Hiking Guide Volunteers
Fred
Hello! My name is Fred, and I’m from Germany, close to the Bavarian Alps. I’ve loved the mountains all my life — whether hiking, mountain biking, or climbing via ferrata. Now I’m thrilled to be part of Quetzaltrekkers, where I can share my passion for trekking while contributing to the amazing work of EDELAC.
Fun facts & favorites
- Ska & rocksteady
- Chess
- Everything with chocolate
- Coffee
Marco
Hello, I am Marco, I am from Guatemala and I am a Guide at Quetzaltrekkers. What motivates me is to live life when you go out to the mountain, look at the top, becoming aware of everything at every moment. The important thing is the path you’ve taken and who you share it with the summit will give you the satisfaction of the goal achieved, although the true gift is the experience that life gives us, that is why we must live life as it should.
Fun facts & favorites
- Meat Lover
- Gringas
- TikTok
- Freefire
- Pepino
Megan
What’s up! I’m Megan from Utah in the United States! I’ve been backpacking since I was 4 years old and am stoked to be able to join such a great organization as a guide. Quetzaltrekkers is the perfect way to combine my love for the outdoors with a truly amazing cause. Hope to see you on a hike soon!
Fun facts & favorites
- Prank calling
- Adam Sandler
- Bunnies
- Rock climbing
- Salt
- Ding dong ditching
John
¡Hola! I’m John from Australia, although since discovering this amazing organisation, I’m now more often found in the beautiful highlands of Guatemala. This is my third time volunteering with Quetzaltrekkers, which has provided the unexpected opportunity to use the skills gained from decades of mountaineering on seven continents to raise money for a truly worthy cause. Being able to skew the usual guide demographics with some boomer energy is just a bonus.
Fun facts & favorites
- 150+ countries visited
- 430m below sea level to 6962m above sea level
- 78 degrees South to 78 degrees North
- Guns, Germs and Steel
- No Country for Old Men
- Thai street food
- Marimba
Ned
Hola, I am Ned from the UK. I am really excited to be here in Guatemala enjoying the outdoors while supporting a deserving cause 🙂 I love to rock climb, surf, hike and just to be outisde with like-minded people. I love to travel, explore new places and understand more about the world and its people. I have spent lots of time travelling around, in between my studies. I lived in barcelona for the better part of a year and love learning new languages 🙂
Fun facts & favorites
- Mountains
- Pigs
- Rock climbing
- Never broken a bone
- Got lost up Volcan Toliman
Aisling
Hey everyone, my name is Aisling. I’m a bit of a weird mix: part Belgian/ English/ Italian. I love the outdoors and especially under the warm Guatemalan sun. I’ve been hiking for a few years now and joining Quetzaltrekkers was the perfect way to combine adventure with a great cause. The kids we support are truly amazing and I feel very grateful to be part of this whole journey. Looking forward to seeing you on one of our hikes !
Fun facts & favorites
- Love a proper cup of Tea
- Love puppies & hugs
- Love the smell of blown out candles
- Cannot dance to save my life
- Terrible at accents
- Love doing blood tests (I'm a nurse)
Justin
Justin Kluemper, from the US and UK. My heart is in the UK but I spent most of my life in US. My main interest now is learning Spanish and traveling around central and South America.
I love to travel so that is why I came to Guatemala. I had no idea what I was signing up for! I am 59 so I am also here to help let other “senior” travelers know that they should feel good to hike with us.
Fun facts & favorites
- My true loves are my sons
- Got bitten by a piranha
- Had my glasses stolen by a monkey
- Always wearing colorful clothes and/or makeup
- French but doesn't like football (sorry)
Laila
Heya! I’m Laila, and it took me 7 years thinking about Quetzaltrekkers after my first hike with the organization to finally make it back here and become a guide. The idea of combining my love for the outdoors with supporting this amazing educational project long term is what made me come back – as well as working with enthusiastic, interesting people on a common cause. Back home in Germany, living next to the Alps I love going on hikes and cycling up and down these mountains. Having spent quite some time in Mexico I finally made it one country down, still hoping to travel South America at one point, working my way down there one by one.
Fun facts & favorites
- Hates Christmas songs and Reggae
- Knows how to whistle like an owl
- Give me a word and I will find some lyrics including that particular word in under 10s
- Always more bruises and scars on my shins than intact skin
Libby
Hi! My name is Libby and I am from New Jersey, in the US. When I moved to California for university I discovered my love for all things nature, hiking and outdoors! This love has been a motivation for me to explore different parts of Latin America, not only the beautiful outdoors but the amazing people as well. When I met someone who had volunteered for QT along my travels, I thought it sounded like the perfect opportunity to continue learning about the unique history of Guatemala first hand while supporting an amazing cause- and now I’m here! Hiking with QT is a great opportunity to support EDELAC while also seeing and learning about this beautiful place.
Fun facts & favorites
- NJ sandwiches and bagels
- Memoirs
- Talladega Knights
- Movie theater popcorn
- Skiing
Abby
Hola, I’m Abby from the United States! I was raised in New England but called San Francisco home for over a decade before relocating to Guatemala. I’ve spent a while working in the energy tech world, but wanted to get more hands-on in helping people and the environment. I love reading, hiking, baking desserts, and playing ultimate frisbee. Quetzaltrekkers is a great fit with its mission and outdoor focus, with the bonus of a fantastic community and a great home base in Xela. If you’re reading this far, hopefully I’ll see you on one of our treks soon!
Fun facts & favorites
- Blueberries
- Loves reading (all genres; favorite book is The Fifth Season)
- Board games & jigsaw puzzles
- Runs a fantasy Iditarod league
- Learning wildflower identification
- Identical twin
- Not a big same day laundry folder
Sam
Hi, I’m Sam from the UK! I first came to Quetzaltrekkers in January of 2024 and loved it so much that I stayed 7 months. Even after that, I decided that wasn’t enough so I’m back for more, hoping to stay another 8+ months at this amazing organization. From hiking and spending time outside in the mountain air, to connecting with the amazing community we have here in Xela, there is nothing about this place not to love! I hope to see you all on the trails and best of luck with your travels!
Fun facts & favorites
- Tottenham Hotspur fan (annoyingly)
- Literature & history
- Can make a mean cocktail when needed
- Trivia tryhard
- Sort of Scottish but not really
- Obscure comedy films
- Owl Legs
This Could Be You!
We’re looking for a new Social Media Volunteer! A curious traveler with a camera, a storytelling whiz, or someone who loves connecting people to good causes.
They’re the kind of person who knows how to turn muddy hiking boots and misty volcano views into engaging stories. Between trail days and tamale lunches, they bring the Quetzaltrekkers mission to life online—crafting posts, chatting with our community, and capturing the unforgettable moments that make volunteering here so special.
We’re looking for someone like you to fill this role—someone with a creative eye, solid social media skills, and a passion for meaningful travel and grassroots impact.
Fun facts & favorites
- Favorite Color: Sunset orange
- Chasing golden hour light for the perfect shot
- Anything with Avocado
- Go-to Spot in Xela: Café Habitual—for the vibes and the captions
- Work Vibe: Lo-fi beats & Espresso Tonic
- Go-to line: “Let’s make this post-worthy.”
Ready to make an impact with your creativity?
Help Quetzaltrekkers and EDELAC share our story all across the world while living amongst the volcanoes.
Coordinators
Conrad
Hola, I’m Conrad from England! I originally came here as a guide in 2024 for three months, and I’ve somehow ended up here for the long haul, though I wouldn’t have it any other way. I get to spend time in the outdoors and work with an incredible team to support the unique mission of EDELAC. When I’m not in the office or out on a trek, I enjoy reading about history, watching football and a proper cup of tea. Hoping to see you out here soon!
Fun facts & favorites
- Sunderland A.F.C.
- Consumed 50 tortillas on one QT hike
- Boring History Books
- Whisky
- Enjoys queueing
- Very bad credit score
Ben
Hi! I’m Ben from the United States, Colorado more specifically. I originally found myself volunteering as guide with Quetzaltrekkers in 2024 but have since shifted roles into that of a coordinator. I fell in love with the project and mission of Quetzaltrekkers immediately and am incredibly grateful at the opportunity to dedicate even more of my time and energy to the organization.
Fun facts & favorites
- Vietnamese food
- Past Chocobanano record holder
- Pisco Sours
- Has 0 chest hairs
- Very Good Credit Score
Want to meet us in person?
We’ll be on the trail—come hike with us! No one does tours through the highlands like us. Read our reviews on Google or TripAdvisor to see why people love to trek with us. Come hike volcanoes and help kids while doing it!
Social Media Volunteers