Guides & Hosts

Aggelos studied pharmacy and chemistry at the University of Patras, which is probably the last thing you'd guess about a man who now spends much of his time crawling through oak forests with a truffle dog. After university, he drifted — seasonal work in France and Switzerland, a spell in Crete, and then a solo winter bicycle journey from Ancona to Seville that took two months. When he came home to Zagori, he stopped wandering and put down roots. He began guiding through the landscape he knows more intimately than almost anyone. And somewhere along the way, a fascination with mushroom foraging became a full-blown obsession; one that led him, in 2018, to take on his first truffle dog and disappear into the woods. It took three years to find the best spots. For the past few years he has been leafing Slow Cyclists through Zagori, and if you're lucky enough to travel with him in autumn, there's a good chance he'll vanish into the treeline and come back with a truffle in his pocket.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

After completing her studies in English, media and film, Bella managed a retreat close to her home kin Cape Town, South Africa, before spending a year travelling to all corners of India, Nepal and Indonesia. She loves exploring different cultures, connecting with people and spending as much time in nature as possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Colin is a native of La Rochelle on France's west coast, but he made the move to south-west France in his early twenties to be closer to the mountains he so loves. Beautiful Cahors and its limestone landscapes are his home now - apt for a trained geographer and keen geologist. For his day job, Colin shares the region's natural history, wildlife and plant life with local school children. He's a wonderful teacher and guide: genuine, enthusiastic and great company. We think you'll love Colin as much as we like working with him.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Josh is a writer, translator and guide who has lived in Greece for over ten years. He studied classics at Oxford and modern Greek at King's College, London, before moving permanently to Greece. He has published several books of modern Greek literature in English translation, including most recently a collection of old Greek folk songs. Josh enjoys sharing his extensive knowledge and love of Greek history and culture with Slow Cyclist guests who love his enthusiasm.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Júlia was born in Alentejo, in the south of Portugal. After studying engineering and working for years as a civil engineering, she realised that nature was where she felt most fulfilled. Together with her husband Nuno, she spent holidays exploring the northern and central Portuguese countryside and, when the time was right, they moved from the big city to the mountains, in a beautiful remote valley where their neighbours are shepherds... and sheep. You'll not meet a kinder, more thoughtful person than Júlia on your travels.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Misu joined us in 2021. He studied ecology at university and is very knowledgeable about nature and wildlife. Before joining The Slow Cyclist guiding team in 2021, Misu could often be found in the Danube Delta or the Carpathians, where he ran bird watching, bear watching and wildlife tours. He grew up visiting the Danube Delta, spotting birds and fishing in the channels, and has been instrumental in setting up our journey there. In late 2025 Misu travelled to India with other members of The Slow Cyclist team to help run our first trip in Madhya Pradesh, ensuring things there got toff to a smooth start.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Our Founder Oli met Sergiu on his first visit to Transylvania, when Sergiu was helping Anglo-Romanian NGO Fundația ADEPT create a network of cycling trails in and around the region. We've been working with him ever since and he's become a great friend and collaborator. He lives in Sighișoara, Transylvania and has cycled through this area for over 30 years — he knows every back road, every village and the story behind each one. Sergiu's deep knowledge of Transylvania's history brings every ride to life, whether he's explaining the legacy of the Saxon settlers, the meaning behind a painted monastery's frescoes, or the origins of a tradition still alive in the villages we pass through. As well as being instrumental in setting up our route through the Saxon villages, Sergiu was responsible for designing part of the Via Transilvanica, Romania's answer to the Camino de Santiago. When not guiding, Sergiu maintains and rides bikes in the forests around Sighisoara, spends time with his young family and, eavh April, organises a kids bike race that The Slow Cyclist sponsors.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Suzi discovered her passion for cycling and the outdoors at university and in 2021, decided to share her passion with others by becoming a mountain bike instructor and guide. In 2025 she became only the second woman in the world to achieve the highest level of European Mountain Bike instructor. For her, slow cycling through Transylvania hits the sweet spot between going slow enough that you get to smell the wild flowers, but far enough that you get to see lots of the cultural heritage that makes it so special.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Born in beautiful Kalamata on Greece's Peloponnese, Vagelis has always been happiest in the outdoors. He finished his master’s degree in agriculture in Thessaloniki but, instead of returning to Kalamata to work among the 11 million olive trees of his home region, he stayed in the north, finally moving to Athens, to follow his passion for cycling and the outdoors. But the pull of the Peloponnese was too much and Vagelis now finds himself guiding in a region where his father spent 35 years as a police officer. We feel very lucky that he focuses on guiding Slow Cyclists in the Mani during spring and autumn each year because he's a wonderful leader and person: responsible, fun and with a wealth of knowledge that he loves to share with our guests.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Jaco has hosted and guided for The Slow Cyclist since 2018, both in Rwanda and Greece. He has also helped design journeys in Spain and South Africa. Cape Town born and bred, a few years ago he realised there had to be more to life than grinding away at making a living — so he decided to embrace his love for nature and cycling. His positive attitude and friendly demeanour make him a team player in any situation, and he’ll stop at nothing to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Zoe was born in a small town near Dartmoor and has since explored many corners of the world, discovering different cultures and ways of life. Her work in events has taken her around the UK, where she has run a glamping site, hosted woodland dining events, coordinated charity hikes and created delicious menus at a retreat centre. When Zoe isn’t exploring, she’s either making jewellery or baking treats.