Meet your Galápagos Guides
The Galápagos is not one place. It changes from island to island, above and below the surface. During our 2026 Pacific voyages, Bark EUROPA will spend a week exploring the Galápagos together with local naturalist guides. These guides know the islands not only by name, but by rhythm, season, landscape and life.
Bernie Jacome is a Naturalist, Specialty Coffee Producer & Conservation Advocate
Bernardo, known by his friends and family as Bernie, was born in the Andean city of Quito, nestled high in the Ecuadorian Andes. His connection to the Galápagos Islands, however, began at an early age through his grandfather, one of the pioneering Naturalist Guides who moved to the archipelago in the mid-70s and settled in the town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, where he still resides today. Growing up between the bustling life of Quito and the simplicity of the islands gave Bernie a unique perspective on the importance of nature, community, and living in harmony with the environment.
From the age of five, Bernie spent every possible holiday in Galápagos, where he learned to swim, snorkel, sail, and eventually fell deeply in love with the ocean and wildlife that define the archipelago. As he grew older, his fascination with the natural world led him to become a certified PADI free diver and later pursue his dream of becoming a Galápagos Naturalist Guide. In 2017, he successfully completed the rigorous Galápagos National Park guide course and has since dedicated himself to sharing the beauty, history, ecology, and conservation challenges of the islands with travelers from around the world.
Beyond guiding, Bernie has also developed a profound passion for specialty coffee production through his family’s farm project in the Galápagos Highlands. Inspired by his grandfather’s long-standing coffee farm, Bernie became deeply involved in every aspect of the coffee process — from cultivation and harvesting to fermentation, roasting, and tasting. He completed both a barista course and a coffee tasting course, allowing him to better understand the complexity and artistry behind high-quality coffee.
Together with his family, Bernie works on producing specialty Galápagos coffee through careful experimentation with different fermentation techniques, including extended and anaerobic fermentations, always striving to enhance the unique flavors that the volcanic soils and climate of the islands can offer. Their work is driven not only by quality, but by a desire to create greater appreciation for coffee culture within the local community.
Bernie believes one of the greatest challenges facing Galápagos coffee farmers today is that specialty coffee is still not fully valued or appreciated locally, despite the immense effort, scarcity of resources, and difficult growing conditions required to produce it on the islands. Nevertheless, he remains hopeful that through collaboration, education, and mutual support among farmers, the future of Galápagos coffee can thrive sustainably and become a source of pride for the islands.
When not guiding expeditions or working on coffee production, Bernie enjoys photography, surfing, music production, martial arts, and exploring the outdoors. His greatest aspiration is to inspire others — whether through nature, storytelling, or coffee — to reconnect with the environment and better understand the importance of coexisting respectfully with the extraordinary ecosystems that surround us.
Joshua Vela is a filmmaker and photographer
Specializing in wildlife and conservation.He grew up in the Galápagos, where he developed a deep connection to the naturalworld and learned firsthand the importance of protecting fragile ecosystems. He beganhis career as a volunteer with the Charles Darwin Foundation and now serves as one of its Ambassadors. His work has appeared with The Guardian, The New York Times, and National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions, and he has collaborated with NGOs and production companies across multiple countries, from the Arctic to the Antarctic.
He is currently pursuing a master's in Journalism, Media, and Globalization in Europe,combining academic research with conservation storytelling. During the voyage, Josh hopes to share a uniquely local perspective on the Galápagos, both through the lens of his camera and through stories of how island communities coexist with this remote place.
One thing he feels visitors often overlook is the underwater world. While giant tortoisesand blue-footed boobies rightly capture international attention, the seas around theislands offer what Josh calls an "alien world" on Earth, changing dramatically from island to island, from tiny creatures tucked into corals to playful sea lions. It's fun, safe, and magical, and he's certain it will surprise everyone.
Pedro is a Naturalist Guide
Originally from the vibrant "Green Province" of Esmeraldas, Pedro’s life has been a journey through the diverse landscapes of Ecuador. From the lush Amazon basin to the majestic Andean Highlands, his childhood was defined by discovery before he found his true home in the Galapagos Islands at the age of ten. With a degree in Tourism Management and over 20 years of experience, Pedro considers his transition into becoming a certified Naturalist Guide a life-changing milestone. His professional philosophy is rooted in the art of interpretation; he views himself not just as a guide, but as a bridge between the archipelago’s delicate ecosystems and the global community. By combining his deep technical expertise with a passion for teaching, he strives to provide every guest with a profound understanding of this natural paradise, ensuring
that each expedition is both an educational journey and a transformative personal experience.
Beyond the Trail
When he is not exploring the volcanic trails of the Galapagos, Pedro is a devoted soccer enthusiast, enjoying the strategy and energy of the game both on and off the field. A true traveler at heart, he finds joy in discovering new cultures and sharing the wonders of the world with fellow explorers.
"To share the magic of these islands is to share a piece of my home. My goal is to ensure every guest leaves with a deeper connection to the natural world."
Franklin is a naturalist
He was born in the Guayas province in Ecuador mainland, however, the province was split on November 7th of 2007, and created the 24th province of Ecuador known as Santa Elena.
He moves to Galapagos Islands in 1992, and established here since them, he finished the Primary and the High School in Santa Cruz Island, he graduated in Physic and Mathematics with computer knowledge with the highest grade in 1999, since he arrived to Galapagos, he used to work as a sailor and bartender in different passenger ships, at the same time he was studying more to satisfy his curiosityand needs of knowledge, in the same years that he finished de school he got the opportunity to be part of the Guide Course given by de Galapagos National Park together with the San Francisco University from Quito and Charles Darwin Research Station, he learned English by taking different courses in Quito and practicing with the visitors.
Occasionally he visit his family in Ecuador. He likes to swing, snorkeling, scuba dive, play basketball, and surf. Since he became a Guide he has been working for different companies such as Lindblad Expeditions, National Geographic, Kleintours, Galatours between others as a free lance, he love his job and share his knowledge with all kind of people that want to know about this paradise he loves.
Franklin Guaranda is a certified naturalist guide in the Galápagos Islands with over 25 years of experience leading groups of travelers from around the world, sharing his knowledge about this natural realm.
Watching the volcanic landscape from Bartolomé Island and swimming with hammerhead sharks is one wildlife or landscape encounter that still gives him goosebumps, even after years of guiding. The most important thing our guests can do to be responsible visitors to this fragile ecosystem is respecting all Galápagos National Park rules.
After the voyage to the Galápagos he hopes you'll aving experienced something so unique that it will be imprinted in your hearts and minds for the rest of your lives. To see the islands through the eyes of a local, you should be ready for an experience unlike any other, keep an open mind, and be eager to learn new things. Get out of your comfort zone, use all your senses to make your experience more enriching, and bring good walking shoes for rocky areas, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sun protection, insect repellent, and very light clothing due to the high humidity and heat.
His favorite part of sharing his home with the Bark EUROPA sailing family is inspiring to show us that there are still pristine places in the world, and we must be responsible in protecting them for ourselves and future generations.
