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Our people

Every great trek runs on the people behind it.

These are not employees to us — they are part of the Peruvian Andes Adventures family. Almost all of them are local, from Huaraz or the villages along the routes, and they choose this work because they love the mountains. That is the difference you feel from the bus station to the summit.

Every great trek runs on the people behind it.
Our leadership

The founders

Brothers Hisao and Eli Morales, born in Huaraz, with their New Zealand business partner Anne Thomson. The Morales family were among the pioneers organising treks and climbs in the Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash when the first foreign climbers arrived in the early 60s. They founded the agency in 2003.

Hisao Morales

General Manager & Co-Owner

UIAGM / IFMGAWFR CertifiedLanguages: EN, ES, QU, DE

Hisao began working with trekking and climbing groups with his father’s and uncles trekking company from a young age while still at school.

Staff Member Profile

Hisao Morales

The Story

Hisao began working with trekking and climbing groups with his father’s and uncles trekking company from a young age while still at school. He soon developed a passion for climbing and climbed extensively with porters & guides while receiving ongoing instruction from Peruvian and international guide instructors at the House of Guides in Huaraz.

Hisao took a break from guiding to attend university in Lima and graduated with double degrees in psychology & philosophy, and in education. He then spent 3 months in New Zealand in 2003 on a working holiday and improving his English, before returning to Huaraz to found Peruvian Andes Adventures with brother Eli.

Hisao speaks fluent English and some German which he is continuing to study. Hisao has considerable experience in the education sector, business and in organising trekking & climbing groups and is our business general manager.

He is also owner of Hotel Morales where you are welcome to stay during your time to Huaraz to enjoy the hospitality of Hisao and the hotel staff.

Eli Morales

Operations Manager & Co-Owner

UIAGM / IFMGAWFR CertifiedLanguages: EN, ES, QU

Eli is the eldest of the Morales brothers, and began his career as a trekking & climbing guide at the age of 16 when he started working with his father & uncles as a trekking assistant during school vacations, and later became a guide for trekking & climbing groups.

Staff Member Profile

Eli Morales

The Story

Eli is the eldest of the Morales brothers, and began his career as a trekking & climbing guide at the age of 16 when he started working with his father & uncles as a trekking assistant during school vacations, and later became a guide for trekking & climbing groups. Eli received ongoing training & instruction from the House of Guides with Peruvian & international guide instructors and in 1999 became a qualified Professional International Mountain Guide – UIAGM

Eli now has many years experience guiding trekking & climbing groups and has extensive knowledge of all the routes, local culture, history, plant and wildlife which he enjoys sharing with his clients. Eli has climbed extensively on 6000m and technical peaks, and successfully summited Huascaran & Alpamayo with clients a multitude of times.

In Huaraz Eli is our Operations Manager – in charge of equipment & preparation for group departures but also frequently gets out to guide trekking groups

Eli is the proud Dad of twin daughters Analie & Tatiana who keep him running when he is not away in the mountains.

Anne Thomson

Client Communication & Trip Planning

Business Associate (NZ)Qualified Accountant ACALanguages: EN, ES

Our “KIWI” amiga & family friend Anne lives in New Zealand where she works from her home office, but travels to Huaraz regularly to work with us here.

Staff Member Profile

Anne Thomson

The Story

Our “KIWI” amiga & family friend Anne lives in New Zealand where she works from her home office, but travels to Huaraz regularly to work with us here. She has trekked extensively in the Cordilleras Blanca & Huayhuash as well as climbed some of the peaks and knows the routes and many of the local people very well. Anne has also travelled in Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Titicaca and Arequipa. She enjoys the New Zealand outdoors, particularly tramping, hiking and kayaking.

Anne is always happy to help you with your trekking, climbing or tours inquiries and can suggest suitable itineraries for you, give advice and help you with bookings

You can contact Anne directly on: info@peruvianandes.com

Base operations

Administration & support

The team at our Huaraz office, the guesthouse and in Lima — planning your trip, answering your questions with years of experience behind them, and taking care of reservations, tickets and equipment so you can simply arrive.

Vanessa Pagola Huerta

Administration Manager & Tour Guide

Tourism DegreeLanguages: ES, QU, Basic EN

In 2018 we were delighted to welcome Vanessa to the team.

Staff Member Profile

Vanessa Pagola Huerta

The Story

In 2018 we were delighted to welcome Vanessa to the team. Vanessa has recently completed a degree in tourism and in 2017 she travelled with some of our trek groups as assistant guide so she knows the trekking routes well.

She has now joined with us full time as our administration manager and well be making sure that all your bookings are taken care of as well as helping you while you are in Huaraz and guiding some day hikes and treks.

Vanessa speaks basic English and is still studying, so she is looking forward to meeting you all and improving her English with you

Certified experts

Professional mountaineering guides

Our chief guides are UIAGM / IFMGA certified — the highest international mountain-guide qualification, earned only after years of training and an intensive 42-day assessment supervised by European instructors. On every technical route, that is who is roped to you.

Marco Milla

Professional Climbing & Trekking Guide

UIAGM / IFMGAPeru Mountain Guides Assoc.Languages: EN, ES, QU

Marco is a UIAGM professional international mountain guide, having qualified in 1999 following an assessment by Swiss instructors.

Staff Member Profile

Marco Milla

The Story

Marco is a UIAGM professional international mountain guide, having qualified in 1999 following an assessment by Swiss instructors. He is a very experienced climber, and has been leading climbing and trekking groups for us for several years. Marco speaks good English. Marco is a very caring guide, has a great sense of humour and enjoys making sure that clients have a wonderful experience during their Peru trekking or climbing adventure

Wilder Alvarado

Professional Climbing & Trekking Guide

UIAGM / IFMGAWFR CertifiedLanguages: EN, ES, QU

Wilder is another strong, competent & professional UIAGM mountain guide.

Staff Member Profile

Wilder Alvarado

The Story

Wilder is another strong, competent & professional UIAGM mountain guide. He is vastly experienced, having guided climbing groups all the peaks in the Cordillera Blanca, including multiple climbs of Huascaran, Chopicalqui, Tocllaraju, Alpamayo, Artesonraju, Ranrapalca & Palcaraju. Wilder serves on the executive of the House of Guides in Huaraz and has been president – overseeing training and assessment of Peruvian mountain guides. With this experience, Wilder is highly valued as a climbing instructor with our clients. Wilder speaks good English.

Jorge Clemente

Professional Climbing & Trekking Guide

UIAGM / IFMGAWFR CertifiedLanguages: EN, ES, QU

Jorge has been working as a trekking guide in the Cordillera Blanca & Cordillera Huayhuash, as well as in Cuzco for more than 20 years.

Staff Member Profile

Jorge Clemente

The Story

Jorge has been working as a trekking guide in the Cordillera Blanca & Cordillera Huayhuash, as well as in Cuzco for more than 20 years. He started climbing in 1990, trained at the House of Guides initially becoming an Aspirant mountain guide and then passed the intensive assessment course to become a full UIAGM international Qualified Guide. Jorge is a very experienced climber and guide, having climbed Alpamayo more times than he can remember, Huascaran, Quitaraju, Tocllaraju west face, Artesonraju & Chopicalqui with our clients. He is super attentive to clients needs and always will make sure that clients have the best Peru climbing and trekking experience possible.

Juan Carlos Lliuya

Professional Climbing & Trekking Guide

UIAGM / IFMGAWFR CertifiedLanguages: EN, ES, QU

We welcomed onto our permanent guide staff in 2009 Juan Carlos.

Staff Member Profile

Juan Carlos Lliuya

The Story

We welcomed onto our permanent guide staff in 2009 Juan Carlos. For many years he worked as a porter, cook and assistant guide before studying with the House of Guides to become a mountain guide. In 2006 he was accredited as UIAGM international mountain guide. Juan has a keen sense of humour, always ready for a joke. He speaks English. He is a specialist technical climber and is one of our leaders for groups doing technical or big 6000m climbs in the Cordillera Blanca mountains.

Client Feedback

"Trip Advisor Posting: I joined a trek to Quilcayhuanca Cojup as a solo traveler and had an outstanding experience! From the moment I contacted Peruvian Andes Adventures, I was provided with extensive information about the trek, traveling to Huaraz, and how to prepare. They were flexible with last-minute itinerary changes and from the moment I arrived in Huaraz, PAA helped me prepare to be successful on the trek. During the trek, our guide did an amazing job pacing clients with very different fitness levels. Additionally, each day, we looked over the map and decided as a group on the specifics of our route. The guide kept us all in good spirits, provided excellent information about the route, plants, history of the area, etc. Everything was exactly as advertised and beyond! Our cook was amazing, the food incredible, and every detail of the camp was taken care of by each member of the PAA team. Considering I did a second trek with a highly recommended (albeit cheaper) company the week after, I can absolutely say it was worth the extra money for the confidence I had in PAA. I have already begun conversations and planning for my next trek."

— Carrie (USA)

Fredy Lliuya

Professional Climbing & Trekking Guide

UIAGM / IFMGAQualified TeacherLanguages: ES, QU, EN

We were very lucky to have Freddy join our guiding staff in 2012.

Staff Member Profile

Fredy Lliuya

The Story

We were very lucky to have Freddy join our guiding staff in 2012. Freddy is another local, growing up in the village of Llupa above Huaraz and not far from the Laguna Churup hiking area. Freddy studied to become a licensed trek guide at the Casa de Guias in Huaraz CEAM (Centre for High Mountain Studies) and at the same time studied English to an advanced level. He is very focused and also in 2012 completed a university degree in education and is a qualified teacher while at the same time as studying was also climbing extensively and training to become a mountain guide. He then successfully completed the gruelling mountain guides assessment and is now fully licensed UIAGM international mountain guide. Freddy speaks good English and is very knowledgeable about local history, culture, plant life and geology and enjoys passing on his knowledge to clients.

On the trail

Expert trekking guides

Our local trekking guides know every route in the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Huayhuash — and read your pace, your acclimatisation and the weather so the days stay safe and unhurried. Most grew up in the villages these trails run through.

Tatiana Morales

Assistant Guide

Tatiana works as an assistant guide on our trekking and mountaineering expeditions, with aspirations of becoming a certified guide. The daughter of Eli Morales, one of the company's founders, she carries forward the same passion for the mountains that defines her family.

Jhonatan Morales

Guía Oficial de Trekking

Guía Oficiallanguage: español, inglés avanzado

Jhonatan is Eli Morales's son and part of the new generation of family guides. He is an official trekking guide with solid experience leading groups along the routes of the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash.

Staff Member Profile

Jhonatan Morales

The Story

Jhonatan is Eli Morales’s son and grew up surrounded by mountains, trekking routes, and the family’s passion for guiding. Following that tradition, he trained as a guide and today is an official trekking guide, recognized for his professionalism and warm, personal approach with clients. He speaks very fluent English, which allows him to guide international groups with ease.

He has deep knowledge of the trails of the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash, and enjoys sharing the region’s culture, history, and landscapes with visitors. For Jhonatan, every trek is an opportunity to pass on the same love for the mountains that he learned from his father.

Nestor Morales

Trek Guide

Local ExpertSpeaks English

Our uncle Nestor is one of the most experienced guides & operators in Huaraz and has an absolute wealth of knowledge about all the routes, mountains, history, plants, traditional medicine and much more.

Staff Member Profile

Nestor Morales

The Story

Our uncle Nestor is one of the most experienced guides & operators in Huaraz and has an absolute wealth of knowledge about all the routes, mountains, history, plants, traditional medicine and much more.

Nestor has climbed almost all the peaks in the Cordillera Blanca and there is no part of the Cordillera Blanca or Cordillera Huayhuash that is unknown to him.

Our clients appreciated very much Nestors patience, kindness, incredible knowledge, attention to detail and sense of humour.

Rolando Morales

Trekking & Climbing Guide

Aspirant GuideLanguages: ES, QU, some EN

Rolando is our youngest brother.

Staff Member Profile

Rolando Morales

The Story

Rolando is our youngest brother. Like all our family, he was brought up trekking, ice climbing and rock climbing and has a special passion for rock climbing.

His nickname is “Mono” because he climbs rock like a monkey! Rolando is an Aspirante mountain guide, Member of the Peruvian Mountain Guides Association.

He speaks basic English and often guides trek groups for clients who can speak some Spanish – having a lot of fun helping each other practise their Spanish / English during the trek.

Mountain kitchen

Our trail chefs

Our trek cooks are restaurant-class chefs who happen to work at 4,000 metres — varied, generous, properly nutritious food. This really is the trek people come home from a little heavier, and they cook around whatever you do not eat.

Ermelinda Lázaro

Kitchen Assistant

Ermelinda works as a kitchen assistant on our trekking and mountaineering expeditions, preparing nourishing, comforting meals that support the team throughout every adventure.

Toño Tafur

Trekking & Expedition Climbing Cook

CENFOTUR ChefExperienced Climber

Thoño is the youngest cook we have in our company.

Staff Member Profile

Toño Tafur

The Story

Thoño is the youngest cook we have in our company. He starting working in the mountains as a porter, then assistant cook. Realising that he had a passion for cooking, he then studied for 3 years to become a professional chef at the CENFOTUR institute in Huaraz. He is an experienced climber so enjoys cooking for mountaineering expeditions equally as much as preparing delicious and varied meals for trekking groups

Antonio Romero

Trekking & Expedition Climbing Cook

High Altitude Chef

Another of our extraordinary local Huaraz trekking chefs, Antonio is also a strong climber having been on many of the Cordillera Blanca peaks supporting & providing delicious food to climbing clients

Staff Member Profile

Antonio Romero

The Story

Another of our extraordinary local Huaraz trekking chefs, Antonio is also a strong climber having been on many of the Cordillera Blanca peaks supporting & providing delicious food to climbing clients

Jaime Huayaney

Trekking Cook

CENFOTUR Chef

Jaime is another experienced trek cook, having completed a professional chefs training course at the Huaraz institute CENFOTUR and more than 10 years working in the mountains as a trek cook.

Staff Member Profile

Jaime Huayaney

The Story

Jaime is another experienced trek cook, having completed a professional chefs training course at the Huaraz institute CENFOTUR and more than 10 years working in the mountains as a trek cook.

He works with us during the trekking season, and then the rest of the year he works from home with his own business as a carpenter

Behind the scenes

The unsung heroes

Our porters and arrieros (donkey drivers) work tirelessly, and with real good humour, to have your camp ready before you arrive. They are all local men we know and trust — chosen because they care for their animals and take pride in the job.

Pablo Huane

Porter

Pablo Huane is a mountain porter with great strength and experience on the trails of the Cordillera Blanca. His dedication and good spirits are key to ensuring that every expedition moves forward safely and comfortably.

Staff Member Profile

Pablo Huane

The Story

Pablo Huane comes from a family with deep roots in the mountains of the Cordillera Blanca. He learned the craft of mountain portering from his father, Federico Huane, who spent many years supporting expeditions across these same trails and passed down not only the technical skills of the trade, but also a deep respect for the mountains and for the people who place their trust in his care.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Pablo has built his own reputation for hard work, reliability, and a genuine commitment to every client who joins an expedition. Whether carrying loads across high-altitude passes or supporting a team through demanding multi-day treks, he approaches each trip with the same dedication.

Clients and fellow crew members consistently highlight his positive attitude, his willingness to go the extra mile, and the strong, steady performance he brings to every expedition. Pablo represents the next generation of experienced Andean porters, combining the knowledge inherited from his father with his own hard-earned experience on the trail, to help ensure that every trip is safe, smooth, and memorable.

Federico Huane

Porter

Federico Huane is one of our most experienced porters, having carried loads across the high trails of the Cordillera Blanca for many years.

Staff Member Profile

Federico Huane

The Story

Federico Huane is one of the most experienced porters on our support team, with many years dedicated to carrying loads safely across the high trails and passes of the Cordillera Blanca. His deep knowledge of the terrain, weather patterns, and mountain routes makes him an invaluable member of every trek, ensuring that camping gear and supplies reach each campsite safely, no matter how demanding the conditions.

 

Federico takes great pride in his work and is respected by the team for his strength, endurance, and steady, positive attitude on the trail. Always ready to lend a hand wherever it is needed, his experience and reliability give our clients extra peace of mind on some of the most challenging sections of the journey.

Victor

Arriero (Donkey Driver)

Cordillera Blanca

Victor is just one of our trusted arrieros (donkey drivers).

Staff Member Profile

Victor

The Story

Victor is just one of our trusted arrieros (donkey drivers). He lives two days hike away from Huaraz in the mountain village of Colcabamba and works with us in the Cordillera Blanca.

Victor is a farmer, but works with us in the trek season to earn extra income which he uses to pay board and school fees for his two daughters who are studying at High School & University in Huaraz.

Victor is always happy and smiling, and works hard to make your holiday special.

Segundino

Arriero (Donkey Driver)

Cordillera HuayhuashTrout Fisherman

Segundino is another of our many trusted and hard working donkey drivers.

Staff Member Profile

Segundino

The Story

Segundino is another of our many trusted and hard working donkey drivers.

He lives in Llamac and accompanies us on Cordillera Huayhuash treks. He is also our local expert trout fisherman!

Marco Huane

Porter & Trek Assistant

Rodolfo Quezada

Porter & Trek Assistant

Family

Our parents

And where would we be without the support and encouragement of our parents? Pablo and Señora Isabella Morales from Huaraz, and Noel and Rosemary — Anne's parents — from New Zealand.

Pablo Morales

Señora Isabella Morales

Can't find the exact route?
Tailor-made expeditions

Can't find the exact route?

This is what we do best. Talk to our guides and we will build an itinerary around your fitness, your acclimatisation and what you actually want to climb — not an off-the-shelf package.