WELCOME TO ELEMENTAL RETREAT
The Team
The Elemental Retreat is built around people who know this landscape from the inside. Born in the forest, born in Paraty, or drawn here by something they couldn't quite explain.
Luis da Mata — Naturalist & Forest Guide
Born and raised in the Atlantic rainforest near Paraty, Luis da Mata has an extraordinary connection to the natural world. Locals say he is "bem da mata" — truly a man of the forest. A gifted naturalist, he can identify and call dozens of tropical bird species, and walking with him through the jungle is like stepping into a living field guide. During warmer months he sleeps beneath the rainforest canopy. Time with Luis is not just a walk — it's an immersion into the rhythms and secrets of the Atlantic Forest.
Jorge Ferreira — Researcher & Forager
Born into a farming family, Jorge Ferreira is a self-taught agroforester and botanist with a lifelong passion for Brazilian biodiversity. He learned from an early age to live in harmony with the forest, coming to understand that knowledge is the foundation of preservation. A walk through the forest with Jorge is a masterclass in the living relationship between people, plants and place.
Talluana Nogueira — Bodywork Therapist
Talluana Nogueira is a bodywork therapist based in Paraty and founder of Oca, a centre for massage, Ayurveda and yoga. Her sessions combine intuitive touch, body awareness and integrative care — a grounding complement to the week. Private therapeutic bodywork available throughout the retreat.
Pranjal Bordoloy — Sound Healing & Meditation
Pranjal brings deep experience in retreat facilitation, sound bathing and meditation. With 27 years running large-scale events in India before dedicating himself fully to retreat work, his approach is considered and quietly transformative. For those who want to go deeper — through guided meditation, sound healing or simply a conversation — Pranjal is vastly experienced and always present.
Colin Jolly — Host & Curator
I first came to Paraty in 2002, lived in Brazil for several years, and have returned every year since. Over time I built something I didn't set out to build — a deep network of local friends and guides who know this landscape better than anyone. This year I'm bringing a long-standing idea to life. Two small retreats in July and August. Beachfront villas where the Atlantic rainforest meets the ocean — nature, good food, genuine exploration and time to properly switch off. The photos are from the same spot on Caixa d'Aço beach, twenty years apart. Paddy in the white t-shirt loved Paraty so much he never left. He now runs Paraty Explorer, and you'll almost certainly meet him.
Casas Paraty
Provides the beachfront villa accommodation on Jabaquara beach — consistently five-star reviewed and among the finest coastal properties in Paraty.
Azury Wellness
Pranjal Bordoloy's retreat brand. 27 years of large-scale event experience in India, followed by 18 months dedicated to retreat facilitation. Brings sound healing, breathwork and meditation to the Elemental Retreat.
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