Go with Gus-Rio Dulce-Livingston Humanitarian Tour

[meliss35]

Can someone who had gone on the go with Gus Rio Dulce-Livingston Humanitariam tour tell me what exactly you did? A lot of people seemed to love this tour and I wanted to know why you loved it so much. How much time did you have with the kids? Was the river part really nice and the town of Livingston nice? How long were you on the river, at the school and in Livingston? Any info would be great.

[meliss35]

I was just looking at the NCL shore excursion and noticed the Ak'tenamit & Livingston Town tour. It looks similar to the go with gus tour but I think you visit a village instead of a school. It also has a boat ride on Rio Dulce and visiting Livingston. I already booked the NCL Quiriqua & rio dulce tour but am considering changing it to either the go with gus or the NCL Ak'tenamit & Livingston Town tour. I am worried that the boat ride for the tour already booked is too long. I have also read that the boat that they use is hard to see out of when on Rio Dulce. Has anyone gone on the NCL Ak'tenamit & Livingston Town tour? Still want to hear about the go with gus humantariam tour?

[paleotrekker144]

meliss35,

Can someone who had gone on the go with Gus Rio Dulce-Livingston Humanitariam tour tell me what exactly you did? A lot of people seemed to love this tour and I wanted to know why you loved it so much. How much time did you have with the kids? Was the river part really nice and the town of Livingston nice? How long were you on the river, at the school and in Livingston? Any info would be great.

 

Hi Meliss35,

Paleotrekker here. I did the tour you mention with Go-W-Gus the early part of this year . I do not know if I can recall everything I did but here are the things that made it nice for me:

o The boat in which we traveled from the Cruise-ship pier up the coast and then into Rio Dulce was spacious, comfortable, fast when needed and felt safe.

o The first stop of the go-w-gus tour was at their hotel in Livingston. This gave us a chance to refresh ourselves, go to the WC if needed and acclimate to the rain forest experience at close hand.

o If I remember correctly we went from there upriver to the school. I came away with the impression that Go-W-Gus visits different schools. The one we visited was close to the river edge, maybe a walk of 300 to 400 feet. The setting was a throwback to what schools must have looked like in parts of the U.S. 100 years ago. The social and cultural interaction even though it seemed to follow a schedule – this was a school after all - was so personal and touching that several of our group had tears in their eyes, I have to admit that mine got moist as well at least once. I’ll leave it that.

o At some point - I think that it was on the way back from the school - we stopped at a riverside eating place run by indigenous folks. I watched this lady forming and throwing tortillas with the skill and role concentration of an artist. I accepted one of the freshly made tortillas after I saw how many of my other tour companions were gulping them down with gusto. I even had half of it sprinkled with a little green hot pepper – a hot flash without much lingering sting – quite an interesting little buddy.

o We cruised the river sometimes fast and sometimes slow. I saw this as an advantage since the boat felt safe, and there are long river stretches were not much is happening and we seemed to have the river to ourselves - at those times it was nice to hear the low roar of good powerful engines doing their thing - and we were able to linger longer at the spots where the guide pointed out things of interest.

o We returned to the hotel owned by Go-W-Gus and had a really nice and tasty lunch there along with a show by a local dance troupe from an AfroCaribbean tribe called Garinagu. We had some time to wander around the sleepy river-edge town of Livingston. Not much there there but I feel like going back – just like the way Key Largo made me feel years ago.

o I enjoyed the tour and got the impression that my tour-mates felt the same way.

That's it Meliss, I hope you visit the Rio Dulce and Livingston and have as good a time as we had,

Paleotrekker signing off here.. "Sea" you around..

[meliss35]

Paleotrekker144: Thanks for the response. The trip sounds great. How long did you spend at the school and did you interact with the kids? How long were you on the river and was it nice? About what time did you get back to the ship?

[steviecheri]

meliss35: think maybe we are on same ship..spirit from n.o. on dec. 21. we also seem to be having same dilemma...go w/ gus humanitarian tour or ak'tenamit & livingston tour with the ship. wondering if you had made a decision or gotten any further info. to share?? stephanie

[jetstorm]

I would also like to hear the answers to these questions, plus I would like to know if lunch was included in the price and if not, how much was lunch and what was served.

[Swamp Cruiser]

Went with Gus earlier in the year, it was wonderful. Same comments Paleotrekker144 made is a accurate description of our trip. Lunch was included in the price, if I remember you had a choice of " fresh catch of the day", "shrimp", "hamburger" or something else I cant recall... it was served with rice and a salad,fruit and bread. Also a drinik. He also gave you some "home made" wine made locally. You stop at the resturant on your way to to school and place your order.

[jetstorm]

I just got an email from Gus and I won't be able to make the tour as it returns to port to close to my ship's sail away time. Bummer! I guess I'll book a tour through the ship after all.

[cqdq73]

I have attmpted to contact - (using their site GowithGudtours.com) and even their email - gowithgustours-at-turcios- dot - com - with no luck

 

Anyone have a better solution?

 

Thanks,

 

Charlie Q

Sailin HAL Veendam Dec 7th out of Tampa