Leader of the Year Awards 2022

We’re proud to have some of the best expert tour leaders in the world. Their keen expertise and unrivalled local knowledge have been setting our global adventures apart since 1974, and we’re delighted to bring our coveted annual awards back for the first time since 2020. This year, the Exodus Travels Leader of the Year Awards will acknowledge our guide’s outstanding dedication and hard work throughout the pandemic and since the world has re-opened – all based on feedback from you, our customers. And to truly celebrate this achievement, we’ve decided to award two Overall Winners, and two Hall of Fame leaders.

The winners will be given a prize of £2000, half of which will be given to the leader, and the other half will be given to a charity of their choice. Many choose to donate to our own Exodus Travels Foundation, as we are deeply involved in ongoing projects that give back to their local communities.

We’re excited to announce that the numbers are through, and the judges’ deliberations are in, so read on to find out our Overall Winners, Runners Up and guides who made it onto our Hall of Fame last year!

Overall Winner

Glenda Araya

Working as an expert tour guide for over 10 years, Glenda Araya has a degree in tourism and specialised in wildlife management, environmental biology and forestry to become a leading Naturalist tour guide in Costa Rica. Her incredible local knowledge and sheer passion to share the biological wonders of Costa Rica with travellers from across the world is simply unmatched. Working for seven years as an Exodus tour guide, Glenda encourages her group to embrace her country’s “Pura Vida”, easy-going lifestyle while also communicating the importance of nature and ongoing conservation efforts to protect Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity for generations to come. She insists that only when you truly understand how people and nature can work in harmony will you experience the magic of Costa Rica – and this is what makes her adventures so memorable.

Glenda leads our popular Discover Costa Rica trip and the Costa Rica Adventure Family Holiday.

“Glenda was simply the best tour guide I have ever met. Her knowledge of her home country was off the scale. She never faulted in naming the birds, animals and reptiles we came into contact with. She worked non-stop to make everyone enjoy their holiday.”

Overall Winner

Sukman Tamang

Starting his career as a porter back in 1998, Sukman Tamang honed his skills throughout the years, working his way up to an assistant guide and Exodus leader, he is now recognised as an expert in his field in the Himalaya. Completing extensive training in Advanced Wilderness First Aid training, KEEP First Aid course and the Professional Eco-Leadership course, he also selflessly devotes his time to helping veteran Exodus leader, Valerie Parkinson, with key Himalayan community support projects. His outstanding leadership skills, attention to detail and unwavering enthusiasm in the face of a challenging mountain environment make Sukman not only a clear joint winner for this award but also a true ambassador of Nepal.

Sukman leads Exodus travellers on our Everest Base Camp Trek. You can learn more about the trip here.

“Sukman was our guide, our translator, our waiter, our nurse, our Nepalese encyclopaedia and our reservoir of serotonin during our trek. He worked from sun-up to bedtime, answering our myriad of questions with a smile.”

Special Recognition

Veriano Verde

Having a passion for hiking at a very young age, engineering graduate, Veriano Verde, decided to pursue his dream and secured his Italian Environmental Hiking Guide License to become an expert tour guide with Exodus. Growing up in Agerola, his rich knowledge of the region and love for his country shines through, enhancing the experience for every traveller.

Veriano leads our Walking in the Amalfi Coast trip. You can learn more about this walking holiday here.

Roberto Aguilar

Skilled Naturalist and dedicated cyclist, Roberto Aguilar knows the trails of Costa Rica like the back of his hand. Short-listed for our awards in the past, Roberto’s unrivalled knowledge offers travellers fascinating insight into the country’s unique biodiversity and off-track cycling routes to eco-friendly coffee farms, which makes his adventures stand out.

Roberto leads our Cycle Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama trip and our Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride