Staff

Artem is a highly qualified interpreter, historian and ethnographer who has a rich experience of acting as a guide for the Chinese delegations in Russia. Originating from the Republic of Buryatia in East Siberia, he was instructed as a specialist in English and Chinese (Mandarin) languages. First as a post-graduate student and then as a full-fledged PhD scholar within the Russian Academy of Sciences, he participated in a great number of academic expeditions around Lake Baikal featuring both Chinese and Russian researchers.

He can also speak some German, as has done his postdoctoral research on the migration of Chinese people at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology in Germany and Japanese. He also studied at the Toyo University in Tokyo. His passion for the Polar Regions started in 2017 working as an interpreter and lecturer first in the Arctic and later in Antarctica.

Barbara has always lived her life in harmony with nature. Coming from Poland, became a sea scout early on in her childhood thanks to her parents. Since then she developed a strong bond with the beauty of nature. Later on, she decided to broaden her horizons, explore and meet different cultures around the world. She lived a few years in China working as an outdoor education teacher and then moved on to Iceland where she became part of the Icelandic Search and Rescue team.

Barbara’s biggest interested is human connection to the nature and life in isolated, polar regions.

She graduated Arctic Nature Guide school and works as dog sledding guide taking people out on trips showing them beauty of Svalbard’s nature. Barbara started her Antarctica exploration on board Ocean Atlantic with Albatros Expeditions in 2017 as a Zodiac driver.

If you are interested in learning how is it to live in a place where the sun doesn’t rise, then doesn’t set for 4 months every year, you found the right person to ask!

Born in Argentina and currently living in Patagonia, all of his studies leaned towards biology. During his Exchange Student time in Johannesburg, South Africa, Berna fell in love with nature and wildlife, travelling extensively around southern Africa, especially Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana. In the past 17 years he has been working as a Guide, Zodiac Driver, Lecturer and/or Expedition Leader to Antarctica, the Arctic and around South America. South America is his home, and Berna has a vast knowledge of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, from Tierra del Fuego to Brazil and as far North as Panama and Colombia. Berna’s passions are the Polar Regions and travelling, making this his favorite place on Earth.

During the excursions, Berna shares his knowledge about wildlife, especially marine mammals, seabirds and the history of the area. From 2006 to 2009 he worked as an External Consultant for UN in Tierra del Fuego Province in a major program called Coastal Management of the Argentine Patagonia. He has worked at Punta Tombo Magellanic Penguin Colony for several years as well, enjoying every moment around wildlife in its fullest. During his little spare time, Berna is a Whale Watching, Tug and Pilot boat Captain around Peninsula Valdes, in the home of the Southern Right Whales.

Brian started his career as a Geologist searching for the source of alluvial diamonds in the Congo.  As an Oil Industry Specialist with IBM he worked with oil companies around the world selecting and installing IT systems to optimize the search and production of hydrocarbons. His expertise in project management took him into troubleshooting and delivering major projects.  He is a competent marksman and has handled weapons for over 30 years. His spare time is spent sailing, skiing and walking in the Scottish Highlands where he indulges his enjoyment of photography, and he is also a published author. Latterly, Brian has been working as an expedition team member on cruises in The Arctic, Central and South America and New Zealand, specifically as geologist and Zodiac driver.

Daniel’s thirst to see the world lead him to be a seaman. He graduated from Taiwan Ocean University, with a major in merchant marine. Daniel has worked on ships since 2010. For four years Daniel worked on container ships, then another two years on well-known cruise lines as navigator, assistant safety and training officer. Now he is working as an Expedition Guide / Mandarin Interpreter in Antarctica and the Arctic.

Outside of work, he enjoys swimming, snorkeling, and driving luxury yachts near Taiwan’s coast line. Daniel also volunteers as a guide in a maritime museum, sharing the collection of historic vessels including steam-powered boats and warships with visitors. He recently started learning Spanish.

For over twenty years, David has been involved in the Arctic expedition and travel business. To date he has led, organized or participated in more than three hundred Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, trips and projects. In that time he has traveled thousands of miles by dog sled, ski, snowmobile, boat, kayak, ship, foot and most recently by mountain bike; the first person ever to cross Baffin Island by fat tire bike. He has completed nineteen successful expeditions through the famous Northwest Passage and guided over sixty trips to the polar bear capital of the world – Churchill, Manitoba. David has been recognized by the Explorers Club and was recently honored by becoming a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society.

David has traveled on many ship-based expeditions to Antarctica working as part of an expedition team providing interpretive guiding, zodiac driving (licensed) kayak guiding and general expedition experience. In addition to Antarctic expedition ship experience, he has guided on more than twenty five Arctic ship expeditions. Responsibilities have included being in charge of the firearms on board, driving zodiacs, leading shore excursions, lecturing and general expedition team duties and responsibilities.

After living in Arctic Canada for more than twenty years, David is now based near Ottawa in Canada.

Diego is an active birder, naturalist guide and professional photographer. He grew up in Buenos Aires, and as an enthusiastic member of Aves Argentinas (BirdLife in Argentina), he spends many days in assorted trips in search of birds all over Argentina and other destinations.

After traveling through Latin America, North America and Europe, getting to know the diverse cultures and landscapes, he finally chose Patagonia as the place to develop his interests in constant touch with nature.

Naturalist Guide, licensed Trekking Guide and certified First Responder, he has worked for more than four years as a resident staff of Los Glaciares National Park, Patagonia. He has developed and participated in many conservation projects in Santa Cruz

Province and in local schools and communities. He teaches birdwatching courses all along South Patagonia and does volunteer work for the NGOs that seeks to protect the environment and educate young generations on a sustainable way of life in southern Patagonia.

Since 1998 Diego has based in El Chaltén at the foot of Mt. Fitz Roy, and leads trekking, birding, and photographic trips in Patagonia, Antarctica and the Arctic.

Dorte always had a profound interest in Greenland. She ended up living and working 5 years in Greenland as Personal Assistant for The Governor of Greenland. Together, they visited and worked all around Greenland - from Kap Farvel to Station Nord - from East- to West Greenland.

She was headhunted by the then Prime Minister to work as his Personal Assistant in the Danish Prime Ministry and worked also as PA for the next two Danish Prime Ministers. This job involved among others: Planning, organizing, traveling on official visits worldwide with the Prime Minister and major industry delegations, and facilitating political, economical and cultural issues.

Apart from Greenland, Dorte lived in Switzerland, Kenya and South Africa, as most of her family has lived there since 1940. She worked as project manager at Art Galleries and at the National Museum of Art. She is a lecturer and author, educated systemic and professional coach and owner of Coaching Company, Step2.

Dorte has worked as tour guide for Albatros since 2006, covering destinations from North to South Pole. Experiences from her jobs have made her an expert in always having a plan B and knowing to expect the unexpected – handy tools, also for a tour leader. She is about to be educated as Ranger in South Africa.

A modern China expert with experience as Arctic guide and in customer service. Emil grew up in a quiet part of western Denmark, but his parents has always. been keen travelers, whichhas sparked Emil’s curiosity and driven him to live in a number of

different countries including mainland China, Hong Kong, Greenland and the United States.

Emil is a Copenhagen Business School graduate with a Bachelor in International Business in Asia with specialization in Chinese language as well as a double master’s degree in International Management and Finance. He has been learning Chinese language since 2010, and has studied and written reports on many different aspects of China. These topics ranges from sociology and international relations to business systems and financial markets. He has also been the representative of Denmark in the international Chinese language competition Chinese Bridge twice, that’s given him multiple scholarships and the opportunities to study Chinese and China.

Through his student jobs in Denmark and guide job in Svalbard and Antarctica, he is used to dealing with large Chinese groups, and has a intricate understanding of their mindset and culture.

Emil is enthusiastic, humorous and cooperative and enjoys experiencing natureand learning about the Arctic ecosystems.

I have been in the tourist sphere for many years and my aim is always been to be as comprehensive and versatile as possible in life and therefore I have in addition to guiding held many positions of diverse nature, so that I am never afraid of taking on new challenges and jobs, wherever in the world they may come my way.

I love travelling and letting my clients partake in my experiences and I am not restrictive in sharing a good story or an event that I may have experienced if iy-t is to enhance the experience of the passengers in question and give a fuller content of their journey through ..for them…new lands. I have worked in most sectors of society and many ask me if I have lived ten lives. It sometimes feels like that, but the diversity is in my opinion what it is all about. Become a “compact” fountain of information. I enjoy what one of my neighbors said….”Why Google things when you can ask Fridrik”? I view that as a compliment.

I have lived in several countries, Sweden, Spain and Iceland for significant times. I have roots also in Sweden the home country of one of my grandmothers. Started school in Sweden and stayed many years in Tenerife as well and some other Spanish destinations for shorter periods.

George is an English ecologist with a lifelong passion for birds. Prior to joining the Albatros team, he worked as a guide in the Scottish Highlands leading groups on a variety of tours centered on wildlife watching and walking.

Alongside guiding, George’s training in conservation and ecology has taken him on research expeditions across the world including trips to the Amazon jungle, New Zealand’s uninhabited islands and sub-Saharan Africa. Some of his most recent work has involved studying the ecology of free-ranging dogs in remote sections of Chad and Ethiopia. From these trips, his best wildlife encounter was spotting a snow leopard and her cub hunting high in the Himalayas.

In 2017 George was awarded a PhD from the University of Exeter in Cornwall, UK. His thesis explored the management of predatory animals and the conservation conflicts this creates. Most recently, George has moved to Southern Chile where he is busy exploring is new home’s amazing flora and fauna. Of particular focus are the incredible seabirds of the South Pacific!

Gregers has 25 years of experience as an airline pilot, including a year stationed at Thule Airbase, located on Greenland’s northwest coastline. He is fluent in Danish and English.  He shares a deep fascination for the Arctic region’s people, spectacular nature, wildlife and the old polar explorers.

In 2014, Gregers was funded by the Danish Ministry of Education to write a book for Danish schoolchildren about Greenland and the Arctic. These interests and his desire to better understand the Arctic and Antarctic, inspired Gregers to open a polar school for Danish schoolchildren. Through this program, he travels Denmark, visiting schools and sharing his innovative education about our polar regions. Gregers has traversed Greenland on skis and together with his friend, they were the first Danes to walk on skis to the South Pole.

I was born in Kyushu, Japan. I majored in the Faculty of Geo Environmental Science at university. Natural geography major course (meteorology, topography, astronomy, Geology, Glaciology, Seismology, Regional Geography, Hydrology, Vegetation Geology). I went to research fields in Japan and fields around the world.

In Iceland, I did research on volcanic topography and glacier topography. In Greenland, I did research on glacier topography & geology and settlement geography.

I need mountain climbing technology to investigate mountain glaciers, so I belonged to the Tokyo Mountains Alliance to learn about mountain climbing technology. I climbed Mont Blanc, Kilimanjaro, McKinley and Aconcagua, the highest peaks of the five major continents.

Taking advantage of the above experience and knowledge, I have been a tour agent for travel agents as a mountain nature guide for around 25

years through the four seasons.

In addition, I am currently a part-time lecturer at three universities and elementary and junior high schools.

I listen to the message from nature and lecture that it coexists with nature. I will use the experience and knowledge to the participating customers, we will do the best hospitality to get the impression and satisfaction.

For the last 35 years, Jeff has worked in the marine and tourism industry in Canada and the USA. His experience varies from fleet management for his own Marina, as well as working with various recreational manufactures and resorts. Jeff has also worked with extensively with television production companies sharing his knowledge of environmental concerns affecting the Great Lakes in Ontario Canada as well as other reality shows in his area.

Jeff has done extensive travel to Canada’s Hudson Bay’s Moosonee and as well, most of the communities on Baffin Island working with Inuit and businesses in both the marine and snowmobile industry observing climate, terrain and identifying specific needs, providing useful information back to manufactures to better adapt product offerings. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys competitive sailing, coaching sailing for the province of Ontario, hiking and generally being outdoors breathing in Nature.

Jes has more than 40 years of experience as a Naturalist, Meteorologist and Specialist in bird studies and also has an education as an Atmospheric and Space Science Assistant. He has worked with Denmark’s Ministry of Environment and the Danish Ornithological Society; studied various species of sea birds, sea animals and whales in the North Atlantic; and conducted a 3-month study of migratory birds of prey and storks in Egypt in order to investigate the relationship between wind patterns and migration.

Jes is fluent in Danish and English and is a trained meteorological weather observer, who worked for 11 years with the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), operating radiosondes to measure meteorological data for air traffic in Greenland. Following a number of encounters with polar bears and walruses, while on Zodiac boating trips and dog sledding expeditions across thousands of miles in Greenland, he became hooked on the Arctic. Inspired by these experiences, he studied walruses in Dove Bay for the Greenland Fisheries Research Institute. Jes has travelled much of the world, especially in Africa, Northern Europe and South America. He has been fortunate to spend time in Antarctica, including landings at six different stations and Half Moon Island.

Born in Iceland at Heimaey or Westman islands, and was witness to the Vulcan eruption at Surtsey 1963 and at Heimaey 1973. Was working on Heimaey rebuilding the town after the volcano eruption but in 1985 I mowed to Denmark to study (teacher) 1991 I started my own Travelagency with focus on West Norden countries, Iceland, Greenland and Faroe island. Mowed back to Iceland in 2003.

In Iceland I am working in the travel industry and since 2011 I have been skipper on my one boat sailing with tourists and fishing in the season from May to September in the north of Iceland. Also working as a guide in fishing and hunting trips both on land and sea. In the winter time I work in Asia planning trips for Icelandic tourists.

Josef has a great passion for outdoor activities and is a keen orienteering runner, hunter, shooter, sea kayaker and polar swimmer. He has a Bachelor of Medicine from the University of Copenhagen. Since 2013, he has combined his passion for outdoor activities and fascination with the polar regions by working in tourism in Greenland. Josef speaks Danish, English and broken German.

He has worked as a hiking guide in West Greenland as well as doing lectures on culture and history. In the Swiss and Italian Alps, he has guided extended hiking trips. He has worked as an ice camp manager in Eqi, and a Zodiac driver on an expedition ship in North and West Greenland.

Josef has worked for five years in pediatric cancer research and published his own research on pediatric cancer. When Josef is not travelling, he is studying medicine in the University of Copenhagen and works part time as a doctor in an Emergency Department.

Kevin Burke was born in Baffin Island in Canada’s arctic.
He spent his childhood in variouslocations in northern Canada, settling in Churchill, Manitoba, on the western shore of Hudson Bay.
Churchill is known as the polar bear capital of the world where Kevin has worked for 32 years as a tour guide/bear guard.

Kevin has worked on several cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic in many capacities from expedition leader to lead zodiac driver.

Born and raised in Greenland, Laali left for college to study service and tourism at Cold College in Odense, Denmark. She has worked in the tourism industry for 10 years, in Greenland during summer seasons as an Arctic guide and spends much of her winter months traveling abroad for work and pleasure.

She has worked as a lead guide, as a coordinator for over 20 guides and manages boat and helicopter logistics. Laali has both worked on land as the responsible for coordinating shoreside activities for cruise ships, and on board of three different cruise ships sailing in East, South and West Greenland and have been through Northwest passage.

Laali enjoys exploring the world and spends much of her free time traveling and working internationally, often as a guide/translator in South Africa as well as in Greece. As sports and fitness have always been a big part of Laali´s life, she is also a certificated fitness instructor, personal trainer and nutritionist.

An experienced Naturalist and Field Biologist originally from the coast of Denmark’s Wadden Sea, Lars has a Masters in Landscape Planning and a prolific background in science and exploration. A multitude of opportunities have allowed him to pursue his passion for birds, as well as for marine mammals and plant life. His scientific research positions have included time as biologist managing a field station, conducting marine mammal surveys by ship and air and counting caribou by snow mobile. He has also conducted raptor migration studies and even spent 5 years as a scientist in Greenland.

Lars is fluent in Danish, English and some German, and has worked as a field staff manager, expedition leader, naturalist and Zodiac driver one expedition cruises throughout the cold waters of Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, the Bering Sea, the Gulf of Alaska, Antarctica and the South Pacific’s sub-Antarctica Islands. Other expeditions have led him to Southeast Asia, Central America and the West Indies. During his spare time, Lars is also an avid photographer. 

• A National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter, Mayumi was born and educated in Hokkaido, Japan. Since 2009, Mayumi has been traveling extensively throughout Japan from Hokkaido to Okinawa with clients ranging from BBC Radio to groups and families.

Her interests include Japanese Literature, film, and contemporary Japanese culture. She enjoys cross-cultural experiences and particularly enjoys explaining her own culture to others. She is self-confident in a multicultural environment, organized, attentive to detail and customer needs.

Mike’s interest in geology began at the early age of 12, and now he has amounted over 20 years of experience working in what he’s most passionate about: Rocks and fossils, which he has also collected from the early days. Mike has been employed as a Petroleum Geologist for the past 20 years, resolving problems of finding and extracting hydrocarbons from highly varied rocks beneath the seas to the East and West of the British Isles.

More recently, Mike has been working as a guest lecturer at Aberdeen University in the UK teaching Engineers about Petroleum Geology, and likes to take field trips to locations around the world where he can study rocks of many types, ages and settings. In his free time, he also enjoys looking for new specimens and sharing his geologist knowledge with his 4 year old son, who has caught the bug and declared himself a paleontologist.

Niall belongs to the Isle of North Uist in the Outer Hebrides archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. Formerly a college lecturer he returned to these islands in 1992 to establish his own adventure training centre. A highly respected outdoor professional, he has pioneered adventure training in the Outer Hebrides and his knowledge and skills are sought all over the world. As well as accepting training commissions in, amongst other places, the Arctic, Australia, South and Central America, Russia, Japan, Scandinavia, The Caribbean and the Indian Ocean, he has worked in Antarctica since 1997 during the Austral summers where he has recruited, trained and led advanced powerboat teams. One of the highest qualified and most experienced powerboat drivers to be found he runs an advanced powerboat training school  as part of his centre.

Niall is also closely involved with providing Maritime Security for the Ministry of Defense, and runs an Emergency Response Vessel for the Police.

Niall has been employed by the cruise ship industry as an Expedition Leader, Assistant Expedition Leader and as a consultant on Antarctica as well as Zodiac Team Leader’ Zodiac Trainer and Zodiac Driver. He has set up zodiac operations on numerous cruise ships. He holds five major Instructor qualifications in four key disciplines: Powerboating, Sea Kayaking, Mountaineering and Scuba Diving.

Peter Croal is an exploration geologist and has been working in International Development for 35 years. He will be the Geologist in Residence on Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada for the summer of 2018. Of particular interest to Peter is how climate change is affecting developing countries, and how the knowledge of Indigenous Peoples can be better used and respected by business and governments to solve development challenges.

His work has taken him to over 40 developing countries, which has provided him with a wide range of poverty/environment experiences. Peter and his family had the wonderful opportunity of living in Namibia for 2 years to develop and manage a project that would help the poor of southern African countries. Peter started his career prospecting for uranium, zinc, silver, petroleum, peat and groundwater in Canada. Peter also spent 15 years as a wilderness canoe guide for Nature Ontario.  He has been to the Arctic many times, and has been a guide for Arctic voyages for 6 years. In his spare time, Peter enjoys photography and fiddle and anything involving outdoor activities.

Phil hails from Catalina Island in California. Having been exposed to life on the water at an early age, Phil followed a life-long passion and graduated with a degree in Marine Ecology from UC Santa Barbara. During his time in the university, Phil began working as a kayak guide at California’s Channel Islands National Park as a sea cave kayak guide and naturalist. From that instant he was hooked on the capacity to share the natural world around him with others. He  stumbled upon expedition cruising world and began his first couple sea-going seasons in Southeast Alaska. He’s since worked for a number of seasons in Svalbard and the Antarctic Peninsula as a kayak master, lecturer, rifle handler, and zodiac driver.

Phil is an avid traveler outside of work and spends a lot of time on the road. In his opinion, time on the water is time well spent.

Rashidah graduated with a Degree in Accountancy from Nanyang Technological University and worked in KPMG. Afterwards, Rashidah decided to go the unconventional route and pursue her passion for dance, and has been working as a professional dance instructor and performer. She now has over 10 years of experience under her belt, and is often featured on national TV, newspapers and magazines. Rashidah was once selected to demonstrate some dance moves to the ex-President of Singapore, and be a leader in the introduction of Zumba, which has now grown to be one of the most popular form of exercise. She has in the past performed for renowned celebrities and brands such as Nike, Adidas and Sephora.

A keen interest in learning about different cultures, as well as gaining new experiences, has led Rashidah across the globe and allowed her to connect with people from various parts of the world. She discovered her love for polar regions, and has worked as an expedition guide in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Antarctica. Rashidah is tri-lingual in English, Chinese and Malay. She is positive and sociable, and enjoys meeting new people with a smile.

Originally from Wuhan, China, Rose Li Graduated from Wuhan college with a major in Interior Design. During her spare time, Li continued developing her passion for traveling and trying new activities, such as dancing, drawing, singing, skiing, hosting, swimming and creating new activities as a guide.

Rose Li has been to more than 30 countries and is often aiming for new destinations. She has worked on well-known cruise ships since 2014 as an Expedition Guide and in Asia as a VIP Services Shift Leader.

From early age, Sandra has been an avid naturalist, traveler and photographer. She is fluent in English and German, and has basic knowledge of a few other languages. Fueled by curiosity and a passion for exploring, her extensive journeys have led the committed semi-nomad across the globe to pursue her varied interests in all kinds of nature and wildlife observations.

She holds a degree in journalism and has been working as a journalist, editor and writer for 20+ years. Temporarily based in Germany, Sandra co-publishes a photo magazine, designs and leads dedicated photo trips worldwide and hosts photo workshops. In addition to these accomplishments, Sandra has published two books on photography.

When visiting the polar regions for the first time, she immediately fell for the high latitudes’ nature, beauty and light. Deeply moved, she answered the calling, and has since returned to the Arctic and Antarctica every season. Sandra has gleaned considerable experience as guide and naturalist, photo guide and Zodiac driver on various expedition cruises in Antarctica, Svalbard and East Greenland.

Sarah was born and raised in New England but has traveled extensively throughout the world and calls New Zealand her second home thanks to strong family ties. Her sense of adventure, curiosity and scientific career has taken her to Antarctica, Alaska and the Arctic as she defies the stereotype of a lab scientist. Her research gear includes skis, tents, ice cores and dehydrated meals. Her expedition work includes Mass Balance Pits, Geological Surveys, Seal Census, a multitude of Citizen Science projects and the Juneau Icefield Research Project. She also loves to ride horses, trail run and ice climb.

She has worked as a high school science teacher for 6 years covering courses in Physics, Conceptual Physics, Environmental Lab Science, Robotics, Astronomy, and Climate Change

Sarah is a personable strong leader, certified EMT, WEMT and wilderness first aid instructor. She is also an American Mountain Guide Climbing Wall Instructor. She is a council member for Polar Educators International, a member of the Explorers Club, New Zealand Antarctic Society and Exploring Women advisor. She has her masters in astroparticle physics from the University of Canterbury working with the IceCube Neutrino Detector and her Post Graduate Certificate in Antarctic Studies.

Shayne McGuire was born in Missouri, and now lives in Southern California with her husband and 2 Belgian draft horses that are rescues. Shayne has had a camera in her hand for as long as she can remember. For many years she exhibited and sold her photographic work at high-end art festivals. All her work was shot on film and hand developed in the darkroom. She taught at an accredited photography school from 2003-2017 and holds a teaching credential in commercial photography. She has led photographic tours and workshops for over a decade and owns her own company.

Most of Shayne’s tour work, led her to work on boats, spending much time out on the water, which has become her passion. After taking an expedition cruise in the Arctic, she was hooked and came back to work on the same ship as the photographer in residence.  She has worked on expedition ships in the Artic for 5 seasons and Antarctica for 3 seasons helping people on the photo zodiacs and photo walks as well as lectures.  She is drawn to the light and wild beauty of both the Arctic and Antarctica.

Originally from Sergiev-Posad, in Russia, Slava studied in the Moscow University of Sports as a teacher of physical education, swimming teacher, rehabilitation, management of sports. Many of Slava’s shoes have been worn out in paths in Russia, Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, the Arctic and Antarctica, with 15 years of experience traveling the World as a photographer, writer, guide and translator. However, it was 2013 that defined his starting point in the cruise industry, when Slava had the opportunity to visit Antarctica on a sailboat. He then worked as an expedition guide in the Arctic and Antarctic Waters, peaking his interest for Polar History.

Known as photographer, travel writer, guide and translator in Russia, Slava often give lectures: How to travel the World, Under sails to Antarctic, Tierra del Fuego: journey on foot with a backpack, Wild life in Patagonia, How to survive in wild, Backpacker's life around the World, among other subjects.

Growing up among dramatic landscapes of World Heritage Cradle Mountain in Tasmania well fostered Steve’s innate passion for pure, untouched wilderness. His particular interest is in Earths more extreme environments & the subtle & spectacular adaptations of wildlife that carve out their existence in such places.

Desire to discover further shores, led to extended expeditions throughout the Himalaya & Tibet, South American Andes & Galapagos, Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, traversing New Zealand’s Southern Alps & a European journey from Sicily to Arctic Norway. After a rewarding year teaching English in Indonesia & exploring her islands, Steve returned to Australia to complete formal studies in wildlife ecology, turning love of shared nature experiences into his profession, based in Tasmania’s unique wilderness.

Further interest in Aboriginal cultures & tropical ecosystems drew Steve to several years leading overland adventures in Australia’s rugged Kimberley & Kakadu National Parks, & as naturalist on coastal expeditions, exploring crocodile infested mangroves & lush ancient rainforests from Borneo to Madagascar & colorful coral reefs as far afield as Aldabra Atoll & Papua New Guinea.

With one eye firmly fixed on the horizon & returning to his native Southern Ocean, Steve’s extensive exploration of Tasmania’s offshore islands naturally grew into his passion for the wild circumpolar oases of Sub-Antarctic Islands & the spectacular beauty of Antarctica. Finding a mirror image of exotic destinations in the Northern Hemisphere, he’s explored Arctic’s Russian Far East, Alaska, Northwest Passage, Greenland & the many island jewels that link them - as an enthusiastic naturalist on various expeditions.

As far back as 1998 Sven Voege sailed in a small 13m-steel sailboat to Antarctica. Pure adventure. He returned every year, out of sheer excitement and enthusiasm.  For the ice, the fabulous landscapes, wildlife and the possibilities to make his own discoveries of historical traces!  More than 65 trips to the Arctic and Antarctica followed. 

 For twenty years, Sven has been lecturing at a symposium of the United Nations in Hamburg, the Junior Zoo-Universität Berlin, in the "Winter Magic" - a 14-day urban Christmas event in Mannheim - and in the two zoos in the German capital Berlin.

Later he sold his small construction company and then left the Safety Service in the German Federal Police for a life at sea. Since 2013 he has been working on expedition ships as a lecturer and Zodiac driver. With the non-profit International association Polarworld e.V. he organizes entertaining projects with schools and is constantly looking for interested teachers and schools.

Thomas is an Australian of Bavarian origin. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, London and also a Fellow of The International Centre of Excellence in Tourism & Hospitality Education. He has audited hotel and tourism schools in Austria, China, Dubai, Fiji, Holland, the Philippines and Thailand. His Ph.D. thesis dissertation investigated commercial tourism in Antarctica (1991-1998). Later, it was published as a book entitled, Tourism in the Antarctic: Opportunities, Constraints and Future Prospects. Thomas also filmed and produced, Voyage to Antarctica.

Thomas has travelled extensively in some 75 countries and on all continents. Since his first voyage in 1994, he has visited Antarctica on 28 occasions as a guide, historian, naturalist, presenter, researcher, photographer, and Zodiac driver.  In the 90s, Thomas was lecturer, senior lecturer and Associate Professor in tourism at Victoria University in Melbourne. From 1999 to 2012, he was Assistant Professor of tourism in the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Today, he is an Adjunct Professor in Sustainable Tourism at Central Queensland University.

Thomas and his wife, Lina, are the owners of a large rainforest property in tropical Mission Beach, Far North Queensland, Australia where they have established the Mission Beach Butterfly Garden.

Ulf-Peter Lindström, born in Helsinki Finland, started his career at sea in the summer of 1975 working on dry cargo ships and ferries between Finland, Sweden and Poland. He participated in many sailing boat competitions in Europe, as crew and helmsman and later as navigator. He served in the Finnish Navy in the special diving forces. In 1983, he graduated as deck officer and 1993 as captain from the Maritime Institute of Turku. He worked on tankers and dry cargo ships and later he was responsible for the building and recommissioning of container and cruise ships. For several years he was a maritime inspector for the Finnish Maritime Administration.

In 2007 he started working on different sized cruise ships ending up on the smaller expedition vessels. He has experience in both the Arctic and Antarctic and also the Caribbean, Mediterranean and all of Europe.

Ulf-Peter loves traveling the Seven Seas and anywhere in between. During the little holidays he gets, he likes sailing, cycling, hiking and photography. Moving to South Africa in 2017, has added another exciting chapter in his life with lots of new exploring to be done.

Born and raised in Austria, now home in the world: After studying International Development and Environment Studies in Norway, Vera pursued a Master in Responsible Tourism Management in England.

Throughout her studies she has also taken the chance to work in the tourism industry and to go on research trips to India, Tanzania and Laos where she could put the learned theory into practice. Her passion for adventures and traveling to wild places finally brought her to Svalbard where she worked as dogsled guide before joining the expedition industry. When Vera isn´t onboard, she is working as professional hiking & snowshoe guide in Austria or guiding land-based adventure trips worldwide. Vera is also a globetrotter, sport enthusiast, outdoor lover and hobby photographer.

Wilson (Wai-Yin) Cheung’s was born and raised in former British Hong Kong. His works and studies allow him to roam the globe. Since 2011, he have been worked as a mountain guide, ski guide and polar expedition leader in extreme remoteness areas (Antarctic continent and the Peninsula, Greenland, Kamchatka, Alaska, Norway, Iceland, Canada, the Arctic and the Alps) over 700 field days to ensure the secured wilderness experience for international visitors.

Wilson have been over 80 countries by commercial sponsorships. Besides, he attempted a number of peaks in five continents, such as the Antarctic highest peak, Mt Vinson, 4892m; South America highest peak, Aconcagua, 6962 m; North America highest peak, Denali, 6,190 m.

The polar region is part of his life. He have been lived in the East Greenland with local hunters and learnt their way of living. In each Antarctic season, he spend over 5 months in Antarctic continent and peninsula region. His duties included managing the sea ice camp on the Weddell Sea ice nearby the Emperor penguins colony and leading skiing tour to South Pole.

Wilson studied “M.A.Transcultural European Outdoor Studies” in Europe and Cross- cultural Psychology. He is keen on learning different cultural interpretation of landscape and environment, especially in the polar region.