The Gauchos
Alexis San Martin
Gaucho (Horse Guide)
The San Martin family are pioneers of this region, especially Puerto Guadal. Alexis not only works with his family taking care of his campo and cattle but also worked as the local bus and truck driver for several years. As the funniest guy around, he always keeps everyone entertained with a quick joke.
Mario Hermosilla
Gaucho and lead guide
Mario Hermosilla from Mallin Grande is a local gaucho and founder of Cabalgatas El Palenque. He’s the lead horse guide for the Glacier Tronador and Pampa Zorro trail. This area has been his family ranch for decades and mario has been ranching here since he was a kid.
Leopoldo Mansilla
Gaucho (Horse Guide)
Veteran gaucho who lives a typical campo life. Working with his sheep, cows, horses and campo (ranch) maintenance. Now wants to share this piece of paradise with you. His Parents are also pioneers of this region. He knows these mountains and trails at the back of his hand, more than 50 years of experience in these parts.
Henry Sepulveda
Gaucho (Horse, Fly-fishing and trekking guide)
Henry was born and raised in the Aysen region. His family were one of the first settlers in this area. So he like other locals has been molded by typical campo and gaucho lifestyle. He started working as a guide in Hacienda Tres Lagos lodge since 2005. He guides people Fly fishing, horseback riding, trekking and driving them around the region.
In 2018-2019 he worked in New Zealand for 4 months in a carton making factory and 2 months worked in pitman racing stables in Christchurch. Henry loves sharing stories about his culture and showing his magical land to people.
Lead Guides
Felix Kraus
Lead Guide
Having spent one and a half years on the road traveling all around South America, Felix, together with his life companion and then 3-year-old daughter eventually ended up deciding to stay and try make a living in this remote corner of Chilean Patagonia instead of going back to Germany. In the meantime, his son was born and makes for the only real Patagón in the family. For the past couple of years Felix has been guiding trips on foot and horseback all around Patagonia, but also in the Atacama Desert and the Bolivian Altiplano. Felix describes this place as, "Vast stretches of almost untouched wilderness next to the Northern Icefield and the still intact, openhearted and very inspiring Gaucho culture make this part of the Aysén región not only a beautiful place to live but also one of the most spectacular places to explore on foot, horseback or even on ski".
Felix is fluent in German, English and Spanish and is a Wilderness First-Responder.
Daniel Rohde
Lead Guide
Hailing from outside Buffalo, New York, Dan made the move to Patagonia 5 years ago to be the caretaker of a remote ranch in the Colonia valley, along side of Parque San Rafael. Dan ran logistics in and out of the park including driving the boat across Lago Colonia. A skilled mechanic and carpenter, Dan is also a professional fitness trainer, Eaglescout with the Boyscouts of the US and completed an Iron Man in 2014. His love for the mountains and trekking came from climbing in the Adirondak Mountains in upstate New York, he has summited 36 of the 46 "high peaks" in that area. Dan speaks English and spanish.
Team Patagonia Arisca
Ilango Aaron
FOUNDER and head guide
An Indian not from the Americas but from India who now lives in Chilean Patagonia. Ilango comes from a family of socio-environmental activists, which meant shuttling between big cities to remote jungles with tribal communities. Their idea of fun was to explore jungles and spot wildlife. Growing up, Ilango spent more time with wild animals than toys. Now a guide/naturalist and wildlife researcher who has been involved in various conservation and wildlife research projects (Wildlife Conservation Society ‘India Program’ and WWF Malaysia to name a few) over the last eleven years, in countries like India, Malaysia, Indonesia and a small stint in Botswana. Ilango’s endgame is to build a group of local leaders, educators, scientists and activists who together, will not only conserve this piece of paradise here in Aysen, but also support and inspire communities around the world. Ilango is also a guitarist and loves playing all kinds of sports. He speaks English, Spanish and a couple of Indian languages.
Siddharth “Sid” Satyanath
helps make things work
Sid always connected to nature, technology and sport, is Ilango’s old friend and football teammate from Bangalore, India. He takes care of all things tech, remotely, and tries to visit the other side of the planet as often as possible. He’s also a self-proclaimed beer expert, who would love to one day brew, serve and make merry with beer and friends.
