Ramiro is in his thirties and has been leading trips into Manu for 10 years. He speaks English, Spanish and Quechua. He is owner of the Amazonia Lodge and spent his childhood growing up between Cusco and the family rainforest lodge. Working for Manu Expeditions, Ramiro has built up a reputation as one of the best Peruvian birdwatchers and his ear for birdsong is well known. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of plants and traditional medicines and has worked as resident rainforest guide at lodges in Costa Rica and has studied in Holland. Ramiro knows the local rainforest peoples well and he has a wealth of information and stories concerning local tribes. He is well known for his wildlife finding capabilities.
TINO AUCCA
Tino is in his thirties and holds a biology degree
from San Antonio Abad University in Cusco. He speaks English and Quechua
as well as Spanish. Tino is much sought after as a field worker for
international biological expeditions and spends his time between
research and leading trips into Manu. Tino has worked on conservation
projects concerning endangered remnant high Andean woodlands and
assisted many major expeditions such as the Smithsonian Institute and
National Geographic Expeditions and has worked on several environmental
impact studies. Tino is also the Peruvian representative of the
Neo-tropical Bird Club and is known for his knowledge of Quechua
customs, medicinal plants and high Andean bird communities. One of the
most experienced Manu guides he has also studied Giant Otters in Manu
extensively.
ARTURO PALOMINO
Arturo holds a biology degree from San Antonio Abad University in Cusco and he
is 26 years old. Arturo has worked on eco-tourism and conservation projects and
studied in the Tambopata/Candamo National Park in Peru, specifically as an ornithologist.
He has worked as a park ranger in the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary and on environmental
issues within. Arturo, when not leading our rainforest tours, is a research fellow at the
Cusco University, a member of the Neo-tropical Bird Club and enjoys being out in the field,
participating in research projects, and showing visitors to Peru the natural wonders and
wildlife Peru has to offer.
JESSICA BERTRAM
Jessica is 30 years old and was born and raised in
Bremen, Germany, and has been a resident in Peru since 1994. She is
married to a Peruvian and speaks Spanish, English, German and Quechua
fluently. She has been working as a guide in Manu and along trails in
the Vilcamaba mountains since 1995 and has a profound knowledge of the
rainforests and mountains of Peru. Jessica is particularly interested in
the indigenous peoples of Manu, and has many friends amongst the
Machiguenga and Piro native communities and often visits them. Jessica
has worked on documentary film shoots concerning indigenous groups and
is often found helping and promoting responsible development of local
peoples when not leading rainforest trips.
ABOUT OUR
TREKKING GUIDES
NICOLE ERB
Nicole in her twenties, was born
in Switzerland and learned to live in the mountains in the European
Alps. She is a linguist and speaks several languages fluently, including
German, English and Spanish. Nicole has studied in Switzerland, Germany,
England and the United States and is an accomplished mountain guide with
extensive knowledge of the mountains and culture and archeology of the
area. Nicole knows the Cusco area well and is interested in Inca
architecture and particularly the history of the Conquest of Peru.
GARY ZIEGLER
Gary has a Doctorate in Archeology
and is a recognized expert on the period of the conquest of Peru and
particularly the conquest of Vilcabamba. Gary leads trips to Mexico's
Copper Canyon and the back-country of Colorado where he owns Bear Basin
Ranch. Peru is his real love and he normally leads the exploratory and
more expeditionary treks. Gary has been the first to mountain bike to
Machu Picchu, has made several first accents of peaks in the area and
made important archeological discoveries in Peru. He has recently
explored unknown Chachapoyan sites in Northern Peru and will be leading
exploratory horse supported treks in the future to discover new sites in
the area.
EDWIN DUENAS
Edwin
was born and raised in the Inca capital of Cusco. and has been guiding
for 15 years, treks in the Vilcanota and Vicabamba mountain ranges of
Peru. He is a mestizo – of mixed Inca and Spanish blood and holds a
doctorate in tourism from San Antonio Abad University (the oldest
University in the Americas). He has published articles on eco-tourism
and has just qualified as a civil lawyer. He is married (his wife is a
criminal lawyer), with two children. Edwin speaks Spanish, Quechua,
English and Italian and is an expert on local culture and archeology.He says “The traditions of my people are ancient. We remember
the customs of the Incas and still practice them…….. “
ABOUT OUR
BIRD WATCHING GUIDES
BARRY WALKER
Barry Walker (46), was born near
Manchester, England and started bird watching at the age of 13. After
birding extensively in Europe and the Middle East , Barry switched his
attention to the neo-tropics and has extensive birding experience in
Ecuador, Colombia and particularly Peru and Bolivia. He has participated
in several ornithological expeditions and contributed to many scientific
and general publications concerning birds in Peru. Living in Cusco, Peru
for 15 years, Barry has visited every corner of the country as a
trekking guide, natural History guide and specifically as a bird tour
leader, and is author of a Field Guide to the Birds of Machu Picchu. He
has been leading bird tours for private groups and well known bird tour
companies for the last 12 years. Having seen 1500 species in Peru alone
he is well known for his field craft when leading tours. He is married
with a 5 year old daughter and with his wife Rosario, is owner of Manu
Expeditions a pioneer eco-tour operator in Manu specializing in natural
history, archeological and cultural trips, as well as bird watching
tours.
EUSTACE BARNES
Eustace,( in his mid-thirties) was
born in southern England and after, bird watching extensively in Europe
, has spent the last 7 years extensively birding in Peru and Bolivia,
including a 9 month stint on the Tambopata river in Peru where he
learned his ample knowledge of lowland birdsong. Eustace is a bird
artist and has completed the plates for the forthcoming " Cotingas
and Manakins" and " Pigeons and Doves" monographs. He is
the major artist for a new annotated and illustrated checklist of
Peruvian birds and has completed plates for volume 5 of The Handbook of
the Birds of the World. He has a particular interest in Bolivian birds.
Eustace is constantly exploring new birding localities in Bolivia and
has extensive experience within the Manu Biosphere Reserve and the
Marañon. He spends his time between his base in Cusco, Peru and Kent in
Southern England.
COLIN BUSHELL
Colin is in his late thirties and
started bird-watching on the lakes, reservoirs and gravel pits of
Hertfordshire, England. After birding in Europe, Nepal, Thailand,
Morrocco and the Gambia his attention turned to the neo-tropics. He
served as a member of the launch committee and meetings officer of the
Neo-tropical Bird Club and amongst other projects he is co-author of a
forthcoming handbook to two neo-tropical bird families “ Cotingas
and Manakins”. Over the last decade Colin has traveled widely in
Central and South America including Venezuela , Brazil, Ecuador, the
Galapagos, Bolivia and Chile. Colin has a particular interested in the
birds of Peru fueled by lengthy stays in that country at Explorers Inn,
Machu Picchu, Manu, the arid littoral, the Marañon Valley and Tumbes.
He has participated in expeditions to remote areas in search of
Orange-throated Tanager and Ash-throated Antwren. In between stays in
the neo-tropics, Colin runs the operational side of a British based bird
tour company specialized in neo-tropical birding - Toucan Tours.
HUW LLOYD
Huw was born in South Wales and
began bird watching at the age of 11 with the local branch of the Young
Ornithologists Club based at his school. His interest in tropical bird
communities began in 1992 when he participated in the Manchester
Metropolitan University expedition to Sumba Island, Indonesia, which won
the 1993 Bird Life International/ BP Conservation expedition award. In
1996 Huw obtained his Masters Degree in Conservation Biology studying
the ecology of lowland Tinamou species in Peru. He has recently
completed a two-year research program on the conservation of forest bird
communities in Tambopata, SE Peru, developing recommendations for
conservation and tourism in the region. Huw has lead many tours and
field courses in SE Peru and Costa Rica and has recently published
research on Neo-tropical bird species such as the Rufous-headed
Woodpecker and the Black-faced Cotinga.
and Adventure Specialists
Tino is in his thirties and holds a biology degree
from San Antonio Abad University in Cusco. He speaks English and Quechua
as well as Spanish. Tino is much sought after as a field worker for
international biological expeditions and spends his time between
research and leading trips into Manu. Tino has worked on conservation
projects concerning endangered remnant high Andean woodlands and
assisted many major expeditions such as the Smithsonian Institute and
National Geographic Expeditions and has worked on several environmental
impact studies. Tino is also the Peruvian representative of the
Neo-tropical Bird Club and is known for his knowledge of Quechua
customs, medicinal plants and high Andean bird communities. One of the
most experienced Manu guides he has also studied Giant Otters in Manu
extensively.
Arturo holds a biology degree from San Antonio Abad University in Cusco and he
is 26 years old. Arturo has worked on eco-tourism and conservation projects and
studied in the Tambopata/Candamo National Park in Peru, specifically as an ornithologist.
He has worked as a park ranger in the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary and on environmental
issues within. Arturo, when not leading our rainforest tours, is a research fellow at the
Cusco University, a member of the Neo-tropical Bird Club and enjoys being out in the field,
participating in research projects, and showing visitors to Peru the natural wonders and
wildlife Peru has to offer. 
Jessica is 30 years old and was born and raised in
Bremen, Germany, and has been a resident in Peru since 1994. She is
married to a Peruvian and speaks Spanish, English, German and Quechua
fluently. She has been working as a guide in Manu and along trails in
the Vilcamaba mountains since 1995 and has a profound knowledge of the
rainforests and mountains of Peru. Jessica is particularly interested in
the indigenous peoples of Manu, and has many friends amongst the
Machiguenga and Piro native communities and often visits them. Jessica
has worked on documentary film shoots concerning indigenous groups and
is often found helping and promoting responsible development of local
peoples when not leading rainforest trips.
Gary has a Doctorate in Archeology
and is a recognized expert on the period of the conquest of Peru and
particularly the conquest of Vilcabamba. Gary leads trips to Mexico's
Copper Canyon and the back-country of Colorado where he owns Bear Basin
Ranch. Peru is his real love and he normally leads the exploratory and
more expeditionary treks. Gary has been the first to mountain bike to
Machu Picchu, has made several first accents of peaks in the area and
made important archeological discoveries in Peru. He has recently
explored unknown Chachapoyan sites in Northern Peru and will be leading
exploratory horse supported treks in the future to discover new sites in
the area.
Barry Walker (46), was born near
Manchester, England and started bird watching at the age of 13. After
birding extensively in Europe and the Middle East , Barry switched his
attention to the neo-tropics and has extensive birding experience in
Ecuador, Colombia and particularly Peru and Bolivia. He has participated
in several ornithological expeditions and contributed to many scientific
and general publications concerning birds in Peru. Living in Cusco, Peru
for 15 years, Barry has visited every corner of the country as a
trekking guide, natural History guide and specifically as a bird tour
leader, and is author of a Field Guide to the Birds of Machu Picchu. He
has been leading bird tours for private groups and well known bird tour
companies for the last 12 years. Having seen 1500 species in Peru alone
he is well known for his field craft when leading tours. He is married
with a 5 year old daughter and with his wife Rosario, is owner of Manu
Expeditions a pioneer eco-tour operator in Manu specializing in natural
history, archeological and cultural trips, as well as bird watching
tours.
Eustace,( in his mid-thirties) was
born in southern England and after, bird watching extensively in Europe
, has spent the last 7 years extensively birding in Peru and Bolivia,
including a 9 month stint on the Tambopata river in Peru where he
learned his ample knowledge of lowland birdsong. Eustace is a bird
artist and has completed the plates for the forthcoming " Cotingas
and Manakins" and " Pigeons and Doves" monographs. He is
the major artist for a new annotated and illustrated checklist of
Peruvian birds and has completed plates for volume 5 of The Handbook of
the Birds of the World. He has a particular interest in Bolivian birds.
Eustace is constantly exploring new birding localities in Bolivia and
has extensive experience within the Manu Biosphere Reserve and the
Marañon. He spends his time between his base in Cusco, Peru and Kent in
Southern England.
Huw was born in South Wales and
began bird watching at the age of 11 with the local branch of the Young
Ornithologists Club based at his school. His interest in tropical bird
communities began in 1992 when he participated in the Manchester
Metropolitan University expedition to Sumba Island, Indonesia, which won
the 1993 Bird Life International/ BP Conservation expedition award. In
1996 Huw obtained his Masters Degree in Conservation Biology studying
the ecology of lowland Tinamou species in Peru. He has recently
completed a two-year research program on the conservation of forest bird
communities in Tambopata, SE Peru, developing recommendations for
conservation and tourism in the region. Huw has lead many tours and
field courses in SE Peru and Costa Rica and has recently published
research on Neo-tropical bird species such as the Rufous-headed
Woodpecker and the Black-faced Cotinga.