PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Photo gallery of pictures from our ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure vacation
Jaguar Jun 2009
A Peruvian kangaroo.

GUIDE OF THE MONTH:

ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure travel guide
Andres Mora Piedra
"He didn't miss a beat and was one of the most professional people I have met. You have an excellent employee in Andres."
Rae Dyer & Laurel Creese (Enoggera, Queensland, Australia) Jan 2009 Iguana
"Sometimes words can't describe the emotions one feels in partaking in such an amazing, life changing experience. ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA rocks!"

Mattey Tibbetts (California, USA) August 2007 Jaguar

South America adventure guides
Andres
Andres
Name: Andres Mora Piedra
Position: Lead Guide
Bio:

I was born and raised in Costa Rica, surrounded by nature, beautiful landscapes and amazing wildlife. I got my start in adventure tourism back in 1996 as a white water rafting guide and joined ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA in 2006 to share the beauty of my country with others while we hike, paddle, cycle and explore around. Nature conservation and environmental education are an important part of my life so supporting local people and eco-tourism projects as an ASA trip leader is very rewarding!

What our clients have said:

"Andres was an excellent guide, he was extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, the activities, and everything Costa Rica. He went above and beyond what was needed to complete our trip and always made sure we were having a good time."
-- Kyle Alford (Richmond, Virginia, United States) Jun 2009 Quetzal


"I cannot say enough great things about Andres. Not only was he knowledgeable, organized and safety-conscious, but he was very personable, prepared us very well for the activities each day, and always asked us how we were doing and if we were enjoying things. Andres was very professional and had obvious strong relationships with the staff at our hotels and restaurants where we ate, which in turn probably provided better service for us. Andres is very enthusiastic about what he does, and we enjoyed asking questions and learning from him. It was nice that he was native to Costa Rica and could answer ANY question we came up with! He also spoke very good English (which I was not expecting), so we had no problems communicating with anyone during our trip because he was with us. Andres' energy and excitement about our activities really rubbed off on us, even when we were not sure what to expect. I had an amazing time - never felt rushed - and always felt like we did something unique and exciting each day."
-- Michaiah Parker (Richmond,Virginia,United States) Jun 2009 Quetzal


"Andres certainly "made" the trip. His love of his country showed in everything he did. His knowledge and enthusiasm was evident in every activity. His care of each of our varied needs was excellent. Of particular note was his relationship with the various vendors who served us. It was evident they wanted to do a good job for "Andres' people"."
-- Donna Mitchell (Toledo, Ohio, United States) Feb 2009 Iguana


"Andres did an exceptional job of planning and organizing the trip. The people he had lined up for the activities were very well trained and offered very good service. His attention to detail was excellent, even at the airport when he had someone ready to help us! He's a tremendous resource for you! Muchas Gracias, Andres."
-- Rick Burton (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States) Feb 2009 Iguana


"Andres was absolutely outstanding. He not only was a pleasure to be with every day, but very informative about the culture of his country. I had a neck injury the week prior to the trip so was not able to do all of the activities and he was very patient and helpful about it. We have traveled with a lot of different groups, and always had a good guide, but Andres was by far the most prepared, and fun, and did a great job each day. He is worth his weight in gold to your company!"
-- Pat Clark (Maumee,Ohio,United States) Feb 2009 Iguana


"I could not ask for any more. I think he is a very calm, pleasant, nice and helpful person. I would recommend him at any time."
-- Pernille Hanegård (Charlottenlund, Denmark) Mar 2009 Jaguar


"Andres was fabulous -- what a great, knowledgeable young man! He was always very concerned about safety and organization, yet made sure we all had fun. Andres had a lot of different age groups, but blended everyone together very well. He was awesome!"
-- Kathy Champlain (Broomfield, United States) Feb 2009 Iguana


"He didn't miss a beat and was one of the most professional people I have met. You have an excellent employee in Andres."
-- Rae Dyer & Laurel Creese (Enoggera, Queensland, Australia) Jan 2009 Iguana


"Great guy -- friendly, knowledgeable and everything seemed under control."
-- Stanley Albright (Huntington Beach,California,United States) Dec 08 Iguana


"Andres was the BEST GUIDE EVVVVVEEERRR! Andres could not have been kinder, more enthusiastic, or more understanding! His enthusiasm for his country, his passion for the wildlife and ecology, his expert knowledge of history and politics was superb. And his charisma and leadership were fabulous. Andres sets a VERY high standard of guiding. If all your guides are like him, you have a truly remarkable team."
-- The Sheth Family (London, England, United Kingdom) Aug 2008 Iguana


"Andres was a great guide and we enjoyed his company. He always gave us good advice, whether it was information about where to go in town or what to pack. We always felt comfortable with him and knew we could trust him. We may see Andres again on the Iguana. Saludos y mil gracias, Andres!"
-- Beatriz Perez (USA) June 2008 Jaguar


"Andres was a great guy and a great guide. He made sure we were always content and it showed that he also enjoyed himself throughout the trip, which made it even better."
-- Adrian Perez (USA) June 2008 Jaguar


"Andres was awesome! He was knowledgeable and flexible and able to adapt activities to our needs, likes and abilities. Definitely an asset to ACTIVE SOUTH AMERICA."
-- Barbara Loeb (Illinois, United States) December 2006 Iguana


"The right man for the job. He knows his country, his customs, his and our language, and can find his way out of a jam if he needs to. His performance was top notch. "
-- Daniel Goetschel (Illinois, United States) December 2006 Iguana