Empowering
Sumba’s Future
Education. Health. Opportunity.
When Chris Burch acquired NIHI for his sons, Nick, Henry, and Sawyer, he imagined more than a resort. He envisioned a place where values could be lived, not just taught. A sanctuary where adventure meets purpose, and where family, responsibility, and meaningful contribution are as integral as the surrounding natural beauty. That vision has since evolved into something far greater than a destination. NIHI is now a haven of wild luxury and deep connection, a place where impact is woven into every experience. The Burch family remains deeply involved, with Nick, Henry, and Sawyer each bringing their heart to a venture shaped by intention and guided by care.
Burch Family Foundation proudly supports:
Sustained by the Burch family’s devotion, and continually uplifted by the generosity of NIHI’s global guest community, the Burch Family Foundation is more than philanthropy. It is a living expression of care, connection, and the enduring value of giving back.
“I have witnessed Chris Burch give with quiet grace and extraordinary heart. What he has created at NIHI, born of love for his sons and a profound care for the people of Sumba, has touched lives in deeply lasting ways. His generosity has powerfully expanded the legacy of the Sumba Foundation, bringing clean water, restoring health, and igniting transformation across the island, offering more than aid:
a lasting light toward a brighter future.”
– James McBride –
Co-Founder & CEO – NIHI HOTELS
The Sumba Foundation
Is constantly evolving to meet the current and future needs of the Sumbanese people, building a solid foundation of better health and basic education for the community, creating employment and small-scale business opportunities for future generations.
Sumba Hospitality Foundation
Sumba was poised for a surge in tourism development, with potential to create indispensable job opportunities. Many sumbanese youth did not have access to the relevant education. And that’s how Inge founded the Hospitality School and Foundation.
English Goes to Kampung
Is a grassroots organization founded by english teacher and activist, Roswita Asti Kulla. Recognizing education as a vital tool to alleviate poverty and gain access to job opportunities, EGK’s mission is to make education more widely accessible on sumba island.
Nihigram
Merdeka! 🇮🇩
@nihi bangga menyebut Indonesia sebagai rumah kami. Dari Sumba, kami berdiri bersama untuk merayakan Hari Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia yang ke-81.
Mari kibarkan Sang Merah Putih dengan bangga dan rayakan semangat, kehangatan, serta kebersamaan yang menjadikan Indonesia begitu istimewa. Rakyat Indonesia memiliki hati yang besar dan semangat yang tak tergoyahkan.
Selamat Hari Kemerdekaan, Indonesia! 🇮🇩
Merdeka! @nihi are proud to call Indonesia home. From Sumba, we stand together to celebrate Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day.
Today, we fly the red and white flag high and celebrate the warmth, spirit and togetherness that make this country so extraordinary. The people of Indonesia have huge hearts and an unbreakable spirit.
Happy Independence Day, Indonesia! 🇮🇩
#HariMerdeka #Indonesia #NIHISumba
Some places live up to the dream. NIHI Sumba is the kind of dream you don’t want to wake up from.
Come and see what everyone’s dreaming about.
No trending audio. No soundtrack needed.
Just the rhythm of Sumba. The ocean, the horses, the wind through the palms and the sounds that make this place feel like nowhere else.
After an unforgettable first Healing with Horses retreat on the Edge of Wildness, we’re delighted to announce that Candice Webster will return to NIHI Sumba in 2027.
Our inaugural retreat brought together the extraordinary energy of Sumba, our Sandalwood horses and Candice’s intuitive approach to equine healing for five deeply transformative days of connection, renewal and discovery.
In 2027, we return to the herd for two intimate retreats:
1–6 June 2027
8–13 June 2027
Spaces are limited. Each retreat offers the opportunity to slow down, reconnect and experience the profound relationship between horses, nature and self.
Full details and enquires are available via the retreat page, linked in our bio.
A true @nihi journey that has only just begun.
Cherish is a graduate from the Rote Hospitality Academy. Today, he is proudly part of the team at @nihirote, welcoming guests from around the world and sharing the beauty, culture and stories of the island he calls home.
@rote_hospitality_academy is proud to help create opportunities for Rote’s next generation, providing the skills and pathways to build their futures on the island.
Where culture runs deep and nature remains wild.
From ancient traditions and the enduring bond between the Sumbanese people and their horses, to untouched coastlines, rolling hills and endless horizons, Sumba is a place shaped by both its people and the land they call home.
At NIHI, every journey is a chance to experience the island as it has been for generations: raw, beautiful and deeply connected to its roots.
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#nihigram by @gedewahyuu_
Mornings to dream about.
Wake to the sound of rolling waves, swaying palms, and birdsong as the island slowly comes to life. Here, peace isn’t something you have to search for, it’s all around you. In the quiet, away from the everyday, you’ll find space to reconnect with nature, with the moment, and with yourself.
The simplest mornings often leave the greatest impression.
Experience one of NIHI Sumba’s most magical moments: swimming with horses at Nihiwatu Beach.
Deeply woven into Sumbanese culture, the local people have bathed their horses in the ocean for generations. More than just an adventure, it’s a rare opportunity to connect with these incredible animals while experiencing a tradition that has been passed down through the ages.
Join the daily swimming with horses experience and discover one of Sumba’s most beautiful and authentic rituals.
The soul of Sumba lives in its traditions.
Here, culture isn’t something preserved behind glass. It’s woven into every thread of ikat, passed from one generation to the next through age-old stories and legends, and carried proudly by the people who call this island home.
The bond between the Sumbanese people and their horses runs deep, shaped over centuries and celebrated in the ancient Pasola festival, where tradition, courage and community come together in one of Indonesia’s most extraordinary cultural events.
Even today, these timeless scenes can still be found along the beaches of Sumba, where horses roam freely and the island’s heritage continues to live on.
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#nihigram by @gedewahyuu_
The first light spills across the ocean, the mist slowly lifts, horses wander freely along the shoreline, and the world seems to move a little slower.
This is the magic of mornings at NIHI, quiet, wild, and beautifully untouched.
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