Ibiti Project

The Ibiti Project wears many hats. Located four hours from Rio de Janeiro in the mountainous, inland Minas Gerais state, this one-of-a-kind initiative is part countryside retreat, part traditional village, and part rewilding haven. Bordering Ibitipoca State Park, the project’s 14,800-acre private reserve houses one of Brazil’s finest luxury hotels, a 20-person town, organic gardens, and great swaths of bucolic fields, forests, lakes, and waterfalls laced with hiking, cycling, and horseback riding routes.

Even just deciding which accommodation to stay in is a choose-your-own-adventure, with options ranging from remote, backcountry cottages to guesthouses in the heart of Mogol, the reserve’s 20-person village. But the crown jewel is the esteemed Engenho Lodge, which overlooks a lake deep within the grounds. Dating from 1715, this traditional farmhouse has been reimagined as an elegant, eight-room property, resplendent in historic charm like terracotta-tiled roofs and stained-glass windows but full of contemporary comforts like a spa, hot tub, and sauna.

Located in one of Brazil’s most agriculturally-abundant states, dining is a highlight of the Ibiti Project experience. Organic farms around the property provide homegrown goodness for regional specialties, complemented by fresh, seasonal provisions from local producers. Not one to go back on its principles, beef is off the menu at the main restaurant, with most meals instead focusing on what’s just popped out of the ground. Minas Gerais is also one of Brazil’s biggest coffee producers, so there’s no shortage of locally sourced java. Activities are endless, from riding the lodge’s Anglo-Arabian and Mangalarga horses around the countryside to hiking deep into the forests in search of waterfalls. Even more adventure awaits in the neighboring Ibitipoca State Park, where you can swim in naturally red-hued rivers or step inside hidden caves.

Staying here does far more than immerse you in Brazil’s wild interior; it also supports Ibiti’s crucial environmental and conservation work. Home to a wealth of natural resources from valuable minerals to fertile soil, Minas Gerais’ tropical forests and rugged peaks are constantly threatened by large-scale mining and deforestation projects. Regenerating the land is slow and steady work, which Ibiti chips away at through a comprehensive list of programs doing everything from replanting indigenous flora to helping populations of native wildlife like muriqui monkeys and cougars recover. Abutting Ibitipoca State Park, the project also preserves wildlife corridors, allowing animals like maned wolves to roam freely and safely. Ibiti is also all about supporting the local human population as well, providing employment opportunities apart from logging and aiding in socio-economic development without damaging culture and heritage.