Rosa Alegria Gonzales 1997
A proud native of Cusco, Rosa developed a lifelong passion for tropical nature during her teenage vacations to the high mountain jungles of Quillabamba. Her love for birds, exotic flora, and the breathtaking landscapes of Huaran in the Sacred Valley of the Incas continues to inspire her work today.
Fluent in English, French, and Italian, in addition to her native Spanish, Rosa earned a degree in Tourism from the University of San Antonio Abad in Cusco. She began her career as an interpreter in the southeastern Peruvian Amazon, where she gained invaluable experience as a naturalist.
As a certified mountain guide, Rosa leads a variety of expeditions across Peru, including trekking, rafting, archaeological, and ecological adventures. Her extensive expertise spans the Peruvian coast, mountains, high plateau, and jungle. Rosa’s leadership also extends beyond Peru—she has organized and guided tours in Ecuador and Bolivia for English- and French-speaking groups.
With nearly four decades in the travel industry, Rosa founded Grupo Ayniq, an organization dedicated to training tourism professionals. She has also shared her deep knowledge of Incan history as a professor at San Ignacio de Loyola University. Rosa lives in Cusco and spends her free time hiking and exploring new destinations.
What Our Guests Say
Rosa went above and beyond as our guide. She was so very informative about history, culture and customs. She was very attentive to my grandchildren, which I appreciate. Any situation that came up which needed extraordinary attention, she responded to eagerly. I so appreciate her enthusiasm and knowledge.
Machu Picchu was an eye-opening social history adventure. Rosa was able to give us the intertwining of Quechua and Inca histories, while connecting each with the accomplishments in Machu Picchu construction and use. She shared information about the plants, geology and arid conditions of the sites. as well as the Hiram Bingham stories, which delighted me as his grandson was one of my students. She shared my delight in epiphytes, and she showed me taller bromeliads than I had ever seen.
Rosa was so knowledgeable about Peru's history, geography and culture. We appreciated that she shared her cultural perspectives with us. It was enlightening to learn about Peru through the eyes of a local, and it was a pleasure to spend those days with her.
Upcoming Adventures with Rosa Alegria Gonzales
The Great Amazon River Expedition
Encounter rainforest wildlife from monkeys to macaws as our deluxe riverboat follows more than 400 miles of the Peruvian Amazon and its main tributaries to explore the river's remote headwaters.
