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Who we are

Learn more about Gondwana Brasil’s work, values, story and team.

About Our Work

We’re a specialized Destination Management Company, founded and managed by women, that carries a deep love for our country’s nature, culture, and people. Our journey started in April 2001, in the Atlantic Forest trails of the lesser-known Southern Brazil. Today we lead a nationwide operator that offers authentic experiences of the best Brazil has to offer.

Designing trips that encourage activeness and connection with our culture and nature has always been a big part of us. We put a lot of thought and all of our team’s hands-on experience into the creation of customized itineraries. We strive to continuously exceed client expectations and provide top-quality services. We share our achievements with our associates, partners, and local communities, and take good care of our natural wonders.

Our main focus is B2B partnerships, and in addition to the usual highlight tours and customized FITS, we operate small-group tours and special interest trips.
See our itineraries
We put a lot of thought and all of our team’s hands-on experience into the creation of customized itineraries. More than special leisure breaks, our trips seek to fully engage our travelers in authentic experiences of the best Brazil has to offer.

Our privileged natural landscapes play a big role and we encourage our travelers to join in outdoor activities as much as possible. We hope that by (re)connecting with nature, they will be motivated to keep a healthy lifestyle and to enjoy and care for their natural beauties back home. We do believe responsible tourism can contribute to rewilding and therefore mitigate climate change and we want our clients to be agents of this change.

We want our travelers to savor our cultural diversity and to gain insight and knowledge, spontaneously and enjoyably. As they appreciate and join in local artistic expressions of many forms – music, dance, visual arts… in museums or on the streets. As they enjoy the delicious gastronomic variety that our multi-ethnic history has produced. And above all, as they interact with one of the most open-hearted and welcoming people in the world. Whether it’s a well-traveled tour guide in downtown Rio de Janeiro or a child from a remote village in the Amazon. Mutually edifying relationships among real people and their environment are what life is ultimately about. For us, tourism is a great and powerful tool to live and promote that.

Our Mission / Values

Our mission is to provide trips that bring about meaningful interactions between travelers, local communities, and the environment, leading to social transformation and, ultimately, a positive impact on the planet.

What Drives Us?

Passion
We love to travel. We love Brazil. We love people. That’s why we do what we do.
Care
To love is to care. We are guided by a strong sense of responsibility towards all the people and places that constitute the core of our business.
Excellence
For us, small details make the difference. That's why we are always monitoring the quality of our services and experiences.
Women in Leadership
Women are predominant in our team. Our founding partners, Camila Barp and Daniela Silva, share a passion for nature, as well as for exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations and authentic experiences.
Community-Based Tourism
We engage local communities, partnering with them to support social and cultural projects and encouraging opportunities that generate and distribute income and also values its territories and its cultural practices.
Responsible Tourism
We want our destinations to be duly appreciated and are committed to causing a positive impact by improving tourism practices and experiences, sharing knowledge and profits, and inspiring our local partners. We believe that a good place to live is a good place to visit.
Activeness
Our world is dynamic and invites us to join the dance. Our bodies were built to move. To experience our surroundings with all five senses and interact with them. In a time where many of us spend most of our days sitting in front of a screen, we must take action and reclaim the outdoors.
Respect
Every person should be respected. Just like every place and history. Differences and diversity make our world and lives much more interesting and stimulating. The occasional challenges they present are well worth the riches they bestow us. And respect is the foundation upon which our interactions can generate healthy growth.
Authenticity
Our country is unique. Diverse. As naturally diverse as a continent can be. As flavorful and culturally rich as a melting pot of virtually all races and ethnicities in the world. A land of stunning contrasts, where a lush tropical forest can coexist with a jungle of skyscrapers and traffic, along an amazing coastline.
Reciprocity
Gondwana has come this far because of our long-standing and close relationships with our partners, and our cooperation with colleagues and other entities in the traveling sector. More than a career, for us tourism is a way of expressing gratitude and giving back to the places and people who offer us so much.
Inspiration
Traveling is a fantastic opportunity for transformation, new perspectives, discoveries, experiences, and learnings. We do our best to share with our travelers the chance to genuinely connect with our beautiful people and nature, so that they may be inspired and inspire others to get to know the world in a refreshed new way. We want them to declutter and bring newness into their lives.
Nature and Biodiversity Conservation
We help protect our biodiversity and nature by promoting wildlife watching programs that comply with good practices, and by supporting conservation projects in different Brazilian ecosystems through partnerships with NGOs and local entrepreneurs.
Southern Brazil Expertise
We do know (and love!) our region and we are pioneers in operating tours in the coastal area of Paraná, where the main Atlantic Forest Reserve is found and is home to the last protected remnant of the important Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
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Over 20 Years of History

On the 20hth of April 2001, Gondwana Brasil launched its operations. Since then, we have come a long way: from tours to the lesser-know southern region of Brazil, to becoming one of the leading country experts. Learn more about our history on the images below.

Our journey started more than 20 years ago, in the Atlantic Forest trails of the lesser-known Southern Brazil. Designing trips that encourage activeness and connection with our culture and nature has always been a big part of us.
Our founding partners, Camila Barp and Daniela Silva, met while pursuing a college degree in Tourism, and shared a passion for nature, as well as for exploring destinations off the beaten path and authentic experiences.
At first, Gondwana focused on pioneering tours in the coastal area of Paraná, along the beautiful “Serra do Mar”. This long system of mountain ranges and escarpments, whose origins point back to the split between Africa and South America, was once part of the ancient supercontinent called Gondwana - that’s the starting point of our beloved Atlantic Forest, and our very own journey and name.
Twenty years later, we’ve come a long way from the southern trails where we began. As we gradually and thoughtfully embarked on successive in-depth excursions across the Brazilian territory, we have built committed relationships with local partners and communities, which have made it possible for us to expand our operations to the whole country without compromising on authenticity and excellence.
As we blow out our candles, we wish to continue to learn from Brazil - a country that never ceases to surprise us, so we can, in turn, amaze your clients.
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Our Team

Women are the majority in our team. We are passionate about our country and the lifestyle that values nature, culture, and authenticity. We love to travel and truly get to know every corner of Brazil. We recognize the indigenous people and traditional communities as the great guardians of our territory, as our ancestral roots. We work alongside them to develop Brazil’s full potential as a responsible tourism destination, protecting its biodiversity, sharing wealth and opportunities with the local communities, and treasuring our culture.

Camila Barp

A Tourism graduate with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Management of Organizations and Social Impact Business, she has been working in the ecotourism sector for 16 years, as a managing partner of Gondwana Brasil. She leads the commercial area of the company, strengthening existing partnerships and articulating new ones. Currently, she is ATTA’s (Adventure Travel Trade Association) Ambassador for Latin America. Camila is passionate about Brazil and believes that traveling transforms and opens perspectives that refine our worldview. Her favorite destinations are the Amazon, Pantanal, the coast of Paraná State, and the beaches of Bahia.

Daniela Meres

A Tourism graduate with a Pos-degree in Nature Studies, she has been working with ecotourism for over 20 years, as one of the founding partners and director of Gondwana Brasil. Her main responsibilities are commercial, product, and financial management. Mother of two and an adventurous soul, she loves to take the kids to spend time in nature and to get to know the real Brazil. Her favorite destinations in Brazil are the Atlantic Forest, Pantanal, Amazon, and Lençóis Maranhenses.

Gabriel Bressiani

A Tourism student, he has been working with Gondwana since 2020. His main responsibilities include the financial, operational, and system areas. He loves to travel and has already visited more than 25 countries. His favorite destination in Brazil is the wonderful Northeast Region, full of history, natural beauties, and welcoming people.

Renatha Caggiano

An International Relations graduate, Renatha has been working for Gondwana Brazil since 2015, in different sectors of the company. Currently in charge of the sales department, she is very happy to assist clients to choose the best travel options in Brazil. Trips have a very strong meaning for her, since they have allowed her to live, experience, and learn many things that have intrinsically changed her way of life. She seeks to create and offer trips that allow for unique moments that can bring about change and lead to (self)knowledge. Her favorite destinations in Brazil are the Amazon and the state of Bahia.

Vanessa Silva

With over 17 years in the market and being a proud Gondwana member since 2012, Vanessa has the knowledge of someone who has worked and helped structure different areas of the company. She has a degree in Tourism and is currently in charge of the Products Department, always looking for options that help contribute to a better world. She is still dazzled by Brazil’s vastness and variety of cultures, climates, colors, and flavors. Her favorite trips are to destinations with rivers, waterfalls, and the sea, especially when she can stay for longer and let herself blend in with the place.

Marco Sieber

An International Business and Baltic Management Studies graduate, Marco has been working with Gondwana since 2015. He helped us penetrate the German-speaking market, and is now working in the FIT Sector, planning tailor-made trips, mainly for German-speaking private customers. He is a thrill-seeker and loves to see the world through the eyes of its locals. His favorite destination in Brazil is the mighty Amazon, and he is planning to visit the manatees (sea cows) in the Northeast and go rafting in the Jalapao National Park.

Luciana Almeida

Luciana has been working in tourism since 2012. She started as a Tour Guide in the busy Rio de Janeiro downtown. Later, she became a detailed and attentive operational manager at a local tour operator agency. Her trademark has always been to go the extra mile to provide memorable experiences. She is now a proud team member of Gondwana’s Product Department and is excited to start contributing to upcoming trips. When she travels, she loves to be involved with the local community since she certifies it’s the best way to get to know its culture and feel its essence. She named her daughter Tainá (an indigenous name for morning star) after an immersion trip in the Amazon during her pregnancy. However, she has a love affair with Bahia and dreams of returning to live in Itacaré.

Enayra Alves

She has a degree in Business Administration and joined the adventure tourism field in 2019 to work in Financial/Operations. She lives in Rio de Janeiro, the wonderful city, but dreams of getting to know every corner of Brazil, learning more about other cultures, cultural customs and cuisines. She usually says that getting into ecotourism made her know a version of herself that loves beautiful landscapes, that is always delighted when reaches the peak of a mountain or gets to know a new waterfall – a part of her that always feels renewed when in nature.

Aline Vörös

She graduated in social sciences and is currently studying Tourism, combining her interest in cultural diversity and her passion for travel. At Gondwana, she is part of the operational area. She believes that all travel experiences are registered in the whole body and soul. Her favorite trips in Brazil must be nature, exchanges with local people, and local food experiences. She has lived in Rio de Janeiro, and whenever she can, she goes to the Iguaçu Falls, a place with many important memories.

Luzimar Del Rei

Baiana, a native of Ilhéus, is the granddaughter of farmers and the daughter of a teacher. Luzimar is a nature lover who has been working in tourism since 2002 when she moved to Itacaré in search of adventure and independence. She began her professional career in tourism as a hotel receptionist and later enrolled in a tourism college. Recognizing an organic demand, she opened a receptive tourism agency in Barra Grande – BA, on the Maraú Peninsula, where she worked for 5 years. Seeking further specialization and new experiences, she moved to Serra Grande – BA and graduated in Business Administration. She was hired by an international tourism operator as a Product Director for 6 years. There, she had the opportunity to manage the company’s operations and marketing departments, which made her a specialist in the Brazilian product, aligning technical knowledge with travel experiences throughout the country, enhancing her skills in building and recommending trips to Brazil. In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing, as well as exploring new places and meeting new people. Her arrival is felt with great joy and enthusiasm at Gondwana, a company that shares values she identifies with, and highlights a unique moment in her career and personal life. She celebrates the arrival of her second daughter, Karen, along with her return to the job market post-pandemic and motherhood.

Carolina Paiva

Graduated in Tourism, she has more than ten years of experience in this field. She has already lived in Paraty (RJ) and in Chapada Diamantina (BA) where she has worked with incoming tourism. She decided to specialize in communication and contribute to the qualification and professionalization of tourism businesses in the country. Since 2021 she has been working with Gondwana and all the company’s communication is her responsibility. Carolina is passionate about Brazil and has responsible tourism as her north. She loves adventure and getting to know the Brazilian special places, especially when accompanied by her son.

Alexandre Godeau

With a degree in Tourism, he started at Gondwana Brasil as a consultant for the agency in the Amazon. Today Alexandre is part of the products and sustainability department. A devotee of nature and with many years of experience working with ecotourism in the northern region of Brazil, Alexandre believes in the transformative power of travel and that each destination and adventure experienced has the potential to shape and improve who we are as individuals. He has a special affection for the Chapada dos Veadeiros and loves traveling to places where he can connect with nature and the local culture.

Camila Silva

Camila is a Tourism student at UFPR and has already graduated in Business Administration. She began working at Gondwana Brasil. She passionately loves to travel, explore, and connect with places, cultures, gastronomy, and people. A fan of Instagrammable spots, she also loves sunsets. Choosing a favorite spot in Brazil is a tough call, as each corner boasts a unique beauty that captures your heart.

Izabel de Oliveira

My name is Izabel Oliveira. I’m 24 years old and live in Curitiba with my bunny. For now, I am working as a sales assistant in Gondwana Brasil. I’m a Tourism student in Universidade Federal do Paraná. As an adventure tourism lover I like to get to know places that offer contact with nature. Due to my interest in culture and rich stories I’m always looking for museums in the places I visit. Choosing my favorite local in Brazil is not an easy task: I would say anywhere that offers new possibilities becomes my favorite experience until I find the next one.

Samuel Nascimento

Brazil’s greatness and particularities make me awe, directing myself on professional development and knowledge. I’m from Brazil’s Northeast, currently a Tourism student at Universidade Federal do Paraná in Curitiba, with experience in corporate travels and a heart full of expectations for experiences that Brazil enjoys, such in natural beauties, gastronomy, culture or history. Let’s travel through Brazil?!

Mariana Palmeira

Mariana is someone brimming with enthusiasm who loves exploring new places, experiencing, and connecting with different cultures. She highly values moments spent in nature, especially by the sea, finding these serene settings crucial for renewal and inspiration. Recently, she joined the Finance team, aligning with her field of study, and she’s thrilled about this new venture. “I’m thankful to be surrounded by such wonderful people,” she reflects.

Marcela Kovalhuk

An eternal adventurer and traveler, Marcela has been working in Gondwana since 2015. With a bachelor’s degree in tourism, her entire career has been focused on working in this field, to which she feels very connected. At Gondwana she is responsible for the group’s sector, not only running operations, but also looking for better alternatives to make the sector more efficient, while delivering the best experience for travelers. Her greatest joy is knowing that there are people traveling, enjoying life, and that she contributed make that possible.

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® Gondwana Brasil 2001-2022 | EMBRATUR: PR 10.04.440.170/0001-48 | Feito com ♥ por Mandakaru