Local guides: How our expert local leaders make Explore tours special

Passion and enthusiasm are two of the most important qualities of an Explore tour leader. More than just your typical local tour guide, our leaders have all been chosen for their passion and love for their country. They look forward to welcoming you to their country and showing you its highlights, as well as the hidden gems. Tour leader Diego Torres treats each tour as a new adventure, and he loves to inspire travellers to 'feel life at its best.' From interacting with indigenous people and tasting local fruits to watching Galapagos birds and listening to the magical sounds of the rainforest, Diego will lead you through Ecuador's most immersive experiences. 

"Diego was very passionate about Ecuador, especially the Galapagos, which inspired excitement in all of us. He was exceptionally generous with his time and information, answering all of our questions and explaining both the history and culture."

To ensure that your guide has first-hand knowledge of the country in which you're travelling, we only employ people from the local communities that you visit. Nothing compares to the rich understanding of authentic cultural experiences that local people hold. Explore leader Wilfred Garbutt from Belize, is often praised for his in-depth knowledge of the endemic flora and fauna and his incredible ability to spot animals in the wild. And Denis Agiolli from Albania tells personal stories about his family to help bring the history of the Balkans to life. 

"Wilfred was quite simply inspirational...His knowledge of Mayan and Belizian history and culture was exemplary...He has a great store of knowledge about the birds, wildlife and native fauna and flora; he always knew where we were most likely to see the creatures and plants...How he spotted some of them was beyond me."

Dedicated tour leaders provide an extra layer of safety to your travels. Whether you're cycling through the Sahara Desert, climbing Kilimanjaro or exploring the souks of Morocco, the guides are there to look out for every single person on the trip and keep them safe. One of our most highly regarded and award-winning tour leaders, Zeynep from Turkey, is renowned for the care and compassion she has for her guests' safety and her ability to sort out any medical issues that do arise swiftly and efficiently. And Bibi from Botswana even manages to make his guests feel safe when they are camping amongst lion, elephant and hyenas on safari. 

"Bibi was an outstanding leader. Although we camped for seven nights in the wilds of Chobe and Moremi wildlife reserves with lions, elephants and hyenas moving through at night, we felt perfectly safe."