Bhutan tour, Patagonia trekking, Bhutan holiday, Stok kangri, trekking pioneers in Bhutan the Thunder dragon Kingdom, we now trek worldwide.

If you are embarking on a Bhutan holiday or planning some Patagonia trekking it is good to know in advance that your leader knows their stuff. Whether it is an expedition to Stok Kangri or a Bhutan tour all require professionalism and experience - rest assured, we only invest in the best people for the job.

At Himalayan Kingdoms we are proud to cater for all types of holiday experiences, from an ascent of Stok Kangri to less strenuous Patagonia trekking - and that means recruiting the best staff to make sure all your needs are taken care of.

We are justifiably proud of our panel of leaders. Collectively they represent an enormous fund of knowledge. See below for details of each of our leaders.

If you would like details of our Bhutan holidays and Bhutan tours call us today, or simply follow the link.

Albin, Kevin	Anderson, Ross	Baber, Rod	Barnes, Tim
Bathgate, David	Berry, Seraphina	Berry, Steve	Bond, Barry
Brightman, Chris	Burditt, Paul	Cannings, Frank	Coxan, Ian
Croome, Ruth	Darjaa, Catherine	Dickinson, Matt	Dimmock, Ray
Dr Chris Darby	Eames, John	Economides, Stef	Edwards, John
Ellerton, Di	Findlay, Steve	Foot, Alison	Ford, Mike
Foxton, Nick	Franklin, Paul	Gibbons, Bob	Goodwin, Stephen
Harbert, Steve	Harper, Majorie Anne	Heffill, Bob	Hibbert, Frank
Hoyland, Graham	Hughes, Clive	Johnson, Ralph	Johnson, Sally
Jones, Cory	Kelly, Ned	Lawty, Sue	Limburn, Jude
Mankelow, Seb	Martin, Stuart	Mason, Kim	Masson, Bonny
McAulay, Harry	McNeil, Stuart	McWalter, Heather	Mears, Richard
Miller, Alastair Dr	Morgan, Niki	Moyan, Daniel	Newnham, Lindy
O'Neale, Winky	Perry, Mark	Pfisterer, Gary	Pickford, David
Pritchard-Jones, Siân	Roine, Roope	Rutland, Mike	Sainsbury, Ann
Scanlon, Ainger	Seymour-Williams, Beetle	Shipton, John	Sparks, John
Thompson, Joy	Thomson, Hugh	Turner, John	Viggers, Moira
Wall, Ian	Welsh, Tony	Woodhead, Cathy	Yost, John

Albin, Kevin
Kevin was a police officer for twenty five exciting years which certainly left him with a few tales to tell. He took a change in career to work in the outdoors, initially working with Princes Trust Volunteers. He went on to lead a number of expeditions from Belize to Borneo and from mountain summit to jungle basin. He is an International Mountain Leader and also holds the Winter Mountain Leader Award.

Anderson, Ross
Ross gained his degree in medicine in ‘99 and, when not in the operating theatre, he spends as much time in the mountains or travelling as possible. He has trekked and worked around Nepal and achieved a diploma in altitude medicine in 2003. Since then he has spent more time in the Himalayas and on ascents of Mt. Kilimanjaro. He has also trekked in the Swedish arctic, and enjoys ski-mountaineering and competing in ultra-distance races and mountain marathons.

Baber, Rod
Rod holds an unusual world record – he has climbed the highest points in each of Europe's 47 countries. He also holds the world record for climbing more of the world's highest points than any other person! This includes the summit of Mt Aconcagua in Argentina at the age of 24. His passion for travel has carried him through over 60 countries around the world, including 4 major trips to the Himalaya, and now he owns and runs a climbing centre/aerial adventure facility in Cirencester.

Barnes, Tim
Tim is an experienced trekker and adventure cyclist, whose travels have taken him to some of the most remote parts of the world, including Central Asia, the Himalayas, Africa and the Andes. Something of a Silk Road aficionado he has cycled through Tajikistan’s Pamir Mountains, around the Kyrgyz Tien Shan and down the Karakoram Highway. He believes two feet are just as good as two wheels for getting to wild places and has trekked extensively in Ladakh, Zanskar and Ethiopia. When not traveling he can normally be found flying gliders over the Cotswolds and when all the other options are exhausted, he earns his living as an independent Management Consultant.

Bathgate, David
David Bathgate’s first experiences of Southeast Asia began at home – in the U.S. state of California. Whilst teaching cultural anthropology at university, he and his students involved themselves with resettlement of Indochinese refugees, particularly Lowland Lao and tribal Hmong and Mien from the mountains of northern Laos. But it wasn’t until years later that he finally trod their lands himself. Living a spell in far north Queensland, Australia, David forged a regular “commuter route” to that least developed, former French colony in Southeast Asia. And from there, he placed many a visa stamp from Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in his passport, too.

Berry, Seraphina
Seraphina is not only the wife of the owner of Himalayan Kingdoms and Company Secretary but also is a very keen trekker and outdoor enthusiast. She has trekked four times before in Bhutan and has a strong ambition to visit the eastern regions. She has also trekked and climbed in the Indian Himalaya and spent six months travelling in Tibet

Berry, Steve
Born in Shillong, just south of the Bhutanese border, Steve has returned to the Himalaya many times as leader of numerous treks and expeditions. These include the first British ascent of Nun Kun in Kashmir and attempts on Cho Oyu in Nepal and Gangkar Punsum in Bhutan. In 1992 he made the first official British ascent of the highest peak in Mongolia. His book 'The Thunder Dragon Kingdom', is an account of Britain's first climbing expedition to Bhutan's highest peak, (available from our office, £15.00 incl. postage).

Bond, Barry
Barry, an ex client is an enthusiastic fellwalker and experienced Himalayan trekker who has recently migrated to being one of our trek leaders. His travels have taken him to some of the less well known spots of the Indian and Nepalese Himalayas. He was a member of the H.K. 2000 Nanda Devi expedition and has been fortunate enough to visit remote and restricted areas in Northern Sikkim, Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. In 2003 he was part of a large expedition team led by Hugh Thompson (H.K. trek leader and writer) to find and document the lost city of Llactapacta in the Peruvian Vilcabamba.

Brightman, Chris
Chris has organised and led trekking and mountaineering expeditions to Kenya, Tanzania, Mexico, Sabah, Nepal, Bolivia, Chile and World Challenge to Venezuela. He has been a leader for Himalayan Kingdoms from 2001 to Nepal (Rolwaling Valley), Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, (Tien Shan mountains), Ladakh, (Nubra Valley and Quest to Ladakh) and Yunnan (Kawa Karpo Pilgrimage). Chris is Honorary Secretary of the South West Region of the Royal Geographical Society.

Burditt, Paul
Paul is Himalayan Kingdoms’ Bolivian expert having spent over 5 months living in Bolivia researching itineraries and trekking routes. Paul has trekked widely in the Himalayas and Andes – including Nepal, Pakistan, Ladakh, Peru and Ecuador. Despite the breadth of his travels he remains particularly captivated by the Bolivian Andes – not least because they are some of the world’s least trekked mountains, but also because of his keen interest in the rich indigenous and colonial culture of this wild country.

Cannings, Frank
Frank is an experienced mountaineer, pioneering rock climber and enthusiastic walker whose track record includes difficult Alpine ascents, Mount Kenya, Mount Kilimanjaro, mountains in Northern India and parts of The Appalachian Trail.

In 1972 he attempted first ascents of then unclimbed Diamond Couloir on Mount Kenya and Great Breach Wall on Kilimanjaro. He summited both mountains by other routes, including the 4th ascent of Kilimanjaro’s Heim Glacier approaching via the then obscure Umbwe Route.

Frank first trekked in Himachal, Lahaul and Spiti in 1979 and attempted Menthosa (6443m) reaching 6000m in a 2-man alpine-style ascent. He also undertook an early exploration of the Koa Rong range.

Coxan, Ian
Ian is based in the Peak District, is a qualified Mountain Instructor and has been instructing and guiding in the mountains for over 20 years. He is self-employed as a full time trek and expedition leader. His enthusiasm for the mountains and the mountain environment is boundless and he actively shares this passion with fellow trekkers. In 1997 he was the leader for the first successful official British ascent of Gorichen East 6222m in Arunachal Pradesh. Before joining Himalayan Kingdoms, Ian had wide ranging experience of organising and leading successful trekking and mountaineering expeditions to: India, Nepal, Jordan, Morocco, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Kenya and Tanzania. Ian has previously been employed as a field guide in Antarctica, spending two summers and a winter “down south”.

Croome, Ruth
Ruth's passion for mountains and the great outdoors has taken her from the English Lake District to the GR20 in Corsica to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. She has led treks in Nepal (Everest Base Camp), Pakistan (Concordia and K2), Peru (Cordillera Huayhuash) and Bolivia (Cordillera Real), and organised wild flower mountain walks in the Italian Dolomites. She has been trained in Wilderness First Aid and Summer Mountain Leader. In between travels abroad and lecturing at the national travel shows, Ruth's other passions are running (to date 14 marathons including the Everest Marathon), cycling and mountaineering. Her photographs are published in brochures and travel guides.

Darjaa, Catherine
Catherine is the operations manager for the local Mongolian agents we use for this trek and has lived and worked around the world. She worked for the UN in Bhutan for three years and Mongolia for two years, during which time she travelled extensively around Asia. She speaks Mongolian.

Dickinson, Matt
Matt, a film-maker and author, who specialises in the wild places and the indigenous people of the world, made a successful ascent of Mount Everest's notorious North side in the 1996 pre-monsoon season. together with Alan Hinkes, Britain's foremost high-altitude mountaineer. Matt became the first Briton to film on the summit and return alive, all the more remarkable in an Everest climbing season which claimed a record number of lives. His experiences were graphically recounted in his best-selling book, The Death Zone, and later used as background for his acclaimed first novel, High Risk.

Dimmock, Ray
Ray, who has been climbing, mountaineering and backpacking for 50-plus years, has trekked extensively in Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal as well as India, Europe, New Zealand, the Andes and Morocco. He lives at the foot of Snowdon and works as a patrol warden for the National Park.

Dr Chris Darby
Chris is a hospital doctor and has an interest in high altitude medicine. He has considerable climbing and walking experience in the UK and the Alps. In 1997 he led a trek to Gokyo in the Khumbu region of Nepal and in 1999 led a trek to the other side of Everest in Tibet. He has led for us in Nepal and Tibet. Since then he has led for us in the Annapurna region, Karakoram K2 Gondogoro La and Sikkim Goecha La. In 2005 Chris summited Huascaran Norte in Peru at 6664 metres. In the autumn 2006 he spoke to the leaders educational forum on high altitude sickness. In 2007 he will lead our first trip to Mera Peak.

Eames, John
John is well known in the mountain travel industry having led many expeditions to trekking peaks throughout the Himalaya and spends the winter working as a telemark ski instructor.

Economides, Stef
Having successfully escaped corporate life, Stef now lives in a secluded part of the Peak District National Park and is a freelance outdoor instructor and trekking guide. He’s a holder of the Summer, Winter and International Mountain Leader Awards, and is a keen climber, mountaineer and trekker. He simply loves travelling and has led treks to many places across the globe including places as far-flung as Ecuador, India and Tanzania. Amongst other things, he has had the dubious pleasure of being on Kilimanjaro 12 times! In his spare time, he can be found either working on his cottage, trying to improve his Spanish or maybe struggling up a climb at his local crag.

Edwards, John
John has spent 36 years on the Indian subcontinent, during which time he has gained an extensive and in-depth geographic, historical and cultural knowledge of the region and its people. John first arrived in Nepal in 1971, where he joined the Tiger Mountain team, working from 'the ground roots up' until becoming Managing Director of the Nepal Companies; and 20 years later, in 1991, he moved to India where he took over Tiger Mountain India, first established in 1976. During this time, John has been responsible for designing and building many of the Group's wildlife Lodges and Camps. He has also led numerous Treks in the Nepal and Indian Himalayas; River running Expeditions; Camel Safaris; Fishing camps; and Special Interest Tours to India's north-eastern States, where he has been invited by several State Governments to advise on the development of Tourism.

Ellerton, Di
Di’s love of the mountains extends over twenty years of mountain running, trekking and cycling in Nepal, China, South America, India and Vietnam. Combining her training as sports physiologist with a passion for sharing travel adventure experiences, Di has been leading treks and tours for the past nine years.

Findlay, Steve
Steve led our very first trek back in the Spring of 1988 to Sikkim! Steve is an avid rock climber and mountaineer, though he has a keen interest in botany, and is something of an expert on orchids. He was a member of the 1984 Bristol expedition to Cho Oyu, and the 1986 expedition to Gangkar Punsum in Bhutan. He has also led expeditions to Aconcagua, Mt Elbrus, Kan Tengi, Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya, Mera Peak and has climbed extensively in the Alps.

Foot, Alison
Alison is a professional botanist and runs a bulb and plant nursery with her partner, John Shipton, who also leads treks for Himalayan Kingdoms. She has lived and worked in many parts of the world studying a range of flora.

Ford, Mike
Mike has spent much of the past fifteen years travelling across the Himalaya, either independently or researching for his work as a Rough Guides writer. Mike has used his experiences in Nepal, Tibet, Thailand and India not only in writing various guide books, but also in giving slide presentations and teaches English as a foreign language at Bristol University. He is a keen musician, performing classical Indian music. His spare time is taken up studying the intricacies of tabla and helping various Tibetan charities.

Foxton, Nick
Nick has led expeditions to Peru, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Tibet and the Indian Himalaya, and has worked as a wildlife researcher on the Tibetan Plateau. He has travelled extensively throughout Tibet and has a particular interest in sacred mountains and pilgrimage routes, with an ever-expanding list of sacred mountain circuits. He has completed several Tibetan Pilgrimage routes including Mount Kailash as well as Kawa Karpo in China which he researched for HK in 2003. He is currently a university lecturer in Creative Writing and Literature. Future plans (not all this year!) include the Bob Graham Round, an 8000m peak, biking across the Tibetan Plateau and finishing his first novel.

Franklin, Paul
Paul has worked as a wildlife biologist and expedition leader for over 20 years. His trek leading experience covers routes in the Andes, Himalaya and Kilimanjaro. This year's adventures have included trekking in Patagonia, mountain biking in Bolivia, an ascent of Chimborazo and white water kayaking in Ecuador. Paul has also driven expedition vehicles from Kathmandu to London and the length of South America. A keen photographer, his wildlife and travel images are regularly published. He loves the unrivalled mountain scenery of the Himalaya, the warm nature of its people and their Buddhist philosphy.

Gibbons, Bob
Along with with Siân Pritchard-Jones, Bob has been travelling overland, leading treks and exploring as many unusual destinations as possible since the mid seventies. Bob has driven overland trucks across Asia, Africa and South America, as well as driving tour buses around India, and he met Siân,in Kashmir in 1983.

For some years they have also been engaged in writing guidebooks mainly about the Himalayan region and following two overland trips in 2003 and 2004 they wrote the Bradt Africa Overland guidebook. In 2008 Siân and Bob will be our Overland Consultants for our trips to Africa.

Goodwin, Stephen
STEPHEN is a freelance journalist and editor of the Alpine Journal, the oldest mountaineering journal in the world. He turned freelance in 1999 after 13 years as a staff journalist on The Independent, mainly covering politics at Westminster. Settled in Cumbria’s Eden Valley, he now specialises in travel, mountaineering, environment and just a dash of politics. A climber and ski-mountaineer, in 1998 he reached the south summit of Everest, filing an award-winning diary to The Independent. He is writing a guide to the mountains of Austria and has also developed a bruising fascination with the remoter ranges of Turkey. He still writes mainly for The Independent and its sister paper The Independent on Sunday, and also for several magazines including Climber and Geographical.

Harbert, Steve
Steve is Himalayan Kingdoms' General Manager and has nearly twenty years' experience of leading and organising trekking trips worldwide: from day walks in the mountains of Europe to treks in the Himalayas, Africa, North and South America. After first forays in the Welsh hills and then family trips to the Alps, Steve knew that he'd found his true passion and thereafter the stamp albums and Airfix kits never stood a chance. Mountaineering trips were always the holiday of choice and after studying in Outdoor Education Steve's career has combined training, leading and operating in adventure travel ever since. In the last twelve months Steve's travels have taken him to the mountains of Canada and Egypt and the deserts of Jordan and the USA.

Harper, Majorie Anne
'M.A.' (as she likes to be known) is a European Mountain Leader and teaches skiing and kayaking. Her mountain experience includes climbing all the Scottish Munroes, plus the Matterhorn and Mount Kenya, and a first ascent of a mountain in the Kulu Himalaya. She has led for several companies during 14 years, taking groups to the Pamirs, Caucasus, Greece, Morocco, Europe and Tibet, plus leading annually in Nepal.

Heffill, Bob
Bob began researching the possibilities for a new outdoor business in Japan in 2002. Hike Japan first tour was in autumn 2003. Bob's connection with Japan goes back 35 years, however, to 1973, when his parents were diplomats in Tokyo. After nine months living in Japan, he went on to study Japanese language and literature at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies. He then worked in Japan as an English teacher in state schools for three years on the JET program. He has spent much of the last twenty years working as a Japanese translator and interpreter and is a Member of the Institute of Translators and Interpreters. He has translated a number of books including Against the Wind, a book by Yasuyuki Ozeki, about a bicycle journey Yazu made from Tokyo to Dublin in 1998, and co-translated the recipe book, Nobu Now!, by super-chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Bob did his Mountain Leader training in North Wales in 2001. Based in Japan , he is Director of Hike Japan and its main guide. Hike Japan is now well established in Japan and growing fast, specializing in small group adventure walking holidays throughout the country, from easy walks to strenuous mountain hikes.

Hibbert, Frank
A native of Sheffield, Frank has been active in the hills for more years than he cares to remember and has personal climbing and trekking experience in the Andes Alps and Pyrenees. A qualified International Mountain Leader, he has lead trekking groups in the Alps, Malaysia and most South American countries. When not on the hill, his interests are listening to old blues records, eating pasta, and searching for the perfect latte.

Hoyland, Graham
Graham, a BBC TV producer, is the great nephew of Howard Somervell, who lent his camera to George Mallory on his ill-fated Everest expedition in 1924. Graham has been to Everest on six previous occasions to search for his uncle's camera, which could hold the secret of Mallory's summit attempt. His expedition to the North Face in 1999 found George Mallory's body- but not the camera. He has filmed on Everest for the BBC in 1990, 1999, 2000 and 2001 and became the 15th Briton to summit in 1993.

Hughes, Clive
Clive is an enthusiastic mountain walker and climber having ascended Snowdon at the age of 3 months in his father’s rucksac sitting on an upturned potty. He has travelled independently in China, Nepal and Northern India. A One time archaeologist, botanist and musician he has recently escaped his job as a lecturer in music technology to assist Shiva Charity - a Bristol based organisation promoting education in Nepal and Sri Lanka. Clive also works part-time for HK helping out in the Flights Department. Most weekends he can be found struggling up a rock face somewhere in the south west. His favourite colour is taupe!

Johnson, Ralph
Ralph, an ex-trekker turned trek leader, is a retired teacher and one-time chief examiner in outdoor education. He has been a keen mountaineer and caver all his life, has summited numerous European peaks including Elbrus and has even been spotted in the Andes, Himalaya and Africa.

Johnson, Sally
Sally is an experienced trekker who has travelled extensively around the world on several occasions including a year in South America and 3 months in India A marketer by trade, Sally has managed to combine her career with her love of trekking and has led several trips in the Himalayan regions, where Nepal remains her true love.

Jones, Cory
Cory is a qualified IML and has worked leading trekking holidays and wildlife tours in the UK and further afield for over 10 years. He is a trained ecologist specialising in freshwater systems, but has a passion for bird watching, which began when he was a boy.

Cory has travelled widely in the Himalayas making the second ascent of an isolated peak in Pakistan in 1998. He has undertaken remote treks in Central Asia, Africa and South America. Although Cory enjoys being in the mountains he has spent up to 6 months at a time living in the rainforest supporting biodiversity studies. He has recently worked in the UK, Uzbekistan and Iran helping to set up environmental education centres. Previously Cory has managed outdoors centres in the UK and worked for Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the UK Wildlife Trusts. Now he runs a consultancy based in the Lake District (www.cory-jones.com).

Kelly, Ned
Your trek leader is 'Ned' Kelly who has led dozens of treks for us over the years, including a number of treks to Bhutan. For many years he was a producer/director for the Natural History Unit of the BBC. Besides this is he is a mountaineer who, as a younger man, filmed on two expeditions to the south west face of Everest including Chris Bonington's successful attempt in 1975. Over the space of 26 years he has accumulated a fund of knowledge of the fauna, terrain and peoples ranging across the Himalaya. In the year 2000 he led our longest ever trek, The Complete Lunana Snowman, which took 29 days traversing most of the northern border of Bhutan.

Lawty, Sue
Sue is one of Britain's finest young textile artists and her work has been exhibited and acclaimed in the United States, Canada and many venues in the UK. She is a tutor and visiting lecturer and has travelled on 'weaving journeys' to Morocco, America, Ghana, Jordan, Australia, India, Poland and of course Bhutan. She is also an accomplished climber and trekker, and was born in 1954.

Limburn, Jude
Jude brings her years of commercial experience in the travel industry to manage Himalayan Kingdoms Marketing Department. Having lived and worked all over the world, her permanently ‘itchy feet’ mean that Jude is never happier than when planning her next overseas venture. Recent treks with Himalayan Kingdoms include K2 and the Gondogoro La and Minya Konka in China. Her first and true love however remains the mountains and people of Nepal where she returns as often as work will permit.

Mankelow, Seb
A keen trekker, free-heel skier, occasional climber and amateur naturalist, Seb has expeditioned and travelled in the mountains of North America, East Africa, The Kyrgyz Republic, the Karakoram and at various points along the Himalayan chain. His favourite destination by far is the Zanskar region of Ladakh. Since 1994, Seb has returned almost annually to this area where he has undertaken a cademic research, trekked off-the-beaten-track, and made several traverses of the frozen Zanskar River. Pursuing his passion for this corner of the world, Seb also has a Masters Degree in South Asian Area Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London.

Martin, Stuart
Stuart is a GP in Norfolk. His introduction to the Himalaya came when, as an Army doctor, he spent time with the Gurkhas in Eastern Nepal. Since then he has returned many times, both as trek leader and client. His other favourite destination is Antarctica, which he has visited with expeditions on two occasions.

Mason, Kim
A qualified Mountain Leader, Kim is based in Edinburgh and her enthusiasm for the outdoors began whilst she was a child. She enjoys ski-mountaineering, hiking and climbing in all parts of the world. Places visited include the Nepalese Himalayas, the Alps, the Canadian Rockies, Morocco, the Sierra Nevada in the USA, Mount McKinley in Alaska, and Peru.

Masson, Bonny
Bonny has climbed rock, ice and alpine routes since 1970 but is perhaps best known as one of the UK's leading women rockclimbers, who pushed standards and changed expectations during the 80's. She has many new routes and first ascents to her name in the UK. She holds the ISIA international ski teacher's qualification, which includes off-piste safety and mountain first aid modules. From 1988, she has led between 2 to 5 treks and peaks in the Greater Ranges every year. Countries visited include Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim, Ladakh, Mongolia and most recently, Tibet, where she led successful ascent of a 7045m peak with clients

McAulay, Harry
Harry is currently a teacher, having previously been a building services engineer and prior to that a Royal Marines Officer. He has led more treks for us than anyone else and is one of the most popular characters on our team. Also best man at Steve Berry’s wedding.

McNeil, Stuart
Stuart McNeil – Qualified International Mountain Leader and Winter ML. With a career that started in the European Alps over 20 years ago, Stuart has led expeditions for us since 1995 including Island and Mera Peaks, Rolwaling summits, Langtang Climber, Everest North Col, Aconcagua, Elbrus and Kilimanjaro. He was the support group leader for the 1st British Mount Everest Expedition in 1994. He also instructs cross country skiing in Norway, Switzerland and Austria.

McWalter, Heather
Heather is an experienced walking guide having lived and led groups in the Italian Dolomites for 3 years, and this summer is training for her Mountain Leader (summer) Award. Her passion for hill walking and trekking started 15 years ago after taking a trip to Nepal while studying Sports Science at university. Since then she has travelled independently to many countries looking to incorporate her love for travel and the mountains. After her first trek in Nepal she has returned to the Himalayas twice as well as discovering the adventures of trekking in Peru, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, India, Sri Lanka, Tibet and Africa. When not walking she can still be found in the mountains as she has been a ski guide for two years, but also enjoys the water having learnt to windsurf last year.

Mears, Richard
Richard has over twenty years hill walking experience and holds the Mountain Leader (summer) Award. He is a Mountaineering Instructor and Expedition Supervisor for the Scout Association and has traveled extensively across the Himalayas and Indian sub-continent. Richard is the Human Resources Manager for the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and his other hobbies include scuba diving, photography and military history.

Miller, Alastair Dr
Alastair is a consultant physician in the Tropical and Infectious Disease Unit at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and an Honorary Fellow at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. He previously spent 20 years in the Royal Naval Medical Service, including time with the Royal Marines. While in the Navy he climbed extensively in the Alps and the Himalaya and has been to 8,000 metres on the North Face of Everest and to the top of Mount Kenya, Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount McKinley. Alastair, who is also a keen ski mountaineer and rock climber, has led treks for Himalayan Kingdoms in Sikkim, Ladakh, Bhutan and Nepal. He usually shares the leadership/medicine with his wife, Angie, a qualified nurse.

Morgan, Niki
Niki works as an Operations Manager for Himalayan Kingdoms. She co-led the Celestial Mountains trek in Kazakhstan in 1999 and has since led our Chorten Path and Hidden Kingdom treks in Bhutan, our Kingdom of Zanskar trek in Ladakh, the Kangchenjunga and Goecha La trek in Sikkim and our Kangchenjunga North and South Base Camp trek. She has also reccied treks in Turkey, Himachal Pradesh and Garwhal as well as Mera Peak in Nepal which she successfully summited in 2006. Her passions are rock-climbing and running, and in 1995 she competed in the Everest marathon.

Moyan, Daniel
Daniel Moylan is an experienced traveller, particularly in South East Asia and Europe. He has always had a zest for new places and experiences and has a gift for imparting his enthusiasm to others. Throughout his life, he has taken part in all the adventurous opportunities that have come his way. Now making time to create his own adventures, he is currently leading a vehicle expedition around the world. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society. Together with a small group of volunteers, he masterminded and took to completion a vehicle based overland expedition - the “Lone Wolf Transglobal Expedition” -travelling around the world via a route of 29 countries, including Europe and the Middle East, Asia, China, south east Asia, the USA, Central and South America, Africa and Spain.

Newnham, Lindy
Lindy holds a Mountain Leader Award (summer). She is a volunteer warden for the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and is an experienced hill walker. She has led treks in Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela and Nepal and has also travelled in Morocco and Ladakh, summitting Mount Toubkal and Stok Kangri. Lindy is a full time teacher of Spanish and French. Her hobbies include photography, environmental issues and responsible travel, and an interest in other cultures and natural history.

O'Neale, Winky
Winky has been hill-walking, mountaineering and climbing since 1972, progressing from the UK to the Alps and then to the Himalaya and Africa. She is a highly qualified mountain and trek leader and has taken part in expeditions to Singu Chuli in the Annapurna Sanctuary, Mount Kenya, and Mount Ararat in Turkey. In 1993 Winky made the first British female ascent of Baljuri (5,950m) and Panwali Dwar (6,500m) in Gangotri, India.

Perry, Mark
Mark is an inveterate climber and trekker and has led expeditions to Europe, Africa, Asia and South America over a period of 20 years. He has led treks for Himalayan Kingdoms in Ladakh, Nepal and Tibet.

Pfisterer, Gary
American Gary, who has taken part in many expeditions throughout the world since he started climbing in 1988, walked hand-in-hand to the summit of Everest in 1993 with his late wife, Ginette Harrison. It was the start of their many Himalayan climbs together. They jointly climbed the world's third, sixth, ninth and thirteenth highest mountains and on a number of occasions Gary unselfishly gave up his own summit bids in support of Ginette. He narrowly escaped the avalanche, which tragically killed his wife while the pair were attempting Dhaulagiri in 1999.

Pickford, David
When not engaged in eccentric expeditions to remote corners of the globe, Dave can usually be found hanging from a cliff somewhere closer to home, investigating unclimbed rock faces. Dave's recent adventures include an unsupported motorcycling trip from Vietnam to Indonesia, exploratory climbing in Oman and the Atlas Mountains, and riding an Enfield Bullet across India. Dave operates at the cutting edge of contemporary adventure climbing, with the first ascent of one of the most demanding alpine rock-climbs in Kyrgyzstan’s Pamir Alay range to his credit, as well as numerous pioneering new routes around Britain. Dave is also a keen photographer and published writer.

Pritchard-Jones, Siân
Siân, along with her husband Bob Gibbons, has been travelling overland, leading treks and exploring as many unusual destinations as possible since the mid seventies. Since meeting Bob in Kashmir in 1983, they have led treks in the Himalayas, the Sahara and the Alps. In 1999 they drove a bus overland to Kathmandu with some ‘much more mature’ clients.

For some years Sian & Bob have also been engaged in writing guidebooks. Following two overland trips in 2003 and 2004 they wrote the Bradt Africa Overland guidebook and they continue to venture overland whenever possible. In 2008 Siân and Bob will be our Overland Consultants for our trips to Africa.

Roine, Roope
Roope Roine (IML, MIA) is a mountaineer with 20 years experience of walking and climbing around the world. Born and raised in arctic Finland, he works as a mountaineering instructor in Scandinavia. He has lead treks and climbing trips in Nepal, South America, and Greenland and spent two years working at the National Mountaineering Centre (Plas-y-Brenin) North-Wales. When not in the mountains he spends his time in a sea kayak. Other passions include photography and he loves Scottish winter climbing and walking.

Rutland, Mike
Mike, who has known Bhutan since the early Seventies when he was Tutor to the present King, has an encyclopaedic knowledge about its fascinating history and culture. He founded the UK-based Bhutan Society, which is dedicated to increasing knowledge about the kingdom and raising funds for worthwhile projects, including schools and village schemes.

Sainsbury, Ann
Ann, who works as an Operations Manager for Himalayan Kingdoms, first travelled overland to Nepal in 1977 to escape a proper job in London. Since then she has trekked in the Himalaya almost every year, as well as leading treks to places as far apart as the Cordillera Huayhuash, Peru, the Pindos Mountains, Greece, and the Verdon Gorge, Provence, with 12 ascents of Kilimanjaro thrown in for good measure. Ann is also an enthusiastic “twitcher”, finding the colourful birds of the Himalaya easier to identify than the 'little brown jobs' at home.

Scanlon, Ainger
Ainger managed to escape the corporate world several years ago in order to pursue several enduring passions: travel, mountains and people. Firstly a love of sharing interesting and challenging journeys has led him to lead and take part in expeditions in the mountains and jungles of South and Central America, Asia, France, Spain and Morocco. Secondly, his love of mountains has seen him trek through the Andes, Pyrenees, Scottish Highlands and both the Southern and Northern Alps.

As a consequence of his travels Ainger has developed a fascination for the cultures, religions and histories of the peoples he has encountered along the way, and loves sharing this with others. He is particularly interested in the way people have interacted with mountains over time. As a consequence of being a Spanish speaker, he has a particularly interest in the pre-Columbian civilisations of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. When not hill walking, he is looking after his chickens, trying to learn Arabic, drinking tea and wondering where he can go off to next.

Seymour-Williams, Beetle
Beetle has lived and worked around the world, including a spell running tiger safaris in India’s Kanha National Park. She has travelled extensively, including 8 months in China and Tibet, and undertaken several treks and climbs in Nepal. She has also led three treks for us in Bhutan and two in Sikkim.

Shipton, John
John was born in Yunnan when his famous explorer father, Eric, was Consul General in the capital, Kunming. Like his father, John has the travel bug and has trekked, very often plant hunting, in many parts of the Himalaya and other wild places around the world. He now runs a bulb nursery in west Wales.

Sparks, John
John has been involved with wildlife filming for 35 years and for many years he was the Head of the BBC's Natural History Unit based in Bristol. He therefore has a wide-ranging knowledge of wildlife the world over. His life-long interest though is ornithology and he is the author of a dozen natural history books including subjects such as penguins and bird behaviour. He also likes to fly with the birds being an experienced microlight pilot. In 2000 John completed our long distance trek known as 'the Lunana Snowman' which follows the northern border of Bhutan with Tibet.

Thompson, Joy
Joy, a volunteer warden with Brecon Beacons National Park, is an experienced and enthusiastic trekker and trek leader. Her back-country travels include Alaska, Papua New Guinea, Peru and Borneo as well as many trips to the Himalayas. She has led treks for Himalayan Kingdoms to Nepal, Tibet, Sikkim and Bhutan.

Thomson, Hugh
Hugh Thomson is Britain's foremost modern explorer of lost Inca settlements. The author of two acclaimed books: The White Rock: An Exploration of the Inca Heartland (Phoenix) and Cochineal Red: Travels Through Ancient Peru, Hugh co-led the Anglo-American expedition which discovered the lost Inca site of Cota Coca in 2002, making headlines around the world. In May 2003 he returned to Peru, using thermal imaging technology to photograph the cloud forest from the air and successfully find another site buried beneath the vegetation.

Turner, John
John's love of the mountains started way back on a school expedition climbing virgin peaks in the Chinese Pamirs, and continued through numerous summers spent climbing in the Alps. An experienced trek leader, John has led numerous treks in Morocco and the Alps. However his real passion is for the Himalaya where recent climbing expeditions have seen him scaling various peaks in Kazakhstan, and taking in a close up view of Everest from the top of Ama Dablam (6,950m) in Nepal.

When not climbing mountains John, an LRPS photographer, indulges his second favourite pastime photography from his Cotswold home which he shares with hi wife, Himalayan Kingdoms' Marketing Manager, Jude.

Viggers, Moira
Moira has trekked and climbed all along the Himalaya. When not leading treks she is, among other things, a climbing instructor and fiddle player, and is one of our most popular trek leaders. She has been taking treks for Himalayan Kingdoms for many years now.

Wall, Ian
Ian is based in the Lake District and is a qualified teacher, International Mountain Leader and full time trek leader with over 30 years experience. His passion for the mountains and the mountain environment is boundless and he enthusiastically shares this with fellow trekkers. He has led treks in Nepal, Africa, the Alps and Scandinavia and is an experienced climber and mountaineer. Apart from leading treks Ian has been the training officer for one of the busiest mountain rescue teams in the country, he is a Trustee of Community Action Nepal and the UK representative for the International Porter Protection Group and amongst his other interests he has developed his digital photography skills

Welsh, Tony
Tony was for a few years our Operations Manager. An excellent man - well organised, hard working and lots of fun to be with. Although tempted away from us by more money in a larger travel company we still value his friendship and involvement as one of our best leaders. He has led treks for us to Bhutan, Sikkim, Ladakh and Nepal.

Woodhead, Cathy
Cathy has trekked in Nepal, Tibet, Turkey, Peru, Ecuador and elsewhere. She has been a rock climber most of her life and now combines climbing and trekking trips with her freelance job as a consultant in the oil industry. She is a qualified mountain leader and first-aider.

Yost, John
John Yost, a co-founder and former president of Sobek Expeditions, is one of the pioneers of modern adventure travel. He has been active in the field since 1969, has led trips to over 50 countries on all 7 continents, spoken and written about adventure and ecotourism conferences throughout the world, and generally indulged his fascination with exotic travel at every level of the business. A specialist in whitewater rafting, he has explored many of the world's great rivers.

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