Meet Us!

We are a small company bringing you unique, active trips that connect you to landscapes and communities in Latin America. From our home office in Evergreen, Colorado, we develop and run our trips with our partner companies and local guides in Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Ecuador, Panama and Peru.

John Watson, Founder started Aventouras to build on his previous travel and experiential education work. He has guided bike and service trips in Belize, Vermont, and Maine, and taught environmental education in Colorado. He has also worked as a fisheries biologist in Alaska, editor of a journal on endangered species management, and for one day put together cardboard boxes in a factory in New Jersey. Prior to starting Aventouras he consulted with the National Parks Conservation Association, World Resources Institute, Conservation International, and other environmental non-profit organizations, and he served on the board of Colorado Wild for many years.

Butch Gemin, Sales and Marketing has been working with Aventouras since 2008, acting as trip coordinator and exploring new itineraries for the countries we visit. Butch began his love affair with active travel in college, exploring wild places throughout the US and Canada backpacking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking and camping. Since joining Aventouras Butch has been to most of the Latin American destinations Aventouras visits, including Peru, Costa Rica, Belize and the Galapagos. He is past President and board chairperson for the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Council.

Lisa Smith, Operations Manager couldn’t imagine a job that better combines her skills and passion. She is an avid conservationist and worked for many years for the non-profit, Colorado Environmental Coalition, advocating for Colorado’s wildlands. Lisa has worn a number of hats—financial analyst, wilderness ranger, public lands advocate, popcorn specialist. She loves international adventurous travel. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador and has explored much of Central America. She has a Master’s Degree in International Protected Area Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. When not at work she can be found exploring Colorado’s backcountry hiking, trail running, camping, skiing, biking with her favorite canine pal, Bentley. And she's funny.

 

Our partner companies and local guides across Central and South America make our trips unforgettable.  We can’t list them all here, but below we highlight a few of them.

Cristobal, Peten, Guatemala

Cristobal is our guide on the three day trek through the Peten jungle to the incredible Mayan ruins of Tikal. Cristobal lives in the tiny Mayan community of Cruce dos Aguadas in the biosphere reserve, and has been instrumental in bringing community-based tourism to the region. Along with extensive knowledge of the forest he brings playful exuberance to the 30 mile trek, as when on a recent trip he stopped along the trail and quickly demonstrated “mayan clothes” to the group.

Hector, Amazon rainforest, Ecuador

Hector is one of the guides at Yachana Lodge in the Ecuadorean Amazon rainforest. Yachana has been called the best example of true ecotourism in Ecuador by the author of the Lonely Planet guide. The beautiful lodge is on the banks of the Rio Napo, a two hour motorized canoe ride upstream from Coca, where we fly into from Quito. Hector, who grew up in a tiny community nearby and has an intimate knowledge of the rainforest, takes our groups on rainforest walks, night hikes, and a dugout canoe float down the Rio Napo.

 

Greivin Cubero, San Ramon, Costa Rica

Greivin Cubero is an incredible guide and naturalist. Known for his kind disposition and upbeat demeanor, Greivin is a native of the agricultural town of San Ramon on the western edge of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. The study of snakes, spiders, botanicals and volcanic activity are among Greivin’s passions. He is an outdoor adventurer and amateur photographer. Greivin has been working in tourism since 1999, the same year he became a father. He lives with his wife Rodette and their son Noel and their daughter Nira in San Ramon. He is a certified guide by the Costa Rican Tourism Board.

George “Chino” Coleman, Punta Gorda, Belize

Chino Coleman was born and raised in Punta Gorda Town, Toledo District, Belize and guides our trips to the Sapodilla Cayes in southern Belize.  He was formerly a fisherman and then went to college in Belize City. He returned to Punta Gorda and started working as a guide with some training from our local partner, TIDE Tours. He has now been guiding for six years and leads sea kayaking, snorkeling, and fly fishing on our trips to the beautiful and remote Lime Caye.

Juan Carlos, Antigua, Guatemala

Juan Carlos is one of our guides in Antigua, Guatemala, and loves leading hikes up Pacaya, a volcano located just outside Antigua. The hike is about 4 hours, with an elevation gain of about 1600 feet.  We stop for a picnic lunch on the way down at a spot very close to where this picture was taken, with a perfect view of both the volcano and the surrounding mountains and countryside. Juan Carlos also enjoys showing off his beautiful hometown of Antigua, a lively city of colonial architecture, vibrant streets, and shops, restaurants, and museums—all of which we explore in between volcano hikes and kayaking the nearby Lake Atitlan.