Expedition Leader, Mariam Pousa "The nature of the remote places we visit is unpredictable, but that’s what makes them so special!"
We spoke to Swan Hellenic’s Expedition Leader, Mariam Pousa, to get the lowdown on life changing adventures, ever-changing environments and more…
Hey Mariam, can you tell us about being an Expedition Leader?
Mariam: Sure! What I love most of being an Expedition Leader is helping shape truly memorable moments for our guests—especially knowing that, for many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime journey. No two voyages are ever the same, and that’s part of what makes this work so exciting. Being a leader for me is all about building a strong team and creating the right conditions for everyone to do their best. I see my role as supporting the team so we can deliver an exceptional experience together—after all, it’s a shared effort. That said, the Expedition Leader carries the weight of the bigger picture, with the responsibility of planning ahead, adapting to change, and making sure everything runs smoothly.
How did you start your career as a guide?
Mariam: I started guiding as a teenager, I had a summer job leading horseback tours. Then, when I was 20, I was invited to help on a sailing trip to the Antarctic Peninsula. I’d been obsessed with Antarctic explorers since childhood, and suddenly, I was sailing among the very places I had read about! From then on, I spent every summer assisting in mountaineering expeditions and doing outdoor courses, looking for a way back to Antarctica. After graduating and returning to Ushuaia, a friend mentioned a company was looking for a historian. With my background and degree in cultural heritage I was a perfect fit. I’ve never looked back!
How has hailing from Ushuaia, Argentina, impacted your relationship with nature and the wild?
Mariam: Thirty something years ago, Ushuaia was a much smaller town—there was only one traffic light, very few flights, and limited access to TV. Without these distractions, our holidays were spent in the forest camping, sailing in the Beagle channel, and or climbing this little bit of the Andes. I went on my first camping trip when I was just eight-months-old, and growing up in such a remote place, surrounded by nature and a tight-knit community, made it easy to develop a deep love for the natural environment. Living so close to the wild shaped my appreciation for nature and ultimately guided my path in life.
Tell us about your passion for conservation and how you apply it to your job at the UNESCO Foundation in Latin America
Mariam: Even while working as a guide, I never fully left my academic side behind, I’m a Conservator of cultural heritage in remote environments and underwater context. In the off-season, I dive (sometimes literally!) into research and teach archaeologists at UNESCO how not to accidentally destroy the treasures they find. My job is to make sure artifacts don’t fall apart the moment they’re brought up from underwater. Shipwrecks are incredible time capsules—wood that’s still intact, weirdly corroded metal, sometimes even food or fabric is found. The challenge is to preserve them while piecing together their story—how the ship was built, where it sailed, what people ate onboard. The best part? That time-travel moment when you’re holding something last touched by a sailor hundreds of years ago. It’s history you can literally hold in your hands.
Embracing the spirit of expedition
You have a background in lecturing for Swan Hellenic. What are the challenges of being a lecturer?
Mariam: The challenge is to make the lectures both educational and fun. Since we’re often discussing what’s right outside, the goal is to inspire guests to see beyond the landscape—to understand wildlife behavior, history, and the stories of a specific place. A good lecture should be informative yet entertaining, so when guests step outside, they can connect what they see with what they've learned. Each lecture is unique, even when it’s prepared in advance, because I tailor it to the guests and our shared experiences on each voyage. This keeps it fun for me but also turns the voyage into a shared adventure.
What historical stories have you encountered on your travels?
Mariam: One of the most fascinating historical stories I think about during my travels is the Belgic Expedition in Antarctica. It was also Amundsen’s first experience out there, and I often think about how that voyage shaped him. He wasn’t a polar legend yet—he was learning. That winter, stuck in the ice, he studied everything: the weather, the wildlife, survival skills, even how to ski better. It was his classroom, in the harshest conditions imaginable. I often reflect on that when I’m out on deck feeling the sting of the wind, and I think about the extreme challenges he faced. That’s where Amundsen became an explorer—not in triumph, but in preparation.
How do you coordinate successful expeditions?
Mariam: Teamwork is the backbone of a successful voyage. From the bridge to the galley, every department plays a role in creating an outstanding guest experience. In expeditions, constant communication is key—it allows us to adapt quickly, align our plans, and make informed decisions together. Let’s say If a polar bear appears near the ship, for instance, I coordinate with the Captain on positioning safely, check with the restaurant to adjust timing if needed, and make sure everyone is aligned so guests don’t miss anything. That kind of coordination ensures things will flows seamlessly, even when nature throws in a surprise, together we can make it an unforgettable moment.
What challenges come with your job?
Mariam: Being an Expedition Leader is like playing chess—you need to anticipate how all the pieces move while adapting to nature’s unpredictability. The key challenge is balancing flexibility with preparedness, ensuring you have multiple plans in place while embracing changes as opportunities rather than disruptions.
Amazing adventures
What remote places do you enjoy visiting outside of expeditions?
Mariam: When I’m not guiding an expedition, I often jump into expeditions on my own! I have a constant need to explore new ecosystems, especially to encounter wildlife on the brink of disappearing. I’ve traveled to see species like the world's most endangered porpoise, the vaquita, in the Gulf of California, and the saiga antelope in Central Asia, which conservationists are desperately trying to protect from poaching and habitat loss. The world is changing fast, and I feel an urgency to witness it—to understand how communities are fighting to preserve what’s left before it’s too late. And knowing is key—because the more we learn, the more we can share and spread awareness to help protect these fragile ecosystems.
How does local wildlife sometimes surprise Swan Hellenic guests?
Mariam: It's always the little things that I see they surprise them the most. Guests often don't expect seals to be as funny as they are. They’re real characters! Penguins never fail to steal hearts with their irresistible cuteness. And, of course, whales are so majestic they leave people in awe. Their gentle nature and graceful presence, particularly when they swim near the zodiac, create a profound sense of connection. Many guests also find themselves humbled by the enormity and power of glaciers. It’s a moment to reflect on time and nature’s vastness. Looking at that deep blue ice is like traveling in time—like looking at the stars in a way—because you’re seeing something that formed millennia ago.
You are a hiker and a climber, can you name some of your favorite spots from your travels?
Mariam: My favorite spots are the Patagonian mountains—like the small village of El Chaltén or the Catedral granite peaks in Bariloche, Argentina—and the French Alps in the shoulder season (between peak and off-peak seasons), where I climb and ski as much as possible! Just the sound of metal gear in my harness or my face covered in powder snow with a great view in the background is making me smile right now, mountains are my ideal vacations!
What's your favorite kind of expedition?
Mariam: The thing I enjoy most is hiking with guests and going beyond the usual landing sites. Our motto, "See what others don't," perfectly captures this spirit. I love going to South Georgia with Swan Hellenic, as we plan and execute hikes that take guests deeper into the landscape, always prioritizing safety while offering unique adventures!
A lasting impression
Do guests have misconceptions about the places we visit?
Mariam: Some guests come with the misconception that the polar regions are frozen in time, and unchanging—like the dark side of the moon. However, once they set foot there, they’re surprised by how dynamic the environment is. Penguins arrive, whales surface, and the weather shifts dramatically, from sunny to stormy in just half an hour. They can be surprised at how dynamic the ecosystems and landscape is. While the remoteness and wilderness are undeniable, the true dynamism of the polar regions often takes them by surprise.
What message do you hope guests take away from expeditions?
Mariam: Guests come to the wilderness and polar regions for different reasons, whether to fulfill a dream or seek something unexpected. I listen to what they want and try to deliver the most fitting experience for them. My hope is that they return to urban life with a deeper awareness of the beauty, fragility, and unique ecosystems of the polar regions.
What advice would you give to aspiring Expedition Leaders?
Mariam: My advice is to nurture curiosity in yourself, your guests, and your team. The nature of the remote places we visit is unpredictable, but that’s what makes them so special. So embrace flexibility, but also build a deep respect for the places you explore. Trust your experience, and continue learning with a beginner's mindset—it’s a real asset. Stay humble, listen, and never lose sight of the bigger picture.