dinner in Santa Teresa
🌊 Natal
Sep 15–20 · Wedding · GOL from GIG
On Brazil’s northeastern tip — one of the country’s sunniest cities. Famous for white sand dunes, turquoise water, one of the longest coastlines in Brazil.
- Genipabu Dunes — buggy rides over dramatic coastal dunes
- Pipa Beach — ~1.5 hrs south, cliffs, sea turtles, beach bars
- Forte dos Reis Magos — 16th century Portuguese fort
- Return: GOL Sep 20, 12:05 or 16:30 → GIG → LAX
Best Restaurants — Lençóis Maranhenses
O Sertão
Best dinner in Barreirinhas · Traditional Northeastern
Top pick. Order the peixada maranhense — yellow hake stewed with coconut milk, potatoes, and boiled eggs. Rustic, authentic, excellent.
BarreirinhasTop Pick
Bambu
Riverfront terrace · Fish + carne de sol
Right on the banks of the Preguiças River. Fresh fish, seafood, carne de sol. Great relaxed dinner with a view.
BarreirinhasRiverfront
Vila Buna
Artisanal pizza + cocktails · Evening vibe
Best spot for a fun night out in Atins. Fisherman’s Skillet: risotto with shrimp and breaded fish. Perfect after the scarlet ibis tour.
AtinsEvening Out
Resources & Reading — Lençóis Maranhenses
Danae Explore
Instagram
Hotels — Lençóis Maranhenses · View Booking.com Wishlist →
Dates: Sep 7–10 (3 nights, 2 adults). Prices below are for 4 nights as shown on Booking — your actual stay is 3 nights so prices will be slightly lower.
Casa Ninho
9.5 ★Atins · 0.7 mi from downtown
Exceptional · 26 reviews. In Atins — the quieter, more remote village closer to the dunes. Best for a more off-grid, immersive experience.
AtinsFree cancellation
~$300 /3 nights
Casa Amado Atins
9.6 ★Atins · 0.3 mi from downtown
Exceptional · 15 reviews. Highest-rated property on the list. Also in Atins — more boutique, fewer reviews but outstanding scores.
AtinsFree cancellation
~$442 /3 nights
Vila Capininga Ecopousada
8.7 ★Santo Amaro · 3.6 mi from downtown
Excellent · 424 reviews. In Santo Amaro — alternative gateway town, fastest access to the dunes on foot. Eco-lodge vibe, great reviews.
Santo AmaroFree cancellation
~$348 /3 nights
Pousada Toca dos Aventureiros
8.6 ★Barreirinhas · 1.4 mi from downtown
Excellent · 817 reviews. Most-reviewed property on the list — reliable, well-located in Barreirinhas, close to all tour operators.
Barreirinhas
~$452 /3 nights
Pousada Sitio Preguicas
7.9 ★Barreirinhas · 0.9 mi from downtown
Good · 528 reviews. Budget pick — lowest price on the list. Solid for a base if you’re spending most of your time on tours anyway.
BarreirinhasBudget
~$155 /3 nights
Pousada Casa Dunas
9.0 ★Barreirinhas · 0.8 mi from downtown
Wonderful · 468 reviews · Genius deal. Great value — high score, central location, Genius discount available. Best balance of price + quality in Barreirinhas.
BarreirinhasFree cancellationGenius
~$229 /3 nights
Booking Checklist
Cami’s Group — Key Dates
| Date | What | Details |
|---|---|---|
Sat Sep 12 | 👪 Arrive Rio |
|
Tue Sep 15 | ✈️ Rio → Natal |
|
Sun Sep 20 | ✈️ Return Natal → Rio |
|
Courtney + Ricky arrive Rio on Sep 11 (one day early) and meet the group on Sep 12. All flying GIG → NAT together Sep 15.
Content Angles From This Trip
Hotel Colline de France
Gramado · #1 Hotel in the World
TripAdvisor 2024 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best — #1 globally, #2 in 2026. Unexpected, unassuming alpine town in southern Brazil. “We accidentally booked one of the best hotels in the world.” Classic Haute Bøhemian angle.
Priority PostGramado
Lençóis Maranhenses Guide
Pillar post · Underwritten in English
Strong SEO opportunity — low competition in English. Cover: how to get there, which town, best tours, what months, how many days, restaurants. Good ranking potential.
SEO OpportunityMaranhão
Multi-City Brazil Itinerary
Gramado → Lençóis → Rio → Natal
A genuinely unusual Brazil trip most travel blogs don’t cover. Alpine → dunes → city → beach. Unusual enough to rank. Strong pillar post candidate.
Pillar PostBrazil
Gramado Town Guide
The Swiss town in Brazil nobody talks about
Wildly underrepresented in English travel content. Standalone destination post — chocolate, fondue, alpine architecture, film festival. Pair with the Hotel Colline stay.
Standalone PostRio Grande do Sul
