Brent Olson, a veteran of 40+ trips to Bhutan, is one of the United States' top experts on Bhutan and one of the few Westerners to have lived in Bhutan. Since 1983, Brent has created and led treks and tours all over the kingdom and forged close friendships with Bhutanese people from all walks of life. Brent has worked with Bhutan's government to create a photographic archive of the country's rich artistic heritage and serves on the advisory board of the American Bhutan Council (in addition to several Bhutan related board memberships). His devotion to Bhutan is mirrored in the unique quality of his itineraries, which highlight and support the country's determination to maintain its proud culture.

Karma Lotey is the Managing Director for Yangphel Travel, our on-the-ground partners in Bhutan. After completing his schooling in Bhutan, he went on to graduate from the University of Texas with a degree in Business Management. Karma's cross-cultural experience makes him particularly adept at enlightening westerners about Bhutanese culture and enlightening the local guides & drivers about the ways of the west.

Sha Phurba Dorji has been leading GeoEx trips and treks in Bhutan for more than 12 years, obtaining special wilderness survival training in the U.S. to ensure the safest of treks. Originally from the central district of Sha - near Wangdiphodrang, Phurba (sacred dagger in Dzongkha) is one of GeoEx's most senior Bhutanese guides. He is extremely knowledgeable, articulate and competent, and enjoys sharing his love for Bhutan with his guests. As leader of some of our most rigorous treks, Sha brings years of Himalayan trekking skills and experience to the trail as has visited the United States to receive in-depth training from the Pacific Crest Outward Bound.

Tsewang has lived in many areas of Bhutan and has traveled extensively to other parts of Asia. An avid reader and perpetual student, he has a broad range of interests from philosophy to quantum physics. When not guiding, Tsewang is actively involved in volunteer work that seeks to increase awareness of drug abuse among the youth of Bhutan.

Bart Jordans is an avid trekking guide and guidebook author who has led more than 70 trips throughout the Greater Himalaya, Karakoram, and European Alps. Author of Bhutan: A Trekker's Guide, Bart has led an impressive tally of rigorous treks since 1984, including technical trekking peaks as well as extensive travels in Nepal, Ladakh, Pakistan, Tibet, and Bhutan. Bart, a Dutch citizen, lived in Bhutan with his wife Helene (who worked with a Danish Aid Organization) and their family for many years. It is this vast experience and familiarity with the region that help make him such a wonderful traveling companion.

Tshering Dorji is a guide from Paro who has led trips for GeoEx for more than 10 years and studied tourism and hotel management in Austria. Tshering, a Paro native, went to school in Punakha and completed college from Sherubtse in eastern Bhutan. He subsequently studied at the Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management in Salzburg, Austria. Tshering is intimately familiar with every corner of Bhutan, extremely knowledgeable, and always alert to client's needs.

Dr. Robert Thurman, a guest lecturer on select GeoEx trips, is a renowned scholar of Tibetan Buddhism and author of numerous books and videos on Buddhism, Tibet, and Buddhist philosophy. Dr. Thurman is a Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, President of the Tibet House U.S., a non-profit organization devoted to the preservation and promotion of Tibetan culture, and President of the American Institute of Buddhist Studies, a non-profit dedicated to the publication of translations of the entire Tibetan Tanjur. The New York Times recently described Thurman as "the leading American expert on Tibetan Buddhism." But it's Thurman's unique take on the relevance of Buddhism to American culture and politics - as well as his wit and creativity in weaving ancient Buddhist wisdom and popular Western ideals - that make him such a compelling lecturer.