Pousada Trijunção

From Pousada Trijunção – amidst an oasis of 33,000 protected hectares – guests can explore the extraordinary biodiversity of Brazil’s great savannah, the Cerrado. Though it’s home to more than 850 species of birds, 251 mammals, and 482 reptiles and amphibians, 50% of its original area has been destroyed, and 150 species of animal are subsequently at risk of extinction, including jaguar (including black jaguar), ocelot, armadillo, anteater, and maned wolf.

The majestic maned wolves of Trijuncao starred in the Desert & Grasslands episode of the BBC’s premiere natural history programme Planet Earth Three in late 2023. Filmed over challenging three years, the crew followed female Nhorinha and her cubs. They filmed inside a maned wolf den for the first time and captured the intense threat to their Cerrado habitat from encroaching agribusiness and wild fires.

Guests at the eco lodge are led on bike and 4×4 tours to see these amazing animals in their wild natural habitat, as well as tracking with Onçafari. There’s also the opportunity for kayaking on the River Formoso, bird watching (over 200 species) and nighttime safaris to find dwarf caiman.

Stays here both educate and inspire guests about conservation, and the whole enterprise is a sustainable operation whose profits go into their remarkable projects. It may be a 5-hour drive from Brasilia (or a short private flight), but the hardest-to-reach places are always the most magical, and with just 7 rustic-chic suites, visiting feels like an enormous privilege.

Pousada Trijunção is a member of the Ocanto Group of hotels and lodges with sister properties Pousada Literária in Paraty and Pousada Tutabel in Trancoso.

Senderos Soul

The cacophony of bird song stuck with me long after my visit to serene, charming Pousada Trijunção. Each moment at the lodge is delivered in such a gentle and personal manner - from the initial welcome, to the local food served, and to the guiding on one of the numerous fascinating excursions. But guests here are also left to soak up the atmosphere of one of the most biodiverse - and threatened - biomes in the world... by listening to this soundtrack. The lodge is filled with many beautiful, shady spots to sit and ponder these wonders, helping to reset the mind and body. As well as a very private, high end, safari-like experience Trijunção has purpose and educates - the base from which to venture forth to explore into the world’s most biodiverse savannah, as well as an important conservation project & experimental farm. The icing on the cake is to head out at dusk with trail blazing Brazilian NGO Onçafari to track the elusive keystone species, the Maned Wolf.

- Nicola, Senderos

Key Facts

No. of rooms: 7 suites in main house, 2 suites in Villa Jatobá. All have air con, minibar, room safe, Trousseau cotton sheets, towels and bathrobes, Souvie organic amenities.

Room Categories:
1 Master Suite: 90m² – bedroom with kingsize bed, separate living room, 2 balconies and ensuite bathroom with ofuro soaking tub, with space for 2 extra single beds.
3 Premium Suites: 60m² – bedroom with kingsize bed, separate living room and ensuite shower bathroom, with space for 2 extra single beds.
3 Standard Suites: 30m² – kingsize bed and ensuite shower bathroom, with space for 1 extra single bed.
1 Villa Jatobá: 217m² – 2 suites, each with a kingsize bed and space for 2 extra single beds. Dining/living room and ensuite bathroom with ofuro soaking tub.

Facilities: Small pool, hot tub, massage room, lounge with books, dining room

Internet: Throughout the lodge

Excursion details: Guided Jeep safaris, kayaking on the laguna, bike rides on fat-tyred bikes on trails around the reserve, stargazing in the Cerrado’s clear skies, excellent birdwatching, walks in nearby Grande Sertao Veredas National Park, tour of eco-breeding centre and farm. 2 or 3 activities per day, minimum is 1 person, maximum number depends on the activity, but will rarely be more than 6.

Dates of operation: All year

Rates from: 2024 Rack from US$900 per Standard Double Room per night. Children under 5 go free.

See the Gallery and Resources box below for full rates documents

Rates include: Full board (all meals, soft drinks and beers) and activities including Maned Wolf tracking with Oncafari. Transfers and premium alcohol and spa treatments are extra.

Minimum age: All ages

Minimum stay: None

Senderos recommends: At least 3 nights, to make the most of relaxing in the hotel and a combination of excursions.

Affiliations: The Long Run, Bee+Hive, AlmaA, Brazilian Luxury Travel Association (BLTA).

Stories:

Senderos stories celebrate the positive impact that sustainable and regenerative tourism can bring to destinations, communities and the environment.

Click here to explore the fascinating interview with Pedro Treacher, director of the OCanto group (see below), a collection of hotels including Pousada Trijunção.

“Our mission is to safeguard biomes in Brazil through ecotourism. Raising awareness about these regions in the face of climate change and expanding industrial agriculture.”

Sustainability

An ecolodge set in 33,000 protected hectares, whose mission is to support the preservation of the threatened Cerrado and its inhabitants via sustainable tourism and farming.
Guests are taught about conservation and its challenges when they stay
Solar panels for heating water; LED lighting; flooring is made from demolition wood; decoration is largely sustainable – plants, leaves and bark from fallen trees
Most staff are local and the pousada supports the sustainable culture of fruit trees in the region, which means employment for over 2,000 families.
More information here on their website and this document.

Need to know:

The surrounding wilderness is home to several endangered species, including jaguar, ocelot, giant armadillo, anteater and grey eagle
Endangered maned wolves also inhabit the land, and in partnership with the NGO Onçafari, Trijunção runs a research project at the lodge, dedicated to their preservation.
A unique location: the lodge’s boundaries span borders of 3 Brazilian states – Goias, Bahia and Minas Gerais – and food in the restaurant contains influences from all 3.
Just 7 rustic-chic rooms, decorated with crafts from and photos of the Cerrado and all 3 states.
Family friendly, and kids will adore the tortoise nursery and conservation breeding centre where tapirs, emu and peccary are raised before being released into the wild. All suites can fit 1-2 extra beds.

Perfect for:

A thoroughly unique nature and wildlife experience

Getting there

The hotel is in the Brazilian Cerrado, at the meeting point of 3 Brazilian states - Goiás, Bahia and Minas Gerais.

By Road

A 5 hour drive from Brasilia (388km)

By Air

Nearest airport: Brasilia but guests can choose to fly direct to Trijunção landing strip by light aircraft, 45 minutes from Brasilia.

Gallery & Resources

Follow this link to Senderos Resources for Pousada Trijunção to access

Images, our selection
Fact sheets
Presentations
Rack rates
Excursion lists
And other useful information.

Pousada Trijunção also has its own image library here.

Weather

Dry Season (April-October): temperatures range from ca. 12 to 33°C. Very few days with rain. Mornings can be cool in June and July.
Rainy Season (November-March, though mostly December-February), with a few hours of rain interspersed with sun and temperatures ranging from ca. 20 to 33°C.