About

About Us

Maio Eco Tours

Maio Eco-Tours is eco-tourism business, which was established in 2017 by a young local conservationist, Alex Tavares. At Maio Eco Tours we are passionate about eco-tourism, nature and sustainability. Our team is made up of biologists and conservationists with a wealth of knowledge and experience of working with nature. This shared commitment to eco-tourism, animal welfare and conservation means that you can rest assured that all our excursions are respectful of the wildlife we encounter at all times. We love bringing people closer to the wildlife, history and culture of Maio.

A range of tours is available. For details of the tours, see our tours page

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By buying our products you will be contributing to the socio-economic development of Maio Island. Here we offer products manufactured by local people, as handicrafts, jewellery, homemade sweets, paintings and much more. Make your purchase and help us to help.

Alex Tavares

Alex is from Maio, and lives in Morro, on the west coast of the island. He has worked for the Maio Biodiversity Foundation (Fundação Maio Biodiversidade – FMB). In his work for FMB he has been a Turtle community-based team leader. He has a special interest in birds and has worked with FMB over the breeding of the Kentish Plover bird; monitoring the Cream Coloured Cursor; and monitoring the White-faced Storm Petrel.

He has also undertaken a bird biodiversity survey and community engagement on the island of Maio. For this he wrote the proposal for grant funding for the project; co-ordinated the project and prepared the final report and conducted a survey in seven protected areas on the island.

Alex is a certified whale and dolphin stranding rescuer. He is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Creole. He has first aid qualifications and has worked as a tourist guide on the island of Sal.

Saliff

Saliff is a young man born on Maio island, more specifically in Vila do Maio (Cidade do Porto Inglês). He attended college on the island of São Vicente. He is well know throughout the island, not only for his friendliness and humility, but mainly because he is one of the most talented young guitarists on Maio. He like to spend the evening with colleagues and tourists, animating his guitar with beautiful Cape Verdean and foreign music.

Fortz Almeida

Fortz was born in Calheta, a fishing village, with a humble family. After finishing high school he took a course in Guide and Animation in the Hotel and Tourism School of Cabo Verde. He was a tour guide and entertainer on the island of Sal in the company Meliã Tortuga Beach Resort for several years. He is very friendly and likes what he does. He cheers people up.