About Us

Born in Chemnitz, Germany. He studied Business Economies for tourism administration at the University of Applied Sciences Heilbronn in Germany. He does have 14 years of experience in the Chilean Tourism Industry, in which he held management charges in the area’s product development, sales, and marketing, and acquired the tools for the professional assistance of international tour operators.

In August 2010, Frank Böttcher founded Andes Nativa (now Andes Viva), a specialized Tour Operator with an innovative concept for the development and support of sustainable tourism projects in Chile.

“The Andes Nativa Enterprise was launched from the deep wish to contribute to the clean and sane development of the growth within the tourism industry in Chile. Countless trips through the country allowed him to discover and appreciate new things. Be it the contagious friendly Chilean Way of Life and its traditions, the unique variety of landscapes in its overwhelming beauty or the history of the indigenous peoples, who preserved and kept alive their cultural traditions despite the sometimes unfavorable conditions.

Phillip Raysz was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. He studied Business Administration at the Karls-Eberhardt University in Tübingen. After finishing University, he followed his love to Chile and is living here since 2004 together with his wife and 4 children. Since he came to Chile he was working for different Tour Operators, gaining a lot of experience in tourism and getting to know this beautiful country. His favorite places in Chile are Easter Island and Torres del Paine.

Marko studied architecture at the university HTWK Leipzig in Germany. During and after his studies, he worked for more than 10 years as an independent pyrotechnician (FlambierteRäume) for various Open-Air projects worldwide. The contact with different cultures and people influenced him heavily. Even as a child, he always knew wanderlust, never homesickness. Of course, after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, he started celebrating this with extensive travels that previously were just utopia. On one of these trips he met his Chilean wife, whom he married in 2002 and lived with in Germany until 2007, before moving to Santiago with their newly born daughter Lina. After many trips across the country, he worked as an independent tour guide for Andes Nativa mainly in the central region. Since 2015 he lives in Puerto Varas and works in the department of Sales & Operations.

From Hotel Management she turned to the area of Tourism, where she has been working for more than 17 years, of which the last 4 years she has been part of the Andes Viva team. Currently, she carries out administrative tasks, but without abandoning the attention of her clients in group trips. She loves nature and environmental protection, which leads to her dedication to organic farming.

Marcela was born in Puerto Montt, Chile. She studied Tourism, which allowed her to get to know many different beautiful places in Chile. She loves to travel and to explore new places. Her favorite one is Easter Island, for its magical ambience and its people. Marcela has worked in the Chilean tourism industry for more than 20 years, which allowed her to gain a lot of experience in this sector. In her free time, she likes to go on trips and enjoy nature with her husband and her two children.
She also goes hiking whenever she can.

Nicole Thomas was born and raised in Crimmitschau, Saxony. She studied in Leipzig and Barcelona (library and information science). She lives in Chile since 2008. Before she came to the lake region, she worked for many years in Santiago for the German-Chilean Cultural Institute. As a child of natur, she took every opportunity to turn her back on the million-strong metropolis and find relaxation in nature. So she has already visited most of the attractions of Chile. She loves to discover new corners, is very interested in the flora and fauna and loves to travel with the tent. In her free time she enjoys reading (travelogues and biographies) and visits cultural events.

From Nagold, a small town on the edge of the Black Forest, to Chile’s Atacama Region. And in between: quite a lot of places and experiences. Travel lover and always curious to get to know new people and to face new challenges.

I am a German cosmopolitan who put down roots in Chile. Besides being a father, mountains and nature are my great passion. On a trip in my childhood the south of Chile conquered my heart and brought me back 25 years later.

I am Paula, from Santiago, Chile. I have over 15 years of experience in various facets of the tourism industry. Receptive tourism is not only my preference, but also my genuine passion. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to show the beauty of my country to those who want to visit it.

I was born in the south of Chile and studied Foreign Language Translation at the University of Concepción. I have pursued a career in tourism, as my love for languages and my fascination with cultural diversity have led me to guide travelers in exploring the treasures of our country. I enjoy nature and am always seeking new opportunities to learn.

I am Sebastian, a Digital Marketing Expert with over ten years of international professional experience in the creation of content for lead generation, corporate communications and digitalization of marketing processes. I like writing, creating videos, creating email campaigns, websites, blogs, and landing pages and collecting and analyzing data to optimize campaigns in Google Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Facebook, and Instagram.

Nací en Antofagasta, ciudad del norte de Chile, a los 3 años me fui a Concepción, segunda ciudad más grande de nuestro país, donde estudié y me titulé como Administradora Hotelera. Actualmente radicada en el sur de Chile, en la ciudad de Puerto Varas con más de 15 años de experiencia en la Hotelería y Turismo. Hoy me dedico al área administrativa y finanzas. Me encanta mi vocación por el servicio y soy amante de los hermosos paisajes que nos muestra la naturaleza.

Hi, I’m Amy, a native of Punta Arenas, Chile. For half of my life, I have lived between Chile and Germany, which has allowed me to travel and get to know many parts of the world. Definitely one of my favourite places is Chilean Patagonia, which gives me a sense of peace, freedom, and purity that I couldn’t find anywhere else (until now). I have been working with Andes Viva since June 2024, and I am thrilled to pass on my experience and passion for travel to all our loyal customers. Greetings from Patagonia!