The difference between a good trip and a great one is often down to the guide—and Nat Hab Expedition Leaders are truly the best!
Angel Cardenas
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Born and raised in the enchanting city of Cusco, Peru, Angel has always been surrounded by stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage. His father worked at a power plant near the iconic Machu Picchu, which sparked his lifelong fascination with nature...
Annie Van Dinther
Expedition Leader Since: 1999
Annie's career as a naturalist began on a whale-watching vessel off Cape Cod. With degrees in biology and geology, and with her enthusiasm for teaching and understanding animal behavior...
Brad Josephs
Expedition Leader Since: 2005
Brad is a Nat Hab staff naturalist interpreter specializing in bear biology and ecology of the North Country. He attended the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and graduated with a B.S. in wildlife biology in...
John Mittan
Expedition Leader Since: 2005
Nat Hab Staff Naturalist John Mittan was born in South Africa, where from a young age he was introduced to the joys of the African bush. At the age of 5, he left with his family to live in Australia...
Aaron Bott
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
A Utah native, Aaron Bott was raised in an active outdoor recreation environment. Fly fishing, rock climbing and hiking across pristine backcountry nurtured an enduring love for wild country...
Abner Simeon
Expedition Leader Since: 2019
Abner Simeon, a.k.a. Abby or "Eagle Eye," was born in a northern village in Namibia and grew up in the central region. He was raised at the safari lodge where his parents worked...
Aditya Dev
Expedition Leader
Aditya manages guiding operations for Nat Hab guests in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan and loves to share the entrancing natural beauty and serene culture of this small country...
Aditya Panda
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
Aditya Panda is an award winning naturalist, wildlife conservationist and photographer from Orissa. Since his teen years, he has worked for the conservation of tiger and elephant...
Alex Mazuga
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
Alex Mazuga is from northern Botswana. Born in a village called Mabele in Chobe, he lived a nomadic life with his family from the time he was 3 years old, traveling west along the Linyanti River...
Alexander Arias
Expedition Leader Since: 2006
Originally educated as a computer scientist, Alex’s abiding love of the outdoors eventually lured him into his current vocation as a naturalist guide. For the past 12 years he has been...
Alexandre Bilodeau Desbiens
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Alexandre grew up in Southern Quebec, where his parents took him on wilderness excursions at every opportunity. As a child, he was often found in hiking boots, holding a kayak paddle...
Andrea Adame Fernandez
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Andrea Adame was born in Tampico, Mexico, in 1991. She grew up going on nature adventures with her family, exploring waterfalls, learning to scuba dive and hiking in the jungle. In 2012, she attended...
Andrea Reynolds
Expedition Leader Since: 1994
Andrea caught the travel bug at an early age, having grown up in such diverse places such as Japan, New Zealand, and New Jersey. After earning a degree from the University of Denver, she went on...
Andrea Serena
Expedition Leader Since: 2019
Andrea was born and raised in a small village in northern Italy where he spent his early childhood mostly with his grandparents, who were farmers. Surrounded by nature...
Andres Vergara
Expedition Leader Since: 2013
Andres Vergara was born and raised in Ecuador's capital of Quito. His grandparents, however, lived off the coast of Ecuador where Andres' love of nature and wildlife was nurtured. Andres observed...
Andy Corbett
Expedition Leader Since: 2014
Andy grew up on a farm in County Wicklow, Ireland. His farther was passionate about the great outdoors and passed this on to him. In true Irish style, Andy spent his spare time immersed in nature...
Andy Woodward
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Andy has resided in the picturesque region of England known as the Cotswolds for over 25 years. Originally from Essex, northeast of London, a career relocation in the late ‘90s serendipitously brought him...
Ant Bennet
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
Anthony is better known as Ant. He was born and raised in South Africa, where his curiosity in nature started young with visits to wildlife reserves and northern Natal's wild coastline...
Anthony Amsel
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Born in the heart of Montreal, Anthony was raised in the concrete jungle until he was able to fly on his own. He spent his childhood summers escaping the city, thriving in the woods and lakes of...
Anthony Mallinson
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
As an avid sea kayaker, mountaineer and wilderness guide, Anthony is intimately familiar with the life-changing potential of wilderness experiences. Growing up near Vancouver, the mountains...
Arpita Dutta
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Arpita hails from West Bengal, a state in eastern India on the Bay of Bengal. Her love for nature and lifelong fascination with flora and fauna led her to become the first professional woman naturalist from this...
Arthur Kampmann
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Originally from Connecticut, Arthur spent his childhood summers in the mountains of New Hampshire and boating along Maine’s rugged coast. He often accompanied his...
Astrid Frisch
Expedition Leader Since: 1999
Astrid trained as a biologist at Mexico’s National University and has been leading natural history expeditions throughout Mexico since 1991. For years, she has introduced our guests to her country’s...
Bedley Asun
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Bedley's journey as an Expedition Leader is deeply rooted in his upbringing in the small village of Bundu Tuhan, nestled in the foothills of Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, northern Borneo, Malaysia. Growing up...
Branka Dajak
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Although she was born in Switzerland, Branka was raised in Zagreb—the capital of Croatia—by a Peruvian mum and Croatian dad, so she's excited to be guiding Nat Hab's Wild Nature of Croatia & Slovenia trip...
Brooks Kamanakao
Expedition Leader Since: 2008
Not every guide can claim to have been born in the bush he now guides in, but Brooks can. He grew up in the small village of Motopi, on the banks of the then-flowing Boteti River, one...
Cameron Pearce
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Cameron, a Johannesburg native, has cherished nature since his first family safari at five years old. While others dreamt of galaxies and surgeries, he envisaged a life as a safari guide, even transforming...
Caprice Stoner
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Raised amid the verdant mountains surrounding Chattanooga, Tennessee, Caprice's affinity for the outdoors was nurtured from a young age. Her father fostered her love of camping, fishing, hiking...
Casey Andrews
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Casey's love of nature began at a young age while surfing on the beaches of Southern California. He loved observing the constant change of the ocean and becoming a part of that landscape...
Cassiano "Zapa" Zaniboni
Expedition Leader Since: 2010
Zapa grew up on his grandparents’ farm in the interior of Brazil, where he developed a deep love for nature and wildlife. As a teen he loved to camp and fished in the tropical forests and rivers...
Cecibel Guerrero
Expedition Leader
Ecuador-born “Ceci” spent 15 years living in Toronto, Canada where she obtained her bachelor's degree in Business Administration. After attending a training by Galapagos...
Celinda Humilde
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
Celinda was born in Maras, Peru, a small community located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, approximately 25 miles north of Cusco. When she was young, her family moved to Cusco...
Charles Reinertsen
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Charles grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a forested region bordering the Great Lakes. While exploring the woods and waters of the Midwest, he fell in...
Cheryl Pagel
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Cheryl hails from Adelaide, South Australia. A glance at her childhood pictures would often find her digging in the dirt or tending to the chooks—a colloquial Australian term for chickens. Initially, she followed a tr
Colby Brokvist
Expedition Leader Since: 2006
Hailing originally from New England, Colby has an appetite for wild places. With a degree in Environmental Sciences, his passion for guiding lies in connecting people to wilderness...
Conan Dumenil
Expedition Leader Since: 2015
Conan was born and raised in the South of India and has always been drawn to the call of the wild. While studying business and then later tourism in college, he got his first taste of the jungle and...
Corbin Hawkins
Expedition Leader Since: 2015
A Rocky Mountain native, Corbin grew up in Breckenridge, Colorado and currently calls Jackson, Wyoming home. As a kid living in a mountain town at 9,000 feet...
Court Whelan
Expedition Leader
Court’s background in wildlife and conservation biology led him to pursue a joint Ph.D. in ecotourism and entomology, while simultaneously coordinating and guiding...
Daniel Behn
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
Daniel was born in the United States and raised in Panama and Mexico by Swiss parents. His international background and varied interests enrich his expertise...
Daniel Blankenheim
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Daniel grew up in one of the largest industrial areas in Europe, the “Ruhrpott” or Ruhr in Germany. While this may seem like an unlikely place to become a nature lover...
Daniel Clarke
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Born in landlocked London, Canada, Dan eagerly relocated to British Columbia following his graduation from the University of Toronto with an honors bachelor's degree in zoology...
Daniel Hagaman
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
During the past decade, Daniel has passed the seasons being drawn back-and-forth from the extreme opposites of the earth. Living in Alaska and Patagonia, he migrated with the sun...
Daniel Sanchez
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Daniel was born in Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos. He and his brothers spent their childhood on a cattle farm in the highlands of Santa Cruz...
Daniel Stavert
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
Daniel Stavert hails from the Blue Mountains in Australia, which explains why he is drawn to the beauty of wild places, the extremes of cold and light, and an abundance of life...
Danielle Carstens
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Born and raised in Africa, Danielle has cultivated an enduring love for its wildlife and landscapes since childhood. Her early experiences included camping in Botswana amidst lions and hyenas...
Daniela Iglesias
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Daniela was born in 1986 in Playas, a picturesque coastal city in Ecuador, and spent her childhood on Santa Cruz Island. When she was 15, her family relocated to Guayaquil, allowing her and her siblings...
Daniela Nieto
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Though she was born and raised in Mexico City, Dany grew up surrounded by trees, birds and wildlife. She explored this vast city's hidden natural habitats and city parks from a young age. Fascinated while...
Dean Jais
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Dean was born and raised in Lahad Datu, Sabah, a small town in Malaysian Borneo. After completing high school, he entered the workforce to support his family, and his journey took a fortuitous turn. The pivotal moment arrived when he...
Dennis Smith
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Dennis was born in Maun, Botswana, in the early 1980s and grew up in a village called Mahalapye in the central part of the country. Growing up in a village meant that Dennis would go to his family's...
Derek Lynn
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Derek hails from Roanoke County, Virginia. A land of gentle mountains, Roanoke County is home to the "Triple Crown" of the Appalachian Trail and the best mountain biking east of the Mississippi...
Diana Lopez
Expedition Leader Since: 2019
Diana was born in Mexico and earned both her bachelor´s and master´s degrees at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where she focused in marine mammals and bio-acoustics...
Diogo Lucatelli
Expedition Leader Since: 2020
Diogo was born and raised in northeast Brazil, where he developed an interest and love for nature during early childhood adventures on the family's farm near Salvador da Bahia, his hometown...
Donald Shields
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Donald, an esteemed guide through the highlands and islands of Scotland, boasts extensive knowledge of the region's wildlife and culture. Born in Glasgow and raised in Inverness, he maintains deep roots...
Drew Hamilton
Expedition Leader Since: 2014
Born in Alaska and raised in the wilds of Iowa, Drew spent countless hours outdoors as a youth building forts along the Iowa River and delivering an incalculable number of newspapers...
Drew Nylen
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Drew Nylen grew up in the sunny and rugged South Okanagan region of British Columbia, Canada, a landscape dominated by fire-scarred ponderosa pines and prickly pear cactus. He developed an intimate...
Dushyant Singh
Expedition Leader Since: 2009
Dushyant's passion for wildlife began when he was appointed as a management trainee at Tiger Tops Lodge in Chitwan, Nepal. Within 10 months he became the naturalist/manager of Tiger Tops Karnali...
Eddy Savage
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
Raised on Vancouver Island and now living in the seaside town of Nanaimo, Eddy has always had a passion for exploring the wild. His love of sharing nature with others drove him to become a naturalist...
Eleanor Edye
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
Eleanor was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Traveling with her family as a child cemented her wanderlust and drive for finding new places. Her love of exploration began early in life...
Emmanuel "Promise" Shayo
Expedition Leader Since: 2021
Currently living in Tanzania's safari capital of Arusha, Emmanuel Shayo, known as "Promise," is originally from the village of Marangu, located near the climbing base camp for Mount Kilimanjaro...
Eric Ramirez
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Eric is a passionate and adventurous marine biologist. He was born in México City and grew up in Morelia. Living just a few hours from the coast, Eric heard the ocean’s call when he was just a child. This prompted...
Esteban Biamonte
Expedition Leader Since: 2004
Esteban Biamonte’s aim in life is nature preservation. Literally since his early youth he has been a nature lover, especially when it comes to birds. Nature was his passion long...
Ethan Brown
Expedition Leader Since: 2021
Ethan is a professional wilderness guide from Vancouver, British Columbia. Living on the west coast of Canada in the shadow of the mountains, beside the sea, has left an indelible imprint...
Faiza Mookerjee
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Faiza grew up in India's bustling capital city of New Delhi, although she now hails from the eastern state of West Bengal. Being the daughter of a wildlife conservationist and travel writer...
Fanie Mpiping
Expedition Leader Since; 2024
Fanie was born and raised in Molepolole, a village in southwestern Botswana. He grew up in a farming family, where agriculture and conservation efforts were often in conflict. Witnessing farmers...
Fernando Lessa
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Born and raised in Brazil, Fernando has always been passionate about nature. Growing up in the wilderness instilled in him a deep connection to the natural world...
Fernando Romo
Expedition Leader Since: 2006
Born and raised in Mexico City, Fernando moved to Puerto Vallarta in 1999 to study marine biology and pursue his love of nature. During his studies he collaborated in different research projects...
Fiona Galbraith
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Growing up downtown Toronto, Fiona would use any opportunity to escape into nature. Her yearning for the outdoors ultimately led to a career divided between naturalist guiding and climate change work...
Francis Casapino
Expedition Leader Since: 2002
Born in Urubamba, Peru’s Sacred Valley, Francis has had personal contact with Andean highland communities and cultures throughout his life. Francis is passionate about Andean anthropological studies...
Francis Kudumo
Expedition Leader Since: 2009
Francis had an idyllic boyhood: born and raised in the Okavango Delta, he fished from a dugout canoe and camped on islands around open campfires. At night his father would tell stories about...
Fred Tavares
Expedition Leader Since: 2019
Fred Tavares has completed extensive study in biology, the primates of southeastern Brazil and the ecology of the Pantanal region, and holds a degree from Izabela Hendrix University...
Garrett Fache
Expedition Leader Since: 2021
Garrett was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, dividing his time as a child between the city, his grandparents' farm in Binscarth, and the family cabin on Lake of The Woods, which is where he fell in love with the wild outdoors...
Giancarlo Toti
Expedition Leader Since: 2009
Giancarlo was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where he attended both primary and secondary school at the American School of Guayaquil. He studied industrial engineering at the Polytechnic Institute...
Giulia Ciampini
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Born in Toronto, Canada, Giulia is an adventurous soul continuously drawn toward the thrill of the unknown, whether it be lengthy hikes, road trips, camping or simply relishing an aimless wander in the...
Greg Aranea
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Greg is a naturalist guide, conservationist and talented nature and underwater photographer with Ecuadorian roots. Growing up on the Galapagos Islands, Greg was captivated by the unique beauty...
Guillermo Knell
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
Guillermo got his start as a naturalist guide leading nighttime forest walks in the Amazon. His interpretive and leadership skills expanded to include designing activities for Amazonian ecolodges...
Gustavo Andrade Torres
Expedition Leader Since: 2009
Gustavo’s connection to the Galapagos Islands runs deep. His great-grandfather moved here in 1912 when he came in search of a job on a sugar plantation. Gustavo took his first trip around the...
Hamza Raza Visram
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Hamza grew up in Bukoba, a vibrant town in Tanzania's Kagera region, on the shores of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake. He holds a Certificate in Wildlife Tourism Management...
Harriet Guest
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Harriet was born on the wild North Yorkshire Moors in England and quickly developed a keen interest in the outdoors, nature and animals while exploring the countryside on horseback...
Harsha Jayaramaiah
Expedition Leader Since: 2012
Growing up in the city of Bangalore, India, Harsha had the invaluable opportunity of learning about animals rather intimately due to his involvement with a local animal rescue center. He treated, cared for...
Heather Chrystie
Expedition Leader Since: 2015
Heather seeks to foster positivity in everyone who travels with her and aims to send guests home feeling awed, inspired and with a greater understanding of the intricacies of the natural world...
Helder Brandao
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, Helder developed a passion for nature early in life. After earning a biology degree from the University of São Paulo, his fascination with the wild lured him to the Pantanal...
Hugo Antonio Sanchez Hernandez
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Hugo was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico, but fell in love with the ocean at an early age. He has a background in architecture, a bachelor’s degree in alternative tourism and has led expeditions throughout his native country...
Isaac Rotich
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
Isaac is a world-class naturalist and fantastically enthusiastic guide—one of only a few gold-certified guides in Kenya. His career in the bush started with...
Isabella Somerset
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Bella is an Expedition Leader in the Cotswolds, UK. She grew up in the South of England and has spent most of her time enjoying the wilderness of this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. She has always...
Jackie Weston
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
With a master's degree in physiology and a never-ending curiosity about the world around her, Jackie has a love of nature and the outdoors that has carried her through many challenging...
Jamie Smith-Morvell
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Jamie hails from a picturesque town in rural Victoria, Australia. Time spent on family farms and in the bush nurtured his love for nature. Jamie's passion for Australian flora bloomed, and he found joy in identifying...
Jacob Emerson
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Born in the heart of the Central Coast of New South Wales, just north of Sydney, Jacob's fascination with wildlife began at an early age. By age three, he was already eagerly sharing his knowledge...
Jake Richards
Expedition Leader Since: 2021
Jake grew up in a log cabin in the forests of Vermont. After graduating from Castleton University with a bachelor's degree in History, he spent nine years in manufacturing as a forklift driver. During that time, he went back to school...
James Beissel
Expedition Leader Since: 2019
Born and raised in Michigan, Jim developed a fascination with the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem while guiding rock climbing trips in Wyoming. It grew as he completed his bachelor’s degree in Earth Science...
Jen Kampmann
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Jen spent most of her childhood in the southern U.S. and later moved to Utah with her father. She flew to California each summer to visit her aunt, who exposed her to a world...
Jenn Morrell
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
"The mountains are calling, and I must go." Jenn grew up in Ballard in California's Santa Ynez Valley and felt called to the Sierra Nevada every summer during high school. Whether serving guests at a...
Jeremia Mwapopi
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Jeremia was born in the far northern reaches of Namibia in a region known as Owamboland. As a young boy, his daily chores were herding cattle and goats, cultivating millet crops...
Jessica Morgan
Expedition Leader Since: 2021
Spending the majority of her life in the Sonoran Desert, Jessica has developed a deep interest in the way plants and animals adapt to their environments, especially in arid settings, and it’s an...
Jimmy Federico Solis
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Jimmy was born in 1985 in Puerto Ayora, a small port town on the southern side of Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos. From a young age, he ventured out on the open ocean with his father on fishing...
Jimmy Limbo
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
Jimmy was born and raised in Namibia. Growing up in the small village of Mambali in the Caprivi region, he spent much of his time as a young boy in the bush...
Jimmy Tosso
Expedition Leader Since: 1998
Although Jimmy has participated in and led many classroom programs designed to educate guides about the natural history of Costa Rica, his true love is in the field—Costa Rica’s rain forest...
Joanna Fonkert
Expedition Leader Since: 2019
Growing up in New England, Joanna was exposed to the Northeast’s mountains, lakes and oceans at an early age. Though she is clearly an extrovert and loves people, her first love was wildlife...
Jocelyn McLean
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Jocelyn is a proud Manitoban and loves exploring the wonders of her home province. Winnipeg is her hometown, where hundreds of lakes are within a short drive. Jocelyn’s love for the water and the beauty...
Joe Charleson
Expedition Leader Since: 2012
Along with his wife, Gillian, Joe Charleson manages various safari operations for Nat Hab from Kenya, where he divides his time between Nairobi and the bush, when he's out on safari...
Jonathan Guillen
Nat Hab Expedition Leader: 2023
Jonathan hails from the island of Santa Cruz in the Galapagos. A descendant of fishermen, the ocean was his childhood playground. Some of his best childhood memories include participating...
Jonathan Haws
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Johnny grew up in Houston, where quick and easy access to the Texas Hill Country gave him plenty of opportunities to camp, fish, canoe and explore...
Jordan Creech
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Jordan's wanderlust was sparked during childhood, fueled by cross-country trips with his father that exposed him to national parks and the American West. After completing high school...
Jordan Jones
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Jordan grew up in the small village of Elmwood in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. Exploring the Northwoods of the Midwest is where he first developed his love for the natural world. This beautiful...
Jordan Koroll
Expedition Leader Since: 2021
Jordan was born and raised in a small lakeside town a few hours north of Toronto, Ontario. From an early age, he was passionate about water sports and wildlife he encountered during his family's travels...
Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Jorn was born in Belgium and, after earning a degree in computer science, moved to the United States in 2003, where he spent the next 15 years working as a computer engineer. During that time, he discovered...
Joseline Cardoso
Expedition Leader since: 2005
As an Expedition Leader, Josy's desire is to share her passion for the islands with her guests and to impart an appreciation for their natural environment and wild inhabitants...
Juancarlos Duenas
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Juancarlos was born and raised in Cusco, Peru, the former capital of the Inca Empire. His early years were shaped by frequent hiking trips with his brothers and father, who taught them the names of flowers, birds...
Judy McKenzie
Expedition Leader Since: 2015
A professional guide since 1996, Judy has an extensive background in many facets of New Zealand's travel industry. She leads groups throughout the country, and she has worked with families...
Judy Wilson
Expedition Leader since: 2018
Judy is curious by nature, a trait that has taken her down roads less traveled and rewarded her with interesting people and unique experiences, always with camera in hand. Born a city girl, Judy quickly realized her love of the outdoors and wide-open spaces...
Julia Wilkie
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Julia can recall her mother and father encouraging her to be curious about all living things. She found joy in making friends with spiders and catching tadpoles with...
Julio Madriz
Expedition Leader Since: 2010
It’s no wonder Julio Madriz Nuñez loves the land: he was raised on it. Born into a farming family in rural Costa Rica, Julio spent his childhood developing a natural understanding of Costa Rica’s...
Justin Gibson
Expedition Leader Since: 2011
At the age of eight, Justin saw his first wild bear. Decades later, his infatuation with all things ursine continues to grow. While attending the University of Alaska, Anchorage, he spent...
Justin Pitschmann
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Justin, born in Wichita, Kansas, spent his formative years deeply ingrained in nature, a love imbued by his parents. Childhood vacations to Colorado's Rocky Mountains sparked his fascination for nature's grandeur, and his family's animal rehabilitation work fur
Kaden Dearing
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Growing up in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains of Northern Utah, Kaden spent his childhood running through sagebrush and sego lilies just beyond his backyard. These early experiences...
Karel Beets
Expedition Leader Since: 1999
Karel’s lifelong love of nature and the outdoors lead him to a career as a naturalist and conservationist in 1991. He is a co-founder and past president of the Mexican Association of Ecotourism...
Karla Malo
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Karla, a native of Santa Cruz Island, hails from a family that settled in the Galapagos in the 1920s, starting a new life on San Cristobal Island through agriculture. Her childhood was idyllic, filled with days...
Kassidy Odonnell
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Growing up in the Chicago area, Kassidy often dreamed of towering mountains, rushing rivers and lush coastal forests. She spent most of her time outside and found solace among the trees. In 2018, armed with...
Katie Burnett
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Katie joins Nat Hab with three years of experience as a summer guide and naturalist in Alaska while spending her winters chasing powder. Originally from Los Angeles, California, Katie developed an early love for the ocean...
Katrina Rosen
Expedition Leader Since: 2021
Katrina was born in the prairies of Canada in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She began exploring at a young age, finding solace in the boreal forest and spending nights alone in the outdoors as a young teenager...
Kendall Schneider
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Kendall is an Expedition Leader for Women in the Wild trips in national parks across the United States. Raised in the high deserts of New Mexico, her family instilled in her a love for outdoor...
Kenneth Kinoti
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Kenneth grew up on the northern slopes of Mount Kenya surrounded by the vast Laikipia Plateau and the country's northern conservation areas. In such a setting, nothing could impede his falling totally in love with nature...
Kristina Disney
Expedition Leader Since: 2019
Growing up as the youngest of four on a farm in southern Saskatchewan, Kristina had a rough and tumble childhood of riding horses, wrestling calves and building barbed-wire fence...
Kristoffer Korol
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Raised amid the ponderosa pines and Saskatoon berries of Okanagan Valley, Kristoffer was destined to lead a life intimately tied to nature. His time at the University of Victoria fostered a profound affinity...
Kurt Johnson
Expedition Leader Since: 2014
Kurt Johnson is a naturalist, author and photographer with a passion for the natural world and ecotourism. He grew up in both the urban setting of northern Virginia and the remote Adirondack...
Lalaina Ramaroson
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Lalaina was born and raised in Antananarivo, the bustling capital city of Madagascar, where he still resides with his family. From a young age, he nurtured an innate love for nature...
Laura Geissinger
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Laura has always loved nature. She was born in Alaska, and as a child, her family spent time outside boating, berry-picking and enjoying having cookouts on the beach...
Lazarus Moalosi
Expedition Leader Since: 2014
Lazarus — "Lazi"— was born and raised in Bobonong village in Botswana. During weekends and school holidays he helped his parents on a farm along the Limpopo River...
Leah Pengelly
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Growing up in the Canadian Rockies, Leah found her passion for exploring the outdoors early on, spending much of her childhood backpacking, skiing, horseback riding and canoeing...
Leandro Vaca
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Born in Guayas Province, Guayaquil City, Leandro moved with his family to the Galapagos when he was 3 years old. His childhood placed him in the right location; the Galapagos offered...
Leigh Baker
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Leigh is a conservation biologist and a graduate of the Yale School of the Environment. Her love of nature began at Jack Hanna’s Columbus Zoo in Columbus, Ohio. Holding her mother’s hand at the bald eagle exhibit...
Lejania Malheiros
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Raised in Aquidauana, on the western edge of the Pantanal, Lejania's career as a naturalist guide was inspired by a childhood spent exploring trails, rivers and waterfalls with her mother. This early exposure ignited her passion...
Lemme Gust
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
Lemme Guest was born in the small southwest Botswana village of Ncojane and raised in Maun, the gateway to the Okavango Delta. He spent school holidays in the bush...
Lets Kamogelo
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
Letsogile “Lets” Kamogelo was born and raised in eastern Botswana’s Tuli Block, an area so dominated by nature that it molded him early into an ardent naturalist and conservationist...
Lianne Thompson
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Lianne was born in England, but has spent most of her life in Canada. She grew up in southern Ontario, where her love for nature started early. While obtaining her undergraduate zoology degree...
Lilia Gonzalez
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Lilia was born and raised in Mexico City. Even as a young child, she showed a keen interest in the ocean and its creatures, especially whales and dolphins. Her passion continued into young adulthood...
Linda Himelbloom
Expedition Leader Since: 2010
Linda loves Alaska! She moved to the 49th state to work as a geologist after living initially in Canada, then into naturalist guide work with Nat Hab after she relocated to Kodiak Island, where...
Lorraine Doyle
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Lorraine was born and raised in Zimbabwe. As a teenager, visits to Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, Lake Kariba and Great Zimbabwe fostered her passion for the natural world...
Luis Vinueza
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Luis was born in Quito, Ecuador, and fell in love with the Galapagos after traveling to the islands when he was 11. This experience motivated him to move to the Galapagos later in life...
Madeline Mitchell
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Born in Winnipeg, Madeline (Maddy) grew up immersed in nature, embarking on family camping and paddling excursions through Canada’s vast wilderness. These experiences ignited her love for nature, prompting...
Manolo Lazo
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Manolo has been an avid outdoorsman and athlete since childhood. He attended Champagnat Catholic School and later honed his expertise at Cusco Technical School, earning...
Marco Fallas
Expedition Leader Since: 1997
Born and raised in Costa Rica, Marco has small-group explorations through all regions of his country. His research focus is birds and plants, and he has often participated in bird studies...
Maria Marcias
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Maria, a biologist hailing from Buenos Aires, Argentina, found her life's calling amid the vastness of the sea. Even in a bustling city, the ocean was her cherished holiday retreat. A transformative...
Marlo Shaw
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
As a child, Marlo spent her summers in northwest British Columbia. It was during these formative years that she first became acquainted with the flora and fauna of the coastal temperate rain forest...
Matt Cornish
Nat Hab Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Hailing from New South Wales, Australia, Matt embarked on his wildlife odyssey as a teen reptile keeper at a local zoo. His fervor for reptiles was cultivated alongside a passion for education...
Matt Meyer
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
Matt was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa and grew up between Durban and his family's game reserve. His passion for the outdoors and wildlife developed young, while his family would vacation at their private game reserve in northern Zululand...
Matt Ware
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Matt is originally from Herefordshire in the West Midlands of England (between the Cotswolds and Wales), where his family has been farming for almost 1,000 years...
Marjorie Loyer
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Raised amid the stark beauty of the Atacama Desert, Marjorie formed a lifelong passion for the natural world, a connection that drew her to the contrasting landscapes of South Patagonia. With extensive field...
Melissa Silva
Expedition Leader Since: 2015
Melissa Silva is a Marine Biologist who has been guiding in México for the last 3 years, sharing her passion for wildlife and conservation with guests from around the world...
Mike Hillman
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Mike grew up in the North Woods of Michigan and spent his early years learning all he could about the natural world. As an Eagle Scout, he led groups through the wilds while identifying plants and...
Miranda Unger
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Miranda’s interests in marine life and ecosystems were sparked visiting the intertidal zones on the east coast of North America...
Moira Le Patourel
Expedition Leader Since: 2014
Moira began working with Natural Habitat Adventures in Churchill, Manitoba in 2014, building on her role in the Canadian outdoor tourism industry as an adventure guide and naturalist...
Monika Mikulec
Expedition Leader Since: 2010
Born and raised in Croatia, athletic Monika has always been a lover of the outdoors. After working in the corporate world for five years, her deep passion for travel and photography took over...
Nancy Moore
Expedition Leader Since: 2004
Nancy’s appetite for adventure was fed at a very young age by her grandmother who would orchestrate weekend drives into the New England countryside and announce, much to Nancy’s delight...
Nick Baker
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Growing up in the UK, Nick developed a lifelong love of the natural world. His naturalist background is extensive: his diverse career includes roles as a wildlife guide, educator, ecological consultant...
Nikki Sentinella
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Nikki grew up in Sydney, Australia, and could often be found camping, chasing critters and exploring the outdoors from an early age. She was fortunate to be able to travel as...
Nora Tenbrock
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Nora, a native of a quaint town in Germany, spent her childhood immersed in horseback riding, camping and exploring local forests. During her teenage years, she embraced travel, guiding...
Ona Basimane
Expedition Leader Since: 2015
Ona was born and raised in Maun, Botswana. His passion for the natural world started at a young age when he had opportunities to visit the Moremi Game Reserve as well as several trips...
Onik Morrison
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Onik’s love for nature bloomed as a child at her family’s farm in the foothills of the Costa Rica's Central Valley. There, she had many of her first encounters with rain forest animals, including sloths...
Patricia Valdespino
Expedition Leader Since: 2004
Patricia has led monarch butterfly adventures as a Nat Hab Expedition Leader since 2004. She was born and raised in Mexico City but has spent the majority of her life exploring the great...
Patrick Maurice
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Patrick grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, where his mother instilled in him a strong appreciation for nature and wildlife. He is an avid birder, and his earliest bird memory is seeing...
Paul Kirui
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
One of Kenya’s most distinguished safari guides, Paul was born on the northern outskirts of the Maasai Mara game reserve. He grew up herding cattle on the savannas, where he grew to know...
Paulo Gomez Aldana
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Paulo's adventure began in 1993 amid the tropical splendor of Western Mexico, where his parents cultivated an organic orchard as a refuge from city life. Paulo's affinity for nature blossomed among coffee, mango, cacao...
Payal Mehta
Expedition Leader Since: 2013
Payal’s life journey has taken her from a typical urban childhood in Mumbai to a career as a naturalist guide. Though she grew up in one of India’s largest metropolises, Payal loved the outdoors...
Peter Ramsden
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Peter grew up with a passion for the outdoors and the natural world. He graduated with a degree in outdoor recreation and countryside management and has...
Petr Gheorghe
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Born in Prague, Petr spent his early years at a Norwegian fishing camp operated by his family for 16 years. Each summer spent navigating stunning fjords, guiding fishing trips and absorbing nature's...
Phalgun Patel
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Phalgun was born and educated in Bangalore, India. He completed his master's degree in film and photography at Light & Life Academy near Ooty, Tamil Nadu, and continued to work in the...
Pietro Luraschi
Expedition Leader Since: 2015
Pietro was born in Milan, Italy in 1975 and later trained as a civil engineer there. His passion for Africa inspired him to first experience the continent as a volunteer in the Tarangire Lion Project...
Rachel Sullivan-Lord
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Hailing from the coast of New England, Rachel grew up with a passion for the ocean and the creatures that live beneath the water’s surface, leading her to become a marine ecologist...
Ramani Jayewardene
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Born and raised in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Ramani lives and breathes nature and has been involved with wildlife professionally for more than two decades...
Rashid Ali
Expedition Leader Since: 2012
Rashid’s passions are natural history and wildlife conservation. As a child growing up in a family of naturalists, Rashid developed a keen interest in the natural world as the family visited...
Renzo Zeppilli
Expedition Leader Since: 2014
From an early age, Renzo developed a deep love for the natural side of his native Peru, which he enjoys sharing with Nat Hab guests as an Expedition Leader on our Amazon River voyages...
Richard Avilino
Expedition Leader Since: 2006
As a boy growing up in Maun, Botswana, Richard Avilino would sit in his grandfather’s field and watch the bushbucks play on the other side of the Thamalakane River. Those quiet...
Richard de Gouveia
Expedition Leader Since: 2015
Richard started out his career as an environmental consultant, conducting environmental impact assessments for various companies. He had always been drawn to the bush and eventually...
Rija Ratotonirinia
Expedition Leader Since: 2013
Rija was born in 1975 in Antananarivo, Madagascar, into one of the country's pioneer guiding families. Greatly influenced by his father, who was one of the country's first naturalist English-speaking guides...
Rob Norton
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
Rob was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario where he spent his youth exploring the forests, lakes and rivers of the Ottawa Valley and Gatineau Hills. It was here at a young age that he first discovered...
Rosa Alegria Gonzales
Expedition Leader Since: 1997
Rosa was born and raised in Peru. She is a native Quechuan, and is extremely proud of the diverse flora and fauna, as well as the cultures, of her native country. Rosa has been a guide...
Roy Valverde
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
Roy is a passionate nature interpreter and bird-watcher, having worked as a certified professional naturalist guide for over a decade. A committed advocate for the protection of...
Ruben Choque
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Ruben was born in Cusco and raised in an Andean family. His wife and two boys are his greatest inspiration, fueling his desire to protect nature and create a better world for everyone. Collaborating with...
Russell Gerber
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Born and raised in South Africa's Eastern Cape, Russell has a deep passion for the conservation of Africa’s environmental and cultural diversity. He earned his undergraduate degree...
Rylee Jensen
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Rylee was born and raised at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah, with red rock playgrounds to the south and powder-soft ski trails to the north. Inspired by icons such as Jonathan Scott and Steve Irwin...
Sabina Moll
Expedition Leader Since: 2021
Born and raised right in the middle of the Alps, Sabina grew up in the woods and mountains of southern Germany. She spent most of her childhood outside and in the forest, often all day long...
Samantha Strauss
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Born and raised in Michigan, Sam spent her childhood dreaming of the mountains and rivers of the American West. This dream became a reality when Sam left home to study at the...
Sam Kuperus
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Sam grew up in New Zealand, famed for its legendary natural scenery. After completing his higher education in Dunedin and a brief spell in corporate working as a project manager, Sam hit the road and...
Sam Mushandu
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
One of southern Africa's top safari guides, Sam Mushandu was born and raised in southeast Zimbabwe. Growing up in a rural village surrounded by wild country gave him a great appreciation...
Sam Wilson
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Sam Wilson launched his career as a naturalist guide in the Alaska backcountry in 2017, but his immersion in nature and science education is far more extensive. An expert on bird migration and wildlife behavior...
Sarah Giersch
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Although Sarah grew up in the middle of Canada, her early love of the ocean inspired her to tell anyone who asked that she planned on becoming a marine biologist. Studying biology at the...
Setsile Chikusi
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Setsile was born in 1978 in the village of Parakarungu, Chobe, Botswana. Growing up in an area rich with wildlife, he developed a deep passion for animals from a young age. Setsile began his...
Shawn Eggleston
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Shawn grew up playing in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Led by his father, he was inspired to explore the wilderness from a young age, which led to a deep appreciation for the land and wildlife...
Simon McLaughlin
Expedition Leader Since: 2020
Simon was born in the U.K. and traveled among various military camps throughout his early years, while his father served in the first battalion Royal Scots. He discovered a passion for wildlife...
Sofia Darquea De Witt
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, Sofia has had an immense love of nature and a fascination with flora and fauna since she was a child. As these interests grew, they inspired her to become a certified...
Sofia Merino
Expedition Leader Since: 2018
Ana Sofia Merino was born in the metropolis of Guadalajara but raised in one of Mexico's smallest communities, Zacatecas. She comes from an adventurous family that loves traveling and being close.....
Sophie Mazowita
Expedition Leader Since: 2019
Sophie's childhood was split between the capital cities of Canada and Australia, but she felt most at home exploring the lakes and woods near her grandmother's home in the Ottawa...
Stacie Herring
Nat Hab Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Stacie grew up on the Gulf Coast of Texas near Matagorda Bay. Her grandfather truly inspired her love for nature. As a child, she was fascinated by alligators, and he would pull out encyclopedias...
Surya Ramachandran
Expedition Leader Since: 2017
Surya hails from the South India city of Chennai. While his academic background and formal training are in engineering, the call of the wild was stronger...
Tadeu de Oliveira
Expedition Leader Since: 2019
Tadeu de Oliveira—"Tadeu"—got his start in the travel industry as a flight attendant. Realizing after four years that he was drawn more to wild nature...
Tebogo Mokgosi
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Born and raised in Maun, Botswana, Tebla’s love for the bush developed from a young age while accompanying his grandfather on trips through the delta. After obtaining a degree...
Teresa Whipple
Expedition Leader Since: 2015
Teresa is thrilled that her passions have become a career built upon sharing an untamed world with other nature enthusiasts who agree that the wilderness deserves reverence and dedicated preservation...
Thuto Moutloatse
Expedition Leader Since: 2007
Named "Best Safari Guide on the Planet" in Outside magazine’s 2014 Travel Awards, Thuto Moutloatse had the privilege of growing up in the superb wildlife areas of Botswana, where his father...
Toby Sinclair
Expedition Leader Since: 2007
A London-born Scot, Toby first drove out to India in 1974 and by late 1975 he joined the Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge in Nepal’s Royal Chitwan National Park. In April 1977 he moved to Delhi and helped establish...
Toky Andriamora
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Toky was born and raised in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar. Throughout his childhood, he frequently accompanied his father to their family's ancestral rice paddies...
Tom Hartley
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Tom is a third-generation Kenyan who grew up in the wilderness areas of Botswana, Malawi, South Africa and Kenya. His family has been in African tourism and conservation his whole life—safaris have always...
Tom Skeele
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
As a child growing up in the Northeast, Tom found his greatest joy running around the woods, sailing the New England coast and traveling to the Bahamas...
Tracey Gage
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Tracey received her wildlife biology degree from Guelph University and her teaching and geography degree from Lakehead University. During the summers, she worked as a biologist...
Varun Devaraj
Expedition Leader Since: 2023
Varun is a naturalist guide in the wilds of India, from the tiger reserves of central India to the mountainous chain of the Western Ghats and Trans-Himalayan Ladakh. A career in natural history began at...
Vedant Thite
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Veronica Maruri
Expedition Leader Since: 2011
Veronica was born and raised in Guayaquil, on the Ecuadorian coast. When she was 12 years old, she spent a year in Massachusetts giving her the opportunity to learn English...
Victor Horatius
Expedition Leader Since: 2009
Born and raised in Maun, Botswana, Victor grew up spending weekends and school holidays helping out on a farm in the Kalahari. He worked his way into managing camps in the Okavango Delta...
Vineith Mahadev
Expedition Leader Since: 2019
Vineith Mahadev grew up in India's Western Ghats, which is dotted with some of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the world. From an early age he lived with his family in Mysore, where he spent most of his childhood birdwatching...
Warwick Lister-Kaye
Expedition Leader Since: 2022
Warwick Lister-Kaye is Nat Hab’s head Expedition Leader in Scotland. He and his wife, Becky, love welcoming Nat Hab guests into their home in the Highlands where they live and are raising their young family...
Wilfredo Huillca Gamarra
Expedition Leader Since: 2016
Wilfredo was born in Cusco, Peru. He grew up with a passion for nature and an unending curiosity. In the Peruvian countryside, he fell in love with his surroundings and soaked up information...
Yaju Upadhyaya
Expedition Leader Since: 2024
Yaju, hailing from New Delhi, developed a deep passion for the wilderness in his school days through frequent Himalayan treks and time spent on his family's riverine island in North East India. He pursued...