Cristina Ahassi

Cristina was born in Quito but spent her entire childhood in the Galápagos Islands surrounded by the nature that has inspired her passion for her work.

She left the islands to earn a degree in anthropology at the Universidad Católica de Quito, and she later continued on to get her Masters in cultural studies. She is particularly fascinated by the budding human culture of the archipelago and wrote a thesis on cultural adaptation in the Galápagos Islands. During this time, she researched and discovered the most interesting details on how the early colonists survived and eked out a living in these inhospitable lands, which she loves to share with visitors to the islands.

Seven years ago she combined her interest in the human aspect of the islands with her childhood passion for the nature and completed the naturalist guide training course with the Galapagos National Park. Since then she has been guiding both land tours and on board ships, and she considers it her major professional challenge to ensure that visitors to the islands experience a true connection to this magical place—an experience involving all the senses.

Cristina is known as Titi to her friends and family, and she lives in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island with her two young daughters. She enjoys dance, reading, and spending time in the ocean with her girls.