Our Team

Paulina Vivanco General Manager The rivers, jungle and mountains of Ecuador are Paulina's workplace and playground. So when she's not in the office helping you plan your adventure with Yacu Amu Rafting or Rios Ecuador, she's almost certainly out in the field co-ordinating the efforts of our remarkable team.

Sol Moncayo International Sales Q: Why does Sol's face appear in so many photos of rafts crashing through waves? A: She simply never misses a chance to be on the river. If you have any question at all about our trips then Sol is the one with all the answers.

Carlos Puca National Sales and Operations Carlos has the enviable job of ensuring that our river trips are always run to the exceptional standards of safety, service and care on which we've built our reputation. Enviable because being on the river regularly is the only way he can do his job.

Dayana Escobar Tena Sales Dayana's energy and enthusiasm for actively exploring the jungle inspired our new waterfall hikes and canyoning adventures, and led her to train to be a river guide. Just talking to her for a few minutes will have you wanting to raft, kayak, hike, and rappel your way through the Amazon.

Raul Caizapanta Accounts After months of persistance from the rest of the team we finally got Raul to come rafting, and he was hooked. He will neither confirm nor deny the rumours that he goes to the river as much for the ice cold beer and impromptu bus parties on the way home as for the adrenaline kick from the whitewater.

Juan Carlos Tasiguano Admin support Need something done around town? Juan Carlos is the man. So well does he know which hoops to jump through, and in which direction, we like to think of him as our secret weapon against the burocracy. Oh, and he's a deft hand if he finds himself at the lunch spot.

Gaston Sanchez Senior River Guide, Safety Kayaker Gaston came to us as a safety kayaker and is now a highly skilled and experienced river guide. He's a dynamo both on and off the river, doing everything possible to ensure everyone has a great time. When we need to crank up the fun factor, Gaston is the man we call.

Gino Sanmiguel Senior River Guide, Safety Kayaker Gino is a solid all-rounder you'll be happy to have around on any trip. Whether he's guiding in the back of your raft, or you're clinging to the back of his safety kayak, Gino's calm confidence and passion for river running will have you feeling that there's no place you'd rather be.

Jorge Shiguango a.k.a. George of the Jungle River and Jungle Guide, Safety Kayaker George has been with us from the beginning and remains a favourite amongst our returning guests. Hailing from the community of Bajo Ongota on the Misahualli river, his knowledge of the natural and cultural riches of the jungle are profound.

Santiago Cisneros Senior River Guide Diversity seems to be Santiago's motivation when it comes to river running. To that end he's spent a couple of southern summers down in Chile, and this past northern summer in Canada. We think it's telling that the pull of Ecuadorian whitewater keeps bringing him back.

Tarquino Yangüez Senior River Guide, Rafting and Kayaking Instructor Tarquino is a consummate entertainer as well as a talented guide and instructor. He captained the Ecuadorian team at the World Rafting Championships in the Czech Republic, and has recently returned from guiding the summer in Canada.

Oswaldo Iglesias (standing) and Luis Carillo Transportistas These guys have been an integral part of our operation from Day 1. Not only do they know every backroad around and make sure we get guides, guests, rafts, kayaks and lunch where we need to go - they're the ones that make sure we have icy cold beers waiting for us at the take-out. Salud!

Looking for authentic jungle adventures? Visit our sister company Rios Ecuador
If you prefer a multisport adventure that directly benefits local economies visit Ecuador Uncommon Adventures
If you're an active traveller seeking enriching experiences without the usual day to day hassle visit Yacu Amu Experiences