Can Safari on an iPad be controlled with gestures? On the Desktop version of Safari, you can navigate back and forward with a swipe gesture on the trackpad. Setting up other gestures (close tab, new tab, next/previous tab) is trivial with an app like BetterTouchTool.

I find myself trying to use these gestures, especially the swipes for back and forward, on my iPad (third generation).
Is there any way to enable gestures for Safari on the iPad?

I realize that the answer is probably no; Apple isn't much for hidden features/preferences in iOS and there are no BTT equivalents. So, I'm willing to explore alternatives. Are there any other web browsers for iPad, preferably as similar to Safari as possible, that support gestures?
Yes - Dolphin Browser supports gestures. So do Atomic Web Browser and Perfect Web Browser.

As you correctly realised the answer is no for Safari, unless you count the four-finger swipe up to get to the current app list, and other system gestures.