Our Story
Alexandre Bilodeau Desbiens
Alexandre grew up in southern Quebec, where his parents took him on wilderness excursions at every opportunity. As a child, he was often found in hiking boots, holding a kayak paddle or sitting in a canoe. Being outdoors became second nature, developing in him a passion for the immensity of the world and the diversity of life within it. After studying history and receiving an undergraduate degree in philosophy and international politics from the University of Sherbrooke, Alexandre's curiosity and thirst for discovery took him on a seven-year journey around the world where his traveling experiences confirmed his first love: nature.
Alexandre leads hiking and sea kayaking trips in several countries, combining his knowledge of the wilderness with his people skills and love for different cultures. He is excited to facilitate meaningful nature experiences for travelers as an Expedition Leader for Nat Hab's Churchill polar bear trips and adventures in Greenland and China. In between guiding adventures, you'll find Alexandre off on personal expeditions with his partner, thru-hiking, skiing, cycling or canoeing as they explore the rich wonders of the wild world.
Photo gallery
Photo 1 of 9
What's in My Camera Bag
I try to keep it light, and the Sony a6700 is great for that. I usually only keep 2-3 lenses and one body in my backpack, so I'm always ready to hit the trail or jump in a Zodiac and go.
Camera
Sony a6700
Lenses
12mm f/2
30mm f/1.4
17-70mm f/2.8
200-600mm f/5.6-6.3
Other
Fotopro C-5i tripod
Fotopro UFO2 flexible tripod
Lowepro Photosport 55L backpack
4 batteries with dual charger
2 External hard drives (1Tb)
2 Memory cards (64 Gb + 128 Gb)
Cleaning kit
Peak Design Capture Clip Camera Holder
Peak Design Camera Strap
What Our Guests Say
Wow, 10 is not high enough—can I go with 20?!?! I’m struggling to find the words for just how exceptional Alex is! His depth of knowledge of the wildlife and terrain is mind-blowing, and it easily translates from his other guiding experiences. Alex's deep respect and genuine love of Churchill and First Nations/Inuit/Indigenous Peoples was so intentional on his part, and that insight gave our group an incredibly well-rounded experience. Alex is generous with his time, witty, kind, and personable. He clearly set out expectations at the welcome orientation and reiterated throughout the trip. Because of his excellent leadership skills, this group of unique individuals got along famously and supported each other during the entire adventure. Somehow in group travel, he made it feel like we still had autonomy. This trip was amazing by itself, but with Alex as our guide, this adventure was OFF THE CHARTS! My only suggestion: can we please clone him so we can have an Alex on every trip?
Alex is an exceptional Expedition Leader. I would rate this trip a huge success! He managed to fill our days to the maximum (and then some). It was wonderful to have an Expedition Leader with his depth of knowledge of wildlife, geology, biomes and a deep understanding of cultures. I also enjoyed his photography tips. I appreciated and am grateful for all that I learned from Alex. His sense of humor and people skills are superb. Alex is a big asset to Nat Hab. I hope I can take another trip with him in the future!
What a wonderful young man—caring, smart, informative and passionate about both nature and the country. It was my pleasure and a real treat to have Alex as our guide. We all had a lot of fun and a wonderful trip. The excellent communication he had with the local guides was obvious, which helped the trip happen without a hitch–seamless!
