Celso Montalvo

Celso was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and first visited the Galápagos at age nine to see family. The islands’ wildlife and way of life left a lasting impression, particularly encounters with sharks, rays and turtles. After graduating from the Naval Academy at 17, he moved to New York to pursue higher education before returning to the Galápagos, where he has spent more than 26 years working in the islands and with National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions.

Combining an interest in science with education, Celso completed the naturalist guide course offered by the Galápagos National Park Service. He is also a certified Field Educator and Photo Instructor, trained by the National Geographic Society. He helped develop an official Charles Darwin Research Station photography field guide supporting conservation and understanding of Galápagos wildlife. His experience also includes work on film productions, commercials, documentaries and educational projects, as well as producing short films that he presents onboard and at local schools.

Beyond the Galápagos, Celso has explored every continent and both polar circles, crossing the tropics, International Date Line and equator. Fluent in English and Spanish, he currently lives in Tampa, Florida, and regularly returns to the Galápagos and travels internationally, continuing to share his knowledge of wildlife, conservation and the natural world.