Our Story
Welcome to Mondumo!
Whilst being high in quality, we are down-to-earth in our approach. Our tours are not intended to shield tour members from the society they visit. Instead, we encourage them to embrace it, and connect with it. We aim to burst the tourist bubble!
Hear what past tour members have to say on TripAdvisor and Facebook reviews.
Read more about our people and our tour guides below.
Claudia Mairs
Mondumo Director and Experience Designer
Claudia is a Mondumo director, Experience Designer and our Development Guru.
Claudia grew up in Mexico City and moved to New Zealand in 2007. Her favourite travel destination is Petra in Jordan. She loves to dance, especially salsa, and is a keen photographer.
Claudia says "If Colin is the dreamer of Mondumo, I am the level-headed and practical one. Colin has all the fluffy ideas and I come in with the clear direction to get things in focus."
Thanks to Claudia a lot more things get finished than they otherwise would by Colin alone.
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David Willett
Tour Guide
Leading Mondumo Tours in: Australia
David is a former journalist and guidebook writer who has been leading tours for more than 20 years. He is co-author of Lonely Planet Australia and Lonely Planet New South Wales guidebook, as well as Lonely Planet guides to Greece and the Greek Islands.
David also leads tours for Rick Steves Europe, in Greece for many years, and since Brexit, he has been leading Rick Steves Europe tours of Great Britain.
Growing up traveling with his parents David has always regarded traveling, and experiencing different cultures, as a normal part of life. Home is near Coffs Harbour in northern New South Wales, with its wonderful climate and, for rural Australia, an unusually diverse population.
David says βBeing a guidebook author makes me aware of the full range of possibilities for my groups. I have a long list of friends and contacts from my guidebook days who keep me informed of the latest developments.β
When not out on the road, David enjoys gardening and the propagation of Australian native plants. He says βI also keep chickens β which is sometimes at odds with the gardening β and Iβm keen on a game of bridge.β
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Louisa Tipene Opetaia
Tour Guide
Leading Mondumo Tours in: New Zealand
Born in Aotearoa New Zealand, Louisa (Lulu) is of MΔori & Samoan descent. She grew up in Australia and has also lived in Fiji, Samoa, California, Japan and Hawaiβi.
Since returning to live in New Zealand in 2013, Louisa has focused on reconnecting with her MΔori culture and language. As a tour guide she feels privileged to share her homeland with visitors from around the world.
Her superpower is being a connector. She loves to connect guests with locals and provide authentic cultural experiences. Louisa is an avid sunrise chaser and hot pool soaker.
Louisa says "I like to keep myself busy, so I live life at quite a hectic pace, but on my rare days off you'll usually find me reading or writing... preferably in a hot tub!"
Louisa's website is https://www.gloriousnz.com
Follow Louisa instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kiwidiva/
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Colin Mairs
Director and Head Tour Guide
Leading Mondumo Tours in: New Zealand and Scotland
Colin is one of our directors and our head tour guide. He was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland.
Colin says "I studied French at uni, and lived in France. Then went to live in Portugal to learn Portuguese. After my year in Portugal I returned to Scotland in 2010 and discovered my dream job, combining working with people, being outdoors, having the opportunity to use languages and showing off Scotland - I became a driver-guide."
Cupid shot his arrow on Waiheke Island to bring Colin and Claudia together. Colin moved to New Zealand in 2015 and very soon picked up the knowledge and transmitted his guiding skills. He guides in New Zealand in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
A big break for Colinβs guiding career came in 2013 when he had the chance to guide American travel writer Rick Steves around Glasgow. To this day Colin leads Rick Steves tours in Scotland.
Rick Steves' travel philosophy has had big influence on Mondumo's approach to group tours. This inspired Colin to create Mondumo with the aim to provide Rick Steves style tours of New Zealand, Australia, and beyond.
Follow Colin on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/colinmairs/
Follow Mondumo at https://www.instagram.com/mondumotours/
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Sharron Hickman
Tour Guide
Leading Mondumo Tours in: New Zealand
Sharron has been a tour guide since 1990. She began her working life as an Architectural Draftswoman, Interior Decorator and Town Planning Consultant. The challenge of designing homes for each and every client helped hone her attention to detail, great people skills, understanding of processes, curiosity and importance of timekeeping. These would all prove to be perfect attributes for her next and unexpected career.
As her work took her on several worldwide trips, delving into passive solar energy concepts and residential construction techniques, her travel bug evolved. She soon decided that becoming a tour guide and sharing her passion for New Zealand with overseas visitors would be her new career path.
Sharron says βMy father revealed that his father was a driver/guide in Rotorua in the 1940βs and his most famous client was Eleanor Roosevelt! So, I guess you could say itβs in the blood.β
Sharron particularly delights in sharing experiences that New Zealanders take for-granted. She is an artist and photographer and enjoys hiking, cooking, entertaining, socializing with family and friends, travel, architecture, gardens, many types of music, flora and fauna.
Sharron's website is https://www.exclusivetours.co.nz/experience/
Follow Sharron instagram at https://www.instagram.com/sharron.hickman.7/
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Anja Gallas
Tour Guide
Leading Mondumo Tours in: New Zealand
Originally from Berlin, Anja (pronounced βAnyaβ) has called New Zealand home since 1999. She began tour guiding over a decade ago and combines it with her first profession as a photographer, which she trained in back in the analogue days of the 90s.
Her start in tourism came by chance when a friend urgently needed a German-speaking guide for a trip to Aucklandβs West Coast. She stepped in, loved it immediately, and never looked back. Growing up in East Berlin in the 70s and 80s meant travel was limited, but after defecting before the fall of the wall, Anja embraced her freedom, travelling widely through Europe, the Middle East, and Australia.
Anja says, βI love the light in New Zealand, the hues in colours, and the natural beauty β pairing that with the stories of this land is my favourite part of guiding.β
Her style is warm and adaptable: she quickly connects with tour members, then guides as if she were in their seat, shaping each experience around their interests.
In her spare time Anja enjoys hiking, gardening, art exhibitions, cooking, puzzles, and crafts.
Follow Anja on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/_good_anya_/ and https://www.instagram.com/anja_gallas_photography/
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