Friday 15 January 2016

New Review on Trip Advisor

5 of 5 stars Reviewed yesterday NEW
We took two tours with Gil Serique, one at Altar do Chao and one in Santarém, both in December, 2015. We were on a cruise ship that went up and back down the Amazon all of the way to Manaus. Both tours with Gil were superb! In Santarém we were about 6 couples. We were picked up at our cruise ship and taken first to the fish market in town. After that we boarded a two decker boat (just for our small group) and set out on the Amazon and up a smaller tributary. During the short voyage there, we were provided with snacks and drinks. We disembarked on the shore for a walk in the rain forest where some of Gil's assistants found several animals for us to view, including a sloth. After the walk, we were provided a lunch, served on a table with chairs they had brought on the boat. The food was delicious and the drinks were plentiful. We were also provided snacks and drinks on the voyage back to town. From there we had a tour of the city in a comfortable air-conditioned van and then back to our ship.
Several days later, on the way back out of the Amazon, we had a second tour with Gil at Altar do Chao, which is where he lives, a town of about 5,000 people. There were 6 people in our tour group. Again, Gil met us with an air-conditioned van and driver. Snacks and driinks were provided. We drove throgh the rain forest for about an hour through villages and coutry-side to Tapajos National Forest, named by his grandmother. He grew up on that property. Back in Atar do Chao, we went to Gil's house overlooking the beach. He lives on the Vaughn estate, built shortly ofter the U.S. Civil War, by Confederate immigrants to Brazil. Food and drinks were provided and he gave us copies of the book he has published on the rain forest. His English is fluent. He is a recognized expert on Amazon parrots and has lectured in U.S. Universities. These two tours rank at the top of my list and Gil as the best guide ever! Highly recommended.

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