Eco Lodge – Natural Comfort in the Heart of the Atlantic Forest Experience the perfect blend of sustainability, comfort, and privacy at Eco Lodge, a 160 m² handcrafted retreat nestled within a self-sustaining eco farm in the mountains of Nova Friburgo. Surrounded by the Atlantic Forest, one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots, the lodge offers astonishing views, total seclusion, and a deep connection to nature. Built using natural cob techniques (earth, sand, and straw), the house offers excellent thermal insulation, a humidity-free interior, and a healthy, peaceful atmosphere. The green roof and natural architecture integrate seamlessly into the mountain landscape. 🏡 The Lodge Offers: -2 comfortable suites and 1 private bedroom -3 bathrooms in total -Fully equipped kitchen and open-plan living room -Large windows with panoramic views -Private terrace, garage, and eco-conscious design - Wifi -🌿 Highlights: - Located on a working eco farm with reforestation and agroforestry - Natural build architecture with sustainable materials - Total privacy in a protected forest setting - Bonfire area under the stars - Solar-powered and energy-efficient 🛻 Access Information: The lodge is located on top of a mountain, 2 km from the parking area. A 4x4 vehicle is recommended, but we gladly offer two complimentary rides for guests arriving in regular cars: one to bring you up at check-in and another to return you and your luggage at checkout. 🥗 Extras & Experiences (additional cost): - Order natural products from the farm - Join guided hikes, agroforestry activities, and waterfall visits - Organic meals available Monday to Friday (24h notice required) Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat, a romantic escape, or a truly immersive eco-living experience, Eco Lodge invites you to live in harmony with nature — with comfort, style, and just the right touch of adventure.

In 2014, we — Hilaine, Bart, Nico, and Lucas Bijen — left everything behind and came to Brazil to pursue a dream: to create the self-sustaining ecological farm Eco Caminhos. We are a family of idealists with experience in engineering, entrepreneurship, social projects, and youth education. We value human connection, the exchange of energy, and mutual learning. We believe that life’s challenges help us grow as human beings. That’s why we now work closely with the local community and welcome people with similar dreams to build a more conscious and balanced future together. Our greatest motivation is the planet. Faced with environmental, social, and economic crises, we chose to live simply and commit to sustainable solutions. We believe in an autonomous and collective lifestyle — producing our own food and energy, building with natural materials — while sharing knowledge, skills, and experiences.

In Nova Friburgo, in addition to the Parish of São João Batista, the administrative seat, there are also the parishes of São José do Ribeirão, Nossa Senhora da Conceição do Paquequer, and Nossa Senhora de Sebastiana. The latter was formerly known as Terras Frias and is now called Campo do Coelho, the third district of Nova Friburgo. At the time of acquiring several land grants (sesmarias) to establish the municipality of Nova Friburgo — among them the Fazenda do Morro Queimado, chosen as the administrative center and village headquarters — King Dom João VI reserved the Fazenda Córrego d’Anta as private property of the Crown. The Swiss Confederation, more specifically the Canton of Fribourg, signed an agreement with King Dom João VI to send Swiss settlers to Brazil. Between November 1819 and March 1820, these settlers began to arrive. Although the king had anticipated the arrival of around 800 people, 1,631 Swiss immigrants from different cantons of the Confederation disembarked. The land granted to the Swiss settlers was, for the most part, unsuitable for agriculture, leading many to abandon the Colonial Nucleus. According to contemporaries of the time, the project of establishing a European settlement was considered a failure. Even so, Swiss migrants continued to settle in Nova Friburgo and Cantagalo. One such example was Etienne Alexis Cardinaux. If you visit Campo do Coelho, you’ll find a sign indicating a place called Cardinot — a name that was altered in the civil registry, as the original is Cardinaux. It is a peaceful area, where social life revolves around Sunday football matches with teams from neighboring communities, followed by a beer at the bar in front of the field. Cardinot begins at Pedra da Caledônia and extends to the Friburgo–Teresópolis road. The village consists of simple houses and is known for the charm of its simplicity.