Meet Our Expert Tour Leaders

Our experienced Tour Leaders will bring the history and culture of your destination to life, as well as ensure the smooth and safe operation of all aspects your trip. All of our Leaders possess an amazing breadth of knowledge and love of travel; their expert guidance is a critical element of all of our tours. Below are biographies of just a few of our Tour Leaders: simply the best in the business.

	ALASTAIR SMITH Education: Ongoing. Languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Arabic and Turkish. Tours Led: To over 90 countries. Favourite Destination: Madagascar—the wildlife; Greenland—white nights; Brazil—nothing taken too seriously when one is on Brazilian time; Easter Island—far- flung; and Italy—everything!
	VICTOR ROMAGNOLI Education: History and English Literature. Languages: English, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Turkish, German, Arabic and Greek. Tours Led: On all seven continents. Favourite Destination: The next tour I lead, wherever that may be. Who knows what interesting people I might meet on the tour and what fascinating experiences we may have along the way.
	KERI MONTGOMERY Education: Anthropology and Psychology. Languages: English, Japanese, Spanish and some Italian Tours Led: Italy, Peru, Bolivia, Cuba, Chile, Egypt, Adriatic, Italy, Spain, Iceland, Greenland, Albania, Belize, Tuscan Rambler, Ecuador, El Camino de Santiago, East Africa, Greece, Turkey Guyana and the Caribbean. Favourite Destination: Places that make your heart flutter the first time you experience them or the 100th: Orongo Crater on Rapa Nui, the Pantanal, Havana at night, the glaciers of Greenland, Iguazu Falls in the mist, Kyoto during the cherry blossom festival, and the stunning Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia) at 5000m.
	MARCELLA MOSER Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts and Chinese Art History. Languages: English, German, French and Spanish. Tours Led: Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Macedonia, Jordan, Israel and Cuba. Favourite Destination: Anywhere with uninterrupted skies and late afternoon light. The Gobi Desert in Mongolia, Thar Desert in India, the Patagonian steppes and Saskatchewan's prairies are spectacular.
	SERRA HUGHES Education: Middle Eastern and Islamic History and English Literature. Languages: English and Mandarin. Tours Led: Greece, China, Silk Road, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Gulf States, Israel/Jordan and Egypt. Favourite Destination: China: a constantly changing, exciting, complex and beautiful country. And anywhere in Southeast Asia.
	AILI RAUK Education: English and Drama Languages:English, a little Thai, and smatterings of Spanish & French. Tours Led:India, China, the Himalayan Kingdoms, Mongolia, Central Asia, the Trans-Siberian Railway, Australia, New Zealand, East Africa, Baltic States, Russia, Papua New Guinea, the Gulf States, Yemen, and more. Favourite Destination: Places that overwhelm all the senses: the ghats of Varanasi, the throngs of drumming tribesmen at the Goroka sing-sing, the Tiger's Nest monastery in Bhutan, the top of a sand dune in the Rub' al Khali. And the summit of any mountain, anywhere.
	JIHAD TABCHO Education: Engineering. Languages: English, French and Arabic. Tours Led: Jordan, Syria, Iran and Egypt. Favourite Destination: Vancouver smiles, oceanside gelato and mountain getaways are three aspects that sum up the beauty of British Columbia for me.
	STEPHEN SCROGINGS Education: Visual Arts and Sociology. Languages: English and Japanese Tours Led: Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Favourite Destination: I am fascinated by the art and culture of Asia, and in particular Japan. The far north of Japan is one of the region's most intriguing areas.
	ANDRES FERNANDEZ Education: Communication and Psychology. Languages: English, Spanish and French. Tours Led: Costa Rica and Panama Favourite Destination: I love travelling in Central America. The natural history is astounding, all the birds, mammals, flora and fauna! As a certified diver and avid sportsman, the area offers many opportunities for diving, kayaking and rafting.
	PABLO GONZALEZ Education: Tourism business at Technological University of Quito. Languages: Spanish, English and German. Favourite Destination: Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Strasbourg in France, but I have a special interest and attraction for Peru and Bolivia since I began travelling to these countries.
	JULIE MOLYNEUX Education: Bachelor of Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Info: Born in England, raised in South Africa.Has worked as a tour leader for more than 15 years. Has led tours to China, Australia, South Pacific Islands, Seychelles, Kenya, and Southern Africa. Favourite Destination: "For natural beauty my personal favourite destination must be Namibia; I love the solitude of the Namib desert. The most special destination I have ever visited must be Tibet. I love the rich tapestry of this country's ancient history."
	BRAD CROCKETT Education: Advertising and Marketing ...ongoing Languages: some French and Arabic Tours Led: Over 50 countries including: Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, (Kili) Madagascar, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Mali, Sengal, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Poland, Baltic States, Greece, Turkey, Northwest Argentina, Patagonia, Chile, Vietnam, Cambodia, India. Info: Over 10 years of tour leading, specializing in Africa and the Mediterranean.
	CHRISTINA HALLAL Education: English and Ethnology Languages: Spanish and English. Tours Led: Mexico's Copper Canyon. Info: Christina has been working in tourism in the Copper Canyon area for over eight years and seems to know every plant, bird, and what lies around every bend on the Chihuahua al Pacifico railroad! Favourite Destination: I love Vancouver's huge parks and seascapes--in the Copper Canyon, it has to be Batopilas AND the road to get there!
	JONATHAN HODGSON Education: Psychology and an MBA. Languages: English, conversational French and smatterings of Spanish, German, Czech and Laotian. And a decent Scottish accent. Tours Led: Eastern and Central Europe, Adriatic, Australia and New Zealand, Himalaya, India, Italy, Egypt, Belize, Morocco and Guatemala. Favourite Destination: Tibet—The people, the landscape, the Yak butter incense. You just don't forget it, especially the incense. Guatemala—one of the most photogenic countries you could ask for. Australia—Melbourne, Barramundi and a really big red rock.
	LAURA RUDDERFORTH Education: English Literature, Art History, Education, PADI Instructor Languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, some Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Mandarin. Tours Led: Malta, Turkey, Scotland, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Poland, Easter Island and everywhere in Italy. Favorite Destination: The Philippines for the fascinating underwater landscapes and life, Sicily for the abundance of delicious cuisine and wealth of antiquity, everywhere on Rapa Nui.
	SUBASH TAMANG Education: Bachelor of Arts (Geography and Economics). Languages Spoken: Nepali , Hindi and English. Tours Led : Darjeeling, Sikkim, Bhutan, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh , Tibet, Nepal, Kumoan and Rajasthan. Favourite Destination: Watching the sunrise over the Kanchenjunga from Tonglu in Darjeeling, especially the first rays touching the mountain.
	CHRISTINE CLARK Education: Latin American Studies - Simon Fraser University, Event Management- BCIT. Languages: English and Spanish. Tours Led: Italy, Cuba, Peru and China. Info: Lived in Scotland and studied in Spain and Mexico. A background in Hospitality and Marketing. Favourite Destination: Edinburgh for its grey scale beauty; India for the chaos and colour; Cambodia for its resilient people and genuine smiles.
	THOMAS EGLI Education: BSc Ecology and Environmental Biology, PADI Instructor Languages: English, French, Spanish and (Swiss-) German. Tours Led: Gulf States, Egypt/Jordan, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Bali, Poland, Spain & the Strait of Georgia (really!), Info: An interest in conservation has brought me to work on research projects with whales and rockfish in B.C., sea turtles in Costa Rica, and dolphins in New Zealand. I try to bring my camera and tastebuds wherever I go. Favourite Destination: Australia for its stunning wide-open spaces and colours; Thailand for its spiciness, Indonesia for its wicked diving; and Singapore because everything works.
	IAN HUNT Info: Ian is a world traveller from way back, having visited more than 80 countries spread over every continent on Earth (except from Antarctica). He lived overseas for 10 years, first in Europe--where he began his tour leading career--and then in Australia. He tries to live by the adage that life is too important to take too seriously, believing in making the most of each and every day in a spirit of fun and kindness to others. Fav Destinations: SE Asia, especially the thoroughly enchanting Laos. Also love Tanzania and Zanzibar in particular. Education: BA from Western and Masters of Art History from the University of Florence, Italy. Tours Led: Italy, Silk Road, Mongolia, North Africa (Lybia, Tunisia, Malta), Lake Baikal, China (all), SE Asia, West Africa, East Africa & Japan.
	LINDSAY MACKENZIE Education: BA Geography/Political Science (Colgate University, NY, USA). Watson Fellowship for a year of independent travel to examine transboundary conservation areas and community-based development projects. Languages: English and some Spanish, French and Italian. Tours Led: Italy, Iran & Malta. Info: Born and raised in Whistler, B.C., but has lived in Switzerland, South Africa and Costa Rica. Spent a summer in Kosovo helping to create a local NGO to promote environmental education. Favourite Destination: Cape Town and Istanbul for their vitality; Namibia and Jordan for the stunning landscapes; Italy for art and food; Costa Rica for la pura vida.
	KATIE YANG Education: English Literature. Languages: English, Mandarin, French, Spanish and Japanese. Info: Has lived in Japan, Australia, Italy, the UK, Guatemala and Malaysia; was originally Made in Taiwan and spent nine childhood years there. Tours Led: Central Asia, China, Turkey, Cuba, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, India, Canada and the US Favourite Destinations: Indonesia--beautiful landscape, people and the food! South Africa--modern history, landscape and wine country. And Guatemala for its colourful people.
PHOTO SOON	VLN Rao Education: Masters in Commerce & Indology Languages: English, Italian and many Indian Languages Tours Led: Has led tours throughout Asia, including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia & South Korea Favourite Destinations: All destinations that present their unique cultural heritage... places of great cultural value, whether Ayutayya in Thailand, Hampi in India or Sigiriya in Sri Lanka.
	FRANCES MORTON Education: Institutional Management, Scottish architecture, plants of Scotland and travel and tourism. Languages: English, French and Swahili. Tours Led: Scotland, France Favourite Destination: France—I go almost every year; the Canary Islands, and, of course, Scotland! I love hawking with birds of prey and walking those Scottish hills.
	CLAUDE MORENCY Education: Human Geography and Anthropology. Languages: English, French and Spanish. Tours Led: Mexico, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Morocco, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Gabon Favourite Destination: Indochina—the diversity of landscapes and cultures. From the mountain tribes of Laos to the Khmer civilization... with the great Vietnamese cuisine as a bonus!
	ONDREJ STREJCEK Education: Music and History. Languages: English, Czech, Slovak, Russian; some German, Polish, Italian, and Spanish Tours Led: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Baltic States. Favourite Destination: Czech Republic—rapidly developing but still very cultural and historical.
	DARWIN TOIVO Education: University of New South Wales, Geography Masters Degree. Vaucluse Institute of International Studies (France), Political Science. Languages: English, French, Swedish, some Russian, some Spanish Tours Led: Algeria, Tunisia, Malta, Central America, Morocco, Peru and Bolivia. Favourite Destination: Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, South America. In all my travels, my constant companion, curiosity, propels me to learn the local history, geography and culture. Feeling at home abroad is first nature for me. The thrill of new places and people to share them with will always be close to my sense of purpose.