Refúgio Porto das Pedras at Bom Jardim in Brazil
Eco Adventure at a Secluded Hotel Near Nobres, Mato Grosso
Oct 20, 2009
Amidst the natural treasures of Bom Jardim, north of Cuiabá in west Brazil, Refúgio Porto das Pedras recently opened its doors to visitors. This small, comfortable hotel provides a good base for eco adventures to Bom Jardim's natural attractions. Limestone caves, tumbling waterfalls, crystalline lakes and streams are excellent for adventure activities like diving and snorkelling.
Accommodation at Refúgio Porto das Pedras
The hotel offers three rooms with each two or three single, highly comfortable beds, air conditioning and a bathroom with hot shower. The large dining room looks out over the lake and hills and is a place to sit back and observe the amazing display of native fauna as well as fabulous sunsets. The adjacent tower offers a view of the lake and the treetops, where monkeys like to play and jump around.
Breakfast includes coffee, homemade bread and "pão de queso" – warm cheese rolls. Angela, the housekeeper and cook, prepares tasteful lunches and dinners based on Brazil's staple food of rice, beans and manioc with either beef dishes, or fish like pacu or piraputanga – freshly caught in the nearby river.
Wildlife at Refúgio Porto das Pedras
During dawn and dusk sighting of wildlife is at its best. The shrieking of waterfowl echoes over the lake and from the forest-clad hills resonates the roaring of the howler monkeys. Macaques come down from the trees to feast themselves on whatever the caretaker of the Refúgio Porto das Pedras feeds them.
The lake is home to caimans and frequently visited by capybaras. The hotel is a twitcher's paradise: treetop-dwellers like macaws roost in the palm trees lining the lake and waterfowl, among which the 1.5 metres tall jabiro stork, is abundant.
Eco Adventure at Refúgio Porto das Pedras
The splendid forty metres high Serra Azul Waterfall is situated on the premises of Refúgio Porto das Pedras. A short hike through the forest leads to the waterfall that tumbles down into an aquamarine pond. With snorkelling gear [provided by the hotel] one can swim among schools of piraputanga fish.
Raul and Renata, the managers of Refúgio Porto das Pedras, focus on personal attention and are highly conscious of the need for the ecologic conservation of the natural scenery they inhabit. They are full of ideas for further developing eco adventures on their premises, like canyoning and rappelling – without disrupting the natural environment, of course.
Adventure Activities in Bom Jardim
The nearby village of Bom Jardim offers adventure activities, among which:
- bird watching
- snorkelling
- scuba diving
- exploring limestone caves
The adventure activities are organised by Bom Jardim's travel agency or can be arranged by Refúgio das Pedras' managers.
Refúgio Porto das Pedras – Rates and Reservations
The accommodation costs 150 reais per person per night [about US $80], which is good value for money for lodging, three meals a day and unlimited visits to the Serra Azul Waterfall. Excursions to Bom Jardim's eco adventures and – when needed – a transfer from and to Refúgio das Pedras are not included in the price. Payment needs to be made in cash [Brazilian reais or US dollars].
Reservations are mandatory and can be made by email or telephone.
- email: raulneto@terra.com.br
- telephone: [65] 9981-8747 / 9973-8880 / 9995-7879
How to Reach Refúgio Porto das Pedras in Bom Jardim
- The hotel is situated 25 kilometres from Bom Jardim, which lies about 130 kilometres north of Cuiabá [capital of Mato Grosso in west Brazil] and subsequently 70 kilometres east of Nobres on Road MT 241.
- The accommodation can be reached independently by car, or by bus.
- A daily bus plies between Cuiabá and Bom Jardim [30 reais, about 4-5 hours' ride].
- A car can be rented in the nearby town of Nobres or in Cuiabá.
- On request transfers can be arranged, either from Cuiabá or Nobres.
Refúgio Porto das Pedras offers a perfect getaway for those who like a secluded hotel set in natural scenery. The accommodation offers sightings of wildlife, eco adventure on its own premises as well as adventure activities to the nearby village of Bom Jardim.
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