Things are hopping at CNH Tours.  We are getting more requests for help in organizing Galapagos (and Antarctica) trips than we can comfortably manage.   Because we want to keep true to our motto: “Proud of our Unmatched Personalized Service”, we were happily compelled to invite another very experienced and highly knowledgeable Galapagos expert to join our team. 

Daniela Aguirre Schiess is a third generation Galapagueña, born and raised in the Galapagos islands. She learned to walk on lava fields. Finches, iguanas, giant tortoises and sea lions were her daycare companions.

 

 

Daniela at Punta Espinosa, Fernandina Island - with her childhood friends, the marine iguanas

We naturally turned to Daniela Aguirre Schiess for help.  Daniela had been already part of our team as our local Galapagos "fixer", arranging all the logistics involved in the land-based activities any of our guests engaged after or before their expedition cruise.  We've known her parents since 1998, when we first arrived in Galapagos (and Daniela was just a baby!).  She's familiar with CNH Tours and our company spirit.    

Her grandfather arrived from Switzerland in 1948 – getting away from the post war gloom in Europe.  Her mother used to run one of the archipelago's most iconic and beloved restaurants - “La Garrapata”.  It was the weekend go-to place for Darwin Station staff, and a popular meeting spot for locals and and visitors alike.  As a teenager, Daniela worked there, serving tables, learning English, and meeting all kinds of interesting people from around the world.   Her father is a widely known figure in the islands, having worked for the Charles Darwin Foundation, Galapagos National Park and the Galapagos regional government.  Her extended family is involved in tourism, running small hotels, and even one of the small expedition cruise ships.  

With her parents' example Daniela grew up playing in the waves by the coast, developing a deep connection with nature.  After high school and a year abroad she settled in Ecuador’s main coastal city of Guayaquil city where she obtained her university degree.  But she couldn't escape the draw of her native islands… In 2016 her love for nature brought her back to Puerto Ayora, where she studied to become a certified naturalist guide for the Galapagos National Park. 

Since then, Daniela has had the chance to experience a wide range of different tourism options available to visitors in Galapagos, acting as a naturalist guide in both large and small cruise ships throughout the islands, and on land-based day trips.  Given her extensive first-hand experience, she is extremely well-placed to provide excellent advice for those requiring help in planning their Galapagos trip of a lifetime.  

Daniela joins Kelsey Bradley and Heather Blenkiron on our “front office” team.  Welcome Daniela!

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