I found Gil through an internet trawl and followed up using Trip Advisor. He came highly recommended and I have to say the praise was indeed worthwhile. At first I was concerned about the where and how of meeting from a cruise ship part way up the Amazon, having only communicated by email with Gil but I needn't have worried, Gil was exactly at the gate to the docks a mere 50m from the ship, just where he said he would be! And having seen his photos, he was immediately recogniseable. The trip was comprehensive and perfect if you want to get to see the floodplain and only have a day to do it. Gil was most knowledgeable and so passionate and excited seeing birds and animals even though he must see them everyday. We had a river boat for a group of about 12 of us so we weren't crowded. Local drinks, nuts, fruit and fish were served during our trip which was really very leisurely but if this isn't a contradiction, jam-packed with excitment too. We also had time to get off the boat into 2 smaller motorised boats so we got to see parts of the floodplain that the ship tours don't cover. The joy of seeing a Hoatzin up close was absolutely amazing! Not to mention the dozens of other birds Gil spied from the boat. I can thoroughly recommend Gil and his crew for that special highlight from Santarem.
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