Saturday, 23 February 2013

Amazing time with Maasdam cruisers in Santarem

On the boat


Exploring the Amazon Floodplain by canoe

Adventure time


Add caption


Three-toed Sloth

Exploring the Amazon Floodplain


Tuesday, 19 February 2013

Private River Tour Aida mates.

Sloths in the forest, dolphins on the river. The representatives of local wildlife

One of the best moments amongst many.

It is like paradise. Showing these great peopl my area. Tkx Carola.

People enjoys also a brief time at Santarem
Image and video hosting by TinyPic

Thursday, 14 February 2013

Great time even greater people

Ariane and Flora with Mephisto

Pink Dolphins
In Rainforest

Pink Dolphin

Fun at Rainforest canopy

Shooting bizarre-looking insects

Brazil nut shells opened by Agoutis

Sad sunset in Rainforest

Monday, 11 February 2013

Cruiseships in the Amazon (private shore excursion)

February and March are my favourite months for guiding cruiseship passengers, the reason is because with the water high enough we can have amazing views of Pink Dolphins and explore the Maica river area even deeper then previous months.  

The boat ride through the Amazon Floodplain is a fantastic experience. Sloths and many species of birds are also great in these days.

In Santarem area it rains a lot less then the other places so rain just makes the trip greater.

I am overbooked for some cruises, others I still have room for the ones who really consider their visit to Amazon a dream to come true.

Join us booking via  gilserique@gmail.com

Wednesday, 6 February 2013

My biography, i guess I did my homework

I was born and raised on the banks of the Tapajos River in the municipality of Santarem, Amazon, Brazil. I spent my entire childhood in immediate contact with all the wonders of the Amazon rainforest. This formative experience forged a bond with nature that I never relinquished.

I became a guide right after graduating high school. From1984-1986, I worked as a tour guide for Varig Airlines' world-famous Tropical Hotel Santarem, then as a bilingual reservations agent for Varig Airlines in Maceio, on the northeastern coast of Brazil. While working there, I was acclaimed in Bobby Schenk´s book, Segeln im Reich der Sturme.  In 1989 I joined the first demonstration against the construction of Hydro-electric dams on various rivers in the Amazon.  Soon after that I retrurned home to Santarem. 
Over the next ten years, I organised private and scientific expeditions on the Tapajos River, the Amazon Floodplains, and the Rio Negro. I continuted working as a guide for Varig´s travel agency, associated with the Tropical Hotel and other lodges.  I was also a naturalist/ lecturer on several cruise ships; M/S Explorer, M/S Lyubov Orlova, and M/S Mercury.  In addition, I guided for The Center for Preservation of Indigenous Art, Culture and Sciences in Alter do Chao.

From1996 to 2002, I worked as Field Director of the Hyacinth Macaw Research Project for The Wildlife Conservation Society (founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society).  My first year there, I  helped establish the Amazon Basin's single richest wildife site, The Manu Wildlife Center in southern Peru. I then began conducting increasing numbers of eco-tours to various conservatories in Brazil; Itatiaia National Park (RJ), Iguassu National Park (PR), Quebrangulo and Muruci Reserves (AL), Mamiraua Ecological Station, and all over northern and southern Pantanal.  I led an expedition for the University of Quebec that shed light on the ecological impact of using mercury to mine gold in the Brazilian Amazon.  

Since graduating high school, I have been virtually self-taught.  My late brother, Flavio Serique, taught me English which I expanded on through my extensive guiding experience and reading novels based on expeditions that I led.  Together, he and I participated in the Kota Mama Expedition organised by The Scientific Exploration Society, which resulted in John Blasford Snell´s book East to the Amazon.  One of the tours I led was chosen by The Guardian as “one of the best in Latin America.”  I am also a recommended guide in Footprints, Trip Wolf, Lonely Planet, Cruise Critic, and Trip Advisor.
I am specialized in bird identification and ecology.  In 2007, I pubished my first book, Your Personal Guide to Amazon Wildlife. I am currently writing my latest book on Birds of the Amazon, and assisting Joe Jackson on his book about the Amazon Gold Rush.  Other books I have collaborated on include; Joe Jackson´s The Thief at the End of the World, Greg Grandin’s The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford’s Forgotten Jungle Town, Andrew Blackwell’s Visit Sunny Chernobyl, Dan Dubowitz´s Megalomania, and Papageien der Welt by Matthias Reinschmidt and Karl–Heinz Lambert.  I have contributed texts and photographs to various magazines and books, including  The Ecologist, GEO and the cover of Dr. Mark Hines’ book, Jungle Marathon. Alan Dean Foster (author of Star Trek, Star Wars, and Alien) dedicated his book, The Drowning World, to me. He also mentioned me in another book, Predators I Have Known (2011).
I worked for Discovery Channel on the isolated ZoĆ© People, ABC, BBC, NDR, Channel 7 on the Suruwara tribe, the Dan Rather Report concerning current environmental issues, led British Museum trips for their Unknown Amazon exhibit, and . I have helped create various videos including The Earth Song by Michael Jackson and Atlantic Rising by Cambridge University.  My latest projects were with the Belgium TV´s Hungaria Hotel (Bartel’s Beard) and the Dutch VPRO’s O’Hannlons Helden.  Both series will be aired in the next few months. 
I currently reside in beautiful Alter do Chao, outside of Santarem, and continue to guide organized tours,  host travellers and guests, and host the Jolly Dolly Festival , to raise awareness of humanity´s eco-footprint through art and protest.  After the birth of my beloved daughter Flora, two years ago, I moved here from the city to raise my family.  While I am not working, I love to windsurf, or relax in my hammock overlooking the Amazon River and Jungle, the home to which I owe this wonderful life. 

History, see nxt post 4 biography

Withe Redmond O'Hanlon and Joe Jackson
Floar on her first demosntration

Erik Jennings and Andrew Black during Dan Rather report...

Me and Bartel during the making of Bartel's Beard

With Dr. Charles Munn guiding in Mamiraua

My late bro Flavio Serique

Protetesting against the dam projects at Altamira 1989

Playing with Flora at home

Windsurfing at home

My little book at use

Home sweet home

Monday, 28 January 2013

Monday, 21 January 2013

Current work


Just waiting for Joe Jackson, Redmond O'hanlon and Vpro team for making a documentary about Henry Wickham.

Sunday, 6 January 2013

Aida Private tour 18. February 2013



SPECIAL PRIVATE TOUR AIDA 18. February 2013

The group of maxim 15 people will be pick up by a a/c van at the port. We drive along the city coast to get to our boat docked at Richard Hennington pier in Down town. That gives participants to take a glimpse of Santarem. We then head to the meeting of the waters and Maica river mouth for Pink Dolphin watching.

Maica river area is one of the most scenicplaces in the Amazon and it is also nice site for birdwatching. As the water is low, we drop off the boat for a small hike. Fishing can as well be done. There will be fish tidbits, nuts, fresh fruit and bottled drinks being served during the tour.

After enjoying Maica river and its abundant wildlife we shall visit the village of Alter do chao, chosen by The Guardian as one of the most beautiful places in Brazil. Here we can swim in the warm water of the Tapajos river or just relax enjoying beers, caipirinhas or fresh fruits.

Visit my website www.gilserique.com

...JOIN US NOW!!  Contac me at gilserique@gmail.com

By the way I speak some German but not enough to run the tour sorry, so most of the time I will be speaking English.




Delicious Pirarucu tidbit


The atmosphre on the boat

Three-toed sloth


Alter do chao

View from my place at Alter do chao

View from my place at Alter do chao

Three-toed sloth at Maica

Sapucaya nut, Brazil Nuts, Pineapple on the table

Our own bird guide being used during the tour

Water bufalos

Pink dolphin

Docked at Richard Hennington in Downtown Santarem

During our hike in a forest island at Maica

Our spacious boat and tidbits

Thursday, 3 January 2013

Pacific Princess Jan. 7 2013



at the port
WE HAVE ROOM FOR 3 MORE COUPLES IN THIS TOUR.

WE SHALL BE EXPLORING THE FLOODPLAIN LOCATED EAST OF SANTAREM (MAICA AREA).
DURING THE LAST TOUR WE SAW 9 SLOTHS, GRAY DOLPHINS, PINK DOLPHINS AND MANY SPECIES OF BIRDS.  WE ALSO HAD THE CHANCE TO VISIT ALTER DO CHAO.

JOIN US NOW!!

CHEERS

GIL SERIQUE