Wildlife spotting at Pousada Trijuncao

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.