About Us
NATURE TOURISM | ACTIVE TOURISM | ECOTOURISM | ADVENTURE TOURISM | CULTURAL TOURISM | WINE TOURISM
History
Quimera Travel Experiences was born in late 2015, as a tourist animation agency specialized in nature tourism, offering guided trekking programs, tours and other experiences.
We try to show the other side of the Algarve, outside the commercial circuits of tourism, a more genuine Algarve with local products, its people, its traditions, heritage and culture.
Why the name Quimera? This name came up during a brainstorming while we were working on the project and it was immediately welcomed. The meaning it carries for us is related to dream, fantasy and utopia. What drives us is the increasing desire to explore, as we are constantly looking for a "chimera".
Being based in the Algarve, this is where we develop most of our activities. However, our desire to explore, our dynamism and the entry of new partners did not allow us to restrict our activity to the Algarve.
In 2019 we took another step forward and obtained the Travel Agency license, which allowed us to expand our offer.
Thus, we can structure our offer as follows:
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Private programs (Trekking and Tours) - Algarve
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Events: Algarve and rest of the country
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Personalized programs for agencies, tour operators and end customers.
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Organized trips - Portugal and other countries
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Creation of tours and trekking group programs - Algarve
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DMC Services - Algarve
Mission, Values and Vision
MISSION: To make people's dreams come true and expand their horizons. The value we create lies in the experiences we provide, in the creation of original and personalized programs.
VALUES: Our main focus is on sustainability. In our activities, we sensitize people to the preservation of the environment and transmit our love for nature and develop environmental education activities.
VISION: Provide a professional and quality service aiming at customer satisfaction. To be a reference in Nature Tourism in the Algarve.
"A dream that you dream alone is just a dream. A dream that you dream together with others is reality."
John Lennon
The Team
Michael Guerreiro
- CEO
Michael is a nature lover and really enjoys hiking and traveling.
He has a degree in Tourist Information and Entertainment from the University of Algarve.
At Quimera Travel Experiences he performs different roles: develops programs, nature guide, tour guide, tour leader, group manager, manager, marketing, logistics, security and media speaker.
Michael loves what he does, he loves meeting people, hearing stories and learning.
He is an easy and communicative person, who you can always count on, and he is ready to show you new places and provide unique experiences and good memories.
Catarina Araújo -
Project Manager
Catarina is originally from Lisbon and currently lives in the Algarve where she graduated in Administration Consulting from the University of Algarve.
Co-founder of Quimera, her work involves travel and operations logistics, customer support, management and marketing.
Her focus is mainly on the company's long-term financial sustainability so she spends a lot of time creating and analyzing Excel sheets to this end. Furthermore, she is also a creative person, but as she is in a team of many creative people, her mission is to make projects happen, at all different stages, coordinating between the various stakeholders.
António Araújo
Guide and Event Organizer
António Araújo is an experienced hiker and mountaineer, addicted to discovering new trails, sharing outdoor moments with his friends and passing on his knowledge about geology and flora.
Born in Arcos de Valdevez, he knows the Serra do Gerês like the palm of his hand, having already walked it several times with a backpack.
His walks are marked by moments of good humor, companionship and mutual assistance.
He has an extensive experience in organizing walks and events and has been collaborating with Quimera Travel Experiences since 2016.
Silvano Barros Santos
Guide
Sivano is of Portuguese descent, born in Melun (France) and graduated in Tourism Management at the University of Algarve. He has experience in accompanying groups through built historical heritage and nature walks.
He likes to pass on his knowledge about the historical and cultural heritage of the Algarve.
Susana Alves
Virtual Assistant
Susana lives in the middle of the countryside, 40 minutes from Lisbon and has been collaborating remotely with Quimera since 2021. She helps with updating events on the website, proofreading texts, keeps the database in tune and also provides some help on the social networks. She is a defender of nature and animals and would like to participate more in hiking, but she is always busy. Born in 1977, she graduated in Anthropology and likes to get involved in projects that help the planet and improve people's living conditions.
Rui Laginha
Adventure Travel Guide and Organizer
Rui Laginha is a telecommunications engineer passionate about adventure travel, especially autonomy. He gets to know remote places by traveling on foot, independently, staying overnight and discovering the most incredible corners. The recognitions he makes privilege non-massified, genuine places, in contact with the people who inhabit these places, learning their culture and way of life.
He is passionate about nature, the traditions and cultures of people.
This gave rise to the interest and joy of sharing his experiences by organizing trips for groups of explorers who share the same passion for travel, challenge and adventure.