Naturalist icon Naturalist

Cristian Villaroel

Cristian was born and raised on Santa Cruz Island, at the heart of the Galapagos Archipelago. He had the privilege of enjoying the beauty of the natural world of Galapagos every weekend, sailing in his family's small fishing boat. His parents passed on their love for nature to him. They imparted how lucky they were to live in such a unique place in the world.

His passion for conservation started as a teenager, on his very first time going around the uninhabited islands onboard of the National Geographic Endeavour, as a guest. The knowledge of the guides and the amazing experience seeing the islands from a different angle made him realize the importance of preserving what we have in the world.

Recently, his interest shifted to better understanding the weirdest and most unpredictable animal of them all: humankind. He moved to the city of Guayaquil on mainland Ecuador, where he pursued studies in psychology. However, the call of the Galapagos was too strong in the end. He came back and jumped at the chance of becoming a naturalist guide with the park service. This way, he combines both of his passions: experiencing nature and interacting with people.

My upcoming expeditions

Exploring Galápagos

Dec 5 2025
Jan 3 2025
Feb 7 2025
Feb 14 2025
Mar 21 2025
Mar 28 2025
Apr 4 2025
Apr 11 2025
Jun 6 2025
Jun 13 2025
Jun 20 2025
Sep 5 2025
Sep 12 2025
Oct 3 2025
Oct 10 2025
Oct 17 2025
Nov 21 2025
Nov 28 2025

Exploring Galápagos, Machu Picchu and Peru's Land of the Inca

Dec 5 2025
Jan 3 2025
Feb 7 2025
Feb 14 2025
Mar 21 2025
Mar 28 2025
Apr 4 2025
Apr 11 2025
Jun 6 2025
Jun 13 2025
Jun 20 2025
Sep 5 2025
Sep 12 2025
Oct 17 2025
Nov 21 2025
Nov 28 2025

Galápagos Escape: An 8-Day Voyage

Feb 22 2025
Feb 27 2025
May 8 2025
May 17 2025
May 22 2025
Jul 12 2025
Jul 17 2025
Jul 26 2025

Galápagos Escape: A 7-Day Voyage

Mar 4 2025
May 13 2025
Jul 22 2025

Peru and Galápagos Escape

Feb 28 2025
May 9 2025
Jul 18 2025