guided-tours-ben-tim-1

Benjamin

Brandao

7 years of experience
St Augustine
United States of America (USA)

Contact Options

"Divest yourselves of prejudice and see the world with fresh eyes"

About

“Best Ecotourism Trips For Nature Lovers.”Forbes 

“20 Best Things to Do in St. Augustine, Florida.”Travel + Leisure 

I am a lifelong local with intimate knowledge of the dynamic and constantly changing inland coastal waters in northeast Florida. I specialize in small group eco and alternate history tours. Kayaking is my bread and butter, I also offer biking and hiking as modes of exploration. I am the founder of a consortium of independent guides, together, we can accommodate up to 150 people on the water simultaneously. Every trip is unique, but safety is always our top concern. We limit tour size to a 10:1 guest-to-guide ratio for all nature-based experiences. 

Kayak instruction and ecotours are my specialty. My consortium can arrange any mode of transportation on land, water, or air including:

  1. Sit-on and Sit-in kayaks, paddle or peddle board, canoe
  2. Motor boats, air boats, and pontoons.
  3. Sail boats, yachts, speed boats, fishing boats
  4. Segways, bikes, EV, golf carts
  5. Horse back, Horse and carriage
  6. Helicopter, plane, hot air balloon

Tours Offered & Destination Knowledge

Adventure/Hiking ToursCultural/Specialty ToursFood & Drink ToursLocal GuideMulti-Day Tour Director/LeaderTour Business Owner/Operator

Coastal Florida

  • Bioluminescent Night Kayaking
  • Dolphin and Sea Turtle Watching
  • Low Tide Oyster Flat Bird Watching
  • Salt Marsh Grass Maze Exploration

Wild Florida

  • Backwater and Remote Nature Viewing
  • Bartram Trail Adventures
  • Florida Springs
Fun Fact!
Iam a Yogi who doesn't do Yoga.
Hobbies & Interests
When I'm not kayaking or exploring with guests, I'm doing the same with my loved ones. I love early morning walks, pilates on the beach, and yoga— anytime and everywhere I get a moment to myself. I like to cook, make mixed-media art, listen to and play music, as well as nerd out on documentaries and read ground breaking research papers.

Virtual Tour Experience

I can shoot, edit, and narrate video tours. I have mics, lights, and multiple cameras if required. I have done some mini tours to promote my business, as well as include other guides in my videos for content creation collaboration.

Testimonials

"What an AMAZING experience. I couldn't have asked for a better time. Ben was extremely knowledgeable and gave us so many fun facts. You can tell he really loves what he does and he really puts his all into it. We swam over oyster beds, through grass mazes, saw dolphins, sea turtles, bald eagles, ospreys and flying fish. I can not wait to go back and do this again. Can not recommend this enough. Ben was lots of fun!" - Karlyn Bianconi

"We had two excellent kayaking tours - one with Ben & one with Ben & Gilly. We learned a ton about the area, wetlands impact, and the nature surrounding us. The kayaking was just the right amount of challenge & the sights were excellent. I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone visiting the area!" - Kate Miller

Details

Gateway Airport(s)

JAX, ORD, SFB, DAB,

Licenses

Training

Language(s)

English

Additional Education

American Canoe Association

  • Level 2 Coastal Kayaking Instructor
  • Level 3 Coastal Kayaking Trip Leader Endorsement
  • Essentials of Kayak Touring
  • Safety Education Instructors Council Member

General Availability

Full availability with advanced notice. Minimum of 2 hours of notice. Year round offering from before dawn in to night. Overnights available for prepared campers.

Photo Album