Day trips from Fortaleza: dunes to the west, cliffs to the east

Fortaleza is hot all year, and the coast on either side is the reason to go out of town: the dunes of Cumbuco and the bay at Lagoinha to the west, the coloured cliffs of Morro Branco and Canoa Quebrada to the east. Here is how long each of our five takes, and which to pick.

One day out, without a long drive: Morro Branco and Praia das Fontes, about an hour and a half each way. Half a day in town: the city tour, in the cooler morning slot.

The five, side by side

Trip	Length	Leaves	Price
Fortaleza: Private City Tour	4h	07:00	Price on request
Fortaleza Private Tour: City Panorama and Praia do Futuro	6h	07:00	Price on request
Morro Branco and Praia das Fontes Private Day Trip from Fortaleza	8h	07:00	Price on request
Canoa Quebrada Private Day Trip from Fortaleza	10h	07:00	Price on request
Cumbuco and Lagoinha Private Day Trip from Fortaleza	10h	07:00	Price on request

Prices on request: send us your date and group size and we reply with the price.

How to choose

You want the city

The Fortaleza city tour. Four hours, at 07:00 or 13:00: the cathedral, the Theatro José de Alencar with its cast-iron frame made in Glasgow, the Centro Dragão do Mar, the five floors of the Mercado Central, and the jangadas on the sand at Mucuripe. The morning slot is the cooler of the two.

You want the city and a beach afternoon

The city panorama and Praia do Futuro. Six hours: a loop through the old centre, Praia de Iracema and the Beira-Mar to Mucuripe, then more than three hours at Praia do Futuro, the open-ocean beach lined with barracas. Drop the centre and you have nearly four hours on the sand.

You want the coloured cliffs, without the long drive

Morro Branco and Praia das Fontes. Eight hours, about 88 km east in Beberibe: paths through a maze of cliffs of coloured sand, with a local guide, then the fresh water running out of the cliff face onto the beach at Praia das Fontes. An easy, unhurried day.

You want the red cliffs, and do not mind the road

Canoa Quebrada. Ten hours, 163 km each way and over five hours in the car: the village on red cliffs about 30 metres above the sea, the moon and star cut into the cliff, the beach below, and lunch on the Broadway. Not ideal for very small children.

You want dunes and a quiet bay

Cumbuco and Lagoinha. Ten hours along the west coast: the dunes and kite beach at Cumbuco in the morning, then the coconut palms, coloured cliffs and viewpoint at Lagoinha. Both beaches have buggy rides through the dunes, paid to the local drivers.

Four things worth knowing before you book

Buggies and guides are paid on the day

The price covers the private vehicle, driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Buggy rides, the local guides in the Morro Branco labyrinth, the theatre's guided visit and lunch are paid on the day, directly to the people who run them.

Jericoacoara is not a day trip

It is too far to go there and back in one day, and it needs at least one night. If you want to stay over in Canoa Quebrada, we can drop you there and collect you another day.

Private costs less than you think for a group

A coach seat is cheap for one person and stops being cheap at four. Our prices are by group size, not per seat: up to four of you share one car at one price, and the price only steps up when you need a van. And you are not waiting for forty strangers at every stop.

You can change your mind

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up, refunded in full. If the date stops working, message us and we will do our best to move you to another day.