Europe Trip Leader
Languages Spoken: English, French, Spanish, German
Marian Gibert was born in Bilbao, Spain, grew up in Venezuela, and later lived in Britain, where she studied Business Administration at Cambridge. She also lived and worked in a ski resort in the Swiss Alps, picking up the Swiss-German and French languages along with her fluent English. Her passion for outdoor sports led her to operate, at age 23, her own mountain hotel in a small village in the Alpujarras, where she guided horseback riding and mountain biking trips. "My passion is to be outdoors sharing the traditions, culture, art and gastronomy of the areas we visit. One of my favorite trips is the Pilgrim's Way. Since I walked alone from the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela, I got addicted to that trail and every chance I have, I walk a few stages.” After backpacking on six continents, Marian has settled in France. When not guiding, apart from exploring new hikes with her daughter and shepherd dogs, she is learning Euskara, the language of the Basque Country.
Our TeamMarian was off the charts as a leader...fun, engaging, caring, energetic, and professional. You could not have had a better person to lead our group.
Alan C.
Pittsburgh, PA
Granada to Sevilla
Marian’s knowledge of the area was critical to the success of the trip. She was wonderful. Every little detail was taken care of.
Angela D.
Easton, CT
Granada to Sevilla
Marian was so much fun to be with, and had a great sense of humor and ability to interact easily with all on the trip. I loved her attention to the food we ate and her incredible knowledge of the history of the area. She had hiked the entire camino on her own in the past, was so willing to share her own personal experiences that made our own hike even more meaningful. I would definitely look for more trips she was guiding just to be with her again!
Ann C.
Seattle, WA
Pilgrim's Way
Marian is over-the-top fantastic! She is sophisticated, full of vitality and good humor, and able to shepherd her flock of walkers expertly. She never passed up an opportunity to take advantage of a serendipitous event: flamenco dancing at a lottery drawing; red-pepper roasting at a roadside farm; La Tuna singers in the town center.
Anne K.
Ann Arbor, MI
Pilgrim's Way
Marian's enthusiasm and wide knowledge base of the history of northern Spain made this trip not just another walking tour but a cultural experience.
Annie T.
Santa Cruz, CA
Pilgrim's Way
Marian made the trip! She was organized, knowledgeable, and passionate about Spain. We really enjoyed her good sense of humor and her honest care and concern about us.
Brenda S.
Thompson's Station, TN
Granada to Sevilla
A ball of fire! Knowledgeable, wonderful personality, helpful, filled with information, and wonderful to be around.
Bruce W.
Essex, CT
Granada to Sevilla
Marian has a passion and respect for her country and its history, and LOVES sharing it with the group.
Dorothy F.
Basalt, CO
Pilgrim's Way
Marian was simply a delight. She is a warm and capable leader who ensured the trip came off flawlessly and the needs of the group and of each individual participant were fully considered and properly addressed. Her willingness and ability to leverage her knowledge of the local culture greatly enhanced the experience for us.
Glenn R.
Towaco, NJ
Granada to Sevilla
Although I have hiked for many years, Marian taught me how to hike steep terrain in a new way. She was endlessly encouraging and her knowledge of trails in this area came through as she helped each of us individually to enjoy the particulars of the day's hike with her enthusiasm for this type of life.
Helen O.
Salt Spring Island, BC
Heart of Switzerland
She and her crew did a good job of adjusting hikes to accommodate the weather.
Jack H.
Cockeysville, MD
Bilbao and the Picos de Europa
Marian Gibert is a prize! She is a true professional, and can handle any situation. She clearly had put an enormous amount of work into planning this exploratory trip. I would think that the WT office could give her free rein to make whatever modifications she feels might be necessary for future trips.
Jane S.
Boulder, CO
Bilbao and the Picos de Europa
Engaging, well organized. Excellent in all areas. Would travel with her anytime.
Jenny S.
Mendham, NJ
Pilgrim’s Way
Marian was the secret to our trip. She knew the Camino, Spanish history, food, wine, and people so well and negotiated a stellar trip.
Joan W.
Owen Sound, Ontario
Pilgrim's Way
We loved Marian—energetic, caring, organized, and good fun!
Jodi & Tim L.
Honolulu, HI
Heart of Switzerland
Marian was so much fun! Her enthusiasm was infectious, and she provided so much background on the history, architecture, vinticulture, and cuisine of the region.
John H.
Wheaton, IL
Pilgrim's Way
Delightful! My first trip with her and I hope not the last.
Judith J.
Tucson, AZ
Bilbao and the Picos de Europa
Marian was like a sister you love! Smart and classy and stylish and funny and warm and beautiful inside and out!
Judy S.
San Diego, CA
Pilgrim's Way
Marian was nothing short of amazing. She was very helpful in all the logistics of the trip, went out of her way to be helpful to us, and had great knowledge of the area.
Karen L.
Burr Ridge, IL
Marian is one of the best communicators that I have ever met. Her listening , speaking skills, insight, and knowledge of area is superior.
Kathy B.
Denver, CO
Pilgrim's Way
Marian was awesome. Her knowledge of the area, and particularly the local food and wine, was amazing. She went "above and beyond" to provide a great experience for each of us.
Kim M.
Sacramento, CA
Pilgrim's Way
Marian is as delightful a companion as she is a skillful guide; warm and passionate, capable and resourceful. A treasure.
Linda G.
San Rafael, CA
Switzerland: The Via Alpina
Marian was a delight to be with. Always upbeat, enthusiastic, and helpful. An extraordinary planner and organizer.
Linnea C.
Berkeley, CA
Granada to Sevilla
Marian was the best leader we have ever had. She taught us so much and was a joy to be with.
Lynda C.
Atlanta, GA
Pilgrim's Way
Marian was a wonderful leader. She always went that extra mile to make our trip more special and pleasant. Her enthusiasm and charisma were great.
Maria T.
Golden Beach, FL
Pilgrim's Way
Marian's enthusiasm was amazing and infectious. She kept us organized, on track, and enjoying things every step of the way.
Mashenka L.
Golden, CO
Heart of Switzerland
Marian was a fantastic leader, with amazing energy and infectious enthusiasm! She handled our group of diversely experienced trekkers with great consideration. We loved it!
Mattie V.
Tampa, FL
Pilgrim's Way
This was my fifth WT trip, and Marian was easily the best leader I have encountered. She is extremely competent, solicitous of the welfare of the group, knowlegable of the area, fluent in English, and just a genuinely nice and fun person.
Mike H.
Charlottesville, VA
Granada to Sevilla
Marian could not have been more positive or delightful! She was great.
Nancy B.
Villa Park, IL
Granada to Sevilla
Marian is a great leader, with high energy and enthusiasm, and a lot of fun.
Nancy F.
New York, NY
Pilgrim's Way
Marian is superb. She excelled in every aspect of leadership and made our trip highly successful. She is one of a kind—WT is lucky to have her as one of your leaders. Flawless!
Nancy S.
Sunriver, OR
Heart of Switzerland
Marian is a delight—smart, organized, energetic, kind to everyone, resourceful, and just perfect!
Pat D.
Cambridge, MA
Pilgrim's Way
Marian's warmth, professionalism, hiking expertise, and patience was greatly appreciated. I don't think I could have been successful in all hikes without her help.
Patricia O.
Santa Rosa, CA
Great Alpine Traverse
The whole trip was flawless and Marian made it look seamless and easy!
Rose C.
Charlottesville, VA
Granada to Sevilla
Her presence on the trip was an enormous gift. I would select future trips knowing she would be on the leadership team.
Ross W.
Lake Hopatcong, NJ
Pilgrim’s Way
A delightful and caring trip leader. Very attentive to everyone's needs, and enthusiastic about sharing our adventures!
Sandra & Steven F.
Carmichael, CA
Granada to Sevilla
Marian is an exceptional leader—knowledgeable, energetic, and enthusiastic.
Sara C.
El Dorado Hills, CA
Pilgrim's Way
I've been lucky to have some top guides on my trips, and Marian is in the top tier—there's no one better. She is fun, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and full of well-directed energy.
Steve F.
Hermosa Beach, CA
Bilbao and the Picos de Europa
Marian is a lovely woman. She expresses sincere interest in every group member and adds greatly to the educational component of the trip.
Susan W.
Albuquerque, NM
Granada to Sevilla
Marian is a first rate guide and an excellent example of why we are so impressed with Wilderness Travel. She represents your company beautifully: she is very well informed about the local history, local foods and wines, geography and environmental issues, regional areas of interest, and she exudes enthusiasm 24/7. A very polished, well educated, entertaining trip leader.
Susan W.
Albuquerque, NM
Pilgrim's Way
I really enjoyed Marian. She was a wealth of information, interesting to talk to and kind and helpful.
Suzanne W.
Weybridge, VT
Granada to Sevilla
Marian deserves a rating higher than Excellent. Magnificent? Unsurpassable?
Wendy Y.
Pebble Beach, CA
Granada to Sevilla
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our adventures around the world. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!