FOUNDER, RAÚL GARCÍA

Raúl García, known as “El Capi” (short for “The Captain”) is as much a travel expert as he is an ecotourism entrepreneur and pioneer. He is the founder and CEO of Anakonda Amazon Cruises, the only cruise line in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest.

In the early 1970s, El Capi began both his naval and travel experiences in the renowned Galapagos Islands. In the mid 70s, he travelled to the Ecuadorian Amazon to embark on a whole new adventure as the General Manager of the first Ecuadorian Amazon cruise-vessel in history.

In 1992, Raúl founded the travel agency Advantage Travel. He launched his own river cruise, the Manatee, in 2002. In 2013, he launched the Anakonda, his most ambitious project and the product of nearly half a century of navigation in Ecuadorian waters and in the summer of 2017, a new Manatee was launched to replace the older model and create the only cruise line in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest.

Raúl’s work is motivated by a deep commitment to meld conservationism with unique travel experiences. In 1985, he co-founded Ecuador’s Ecotourism Society, which worked to implement sustainable practices in the Amazon that both benefited the environment and the people living there.

Based on this commitment, one of the main visions of the cruise line over the past 15 years has been to support the communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon and provide them with an alternative form of income. Over 50% of the staff of Anakonda Amazon Cruises’ two current vessels—the Anakonda and the Manatee—are members of the local communities. Additionally, Raúl has worked to develop two endangered species conservation programs that are maintained by the communities. These act as experiences for cruise guests and affords the communities the ability to support themselves in a sustainable way by taking care of the environment.

Additionally, Raúl organizes cultural encounter activities for every one of the cruise line’s itineraries. Guests are invited to experience the traditional meals and customs of the communities. Raúl takes great care to make sure the experience is as authentic as possible and that careful consideration is taken with absolute respect for community members. Guests meet with community members in their homes or village centers and are introduced by the guides, many who are from the area.

By creating an alternative form of income that is aligned with the needs of the ecosystem and constructing a platform for sharing ancestral cultures, Raúl is continually striving to help preserve the communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon. Built on the personal relationships he has developed over 40 years in the rainforest, Raúl’s initiatives are based on friendship and a deep passion for conservation of the Amazon.