Morgenlicht Retreat Center

Presentation

Welcome to Morgenlicht Retreat Center.
Our name is a german phrase translated as "Morning Light" and we started our activities in 1996.
The criators of Morgenlicht, Martina Willach Galliez, she from Germany and Carlos Cesar Galliez from Brazil met at the Esalen Institute, California in the 1980's.

Accommodations

Morgenlicht welcomes, always on an exclusive basis, groups of 10 people or more, and can comfortably accomodate up to 26 guests in double or triple apartments with private baths and warm water heated by solar panels. Three additional guests can be accommodated in an independent suite at the main house of Fazenda Cachoeiras, 5 minutes away from Morgenlicht.

The Food

We offer to our guests three full daily meals, coffe breaks and snacks, served at the dining hall self-service buffet.
Vibrational Kitchen is how we call our cuisine, prepared with fresh products from our organic vegetable garden, combined with locally-grown fruits and produce, white meat and local dairy products.
Every meal is accompained with fresh fruit juice. Our natural spring water is complimentary, and we also serve our own coffee, herb teas, honey, eggs, jellies and yogurt.
We can accommodate each group's specific dietary needs, including raw food diet.

Lounge Room

The main lounge room, fitted with a fireplace and lounge music, offers an elegant and warm atmosphere, an ideal setting for social interaction among friends, or work companions.
The same room doubles as a home theater or a ball room.

Work Room

Our octagonal work room, located at the second floor of Morgenlicht, is sorrounded by a deck with sweeping mountain views.
It is a 70 m²/755 sq.ft. spacious room, with hardwood floors, warmed by a fire place, fitted with a stereo system, a flip chart, a white board, as well as a 29' TV and DVD. It allows for a wide range of set ups: pillows and mats, chairs or tables and chairs, comfortably accommodating up to 30 people.The exquisite acoustic of this room is perfect for musical and singing groups, and the silence outside facilitates focus and interaction.

Structure and Facilities

Guests can enjoy an out door chlorine-free heated pool and a dry fire wood sauna, adjacent to Morgenlicht.
The natural swimming pool and waterfall are located 15 minutes walking distance from Morgenlicht.
Groups that enjoy hiking have several hiking options through scenic trails of different degrees of difficulty and lengths, amidst the Atlantic Rain Forest.
The trails and roads of the Macabu Range are there to be experienced by adventurous and sensitive mountain bikers.
The rich ecology offers a beautiful fauna for the bird watchers.

The Region

Barra Alegre is a little town near Nova Friburgo, in the mountains, North East of Rio de Janeiro.
Fazenda Cachoeiras farm, 900 meters/ 2953 feet above sea level, where Morgenlicht is located, has an area of 330 hectares/ 815 acres of Atlantic Rain Forest, creeks and exquisite mountain views.
Its construction dates back to 1892, and it was settled by a German family.
Our climate is dry, with much of its rain precipitation in the summer. Temperatures vary from a maximum of 35ºC/ 95ºF during the day in summer to a minimum of 8ºC/ 45ºF at night, in winter, and very mild annual average temperatures.

Who We Are

Martina and Carlos Cesar moved with their family to Fazenda Cachoeiras in 1992, and have personally managed Morgenlicht since 1996.
She is therapeutic masseuse also working in Rio de Janeiro, and he is a medical doctor and psychotherapist specialized in Bioenergetics Analysis, practicing both in Rio de Janeiro and in the area.
Our team is made up of members of the neighbouring Boa Vista community who, since its inception, have identified themselves with our life and work principles.

How to Arrive

There are paved backtop roads up until Barra Alegre, where, after a 500 m (¼ mile) stretch, our vicinal road begins, with 4,5 Km (2.8 miles) of dirt road with open acces all year round. There signs throughout the unpaved road.
It's a 3.5 hour drive from Rio de Janeiro.
We can organize Shuttle Service from Rio de Janeiro International Airport to Morgenlicht.
Both the farm and Morgenlicht can be seen in high definition using the Google Earth software. Our geographic location is 42° 17'09 52" West and 22º 15'50 43" South
If you want to have a good map to arrive, go to the Summary page and click in How to Arrive.

Directions

Morgenlicht
Fazenda Cachoeiras S/N
Barra Alegre, Bom Jardim
CEP: 28666-000 – RJ – Brazil

Phones

00 55 22 2566-4222 and 00 55 21 8621-8770 (cell phone) – Morgenlicht
00 55 21 2266-5504 – Rio de Janeiro office

E-mail

carlosmartina@morgenlicht.com.br

Website

www.morgenlicht.com.br