New review on Trip Advisor

If you are going to the Amazon - you gotta connect with this guy!

For many of us who travel to the Amazon, it is a bucket list item, and you want to get as much out of the experience as you can. I can guarantee that Gil Serique will make sure that happens for you. It can even start before you leave home. Gil is available (by e-mail) to answer questions, arrange to customize your experience if you like (we were a large group of cruisers stopping for a day), and even put contingency plans in place if need be (a must for us cruisers!). He and his team are an enthusiastic bunch and will keep you informed and entertained the whole time you are with them. Their English is superb, and they go out of their way to bring the Amazon to life for you, answering any and all questions that you care to throw at them, and showing you as much as they can in the time you have to spend with them. Being local, they know the area like the back of their hand. Their rates are reasonable and they simply knock themselves out to please you. They ensure all who travel with them are kept safe and go out of their way to help anyone with special needs (e.g. difficulty walking). I cannot say enough good things about Gil and hope you get to meet him on your travels through the Amazon. You won't be disappointed. Brenda and Dan

 

New Review on Trip Advisor

The Best Tour You'll Ever Do

Gil is probably the most enthusiastic guy I've ever met. Not only did he give us a ton of information about the Amazon Rainforest and its history, he also showed us a wide-range of animals and wildlife. And he did so with an energy that is truly unmatchable. I will never forget my time with Gil (and Celso!) in the Amazon - and I know that you won't either.

One of the most enthusiastic and powerful tour-guides I have ever met!

One of the most enthusiastic and powerful tour-guides I have ever met!

Without a doubt the best tour I was on during my two week trip to the Amazon. 

While Gil’ mastery of the Rainforest wildlife goes without question, what makes the tour so special is his the way he interweaves the presentation of the Amazon’s rich wildlife with an equally rich history of the region, his family and of course himself. 

 On day 1, we set off to explore the National Park along the Tapajós River. On the way, Gil told us the remarkable story of how his family first came to Brazil, as well as his own fascinating upbringing in Santarém. 

Once we got there, we explored the jungle that Gil knows inside-out from his childhood. Although this part of the tour want the most diverse in terms of wildlife (maybe a few monkeys, but not much more), the scenery of the vastness of the Amazon was truly breathtaking. 

To top it off, Gil has prepared a camping-style lunch for us in the forest. Just as we were about to eat, however, it started to rain and we were forced to retreat. Our plan to camp in the rainforest had to be cancelled but Gil was king enough to let us stay in hammocks back at his place in Alter do Chão. On day 2, after a quick visit to the local fish-market to see the river-dolphins, Gil hired a boat for us to go right into the rainforest/wetland area. 

This is where Ornithologist Gil’s vast knowledge really made all the difference. As we moved through the vast river network, Gil would direct out attention to all manner of wildlife, and we were able to thoroughly appreciate the richness of the Amazon ecosystem. As a further treat, Gil’s cousin had prepared a delightful fish-stew for us which we enjoyed on the boat al-fresco before we returned back in town. 

 Throughout the 2 days, our conversations were filled with wit, humour, history and a deep love for this endangered but still deeply fascinating region. The tour is quite intense, there is no doubt that you will be rewarded by a far greater intellectual awareness of the region than the common tour. 

 One final point for those coming to see the Amazon from abroad. Gil’s English is truly excellent, so English speakers should not worry about this point. Indeed, Gil is one of the best English speakers that I have met in Brazil. I consider my Portuguese not bad, but I am truly put to shame when compared with Gil’s English. A testament to his curiosity and commitment to learning.

Happy to be on the cover of Trip Advisor

New Review on Trip Advisor

“Best Guide on the Amazon”

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.