

Slow, curious, and a little obsessed with light.
I've been pulled toward wild, quiet places my whole life. I'd rather walk you to one perfect empty trail than ten famous, crowded ones — and show you how to really see it.

Stefano Gabryel
I'm happiest outdoors, and I've turned that into my life's work: leading small, private groups into the Tuscany most visitors never see. No mixed groups, no rushing — just your group, me, and a landscape I genuinely love.
The high Apennines are where I feel most at home. I keep going back to Lago Scaffaiolo — the long climb to the ridge, the silence at the top, the light shifting over the water. Some places you guide; others you simply love, and that's one I love.
Beyond those ridges I work the Apuan Alps, the Tuscan wetlands and hidden corners few visitors ever reach. I'm a certified environmental guide, a nature photographer and a mindfulness teacher — but the short version is simpler: I know these places, and there's nothing I'd rather do than show them to you.
| Based in | Pistoia, Tuscany |
|---|---|
| Languages | English · Italian |
| Certifications | GAE · AGAE · Mushroom-ID |
| Also | Photographer · mindfulness teacher |
An adventurous life
Guiding sits at the centre of my life, but the love of being outside spills into everything. You'll find me chasing a mountain road on two wheels, stepping out of a plane into open air, or crouched in the leaf litter over a perfect porcino. The same curiosity that pulls me toward the next ridge is the one I bring to your day on the trail.
A photographer chooses differently
This is where my experience as a photographer shapes your entire journey. I don't just guide; I guide you to see. My eye is always seeking the perfect light, the unique composition, the visual detail others walk right past — so your memories of Tuscany are framed with a discerning, artistic taste.
We are not in a hurry
As a Mindfulness / Vipassana teacher, my methodology is centred on the present moment. We embrace a slow, adventurous approach because true beauty cannot be rushed. We stop, we look, we name what we see — you leave understanding the landscape, its species and its quiet, not just having crossed it.
To show people the Tuscany most tourists miss.
Discover the hidden nature of Tuscany







Expertise, experience, perspective
Certified expertise
GAE licence, AGAE membership, and a regional mushroom-ID certification — the real training behind a calm, knowledgeable day out.
Field experience
Years on these specific ridges, wetlands and woods, in every season and every weather — reading the landscape, not just crossing it.
A photographer's eye
You see the landscape the way a professional frames it — the specimen under the leaves, the light on a cap — and leave with the images to prove it.
The paperwork, for the record
I am a certified Environmental Hiking Guide (GAE), officially recognised by the Tuscany Region and listed in the regional registry of qualified environmental guides. I am also a member of AGAE, the Italian Association of Environmental Hiking Guides — my AGAE profile is here.



Trusted & cited
Photos from one of my hikes with Legambiente.
What guests say
Hiking in Tuscany with Stefano was a great experience for me, as it was my first time exploring this area. He knows the area really well, not only geographically but also historically. His hospitality, welcoming attitude and kindness accompanying us was much appreciated. It felt like your friend exploring the area with your friend!
Hiking with Stefano was spectacular. He showed us paths very secrets that are not in the maps. For me, the best was his energy and how he knows the mountain. Is more better than the big tours. Really I recommend it for to see the real Tuscany!
Stefano is professional guide. He knows every path and history of Tuscany very well. We walked many kilometers and saw places where is no other tourists. I like that he is punctual and knows exactly how to choose route for our level. For me it was best part of trip in Italy. I recommend this hiking very much.
Come and see the Tuscany I know
Tell me your dates and what moves you — I'll do the rest.