Patricia Stucki

Patricia “Pati” Stucki was born and raised in St. Gallen, a town in the eastern part of Switzerland. Her interest and commitment to the Galápagos began at an early age—she once raised funds for the archipelago by selling Swiss chocolates. As a journalist for the Swiss news agency, Pati developed a genuine fascination for travel and natural history, and her journeys took her to Asia, Australia, and Central America before finally landing in the Galápagos in 1996, where the ocean and islands fully captured her awe. Her work as a naturalist and dive guide in the islands is fueled by her passion for the flora and fauna. “One of the things I love most is to explore the underwater world and show people the part of Galapagos that Charles Darwin never got to see,” she says. When not guiding, she enjoys gardening, photography, and tending to her organic cocoa plantation in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island (ask her about her “Dark Shark” chocolates!). She is fluent in Spanish, English, German, and French.