WHY US

The nature and adventure travel specialists
Wilderness Explorers was established in 1994 offering trips in Guyana and has since evolved into a full-service Destination Management Company providing seamless travel services across Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and the Caribbean.

Our passion is for off-the-beaten path, the unknown, the unusual and quirky mixed with adventure and nature. We love remote and pristine environments and working to benefit local communities. Nothing embodies this more than the last frontier of South America: Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.

But we aren’t averse to a bit of luxury either, and so we have merged some of the best Caribbean hotels into our carefully planned trips, to add a touch of indulgence. Even in the Caribbean, we feature less-known islands and search for the unexpected treasures that you won’t find easily.

We have you covered! You can travel with peace of mind because we have a US dollar public liability insurance and the most experienced and knowledgeable team to ensure smooth travel arrangements, even in the most remote areas.

Our company policy Wilderness Explorers promises to promote ecologically sensitive tourism through a responsible and concerned attitude towards the environment. We will provide the maximum benefit to the local communities by operating in an honest, thoughtful and concerned manner towards their customs and involving the communities so as to afford them the greatest financial benefit possible. At the same time we will offer professional tourism services of an international standard to our clientele.
wilderness explorers 30 years logo
Meet the nature and adventure travel specialist team
Tony Thorne

Managing Director

Tony Thorne
Shaun McGrath

Director

Shawn Mcgrath
Claire Thorne

Director and UK Representative

Claire Thorne
Monica McGrath

Company Secretary and Financial Controller

Monica McGrath
Carla Vantull

General Manager

Carla Vantull
Delice Rogers

Deputy General Manager & Trip Planner

Delice Rogers
Annie Sonaram

Administrative Assistant

Annie Sonaram
Amarylis Lewis

 Senior Trip Planner

Amarylis Lewis
Shonnette Braithwaite

Tour Coordinator

Shonnette Braithwaite
Tishana Mangra

Tour Coordinator

Tishana Mangra
Donna Collymore

Tour Coordinator

Donna Collymore
Jessica Ross

Tour Coordinator

women taking picture infront of kaieteur falls
Upcoming

position

png image female
Leon Hardowar

Social Media Specialist

Leon Hardowar
Walid Bin Alam

Digital Marketing Specialist

walid bin alam
Claudia Langer

European Representative

Claudia Langer
Michel L' Huillier

Spanish Representative

Michel L' Huillier
Jennifer Lawrence

Project Administrator

Jennifer Lawrence
Davy Chambers

Reservation Agent

Davy Chambers
Omadat Sugrim

Driver

Omadat Sugrim
Ryan Roberts

Driver

Ryan Roberts
The nature and adventure travel specialists
Hand to hand
Join our team
Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world and is the second-largest export industry in Guyana. It plays an essential role in protecting and preserving our environment, animals, indigenous communities and their cultures.

Wilderness Explorers is Guyana’s oldest and largest inbound tour operator with a team that is friendly, enthusiastic and dynamic. If you are an excellent bird guide with a warm, friendly personality and want to showcase your country; or love logistics and want to plan visitors adventures in Guyana and the region, Wilderness Explorers might be the right place for you.
Tony Thorne

Managing Director

Tony Thorne
Tony Thorne

Tony Thorne first visited Guyana in 1988 as a Project Leader with Operation Raleigh and loved the adventure and rawness of the country. He returned in 1991 to watch the West Indians and Australians battle out a test match at Bourda Cricket Ground and decided to stay and accept a position to manage Timberhead Rainforest Resort. In 1994, when he started Wilderness Explorers, tourism was still mostly undeveloped, and the company took on the challenge of marketing Guyana internationally.
Tony was the first President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana in 1991 and served for numerous years on the board in various positions including Vice President. Over the years he has travelled extensively throughout Guyana and also the neighbouring countries to find suitable properties, locations and communities to work within developing tourism to the region. After all these years he still marvels at the majesty of Kaieteur Falls and its pristine environment. Tony enjoys great satisfaction in working with local communities developing their tourism products.

Tony Thorne

Managing Director

Tony Thorne
Get in Touch with Tony
Shaun McGrath

Director

Shawn Mcgrath
Shaun McGrath

Shaun graduated in 1982 from the Dublin College of Catering with a H. Dip in Hotel Management and from Trinity College Dublin with a B.Sc. He has worked in hotels in Ireland, the UK, Trinidad, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Guyana. He first arrived in Guyana in 1989 as Deputy General Manager of the Guyana Pegasus Hotel and started Cara Hotels in 1994 with business partner Paul Stephenson. He currently serves as CEO of the company which includes Cara Lodge Guyana and Cara Suites in Trinidad.

Shaun has been involved in tourism development in Guyana for over 30 years and served four terms as President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana.

Shaun McGrath

Director

Shawn Mcgrath
Get in Touch with Shaun
Claire Thorne

Director and UK Representative

Claire Thorne
Claire Thorne

Claire Thorne has been our UK representative since 2003, based in the English countryside but also travelling around the world to represent Wilderness Explorers at various travel and media events. In 2018 Claire totally updated the 3rd edition of the Bradt Guide to Guyana. Claire has travelled extensively in Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, the Caribbean and Latin America and was the Executive Secretary of the Latin American Travel Association in the UK for 17 years. 

She particularly enjoys trekking, visiting local markets and village schools, shopping for local jewellery and art wherever she goes and of course sleeping in hammocks after a busy day on the river or in the rainforest. Highlights from her many trips to the region include dancing with Maroons in Suriname and the Makusi children of Surama, watching a giant anteater swim in a natural pool in the savannahs near Karanambu, sipping coffee at dawn gazing at the mist-shrouded gorge at Kaieteur Falls as the sun rises and eating delicious Asian noodles in the market at Cacao, a tiny Hmong outpost of French Guiana.

Claire Thorne

Director and UK Representative

Claire Thorne
Get in Touch with Claire
Monica McGrath

Company Secretary and Financial Controller

Monica McGrath
Monica McGrath

Monica has worked in the hospitality and tourism business for many years and brings with her a vast amount of experience and knowledge. She heads up the day to day financial activities of the company, including; analysis of the books, reporting on the state of the company’s finances, cash flow, producing accounts, setting and checking targets, auditing and overseeing all tax and regulatory/compliance issues. She enjoys the outdoors especally exploring Guyana’s Rupununi Savannahs and all of its undisturbed wonders.

Monica McGrath

Company Secretary and Financial Controller

Monica McGrath
Get in Touch with Monica
Carla Vantull

General Manager

Carla Vantull
Carla Vantull

Carla Vantull joined Wilderness Explorers as the General Manager in August 2022. Ms. Vantull, a well-known local tourism expert / professional with vast experience in organisational and financial management, business development support, destination planning, marketing and management.

With over 20 years of experience in the tourism industry, she has a strong background in the public sector as a former Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority and hands-on knowledge of the tourism industry and sub-sectors. These were all key in developing frameworks and programmes to deliver tangible results for the industry, more recently the national COVID-19 reopening framework for the tourism industry, which included restaurants.

In addition to her experience working with indigenous communities, Carla is a proud native of an Akawaio Indigenous Community, Kamarang (Region 7), and has a deep understanding of the needs and challenges of the indigenous peoples and communities, and has been instrumental in providing guidance and support to indigenous communities entering the tourism industry.

Carla enjoys travelling, and exploring new places, and is passionate about sharing her experiences, especially when leading tours. Carla is a natural leader, and she’s always up for a challenge. She’s passionate about her work and is continuously looking for new and innovative ways to develop and promote destination Guyana.

Carla Vantull

General Manager

Carla Vantull
Get in Touch with Carla
Delice Rogers

Deputy General Manager & Trip Planner

Delice Rogers
Delice Rogers

Delice has been with Wilderness since April 2002 and has extensive travel experience across all Guyana’s best – and least-known – spots. She has also spent a fair amount of time in neighbouring Suriname and French Guiana and is especially fond of the Saramaccan Maroon villages along the Gran Rio of Suriname. Delice got her start at Wilderness as an administrative assistant but soon found she had a particular knack for the trip planning process. A good thing, too, since she was able to help the company manage a steadily growing demand for customised itineraries. These days, she designs VIP, FIT, and speciality programs for bird and nature groups. She is also our resident expert on organising film crew visits and has worked with many reputable names including the BBC, ICON Films, National Geographic, CNN and many others.

Delice Rogers

Deputy General Manager & Trip Planner

Delice Rogers
Get in Touch with Carla
Annie Sonaram

Administrative Assistant

Annie Sonaram
Annie Sonaram

Antoinette, fondly known as Annie, is a very patriotic and a long-time member of the Wilderness Explorers family. She is often referred to as ‘the glue’ of the company; she is the person who connects customers with trip planners and coordinators. Annie is delighted to be a part of Guyana’s growing tourism industry and is ready to assist both clients or colleagues with their questions, concerns or requests. Her cheerful, friendly personality is infectious, and chances are if you send us an email or connect with us via the web chat system, you will most likely end up on the line with Annie.

Annie Sonaram

Administrative Assistant

Annie Sonaram
Get in Touch with Annie
Amarylis Lewis

Senior Trip Planner

Amarylis Lewis
Amarylis Lewis

Amarylis Lewis has been instrumental in keeping the dynamic and creative trip planning and operations wheels of Wilderness Explorers turning since 2007. She has travelled extensively in Guyana and neighbouring Suriname where she acquired first-hand experiences which she uses to create exceptional itineraries.

Amarylis refers to herself as a ‘utility player’ which is evident in her ability to seamlessly switch between roles, from trip planner to tour coordinator, to logistics and operations. She enjoys her position very much as it gives her flexibility in her work. She enjoys the friendly, authentic hospitality of the Maroons in Suriname; this is her favourite place to visit.

Amarylis Lewis

Senior Trip Planner

Amarylis Lewis
Get in Touch with Amarylis
Shonnette Braithwaite

Tour Coordinator

Shonnette Braithwaite
Shonnette Braithwaite

Shonnette joined the Wilderness team in September as a Tour Coordinator. Her love for touring and adventure is a plus since she’s also practicing to be a Tour Guide and has hope to lead her own tours someday. Willing to learn and help around the office she’s very hands-on and ready to take on new roles and responsibilities. Her cheerful demeanor makes a difference when communicating directly with clients and she always shows a positive side.

Shonnette Braithwaite

Tour Coordinator

Shonnette Braithwaite
Get in Touch with Shonnette
Tishana Mangra

Tour Coordinator

Tishana Mangra
Tishana Mangra

Tishana joined the Wilderness Explorers team in February 2023 as a tour coordinator. She is an enthusiastic, self-motivated, reliable, responsible and hardworking person. She is a great team worker and adaptable to any challenging situation. Her experience working in the hotel industry significantly impacts her commutation skills. Tourism is also a great interest. She has an enticing joy for Nature and animals and hopes to learn more about our beautiful country. Guyana.

Tishana Mangra

Operations Officer

Tishana Mangra
Get in Touch with Tishana
Donna Collymore

Tour Coordinator

Donna Collymore
Donna Collymore

A former University of Guyana student- Business Process Outsourcing Tourism graduant who is a dedicated, versatile and self-motivated individual that loves traveling and experiencing outdoor excursions.

Donna comes with over 10 years of experience in the Business Process Outsourcing industry as a customer service representative supervisor. From here, she has honed the interpersonal skills required to be a Tour Coordinator.

She always wears a bright and welcoming smile which our guests love to see.

She aims to travel and experience every square inch of this untouched gem (Guyana) and be your ultimate tour guide one day.

Donna Collymore

Operations Officer, Europcar Guyana Inc

Donna Collymore
Get in Touch with Donna
Jessica Ross

Tour Coordinator

women taking picture infront of kaieteur falls
Jessica Ross

N/A

Jessica Ross

Tour Coordinator

women taking picture infront of kaieteur falls
Get in Touch with Jessica
Devi Sikander

Accounts Assistant

Devi Sikander
Devi Sikander

Devi has always admired the many ways tourism can impact our lives, socially and economically. Growing up in Guyana, the beautiful flora and fauna have always captivated her. The fact there is so much to be explored gives her a feeling of amazement and wonder which is sure to only intensify over time.

The most exciting moment in her life was visiting the majestic Kaieteur Falls. It was utterly enthralling, and that feeling of raw adventure and excitement has since opened her eyes. Even though she works in the finance department, Devi is always willing to share her experience with guests who are deciding on booking a tour. 

Devi Sikander

Accounts Assistant

Devi Sikander
Get in Touch with Devi
Leon Hardowar

Social Media Specialist

Leon Hardowar
Leon Hardowar

Leon joined the Wilderness Explorers team in May of 2022 as the Digital Marketing Coordinator.  He has over 7 years of experience in graphic designing and print technician field.

His hobbies include Painting, Amateur Photography and fishing. He’s an avid animal lover who enjoys nature and promotes the Guianas with his Artwork that focus mainly on local wildlife or sceneries.

Leon Hardowar

Social Media Specialist

Leon Hardowar
Get in Touch with Leon
Walid Bin Alam

Digital Marketing Specialist

walid bin alam
Walid Bin Alam

Walid Bin Alam, a seasoned Digital Marketer, carved a niche in eco-tourism with over four years at Blue Sky Wildlife, UK, where he excelled in enhancing the digital presence of hundreds of global tour operators. His notable stint with PromPeru and Spanish Tourism marketing honed his skills in international tourism promotion. Passionate about sustainable practices, Walid aids various wildlife tour groups in bolstering their online operations. He recently embarked on a new journey with Wilderness Explorers in 2023, further committing to eco-conservation. Among his significant projects, managing the UK Birdfair’s marketing campaigns in 2019 and 2022 stands out, showcasing his dedication to conservation awareness through strategic marketing efforts.

Walid Bin Alam

Digital Marketing Specialist

walid bin alam
Get in Touch with Walid
Claudia Langer

European Representative

Claudia Langer
Claudia Langer

Claudia Langer is our European representative based in Switzerland, covering Germany, Austria and Switzerland. She spent many years in the airline industry with the opportunity to work in many different countries. In 1999 Claudia had the opportunity to visit Suriname and fell in love with the country and its culture and created her own business selling tours to Suriname. 

In 2007 she visited Guyana and was overwhelmed by the untouched, marvellous beauty of Guyana and friendliness of the local people and started representing Wilderness Explorers. Driven by this experience, she started promoting what she calls “this extraordinary country, called Guyana”. Today she admits, it has been one of the best ideas of her life and looks forward to every opportunity to revisit Guyana.

Claudia Langer

European Representative

Claudia Langer
Get in Touch with Claudia
Michel L' Huillier

Spanish Representative

Michel L' Huillier
Michel L' Huillier

Michel L’ Huillier is our Spanish Representative based in Barcelona, Spain. He is a trained industrial engineer, and worked as an investment banker in his native Chile. In 1994, he found his love for photography and changed his career to become a photojournalist, focusing on travel and cultural, ethnographic, religious and social subjects. He has travelled and researched assignments in more than fifty countries, mostly in Asia, Africa and Latin America, and has published more than a hundred of his articles in diverse Spanish and international media. He has also appeared in two major feature films, including the IMAX production “The Mystery of the Nile”, led overseas tours and, since 2010, directs a marketing and commercial agency specialized on representing tour operators and touristic products worldwide in European markets, with special emphasis in Spain, and Latin America.

Michel L' Huillier

Spanish Representative

Michel L' Huillier
Get in Touch with Michel
Jennifer Lawrence

Project Administrator

Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer is our Projects Administrator based in the Rupununi, with many years of experience working with various wildlife projects in Guyana and in the United States, including creative positions in social media management, marketing, web design, as well as other managerial roles such as collecting data and analyzing endangered species behaviors. She is currently focused on product development and relationship building for our Rupununi tourism circuit. Jennifer loves art, design, ceramics, and the outdoors. She loves the wild and open air of the Rupununi and serves our office from the interior. Jennifer has a passion for wildlife, the arts, and eco tourism. She loves traveling above all and loves to share those experiences with other adventurous souls. She is collaborating with us to develop an Art Tour to feature the artists of Guyana.


Jennifer Lawrence

Project Administrator

Jennifer Lawrence
Get in Touch with Davy
Davy Chambers

Reservation Agent

Davy Chambers
Davy Chambers

Davy’s extensive experience in the local Aviation industry makes him an invaluable asset to Atta Lodge. As a Reservation Agent, he possesses exceptional knowledge and expertise that allows him to excel in his role. He works closely with a dynamic team to guarantee the smooth flow of operations, ensuring that every guest receives a remarkable and one-of-a-kind experience.
Davy’s unwavering passion for helping others is reflected in his dedication to providing outstanding customer service. He goes above and beyond to ensure that every guest’s needs and expectations are not only met but exceeded. Davy’s attentiveness and genuine care for guests create an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality at Atta Lodge.
By actively managing reservations and attentively coordinating with the team, Davy ensures seamless operations at the lodge. His ability to handle diverse situations and adapt under pressure allows Atta Lodge to consistently deliver exceptional service to its guests.
Overall, Davy’s exceptional skills, passion, and commitment make him an integral part of the Atta Lodge team. His unwavering dedication to providing excellent customer service paves the way for unforgettable experiences, ensuring that every guest leaves with fond memories of their time at Atta Lodge.

Davy Chambers

Reservation Agent

Davy Chambers
Get in Touch with Davy
Omadat Sugrim

Driver

Omadat Sugrim
Omadat Sugrim

Omadat is from Ogle on the east coast of demerara. He’s our main Driver and has been working for wilderness explorers since October of 2020. He has a passion for his job and has been driving since 1996. His hobbies include fishing and traveling.

His 25+ years of experience as a driver includes driving for the foreign affairs ministry, public transportation, and tourist on fishing trips. Having all of those experiences  around Guyana, he has become one of the most  efficient drivers on the wilderness team always getting praised by our clients  for his safety and expertise

Omadat Sugrim

Driver

Omadat Sugrim
Get in Touch with Omadat
Ryan Roberts

Driver

Ryan Roberts
Ryan Roberts

Ryan is from the small village of Rupertee in the North Rupununi savannahs. He started as a Manager at Atta Rainforest Lodge before moving across to be the driver of the Wilderness Explorers bus, based at the lodge. Having lived all his life in this remote part of Guyana, he knows all the tracks and dirt roads like the back of his hand and moves his guests in comfort and safety.

Ryan Roberts

Driver

Ryan Roberts
Get in Touch with Ryan