Mathias Onisseit
Originally from Germany, in 2010 I set out to explore South America and soon fell in love with the super-diverse country named Ecuador (and its neat little attachment Galapagos). What fascinates me the most about this country is the fact that it has it all: lush rain-forests, mystic cloud forests, snow-capped mountain peaks, endless beaches and the most particular ecosystem, the Galapagos Islands. Everything just a few hours travel away. Diverse landscapes along with equally diverse people. My goal is to make you experience all of this first-hand. If after your trip you wish to return to Ecuador (you wouldn’t be the first!) then my mission has been achieved.
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"I cover all Ecuador, including the Galapagos Islands, but due to interest I focus on off-the-beaten-track regions such as Manabí and Azuay provinces, as well as on cloud and rain forest habitats including their unique wildlife, especially fungi, birds and also insects."
How did you get involved in travel?
"While at the biggest travel fare of them all (ITB in Berlin), I was looking for some new travel inspiration, I stumbled into what would be my future employer, a travel agency in Ecuador. Immediately I got excited about the idea of being able to share the fascination of this country with others and at the same time being able to live here."
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"To me, there is not the one special travel experience, instead it is the simple things that make memories: waking up to the singing of birds and howling of monkeys, snorkeling with baby sharks on a sunny beach day, a stroll in the rain on a muddy cloud forest trail or the interminable hike to the top of an active volcano. And of course, all the incredible personalities that you meet along the road contribute to awesome experiences that last a lifetime."
Featured trips & expertise
Outdoor Adventure in the Ecuadorian Amazon - 5 Days
Canoe through the jungle, spot pink dolphins in the wild, visit an indigenous community, and sleep under the stars — this action-packed itinerary takes you deep into the Ecuadorian Amazon for five days of outdoor adventure! After a day of sightseeing in Quito, you'll travel to the rainforest, entering the jungle aboard a motorized canoe. You'll set up camp on the edge of Zancudococha Lake, your home base for the rest of the trip. Jungle hikes, wildlife spotting excursions, swimming, piranha fishing, and boating are all on the agenda, not to mention guided rainforest hikes after sunset. Keep your eyes open for frogs, spiders, caimans, and other nocturnal wildlife: the jungle comes alive after dark!
Ecuador Family Trip: Quito, the Amazon & Galapagos Islands - 11 Days
From the colorful wildlife of the Amazon rainforest to the underwater playground of the Galapagos, this family-friendly journey around Ecuador offers adventure and education for all ages. Start in Quito, where you'll take a hands-on cooking class and set foot on both halves of the equator at Mitad del Mundo. Then delve into the Amazon rainforest, spotting exotic insects on a nighttime jungle tour and canoeing to a parrot habitat — bring your binoculars for the best views! Finish the itinerary in the Galapagos Islands with several days of wildlife viewing, snorkeling, and so much more. Keep your eyes open for giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies!
Cruise the Galapagos Archipelago - 10 Days
Explore the Galapagos Islands on a yacht! This 10-day tour takes you around the archipelago to see Humboldt penguins in their natural habitat, snorkel with sea turtles, explore tidal pools, visit Charles Darwin Station, hike to a volcanic crater, and spot blue-footed boobies in the wild. After spending the first night on dry land, you'll island-hop to various islands, including San Cristobal, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, South Plaza, and North Seymour, stopping at various natural attractions along the way.
Multi Country South America Adventure: Ecuador & Peru - 14 Days
Experience the best of Ecuador's mainland and Peru's highlights on this two-week trip. Start in Quito to tour the UNESCO-designated city center, then head to the Amazon for cultural experiences with the Kichwa indigenous community, wildlife viewing, and a peaceful rainforest atmosphere. Return to Quito by way of Cotopaxi National Park, home to the eponymous volcano. Then, catch a flight to Lima—the urban hub of Peru. End the trip with a visit to Cusco's pre-Inca ruins and a tour of the Sacred Valley and imperial Machu Picchu residence.
Galapagos Highlights: Santa Cruz Island - 5 Days
Travelers wanting to keep their costs low will enjoy this short but active five-day tour. Staying on Santa Cruz Island, you'll take tours to some of the highlights, such as the unmissable Charles Darwin Research Station, and a boat tour where you can snorkel with sea turtles if you wish. There's also plenty of downtime scheduled, so choose your own activities that suit your interests: chill out on a beach, visit enormous Galapagos tortoises, and more.
Best of Ecuador: Quito, Amazon, Cotopaxi, & Galapagos - 14 Days
Experience the best of Ecuador while getting to know its three main ecological regions: the Amazon rainforest, volcano highlands, and Galapagos Islands on this 14-day itinerary. Start the trip in Quito to see the UNESCO designated colonial city center, then head to the rainforest for three days at an ecolodge. Hike near volcanic lagoons and browse mountain markets, then catch a flight to Santa Cruz for three days of exploring uninhabited islands and spotting endemic wildlife.
Recent trip reviews for Mathias
Great Team, Well Coordinated, Super Flexible/Accomodating · Ecuador - Jun 21 - Jun 29, 2022
We honestly can't say enough how much our family appreciated all the effort that went into planning and orchestrating our trip. There was some unexpected civil unrest throughout the country when we visited, we even considered cancelling the trip all together but we're so glad that we didn't. Mathias and his team were amazing and were great at keeping up to date on the situation and changed our itinerary to help us avoid protests and demonstrations. Although it was a bit dissapointing that we... read more
Amazing Galapagos Adventure · Galapagos Islands - May 21 - May 27, 2022
A quick note that my family had an amazing trip to the Galapagos. A special thank you to Mathias who helped with the pre-planning, advance trip details and check-ins during the trip to make sure everything went smoothly.
We visited all three islands and had great excursions and experiences on all. Mathias planned just enough snorkeling, hiking and travel with down time to spend with the family. ALL of our guides were top notch and were prompt and very knowledgeable and engaging.
It is... read more
This is the way to travel · Ecuador - May 10 - May 23, 2022
Mathias understood right away our needs and wants and developed a great trip that left out nothing. Since we have family in Ecuador, he was able to weave in our requirement to do some things with family.
Sebastian, our guide, was equal to the task of integrating everything we were to do. Tip: go over the next day's schedule with him the night before so that he knows your expectations. He is great at anticipating needs and wants and fulfilling them before you can even ask.
All in all, a... read more
A lot to see! · Ecuador - Feb 27 - Mar 15, 2022
I spent 15 days in Ecuador touring areas around Quito, the Amazon, and the Galapagos islands. I traveled alone with a guide until he dropped me off to go to the Galapagos.
I used Quito as a home base and took a free day, explored the old town and middle of the world museum, Otavalo, and Cotopaxi. I also stayed in Mindo and Banos. They were worth visiting.
In the Amazon, I stayed at the Kuyana lodge and in the Galapagos used Santa Cruz as a home base.
I was pleased with the... read more
This was an absolutely amazing trip, Mathias ... · Ecuador - Mar 16 - Mar 21, 2022
This was an absolutely amazing trip, Mathias and his team were excellent. We were planning a trip for spring break with our 12 and eight-year-olds and looking for adventure that would also be appropriate for this age range. He worked with us on several different itineraries to give us options, listened to our requests for Accommodations, and provided us with the most amazing driver Sebastian who was so knowledgeable about the country, and very patient with our children! He went above and... read more
Mathias was excellent, very responsive, even ... · Ecuador - Mar 14 - Mar 29, 2022
Mathias was excellent, very responsive, even to last minute changes, and met us in person when we checked in! The Alejandros, Jose, Fabian, Dario, Julian, and probably some others i may not remember names, were all wonderful. Ecuador is a beautiful place, not to mention the Galapagoes, WOW. highly recommend it. Never felt unsafe. Accommodations were all excellent. Loved the cooking class. 2 favorites: the Amazon jungle lodge - Aguas Negras( Fabian), and of course the Gallapagoes which was... read more
Unforgettable rainforest experience · Ecuador - Feb 24 - Mar 15, 2022
This was the most memorable and educational trip of my life. Mathias was very attentive to every question I had. He kept in touch with me. He even checked on my health condition and my husband's injury while we were away. I cannot say enough good things about him.
Our first guide, Sebastian, was a very fun young man to be with. He was polite, attentive, and laughed with us. He was very knowledgeable about the country of Ecuador. He will go far in his career as a guide.
Our guide in... read more
Dear Cathy & Russell,
thanks a lot for your feedback on your recent trip to Ecuador! I have already forwarded your comments to everyone who helped making this trip a wonderful experience for you: Your guides Sebastian and Fabian, the hotels and the rest of the staff at Authentic Ecuador.
I‘m happy that this expedition, which we started planning last year, met your expectations and beyond. And it was a very special trip indeed, with all the different places you visited in eastern Ecuador,... read more
Wonderful trip to Ecuador February, 2022 · Ecuador - Feb 8 - Feb 17, 2022
My wife and I recently completed a 10 day trip to Ecuador and had a tremendous time. We knew very little about the country but wanted to see and learn as much as possible during our 10 day journey. We communicated with Mathias of Authentic Ecuador and found him to be very responsive
and helpful. We traveled Feb. 8-17, 2022 just as the Omicron variant was complicating travel in
many parts of the world. We were helped with all of the details and felt well supported. We arrived in Quito about... read more
Dear James,
thank you very much for your feedback! I am glad that together, we were able to organize this last minute trip in Ecuador for you and Mary, and that we could take you to all of the places that interested you, without interference from the pandemic. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed the company of your guide Cristian, and that he was able to not only introduce you to the highlights of this beautiful country, but also to the culture of the friendly Ecuadorians.
Hopefully you... read more
Last minute Amazing journey · Ecuador - Jan 7 - Jan 17, 2022
Wow!! What an amazing journey! Mathias and the entire Authentic Ecuador team were just amazing. We already had a trip planned to Southeast Asia that got derailed because of the Omicron variant of Covid. We were able to book an amazing trip through Kim Kim and with Mathias To South and Central America. We began in Peru and then arrived in Ecuador. Ecuador was absolutely magical! We explored Quito, Banos, Archidona and The rainforest at Yasuni National Park. Our guide and driver, Cristian,... read more
Dear Kelly,
thanks again for planning this last minute trip with Kimkim and Authentic Ecuador, I‘m glad that we were able to provide a wonderful experience despite the fact that you „had“ to switch to Ecuador on such a short notice when your original destination closed borders. And of the dozens of countries you have already visited, maybe Ecuador even makes it into your favorites.
See you again soon in Ecuador, maybe next time with your children!
Greetings from Quito and always happy and safe travels!
Best regards,
Mathias
Great customized itinerary with frequent communication · Galapagos Islands - Dec 26 - Jan 9, 2022
Planning my trip to Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands was a daunting task. Luckily I found kimkim and especially Mathias to guide me on a fantastic journey. Mathias worked closely with me to customize the perfect itinerary for all the things I wanted to do and see. Not only this, but Mathias gave me great advice ranging from packing lists to to restaurants to how to split up my time across locations. He also scheduled things like airport/hotel pickups, taxi boat fees and Covid testing which... read more
Alex, thank you so much for this flattering review! I'm glad that despite the seasoned and independent traveler you are, I could simplify the entire process for you and take some of that burden off your shoulders that always comes with going on a trip to an unknown country, both before and during the trip.
I think we enjoyed having you as our guest as much as you enjoyed Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, and needless to say that we are looking forward to welcome you again to explore all the other beautiful locations on your next trip to Ecuador!
Mathias was extraordinary! He helped us throu... · Ecuador - Dec 19 - Dec 29, 2021
Mathias was extraordinary! He helped us through the entire process from customizing the trip to our needs and physical abilities to covering as much as possible culture and nature. He had a network of amazing guides in all locations to that truly cared for us. He even came to meet us in person at our hotel and left us a little present w Ecuador goodies. From Quito bike tour & cooking class to Quitsao& Otavalo and then Galapagos we had an great time in Ecuador! Also, we appreciated the... read more
Thanks for your feedback on your trip to Ecuador, Luana! It was fun planning this trip with you and I'm really happy that you, Amalia and Victor enjoyed the trip to the fullest! Your guides had a great time too I've been told. And now that you got a taste of South America, I'm sure that you will come back to explore our neighboring countries and maybe the places in Ecuador you couldn't see this time around. :) Take care!
Mathias put together a fantastic photography ... · Ecuador - Nov 15 - Nov 21, 2021
Mathias put together a fantastic photography trip in the Quilotoa and Imbabura regions of Ecuador. All lodging, guides and drivers were excellent and on schedule. Mathias was always available for questions and assistance when needed and he even went to the length of accompanying me for a couple of days in the trip. He is very professional and has a gift to quickly and exactly understand his clients needs. I cannot thank him enough and would recommend him to anyone for future trip planing in Ecuador, a country he knows very well.
Mehdi,
thanks a lot for your review! It was indeed an interesting trip we put together, and I enjoyed accompanying a part of it. And judging by the photos I have seen, I think your trip was a success!
I am looking forward to helping you organize another trip in the future to explore the other parts of this versatile country. PS.: Greetings from Alejandro!
A Fantastic Three-Week Adventure in Ecuador · Ecuador - Jul 2 - Jul 20, 2021
Simply put, my wife and I had a spectacular three-week trip to Ecuador. Mathias and his team provided a very well-organized adventure for us that was well-paced and filled with new sites, learning, and exploring. From Quito to the Galapagos, to Mindo, the Amazon rain forest, and the highlands of Cotapoxi our trip was superb. Every local guide was on time, thoughtful, and very knowledgeable. The wonderful sections of beautiful boutique hotels and the excursions were safe and exciting. Every... read more
Katie & Rob,
thank you very much for sharing your experience with other travelers! I'm glad you enjoyed your time here. Hopefully, you can return soon to reunite with your new friends and see the other parts of this diverse country!
Hasta pronto,
Mathias
Visiting the beautiful, welcoming country of Ecuador · Ecuador - Jun 10 - Jun 21, 2021
Would highly recommend traveling to the beautiful country of Ecuador. The country is welcoming and beautiful, and the people are even more so. We felt safe and well taken care of the entire trip. Our local specialist, Mathias, took care of all the planning/bookings. The local people, drivers, and guides could not be more genuine lovely people.
We visited the Amazon for 4 days, Quito for 2 days, and the Galapagos for 5 days. It felt like the perfect amount of time in each location, the only... read more
Thank you Jackie for sharing your experience here in Ecuador with other travelers! The entire team is very glad to hear that you enjoyed your time here and that everything was as planned (or even better).
Regarding the amount of travel time between the different parts of the country, this was mainly due to the pandemic situation, which still makes air travel difficult to some locations sometimes, as was the case for your trip to the rainforest, which is why we took you there by private... read more
Mathias is extremely responsive and organized. · Ecuador - May 15 - May 22, 2021
Mathias is extremely responsive and organized. I asked for an adventurous trip filled with culture and that’s exactly what Mathias put together for me.
Thanks for your feedback, Arianna! It was a pleasure having you as our guest, it was fun planning this trip with you and I'm happy that you enjoyed it to the fullest!
Matias put together an awesome trip to an amazing country. · Ecuador - Jan 22 - Jan 31, 2021
Matias was amazing. Quick responses, answered all the questions we had, most before we thought to ask them. The partners he worked with were on time, friendly, and knowledgeable. The hotels we were set up in were all great, from hot tubs heated by volcanos to having breakfast with a troop of monkeys, it was places that were unique, clean and friendly. I would send anyone I know to Ecuador and I will give them Matias' contact information to make their trip as special as he made ours.
Thanks for your feedback, Jeremy! It was great having you guys as one of our first guests since the beginning of the pandemic. And I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed your time here to the fullest!
I wish you all the best and a great time on your next trips, maybe one day you will return to see the other parts of this beautiful country.
Hasta luego,
Mathias