Catalina Ugalde

Social Impact | Photographer | Content Creation

A Bolivian native and a world nomad, Catalina was drawn to tourism due to her experiences abroad and her fascination for different cultures. After completing her studies in Law and an M.A. in Diplomacy and International Relations from the Diplomatic School of Madrid, Catalina moved to Washington D.C to work at the Organization of American States (OAS) when she gained expertise in the Latin American region.

Since then, Catalina left her corporate life to move back to Bolivia to oversee the overall running of Salar Art+Travel.

She's been with us for more than 4 years, but the experience and skills she brings go back much further. She is a development practitioner and political analyst with passion for social impact and sustainable development— as such she now leads Salar's social initiatives.

A passionate photographer, Catalina is most often found behind the lens of her camera.

Nicky Gott

Content Creation | Trip Leader

Nicky Gott is the person on the ground making sure your trip goes without a hitch. A specialist in the gastronomic revolution and a native Bolivian she will offer you support and make sure everything during your stay in Bolivia runs smoothly.

She is well connected in the country will offer an insider perspective on the places you will visit.

Nicky lived in the United States for many years where she studied Social work with a minor in Sociology at the University of Maryland and after graduating college she traveled and taught English in Asia and eventually made her way back to Bolivia where she is also the co-founder of How to La Paz, a platform specializing in all things La Paz.

Canela Ugalde

Experience Manager

Canela is the co-founder of How to La Paz, a platform specializing in things to do around the city of La Paz. In 2019 she was retained as Experience Manager during the opening of Selina Hotel and has worked closely with designers, artisans and local artists in order to create a pathway into Bolivia’s vibrant culture.

Born and raised in La Paz, she is a true paceña who is very passionate about the city and the transformation it’s currently going through. She is responsible for creating and executing all experiences around the city from a pop-up tasting bar at the valley of the souls to working with famed local chefs to create one of a kind dining experiences for our clients.

She is the ultimate hostess who will make sure you have the best time while you are our guest and her insider destination knowledge and contacts within the country give us unparalleled access to otherwise unavailable properties and experiences.

Miguel (Massmo) Huallpa & Bros

Production Manager

Miguel and his brothers are responsible for executing the most complex tasks such as building a movable stage in the middle of the desert for a special concert to coordinating the logistics for a photo shoot. Miguel serves as the production manager and has worked with the family for over twenty years.

There is simply no task too big for him and his team and he is always ready for a challenge.

Most of the times he can be found behind the scenes or at the studio where he is usually building something for something.

Mariano Ugalde

Founder

While planning his own wedding in 2010, Mariano had to develop a 7-day itinerary for his guests coming from overseas to La Paz way before La Paz became the “it” destination and where the haute gastronomic movement had yet to start. This is where it all started.

Mariano is the Director of Salar Galería de Arte in La Paz and originally founded Salar Art+Travel to service his international art clients who wanted to visit Bolivia. In 2021 he was named Leading Culture Destinations Ambassador.

Since then, the company has become an independent Luxury DMC servicing industry leaders worldwide and it still works closely with the Gallery as we aim to have one ore more art elements in each trip we craft from hosting a pop-up dinner at the gallery to commissioning artists to doing ephemeral site specific installations throughout Bolivia.

Gaston Ugalde

Creative Director

We are lucky to have Bolivia’s most celebrated artist in our team serving as our Creative Director.

Gaston’s love for Bolivia is deeply rooted in its vast and diverse landscapes and on its people. In 2020 he was the recipient of Vanity Fair's Changing Your Mind in Travel Award.

He is an avid explorer, mountain climber and one of the first people to visit and start talking about the Uyuni Salt Desert as a destination going back to the early seventies.

Gaston’s creativity is ingrained in everything that he does from his artistic practice that ranges from Video Art to Land Art— to consulting on different fields from business to politics.

He is known for coming up with the most creative solutions and his approach to travel is no different which is one of the reasons he has been sought-after by many of the most illustrious visitors that have visited the country in the last 30 years.