The restored, antique fazenda and an oca ecolodge Spazenda, near National Park Chapada dos Veadeiros offer luxurious accommodation in a natural setting. It's a place to enjoy a sauna, walk through the garden, pick fresh fruit and linger longer than planned.
Fazenda accommodation at Spazenda in Alta Paraíso
Ecolodge Spazenda lies along UNESCO's World Natural Heritage Site Chapada dos Veadeiros, in central Brazil. Until a few years ago the Spazenda's 12,000 square metres officially belonged to this National Park, and fortunately the owners of this fazenda use an ecological approach to keep their terrain in a natural state.
The forty-year old fazenda [farm house] is spacious and has been tastefully restored. The living annex dining room and kitchen form one large area, with amenities such as a typically Brazilian wood-burning stove as well as a regular gas stove with kitchen utensils, a large fridge and freezer. The room with ochre floors, whitewashed walls and wooden ceiling is a cosy place to sit around the large wooden table made of beautiful ipe-roxo wood, or to relax on the couch or hanging cane chair.
The fazenda has two double-bed bedrooms, one single-bed bedroom and the couch in the living room can be used as a bed as well. The bathroom comes with a hot shower and a washing machine. The fazenda is surrounded by a garden with typical cerrado vegetation where fruit can be picked depending on the season. A path leads visitors along ancient trees and spectacular viewpoints.
Spazenda's ecolodge accommodation, the oca
The second accommodation is smaller but by no means less tasteful. Entirely designed and built by Janet and Xavier, the owners of Spazenda, it is unique in design and execution, in which their eye for detail is visible. On the ground floor is an open space with a hammock, easy chairs and a separate kitchen with gas stove and fridge, one double-bed room and a bathroom with hot shower.
Open stairs lead to the second, spacious floor with a palm leaf roof – hence the name oca, which refers to the typically indigenous huts made of palm leaves – on the inside finished with wood. There are no concrete or brick walls but trunks from the buriti palm tree form the sides, making it an open-air area, which is a marvellous retreat during the heat of the day. Tasteful decorations include a dining table and chairs made of tamburiu and jatoba wood, a hammock, and cane couches – the latter can serve as beds as well. A small staircase leads to a loft, which has the oca's second double bed.
Accommodation with sauna and river bath
The area is one large Spazenda, typified by springs [you can drink water from the tap, straight from the crystal-clear springs on the terrain]. The entire Chapada dos Veadeiros region is in fact a marvellous amalgam of rivers, pools and waterfalls.
On the Spazenda itself a small corner of a stream has been cut off to create a fresh-water bath, and nearby is a steam sauna. After a steam session cool off on the wooden bench outside to admire the astonishing view of the cerrado or sunset.
Amenities and accessibility of ecolodge Spazenda
The Spazenda has wi-fi but not a television. It is possible to pay cash as well as with debit / credit card. Negotiable is pick-up service from the nearby town of Alta Paraíso [5 kilometres] as well as Brasília [200 kilometres south]. Considering the remote location it is advisable to bring your own vehicle – car rental can be arranged in Brasília as well as in Alta Paraíso [in case of the latter, make reservations in advance to avoid disappointment]. For more information check out Spazenda's website.
Activities and tranquility at ecolodge Spazenda in Goiás
Hiking trails, outdoor adventures and swimming in waterfalls are some of the activities on offer, either on the fazenda or to be arranged downtown Alta Paraíso. This part of Goiás is known for its esoteric character and Janet and Xavier can advise on reliable masseurs, acupuncture or other types of therapy.
The ecolodge Spazenda is situated far from modern civilisation, and night entertainment consists of listening to cricket concerts or watching a ballet performance by thousands of fireflies. Spazenda not only offers a lovely accommodation but also a great opportunity to discover a beautiful part of Brazil's state of Goiás, enjoy outdoor activities in National Park Chapada dos Veadeiros, or to simply take a rest and recharge your batteries.
Karin-Marijke Vis - Karin-Marijke Vis is a bilingual writer (Dutch-English) who has been traveling in Asia and South America since 2003.
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