FOLLOW YOUR LEADER
For those of you who have previously traveled with ElderTreks, you may know one or even several of our tour leaders listed below. Their expertise, commitment and sensitivity to our travelers as well as the people and environments we visit are the reasons we get such great feedback on our guides from our past travelers.
The following is a tentative schedule of our tour leaders upcoming adventures. Please bear in mind that this is only a provisional schedule and while these leaders are scheduled to be on these trips, circumstances beyond our control may change these schedules.
We are proud of all of our first rate tour leaders, but if you have traveled with one and really want to travel on another trip they are leading, we extend to you a formal invitation to "Follow your Leader".
Roger Burrows
Roger has led innumerable ElderTreks trips, and as a veteran tour leader, he brings a wealth of experience to his job as all-round trip facilitator. Roger's travels have taken him all over the world, including Europe, South America, Asia and Africa. His keen interest in local people and cultures often offers travelers the unique opportunity to visit local homes, orphanages and schools. An avid animal lover, Roger has even been known to bring treats for local cats and dogs. | |  |
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Jul 01 | - | Jul 17,2023 | Mongolia |
Aug 15 | - | Sep 04,2023 | Papua New Guinea |
Sep 06 | - | Oct 02,2023 | The Stans of Central Asia |
Oct 04 | - | Oct 30,2023 | The Stans of Central Asia |
Jan 03 | - | Feb 03,2024 | The Grand South-East Asia Adventure |
Feb 08 | - | Feb 28,2024 | Laos |
May 01 | - | May 27,2024 | The Stans of Central Asia |
Jul 01 | - | Jul 17,2024 | Mongolia |
Aug 15 | - | Sep 04,2024 | Papua New Guinea |
Sep 10 | - | Sep 30,2024 | Papua New Guinea |
"He is the best!! Roger gives his all to the tour and no-one can compare with his competence."
Gloria Mossburg - Madagascar
Guilherme (Gafa) Stamato
Guilherme is a native Brazilian (nicknamed "Gafa") and graduated from Sao Paulo University with a degree in Physical Education along with a Black-belt in Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan. He lives in Sao Paulo and has two children, Raphael and Sophia. Gafa is an excellent photographer and wildlife expert who will add great local knowledge to the explorations on your tour. | |  |
"Gafa made our travels flow smoothly and is just a pleasant person to be with."
Jade Lovell - Brazil
Lajos Nemeth
Lajos (pronounced Lay-osh) is a proud native Hungarian and, as a biologist, has a formidable knowledge of natural history and the underwater world. Lajos brings a wealth of experience and character to his job and will be outstanding as all-round facilitator on your trip. In addition to travelling extensively in Eastern Europe, he also feels at home around the Mediterranean, as well as having a serious travel passion for many countries in Africa. Lajos loves the great outdoors and sometimes spends several weeks in bush-camps in search of birds, butterflies and wildlife. His other passions include history, politics, photography, rare natural history books, fly-fishing, scuba diving, deep desert exploration and... oh yes, Hungarian wines. | |  |
"Lajos does a fine job of ushering around his group. He is extremely knowledgeable about a myriad of topics and informed about what we are touring. Entertaining and organized."
Patricia Bunyard - Transylvania
Manuel Velazco
Manuel originally from the Andes of Peru (Cusco), began in the travel business at the tender age of 14. He has a degree as a Professional Tour Guide, specializing in Inca Culture and is one of Peru's most experienced and respected tour leaders. Manuel has been sharing his wonderful sense of humor and love of the mountains with ElderTrekkers for many years and has hiked the Inca Trail over 250 times. He also speaks three different languages, English, Spanish and Qechua (the language of the Incas) and brings plenty of fun and learning to every adventure he guides. | |  |
"Manuel was very much in charge of everything – he worked hard and all the details were well covered."
Heidi Andre - Peru
Eric Fengler
Eric was born in the Netherlands where he studied Environmental Engineering at Wageningen University. During his studies he trained in Tucumán, Argentina, 1,300 km northwest of Buenos Aires moving there in 1992. He has traveled extensively throughout South America and has been guiding tours in Argentina and Chile since 1996 specializing in the Patagonia region. Since 2012 Eric has also been leading trips for ElderTreks in Asia, Oceania and Europe. He speaks English, German, and Spanish as well as his native Dutch. Eric has worked with ElderTreks for many years and we welcome his local knowledge and international flair. You are in very capable hands with Eric. | |  |
Jun 08 | - | Jun 26,2023 | The Baltics |
Sep 12 | - | Oct 02,2023 | Papua New Guinea |
Oct 03 | - | Oct 22,2023 | Sumatra |
Oct 22 | - | Nov 10,2023 | Java and Bali |
Jan 08 | - | Jan 24,2024 | Argentina & Chile
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Jan 27 | - | Feb 11,2024 | Patagonia Trekking |
Mar 01 | - | Mar 22,2024 | Hidden Treasures of South America |
Jun 09 | - | Jun 27,2024 | The Baltics |
Sep 04 | - | Sep 30,2024 | The Stans of Central Asia |
Oct 02 | - | Oct 21,2024 | Sumatra |
Oct 21 | - | Nov 09,2024 | Java and Bali |
"Eric was a class act. Well organized, always offered alternatives when possible. He was very generous with his time. He is an excellent guide and well informed."
Angela Alvisi - Patagonia Trekking
David Roth
Born in Canada and having resided in 8 countries, David has spent over 40 years travelling the world - the last 25 working in the travel industry. He has designed and led numerous tours for Eldertreks. With an attention to maximizing the group’s travel experience, David’s personable and often humorous style of tour leading offers his fellow travelers many opportunities to interact with the local people and cultures. David has an MA in International Relations, and also speaks German, a bit of Russian, French and Arabic. In his spare time he writes children’s books. | |  |
"Exceptional experienced trip leader. One of the best"
Edward and Elena Long - The Caucasus
Abdul Sebak
Abdul Moez is a graduate of the Faculty of Archaeology and is the Director of Egyptology at the Giza Pyramids. He has worked on several important archaeological digs including Abu Rawash, Worker's Village in Giza, (pre-dynastic period at Saqqara) and currently serves as an advisor for archaelogical digs in and around the Giza area. He also holds a diploma in Tourism/Guiding from the Faculty of Tourism in Egypt and brings a wealth of knowledge to his role as Tour Leader for ElderTreks. In addition to leading our ElderTreks' groups since 2005, Abdul also had the pleasure of showing the Giza pyramids to former US President Jimmy Carter. | |  |
Oct 14 | - | Nov 04,2023 | Egypt |
Feb 10 | - | Mar 02,2024 | Egypt |
Oct 12 | - | Nov 02,2024 | Egypt |
"Abdul was extremely patient - always willing to explain one more time whatever information we needed to know - very kind, thoughtful and always up beat. His passion for archeology, pyramids, pharaohs, and tombs was contagious and inspiring. Very knowledgeable - wonderful sense of humor."
M Twitchell - Egypt
Douglas Brisebois
Douglas Brisebois has worked as a tour leader for almost 20 years. His travels have taken him to all parts of the world from Asia to Africa to Antarctica and much more. His knowledge and experience help to make each and every tour he leads an unforgettable memory.
Douglas grew up in Northern Ontario surrounded by beautiful lakes, green forests and breathtaking scenery where he acquired a healthy respect and admiration for his natural surroundings. He spent time working for his parents at the family run resort which was his first introduction to tourism. Although home is in Ontario, Canada, Douglas enjoys escaping to his house in Costa Rica overlooking the Pacific, or visiting his small finca (ranch) in the mountains close to Arenal volcano.
If you have the pleasure of being on a trip lead by Douglas, his charm, energy, knowledge and caring attitude will ensure your trip is truly a unique experience. | |  |
"Douglas is a scholar and a gentleman. He knows just how to read people and make them happy."
Steve Sirls - Malta & Sicily
Tomas Havlicek
Tomas, a native Czech, received his University degree in English and American studies as well as philosophy. He has worked as a guide since 2000, specializing in Central Europe. Tomas has a keen interest in history, architecture, and post-communist development of the region. Since he has lived half of his life under the communist rule and the other under democracy, Tomas has a truly unique perspective which he loves to share with those he is travelling with. Tomas will do all that he can to make your travel experience with him most memorable! | |  |
"Excellent guide! Broad interests, intelligent, caring, fantastic language skills, great people person!"
J. Schmidlapp and J. Lancaster - Medieval Treasures of Eastern Europe
Turin Tun Maw
Thuyein "Turin" Tunmaw Turin was born, raised and educated in Yangon (Rangoon), Burma (Myanmar) Despite earning a Physics Degree and a Computer diploma, his passion lead him towards history, geography, languages, traveling and meeting people. His Mom was working in Tourism and it seemed like a natural decision to follow in her footsteps. He recieved his guides license in 1994 and has been working as a guide and tour leader ever since. Turin speaks English, Spanish and of course his native Burmese. We know that Turin's knowledge, passion and caring attitude will make any trip to Burma a very special one. He loves to share his knowledge and experience with anyone he travels with. We are sure you will agree. | |  |
"Turin was excellent in his knowledge of the country, in looking after us, and in providing "surprises.""
Bill Abell - Myanmar (Burma)
Olman Quiros
Olman (Ollie) Quiros is a certified tour guide with more than 20 years' experience leading diverse groups in Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. General and natural history are two of his interests. He is an avid outdoorsman who loves to do white water rafting, surfing, horseback riding, and hiking among other activities. Ollie was a cultural exchange student in Finland and Sweden and has traveled extensively throughout Europe learning about different cultures.
His volunteer work includes working with the Costa Rican National Parks Foundation to preserve the Green Turtle and with the Mesoamerican Rescue Center to promote animal welfare, habitat protection and reforestation in Costa Rica. He speaks Spanish and English and understands Finnish and Swedish. | |  |
"The tour was fantastic, in large measure because of the exceptional professional competence and friendliness of Ollie along with the excellent service of Stefan, our driver. We will surely use ElderTreks for some future trips. We hope tour director/guides on other trips are as great as Ollie."
J. Hirschhorn - Costa Rica
Lucas Mhina
Lucas was born and raised in Arusha, Tanzania. Has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the UK, attended a wildlife college in Kenya where he obtained Diploma in Tourism and Tour Guiding, receiving further training in tour leading and guiding, as well as first aid in South Africa.
He has been guiding and leading tourists’ groups in Kenya and Tanzania for 20+ yrs. He has a keen interest in ecology and truly enjoys being with people, so that he can share his knowledge of the flora and fauna of East Africa as well as the vibrant culture.
Lucas is married and has three children (Sylvia, John, and Jovin) and while not leading trips, he enjoys spending time with his family.
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"I want to thank you so much for making my trip to Kenya/Tanzania the best of my life. It was absolutely amazing!!!"
J. Wilson - Kenya and Tanzania
Thuy Nghiem Hong
Thuy is a graduate of English at the National University of Hanoi. She has been a national tour guide in Vietnam since 1991 and is well versed in the countries rich history, culture and culinary reputation. Thuy is always eager to share her life experiences, growing up in a rapidly changing Vietnam. Her style of tour leading is a direct reflection of her Buddhist and Confucian beliefs which place an emphasis on responsible tourism and a general respect for all sentient beings. | |  |
"Thuy was excellent - very informative about her country. She gave me a real insight into Vietnam."
D. Webb - Vietnam
Ham Juuko
Ham was born in Western Uganda and grew up on his family's cattle farm. He graduated school with a diploma in Accounting and Customer Care. Ham has put his passionate interest in wildlife and his experience caring for clients together to become a senior tour guide in his homeland. He is also an accredited guide for birdwatching. His hobbies and interests include watching football, reading and spending time with his family when not on the road. | |  |
"Ham is surely one of the very best guides I have ever had (I have traveled internationally on at least 15 trips catering to wildlife observation). He was knowledgeable (knows and names and even tells the sex) of hundreds of Ugandan birds, an expert sighter (could see a lion about a mile away!!), was always polite, had a great sense of humor, put up with 4 woman old enough to be his mother, ... I could go on and on. He was absolutely wonderful and made the trip one of the most memorable experiences of my life.
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D. Schultz - Uganda
Damla Arslan
Damla Arslan was born in Istanbul and graduated in history from Bogazici University. She also attended the program of Anatolian Civilizations and Cultural Heritage Management at Koç University. Her specialty is the ancient history of Anatolia and she has also been working as an archaeologist in various excavations around the country since 2005. Her latest excavation is in Batman, southeastern Anatolia, and she is working on an upper Mesopotamian mound by the Tigris called Gre Amer. She has her tourist guide license from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and has been leading tours all around Turkey with a special interest in Eastern Turkey. Damla's extensive education and desire to share her knowledge of Turkey's history and culture, will be a delight for anyone lucky enough to travel with her. | |  |
"Damla is a world class guide with a superior knowledge of the ancient history of Asia Minor and modern day turkey. She should have a show on the History Channel."
Vance Boelts - Classic Turkey
Guiper Rosales
Guillermo or 'Guiper' has been leading for twelve years and has a passion for the Mayan world - its history, its culture and of course the incredible legacy of Mayan sites. You will be impressed by Guiper's knowledge of the Mayan world as well as contemporary knowledge of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize. Guiper is well certified in the art of guiding, safety and first aid but it just might be his sense of humour and energy that will leave the greatest impression on you. We hope you will have the opportunity to enjoy ElderTreks' Lost World of the Mayans with someone as capable and passionate as Guiper. | |  |
"What made this trip unusual, even for experienced travelers, was the extraordinary personal charm, enthusiasm and thoughtfulness of Guiper and the kindness and knowledge of the local guide, Antonio, in Guatemala. We have traveled for many years and cannot remember any guide who had Guiper's ability to enliven each day with his wit and good humor and with an almost preternatural ability to see what each member of the group needed to make the day pleasurable and interesting."
A & G Schwartz - Lost World of the Mayans
Kamel Boukari
As a professional guide, Kamel graduated from the Tunisian College of Tourism with a focus on history, both modern and ancient including the second world war. He is well educated and his extensive expertise at historic sites and museums is almost taken for granted but very impressive. He is fluent in English, French and German and has enjoyed showing people from all over the world the treasures that one can find in Tunisia. However, what makes Kamel special as a tour leader is that he is immensely helpful, caring, respectful, flexible and really wants to look after his guests. Despite his wealth of knowledge, Kamel feels he learns just as much from the guest he is looking after. With his endearing sense of humility, knowledge and caring attitude, Kamel will show you a Tunisian experience you will not soon forget! | |  |
"Kamel was a great tour leader. His knowledge of Tunisia's history was impessive, he has a great sense of humour, and he added special visits to his family which we all appreciated."
Barbara Tresidder - Tunisia
Suzanne Ivan (Manka)
We are thrilled to welcome back Susanne, (or 'Manka' as she is known) to the ElderTreks family of expert leaders. For many years Manka led our Transylvania and Adriatric Adventures, along with her husband Lajos, and after a hiatus of several years devoting time to their two children, Manka is returning to the job she loves - as a tour leader.
Manka brings not only her great smile and wonderful communication style, but also degrees in biology, marketing and tourism, and most recently, a doctorate in the Evolutionary Psychology of the Roma (gypsy) people. As if this background and expertise weren't impressive enough, did we mention she speaks word-perfect English and German as well as her native tongue? All that's left to mention is her adventurous spirit and love of the outdoors, and you'll see why Susanne is everything you could hope for as your guide. In fact, to use the words of one of her clients, “you will be in the best of hands”. | |  |
"This was a very active itinerary and Manka helped me through a couple challenging parts. I might still be trying to struggle my way down the Paklenica Gorge Trail were it not for her. She knows her history, and her English is very good. She is VERY personable and has a knack for knowing different personalities and how to communicate with them and get the best out of them while making sure they are getting the best experience she can provide. She was on top of every detail at all times and has an amazing memory. I absolutely love her."
Alice Luella (Lue) Paddack - Adriatic Adventure
Sammy Tilahun
Sammy graduated from Hawassa University as well as the Institute of Tourism in Addis Ababa, specializing in Ethiopian History & Cultures, Agriculture and Tourism. He speaks English, Amharic and Oromifa (the national and local language of Ethiopia). He has lead tours for numerous passengers including journalists, photographers, and film crews from all over the world. Sammy has recently been acknowledged in a published novel by Manola Lizy titled "Ethiopian Highlands" and in an article by Anna Murphy titled "Holy days and Highland Rock Churches of Ethiopia". With Sammy's passion for history, archaeology, photography, anthropology and birdwatching combined with his incredible guiding experience, you will have an unforgettable adventure! | |  |
"No doubt Sammy has the fluency skills and organizational skills along with knowledge of Ethiopian history to be athe skillful tour leader he is. His organizational skills were flawless!!! His ability to be mindful of safety and watchful of all his clients at ALL times was impressive. His interactions with his drivers was one of respect and commraderie. Sammy can be hard to follow when sharing details as he uses lots of words to convey his message. I was lucky to have Sammy as my guide and would not have wished for another."
Rhonda Weilet - Ethiopia
Christos Lepouras
Christos has been guiding tours in Greece for 10+ years. He has excellent communication skills and is very enthusiastic to show people his country. He holds an MSc in Human-Computer Interaction with Ergonomics from University College London (UCL) and has recently published two hiking books about Crete and Mount Parnitha. You are in great hands with Christos who always receives rave reviews from clients who have toured with him. | |  |
"Christos was a joy, a warm personality, encouraging, did every thing in his power to make sure we each had a great experience, a culinary expert when ordering meals. You are fortunate to have him!"
Carol Hoyt - Ancient Greece
Jeff Zephyrin
Jeff was born in Madagascar and has worked in the tourism industry for over 30 years. Jeff fluently speaks English, French; various dialects found in Southern Madagascar, and currently learning Japanese. Jeff's holistic leading approach combined with his caring personality, extensive knowledge and passion for the local culture and wildlife will be sure to make your experience as wonderfully diverse and unique as Madagascar itself. | |  |
"Jeff demonstrated a deep affection for his country. He was knowledgeable of the flora, fauna, history, culture and politics and gave us a wonderful overview of everything. He made sure we saw everything we were promised, but was flexible in giving us spontaneous experiences. He was kind, thoughtful and concerned about everyone's well-being. He also had a good perspective and sense of humor."
Kris Otis - Madagascar
Daniel Merino
Daniel was born in (San Luis) “Pinar del Rio” a region known for producing the best tobacco in Cuba. Daniel grew up on a farm helping his family with their crops and livestock. He obtained his degree in foreign languages from the Pedagogical University and speaks Spanish, English, French and German fluently. Daniel was an English professor for junior and senior high schools students as well as in a tourism school for many years before deciding to follow his dream. Daniel's passion for nature and the great outdoors brought him to the Biosphere reserve “Las Terrazas” where he has been a nature expert guide for over 12 years. His favourite activities include bird watching, trekking, and swimming. Daniel enjoys sharing anecdotes of his personal life as well as his experiences as a Cuban. Daniel will keep you laughing and learning during your adventure. | |  |
"Danny was an excellent trip leader. He generously shared his knowledge and personal experiences. He was always calm and upbeat even when things didn’t go quite as planned. A true professional but also a very kind sweet person."
Sandy Sverdloff - Classic Cuba
Sumit Pruthi
Sumit Pruthi graduated from University with a Tourism and Hospitality degree. He has also completed his formal training with the Ministry of Tourism of Oman. Sumit speaks an impressive 5 languages fluently - English, German, Arabic, Urdu and Hindi. In 2007, his guide and medical training along with his passion for Arab cultures started Sumit on a path that lead him to lead trips in the Sultanate of Oman. Trekking in the stunning landscapes including rugged mountains and wadis, the smell of frankincense, the taste of fresh lemon mint juice, fascinating markets or souqs, forts dotting the countryside, camel herds in the Empty Quarter and the relaxed and welcoming culture of Oman have acted as a stong magnet. After a decade of leading trips in Oman, his passion and enthusiasm have never wained. Patience, politeness, punctuality as well as a great attitude and a wealth of information makes Sumit nothing short of a superb tour leader! | |  |
"I have again enjoyed another Eldertreks trip and have more planned upcoming. I just wanted to let you know that in all my years of traveling--and with several different tour companies--I've never had such a good guide as Sumit Pruthi! My friend and I experienced a wonderful tour thanks to his excellent skills. Just wanted to let you know what a jewel you have!!!"
Kay Ward - Oman
Samir Harit el Mir
Samir Harit el Mir has been leading ElderTreks Morocco tours for the past 10+ years. He studied in Casablanca before attending university and studying tourism in Tangier City. He has been guiding English speaking groups since 1987 and has covered every corner of his country. He specializes in the history of Morocco as well as of Islam and the Arab world. He speaks English, Arabic, French and Japanese. His Moroccan colleagues look to Samir for his knowledge and guiding expertise. | |  |
"Samir was the best: knowledgeable, organized, pleasant, non-flappable. "
Elizabeth Bradner - Morocco
Ruwan Balasuriya
Ruwan Balasuriya has been leading tours in his native Sri Lanka for more than 7 years highlighting its history, culture, wildlife and of course, the people. After having toured the country with Ruwan, you will leave with the lasting impression of having visited the real Sri Lanka. | |  |
"Knowledgeable, good sense of humor, good at working with people, just a few, mostly minor organizational glitches. We strongly recommend him!!"
Ruth Dawson - Sri Lanka
Joel Verimuje
Joël is born and bred in Namibia. He has an outgoing personality and has been in the tourism industry for the past 9 years. He grew up in the northern part of Namibia that is also where he completed primary and secondary school and then moved to capital city. While in Windhoek he completed a diploma in tourism management from The Association of Business Executives (ABE) UK via distance study. After Joel obtained his diploma, he started tour guiding courses with NATH while working as a camp assistant for a tour operator. Joel was later promoted to senior tour guide, thereafter he started taking on various tours as a freelance guide. His interests include hiking, wildlife, birds, flora, geology, astronomy, and Namibian culture. He speaks Nama-Damara, Oshiwambo, English and Afrikaans. | |  |
"Joel was excellent...all the information he has, organized skills with people and the information book we got at the start...wished more companies would do that"
Bette-Jean McElroy - Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe
Karl Johannsson
Karl has a degree in Marketing and a background in diverse activity apart from being an Iceland guide. He also takes Icelanders on guided tours all over the world during winter. Among his interests are the Icelandic Sagas and the geology of Iceland. | |  |
"Karl continuously went above and beyond everyone's expectations! He was informative, witty, never boring, helpful, kind and full of surprises! I would gladly travel with him again!!!"
Debbie Serra - Iceland
Dylan Lees
Born in Johannesburg, Dylan spent his childhood years traveling with family all around Southern Africa. Moving to the Wild Coast he developed a love of nature, which led to a career in tourism. Early trips included overland camping tours through Southern and East Africa which evenatually expanded to 11 countries in Africa. Dylan enjoys showing the amazing sights of Southern Africa to his clients while at the same time focusing on ways to increase the environmental and sustainability of tourism for the future of the region. | |  |
"Dylan rose to the challenge. He treated us to local treats and knew how to get us to be first up Table Mountain once the weather cleared. He was a remarkable young man and we were very lucky to have him. He was very patient with the eldest people who couldnt seem to manage the walks and took them back to the bus and made sure they were comfortable. He knew his stuff."
Cathy Nash - Kingdoms of Southern Africa
Taichi Imamura
Though Taichi was born and brought up in Nagoya, he had always a close relationship with his grandparents in Kyoto who taught him about Japanese tradition. After visiting over 80 countries as a tour leader, he realized the beauty of Japan, which gives him a strong passion to be a professional guide so he can share his knowledge in both traditional and urban culture with international travellers. | |  |
Sep 20 | - | Oct 09,2023 | Japan |
Oct 11 | - | Oct 30,2023 | Japan |
Oct 16 | - | Nov 04,2024 | Japan |
Our Other Departures