The 15 Best Viana Desert Tours on Boa Vista

1.2h SSV Buggy Desert Adventure – 1000cc or 500cc

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 361 reviews Our pick

Drive a two-seat 500cc or 1000cc buggy from Santa Maria across Sal’s sand dunes, beaches, salt flats, and volcanic coast. You’ll receive a helmet, goggles, belt, water, and protective suit, with guides such as Jason, Edy, or Jota leading the route. Bring your original driver’s license and closed-toe shoes.

“Great experience Amazing views Very professional Bit hot for the all in one suits and didn’t feel they was needed”

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2.2-Hour Buggy Desert Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 328 reviews · 2 hours · from $170

Ride a 1000cc buggy from Santa Maria across salt flats, dunes, desert tracks, and Sal’s south coast. Stops include Serra Negra, Palha Verde Oasis, Ponta Preta, and Shark Bay. Guides such as Patrick, Jota, Primo, and Ricardo have been praised for clear safety briefings and good humor. Bring your original driver’s license and wear closed shoes.

“A must do trip! Pure fun and adrenaline! Very professional and safe. You get full body suits so you do not get so much dust on you. Josiel and Andir make sure you have fun. There is also a photoghapher who rides with you, you can aditionally buy pics, which are really cool.”

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3.2-Hour ATV Quad Desert Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 244 reviews · 2 hours · from $106

Ride a single or tandem 500cc quad from Santa Maria to the salt flats, Kite Beach, Serra Negra, Palha Verde, and Ponta Preta. Guides such as Rastaman, Primo, David, and Jota lead the route in several languages, with hotel pickup, safety gear, water, and photo stops included.

“very organised, friendly staff who were very helpful and excellent route. Nothing to improve”

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4.Santa Monica, Dunes, Caves and Village 4×4 Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 137 reviews · 4 hours · from $76

Ride into Boa Vista’s Viana desert, visit the old village of Povoação Velha, walk through Varandinha’s sea caves, and finish at Santa Monica Beach with time for a swim and included cocktail. Guides such as Freddy, Evandro, Nielson, and Julie have led this route. Expect rough tracks, big views, and a lively ride.

“We liked to see the caves, it is very beautiful. The ocean is very blue, and the landscape is very unique.”

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5.Boa Vista Jeep Expedition: Shipwreck & Viana Desert (4-Hour)

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 134 reviews · 4 hours · from $64

Spend four hours exploring northern Boa Vista in a Toyota Landcruiser with a local guide such as Vagner, Hendrick, or Fabrizio. Expect bumpy off-road tracks, the Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck, Bofareira Bay, Espingueira refreshments, Viana Desert dunes, and the pottery chimney at Praia de Chaves. Water and hotel transfers are included.

“Exploring the sights of the north part of the island in a jeep was fabulous. Travelled over varied terrain which at times was bumpy. Our fantastic guide Fabrizio said it was a free massage. Fabrizio was brilliant. Very chatty, friendly and knowledgeable. The tour covers a number of sights with ample stops to explore and take pictures. There is a chance to taste the local grog at a village bar and chat with the locals who were all exceptionally friendly. It can be dusty and hot but chilled water is provided. We would highly recommend this tour.”

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6.2h ATV 500cc 4×4 Quad Desert Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 123 reviews

Take a two-hour guided quad ride from Santa Maria across Sal’s sandy tracks and coastal reserves. You’ll drive a 500cc 4x4 ATV, stop at Serra Negra and Ponta Preta, and visit beaches known for kitesurfing, surfing, and Loggerhead Turtles. Equipment, water, instruction, and most hotel transfers are included. A valid original driving license is required.

“Beaucoups de sensation forte exellent franchement . Je recommande fortement A faire des que vous avez l occasion”

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7.Boa Vista Quad Tour: Shipwreck & Viana Desert (2-Hour)

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 121 reviews · 2 hours

You’ll ride a guided quad from Sal Rei to the Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck and Viana Desert, with hotel pickup, fuel, equipment, and water included. Guides such as Vagner, Fabrizio, Fabrice, and Mauru have been praised for safety and patience. Bring your driver’s license, sunscreen, closed shoes, and clothes you can get dusty.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to take good photographs and see and learn more about Boa Vista”

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8.Northwest & Deserto de Viana 4×4 Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 113 reviews · 4 hours · from $53

See Boa Vista’s northwest in four hours with a multilingual guide, hotel pickup, and a 4x4 ride to Rabil, the Deserto de Viana, Praia da Atalanta, and the Chapel of Our Lady of Fatima. You get craft, sand, sea views, and the Cabo Santa Maria wreck in one compact outing.

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9.Sal Rei, Santa Monica Beach, Caves, Dunes & Shipwreck Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 67 reviews · 6 hours · from $94

This six-hour Boa Vista tour takes you from your hotel to Varandinha Cave, Santa Monica Beach, Viana Desert, and the MS Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck. You ride in a certified, air-conditioned vehicle with a local guide speaking English, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, or Spanish. Small groups keep the day personal, with time for beach stops and Sal Rei.

“Super nette Tourenleitung mit Nicole, die uns geduldig alle Fragen auf Deutsch beantwortet hat. Auf den Pickup‘s ist es teils schon sehr anstrengend, vor allem Richtung Schiffswrack. Ansonsten kann ich die Tour allen für den ersten groben Überblick empfehlen - alles drin. Das Essen am Strand von Santa Monica: top! Nur leider über die GJG-Buchung nicht inklusive, bei den Locals wäre sie inbegriffen. Haben wir leider zu spät gecheckt…”

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10.Boa Vista Tour: Santa Mónica, Desert & Shipwreck

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 58 reviews · from $91

Spend about six hours crossing Boa Vista by 4x4 from Sal Rei, with stops at Morro de Areia, Varandinha caves, Santa Monica Beach, Viana Desert, and the Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck. Local guides such as Lory, Clayton, Alex, and Amandio share island stories. Pickup is included, but lunch costs extra.

“Great way to explore and experience some of the wonders Boa Vista has to offer! Our guide was very informative, so friendly and gave us a great insight into the island and life here. Would highly recommend, can't praise enough! As an FYI most of this tour is off road and a bit bumpy going, completely fine for us but worth knowing!”

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11.Boa Vista Jeep Expedition: Santa Monica & Desert (4-Hour)

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 36 reviews · 4 hours · from $64

Set out from your Boa Vista hotel in a Toyota Landcruiser with a local guide for Praia de Chaves, Morro de Areia, Verandinha’s natural arch, Santa Monica Beach, and Boca Beach. Guides may include Fabrício and Marvin, with English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French available. Water, pickup, and drop-off are included.

“la dernière halte près de l'hôtel Mélia non terminé”

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12.4-Hour Rabil, Viana Desert & Shipwreck Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · from $52

Spend three to four hours crossing northern Boa Vista by 4x4, with stops at Rabil’s pottery makers, the Sahara-swept Viana Desert, Cabo Santa Maria shipwreck, and Fatima Church. Guides such as Jason and Eddy add local history, while the group stays small, with no more than eight people.

“Our tour guide Jamal (sorry if I got the name wrong) was amazing! Really great at storytelling the sites that we saw along with getting the historical facts right. He was really easy going, and adapted to us especially as we had a 1year old and a 4 year old with us. Would definitely recommend!”

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13.Shipwreck, Viana Desert & Sal Rei Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 20 reviews · 4 hours · from $47Best value

See the 1968 Cabo Santa Maria Shipwreck, sandboard across Viana Desert, visit Rabil craftsmen and walk through Sal Rei. Your small group may be led by Vera or Fabian, with drivers such as Bernardo handling the rough desert tracks. Hotel pickup, drop-off and several guide languages are included.

“I went with my mum, the main reason for the tour was to see the shipwreck and the city. It was a brilliant tour and our tour guide, Fabian, was brilliant, excellent English and very knowledgeable. Our driver was also brilliant, negotiating the bumpy ‘roads’ across the desert and down to the shipwreck! Definitely something I wouldn’t have been able to see if it wasn’t for the tour!”

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14.Rabil, Shipwreck, City, Snacks & Drinks – 4×4 Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 17 reviews · 4 - 5 hours · from $76

Spend 4 to 5 hours exploring northern Boa Vista in a comfortable 4x4. Visit Rabil’s pottery school, the Santa Maria shipwreck, Fatima’s Chapel, and Sal Rei. Guides such as Cristian, Cristiano, Julie, and Tatiana bring local context, while snacks and drinks at Sodade Restaurant add a genuine taste of the island.

“Adoramos a excursão. A guia e o motorista foram muito gentis, os lugares muito incríveis. A degustação de produtos locais excedeu completamente nossas expectativas.”

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15.Boa Vista Buggy Tour: Santa Monica & South Desert (4-Hour)

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 17 reviews · 4 hours

You’ll drive a powerful 1000cc 4x4 buggy with a local guide across Boa Vista’s south coast. Expect Praia de Chaves, Verandinha’s sea caves, the 22-kilometre Santa Monica Beach, Boca Beach, Curral Velho ruins, hotel pickup, safety gear, and a small group of up to 10 people.

“Super wyprawa, polecam. Profesjonalnie wszystko przygotowane. Z jednym zastrzeżeniem co do reakcji biura i wysłania pomocy w przypadku ugrzęźnięcia pojazdu w błocie. Ponoć jechała do nas pomoc , ale nie dojechała niepotrzebnie straciliśmy ponad 1h. Przewodnicy sprawdzili się wzorowo i jakoś musieli sobie poradzić. Bravo dla nich. Żałujemy tylko , że nie udało się wszędzie dojechać tam gdzie było zaplanowane. Siła wyższa było pozalewane i nie było możliwości dotarcia.”

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