Can't decide on Rio Duce tours

Trying to decide, is it worth $40 more each to do the tour that goes to Atenak.... or just do the Rio Duce tour, that passes Livingston and goes to scenic area of river, than back to Livingston. Do you get to see that more scenic area of the river if you go to the other town where they have the vocational boarding school, etc.? These are excursions through NCL.

We went up to the school (can't remember the name), and really enjoyed the entire trip so much that we're doing it again this year. Not sure how far up the other trip would go, but since the boat ride over to the mouth of the river and back is fairly lengthy, I would go for the whole thing. Ours is a full-day trip with lunch in Livingston.

just returned from the SUN and did the RIO DULCE tour thru the ship...alot of the tour is in the boat on the ocean more on the river...and its fast and can be bumpy depended on the conditions...we went to a place they call Miss Sylvies and there we could make tortillas and eat our own or ones that she made...we spent a little time there and from there we went to Livingstone, went to a place to eat if you wanted to and took a walk around the town basically just a loop...but thru out the whole tour most of your time is spent getting there from the ship--they pick you up right at the ship in the boat and then your ride to the river--it was an okay tour but i wouldnt do it again.

bring a jacket or rain poncho...it got quite cold and then it was raining on the way back.

We just returned from a day with Gus and his staff on the Rio Dulce River. I agree with my teens, who said that it was the best excursion that we have taken in 6 years of cruising!!

The river is tropical, primeval and lovely. The sights that you see are unbelievable -- native peoples living on, next to and over the river - much as they have done for 1,000s of years.

And to top it off, Gus, his wife and their staff are professional, gracious, very knowledge and fun!

You board Gus' boat right at the port - no need to go into town, which I hear can be quite "rough".

You then make your way up the lovely river, past pelicans, sea birds and local fisherman - who happily show you gow they catch fish with nets that they toss the the waters surface. As you approach Linvingston, there are lots of wonderful photo opportunities; so make sure your camera is charged up.

A rest stop at Gus' family owned hotel / resort in Lingston allows you to use the facilties (spotless, by the way) and have some fruit and water. It's then back in the boat for a visit to local school, where many guests passed out gifts of candy and school supplies to the smiling kids.

Going futher up the river, you see first hand how the Guatemalan people have lived for thousands of years - using dug out canoes on the river and living in huts over or near the water. We visited one home and enjoyed hand made tortillas, made over an open fire. We also visited warm springs and some thermal caves along the rivers edge. I enjoyed soaking my toes in teh warm water and watching a dug out canoe float by. My kids said that the caves were "much better than Belize".

It was quite an authentic tour of the jungle and all the people we met were very happy, smiling and welcoming. And Gus's staff fed us a lovely lunch, topped off by a native apertif.

All in all, it made for an experience that we will remember for years to come.

I rarely write reviews or recommend tour operators ... but if you are going up the Rio Dulce River, I recommend that you Go With Gus.

Cruiznuts