I was born in the Bois de Boulogne, in the Paris suburbs, on a cold night of December 1954. An Austrian astrologer had predicted that my destiny would be that of an explorer. My attraction to the sun and to Mother Nature was immediate. In my early days, I lost myself happily in the mountains of the French Alps, to the great fury of my father. Somehow, I always found my way back.

My childhood readings were as varied as the adventures of Bob Morane, the novels of Jack London, Hemingway, Pearl Buck, Joseph Kessel and Dostoievski, to name a few. For hours, I searched avidly in my grandfather's library, to find attractive and exciting books. My university studies brought me naturally to a DEUG (degree) in Biology and Geology (1975), then to a Master's in Geology, at Grenoble and Paris VI Universities.

The fever of overseas travel took control of me at the age of 19. I hitchhiked 11,000 miles around the United States, after work experience in a summer camp in New Jersey in 1974. At the age of 20, I discovered India, the fabled kingdom of the senses; aged 21, I hitchhiked across Latin America for six months, from New York to Rio de Janeiro. During this time, I learn Spanish as third language, after German and English. From 1977 onwards, it was the Road to India and my new fascination for Pakistan, India, Nepal.

I developed a serious interest for ethnology and anthropology, studied the Kafir Kalash tribe - who descended from Alexander the Great - in the Chitral valley of the North West Frontier, where I learnt the local dialect (1978-79). To my great frustration, the work was not published by the 'Museum of Man' in Paris. Seduced by the Vedic scriptures of ancient India, I realized 13 trips to the Indian subcontinent. I was so exalted by trekking in the Himalayas that between 1978 and 2000 I returned ten times to journey in Nepal, (and every time I needed to get into shape again!).

The mirage of the Galapagos Islands struck me by chance in 1980 (of course, you know that chance does not exist). I became a naturalist guide of the Galapagos National Park and worked on boats for different Ecuadorian companies (1980-83), and for a period of ten years, off and on until 1989. I also worked as a guide in the Amazon jungle of Ecuador (1980-81). Stimulated by a spirit of research, I wrote my first book: "L'Archipel des Galapagos" (1983) - a natural history guide, and later publish on my own: "Marine Life of the Galapagos" - a guide to the fishes, whales, dolphins and other marine animals (1992), confirming my new passion for the ocean, the marine environment, exotic and tropical islands.

Attracted to South East Asia , I discovered the world of the Philippines (1986-93) and during ten trips to Palawan, put into practice my experience of diving and underwater photography. After working experiences in Crete (Kappa Club, Greece 1983) and in Turkey (Club Med, 1985), I became an expedition leader for the Paris-based agency Explorator (1984-86) and led trips to the Sahara desert, Mauritania and North Pakistan. I also created the first trip to the Galapagos, as new destination of the catalogue.

Finally, in1986, I decided organize trips as a freelance guide - off the beaten track, oriented towards nature and wildlife, from the scorching deserts and the lush jungles to the high Himalayas, exotic and tribal cultures, tropical islands, dive cruises on sailing boats - destinations such as Galapagos, Philippines, Rajasthan, Zanskar, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia and Borneo, Namibia, Madagascar, Myanmar (Burma), Sulawesi (Indonesia), Micronesia (Palau), North Pakistan, Bali, New Zealand.

For professional reasons, I became a PADI dive master in Borneo (Malaysia, 1994) and a PADI OWSI Instructor (Tioman, 1997). Five years of exploration diving in the Admiralty Islands (Manus, Papua New Guinea) led me to the fulfillment of a dream: to settle down on an island on the other side of the planet. I created a Papuan company and started the dive center of 'Kisokau Divers' (1999-2000) in Manus. A rich but very challenging experience, that will leave its mark. I subsequently published a coffee table book of underwater pictures in 1998 : "Manus, Admiralty Islands - Lost world of the Titans " (1998).

Since then, I have resumed the organization of my trips, publishing photo-journalistic reports and updating my books. I await the day when I shall begin another dream in a more civilized place in the tropics. Actually, I have just become a permanent resident in the Galapagos Islands, with a new project in mind! For an authentic travel experience , get in touch with me!

"Newsletter" July 2004
In 2002, Pierre Constant has bought a piece of land in Puerto Villamil, Isabela Island, the lost paradise of the Galapagos Island in the south east Pacific. He is now a permanent resident to both Galapagos and Ecuador.

In between various trips around the world, Pierre is presently building a house and dive centre in Isabela, which should hopefully open in late 2004/ early 2005, if everything runs according to plan (of course!...). The work being done now is on the roof of the house. Such a construction is not an easy feat, since all materials have to be imported by cargo boat from the Ecuadorian mainland, 1000km away. Not to mention the latino american philosophy of "Manana"...(tomorrow)...!!