Our trip leaders are among the finest in the industry. They draw on extensive experience gained while climbing and exploring in some of the most remote places on earth. They are highly skilled professionals chosen for their leadership, judgment and character, and they are committed to giving individual care and attention to each of our guests.
DENNIS BROADWELL
International
Dennis Broadwell is a seasoned adventure travel expert and trip leader with decades of experience guiding in the world’s most iconic mountain regions. He has worked as a professional mountain guide since 1997 and brings over 30 years of climbing experience to every expedition. Driven by a lifelong passion for mountains and exploration, Dennis has traveled and climbed extensively across the globe. Read more »
SAM TYLER
International
Sam has worked as a mountain guide for more than a decade and is an excellent instructor with tons of energy. He has guided around the world, from waterfall ice climbs in New England to expedition peaks in the Nepal Himalaya, the Alaska Range, the Andes of Peru and Argentina, and elsewhere. In the United States, he has guided alpine, ice and rock routes in the Pacific Northwest; Valdez, Alaska; Ouray, Colorado; Acadia, Maine; the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Sam lives in Huaraz, Peru, with his fiancée, Denise, and their rescue dog, Patan.
SETH RETZLAFF
International
Seth grew up in Washington State, exploring the Cascades and Olympics. His early love for mountains and wild places led naturally to mountaineering, and eventually to a fervent desire to share these experiences with others. He has been exploring the PNW backcountry for over 15 years and has traveled to many far-flung corners of the world from Western Europe to Southeast Asia and South America. He has climbed many of the classic alpine routes of the PNW, the volcanoes of Ecuador and Mexico, and has a passion for international adventure travel.
DANIEL LEONARD
Tanzania
Daniel is one of the most experienced guides working on Mount Kilimanjaro. Originally from Arusha, where these treks begin, he has been leading ascents of this iconic peak for more than 10 years. His relentlessly positive attitude, his aptitude as a teacher, and his passion for the great outdoors are evident to anyone who has the privilege of trekking with him.
AKIE WATANABE
Japan
Akie has lived and worked all over Japan and it shows! Her deep knowledge of Japanese history and culture are surpassed only by her enthusiasm for sharing it on tour. Akie’s commitment to facilitating immersive cultural experiences is without equal. Akie has been leading Mountain Gurus tours in Kyoto and Tokyo since 2017 and has multiple successful summits of Mount Fuji.
NAGA DORJEE SHERPA
Nepal
Naga hails from the Khumbu Valley region of Nepal, although he has traveled widely in the United States as well. Naga’s warmth and genuine personality are infectious, and he is consistently praised for his kindness and humor. His local relationships and profound knowledge of the many trekking routes and rural communities in Nepal ensure that each trip he leads goes smoothly and that our guests are cared for with the utmost attention.
DAVID GARCIA
Ecuador
David is a highly experienced mountain guide with countless ascents of the great volcanoes of Ecuador and various other major international peaks since he began climbing as a teenager. Beyond his mountaineering abilities, David is known for his positivity, patience, and his enthusiasm for working with climbers of all skill levels.
THONG CHAI
Thailand
Thong Chai is an adventurous and energetic guide with extensive knowledge of Thailand’s flora and fauna. A survivalist by trade, he even worked as a consultant for Bear Grylls on one of his TV programs in Southeast Asia. His hospitality, good-natured demeanor, and bright smile have a remarkable ability to make the jungles of Thailand feel like a home away from home as he leads our trekking teams.
OMAR
Morocco
Omar grew up in the foothills of Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains, where he works to this day guiding our guests on treks of Mount Toubkal, the highest point in North Africa. Omar’s zest for life and patience working with trekkers of all skill levels bring out the very best that a trek in the High Atlas has to offer.
JUAN CARLOS
Mexico
Juan has climbed the volcanoes of Mexico so many times he’s lost count of his summits, but you wouldn’t know it from the enthusiasm with which he greets you when you awaken for your alpine start! He is steady and calm, and is always thinking ahead, planning and anticipating the needs of the team. We’re proud to have been guiding with Juan for many years.
