A Sanctuary in the middle of Brazilian cerrado

The Vagafogo Sanctuary is a private reserve in Pirenópolis, created in 1990 with the intention of spreading ecotourism, environmental education and sustainable food production.

The lush forest full of century-old trees, identified by signs, has a bucolic trail of 1500 meters long. At the end of the trail adventure, you can cool off in a natural pool of refreshing and transparent waters of the Vagafogo River, that cuts through the forest.

Trained staff provide visitors with more extreme activities like rappelling and zip line. Rappelling, for example, is done in a jatobá tree with more than 20 meters in height.

To re-charge your energy, check out the brunch served by the friendly owners of the reserve, in the Sanctuary’s restaurant. The meal has 45 items such as jams, chutneys, cakes and fruit, that are produced right there at Vagafogo.

Pirenópolis

The city of Pirenópolis is located in the State of Goiás, but pretty close to Brasília. It is just a 2 hour drive to get to the beautiful and distinctive Cidade dos Pireneus. The road is nice and full of nature.

When you get there, look for the historic center: its where the Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Rosário is located. For the goiano people (as the residents of the State of Goiás are called), it is the largest center of Catholic faith. For the tourist, on the other hand, what usually matters is its architecture and colonial style.