Biography

Nick Pérez

Chief Guide Officer

Nick is a native Kuna Indian giving special tours to Kuna Indian land in Kuna Yala, Panama.

Nick was born in Ogobsucun, one of the 55 Kuna Indian villages.

He came to Panama City when he was seven years old to continue his schooling. When he finished high school in 1989, Nick worked as a barber on United States military bases in Panama for eight years.

He then spent one year studying and traveling in the U.S.A. getting to know the American culture and history. Nick knows the Kuna Indian culture as well, having learned from his father the history of the Kuna.

Nick has also worked in many Kuna Indian lodges and in the Tropic Star Lodge & Fishing Resort in Panama.

Currently Nick works as a personal assistant to an American programmer and manages two apartments in Panama City, but is available for personalized tours to San Blas and Panama City. He is also very knowledgeable about and can offer recommendations on accommodations in San Blas/Kuna Yala, especially the Sapibenega Lodge in the Playon Chico community, the Kuanidup Lodge in the Rio Sidra community, and the Dolphin Lodge in Achutupu community. All three lodges offer snorkeling, hiking, cemetery visits, waterfall tours, and exploring Kuna communities to see how the Kuna Indians live and how the Kuna women make the famous mola (dress). Nick has worked as a guide in all three lodges, and knows them better than anyone else.