Vanessa Gallo

Vanessa Gallo’s grandparents arrived in the Galápagos Islands in 1936, making her the third generation of her family to live and work in this magical archipelago. She left the islands for the capital city of Quito for high school, where she discovered that learning foreign languages was one of her main interests. Coming from a family of naturalist guides, it was not a surprise that she also became one at the age of 17. Vanessa left the islands once again for Switzerland, where she earned a diploma in tourism and strengthened her language skills and knowledge of the travel industry. She has also travelled extensively to destinations including as Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Canada, the Canary Islands, Mauritius, and many European countries.

She has come to realize, however, that she is never happier than when outdoors, surrounded by the unique and pristine environment of the Galápagos Islands. Although she has now been guiding for over 14 years, she never ceases to be amazed by the ecological innocence of the Galápagos wildlife and the daily surprises presented by Mother Nature on each visit. Vanessa lives in Puerto Ayora, on Santa Cruz Island, and is the proud mother of an 11 year-old boy named Luke. Together they share hobbies such as swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, reading, and astronomy.

Vanessa feels incredibly fortunate to be able share this piece of heaven on Earth with others, and she is very happy that her job is also her favorite hobby!