ICT-certified · Costa Rica

Our naturalist guides

The team behind every tour: 8 certified guides with 8–15 years of experience, specialized in birding, wildlife, photography and adventure across Costa Rica plus international expeditions.

Elías Peña

Founder · Head Naturalist Guide · Travel Coordinator

14 yrs English · Español

Elías founded VIVO Expeditions after 14+ years leading naturalist tours across Costa Rica. Born in La Fortuna, he combines ICT certification, deep local knowledge of the Arenal region, and hands-on experience across Boca Tapada, Caño Negro, Manuel Antonio and Corcovado. He personally designs every multi-day itinerary and is your point of contact from first message to post-trip follow-up.

Specialties

BirdwatchingWildlife photographyMulti-day itinerary designBoca Tapada expeditions

Certifications

· ICT-certified naturalist guide (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo)
· Certified in wildlife photography leadership
· PYME Costa Rica registered small business
· Wilderness first-aid trained

Notable highlights: Great Green Macaw nests at Boca Tapada, King Vulture hide sessions, Agami Heron colony, resident Jaguar tracks in Corcovado.

Chino

Senior Wildlife Guide

12 yrs English · Español

Chino is the guide you want if you're bringing kids or want to guarantee sloths. His eye for wildlife on the Bogarín Trail is unmatched — regular sightings of two- and three-toed sloths, poison dart frogs, and roosting owls. Patient, warm, and endlessly enthusiastic.

Specialties

Sloth spottingBogarín TrailNight wildlife toursFamily tours

Certifications

· ICT-certified naturalist guide
· Wildlife tracking specialist

Highlights: 40+ sloth sightings/month at Bogarín, resident Spectacled Owl couple, poison dart frog courtship.

Edward Vargas

Birding Specialist

15 yrs English · Español

Edward has spotted and identified 500+ Costa Rican bird species over 15 years. He brings his own Swarovski scope, knows the calling patterns for every resident species, and leads our Big Day birding tours (100+ species in one day). Fluent English, patient with beginners.

Specialties

BirdwatchingEndemic speciesBig DaysBoca Tapada birding

Certifications

· ICT-certified naturalist guide
· AOG (Association of Ornithological Guides) member

Highlights: Resplendent Quetzal at Bosque de Paz, all 6 toucan species of CR, 12+ hummingbird species in one morning.

Leonardo

Adventure & Photography Guide

10 yrs English · Español

Leonardo grew up in Arenal and knows every lava field, viewpoint and hidden waterfall in the 1968 park. He guides our Safari Float trips on the Peñas Blancas River and doubles as the photo coach on landscape workshops. Fun, energetic, safety-first.

Specialties

Arenal 1968 TrailSafari FloatLandscape photographyAdventure combos

Certifications

· ICT-certified naturalist guide
· Whitewater safety certified
· Photography workshop lead

Highlights: Volcano-lit sunrises from 1968 viewpoints, howler monkeys along Peñas Blancas, tanagers at fruit feeders.

Yehudi Hernández

International Photography Workshops Lead

12 yrs English · Español · Português (básico)

Yehudi leads our international photography workshops — Pantanal (Brazil) for jaguars, Colombia Andes for hummingbirds and endemics. Multi-award nature photographer, patient teacher for every skill level, and the person who fine-tunes exposure alongside you in the field.

Specialties

Brazil Pantanal expeditionsJaguar photographyPost-processing coachingColombia Andes workshops

Certifications

· Wildlife photography workshop instructor
· Pantanal expedition-certified

Highlights: 30+ Jaguar sightings per Pantanal trip, Andean Cock-of-the-Rock leks, Sword-billed Hummingbird portraits.

Fabián

La Fortuna Waterfall & Trail Guide

8 yrs English · Español

Fabián keeps groups moving at the right pace and pulls surprising sightings out of even the most-visited trails. Known for reading bird calls mid-conversation and pointing to the exact branch a motmot is on.

Specialties

La Fortuna WaterfallMistico Hanging BridgesHalf-day walksBird calls

Certifications

· ICT-certified naturalist guide
· First-aid certified

Highlights: Rufous Motmots at eye level on Mistico, quetzal cameo on Waterfall trail rim.

Luis Fallas

Mistico Hanging Bridges & Family Guide

9 yrs English · Español

Luis specializes in families and turns rainforest walks into games kids remember years later. Endlessly patient with a two-year-old or a grandparent — everyone finishes the tour smiling.

Specialties

Hanging bridgesKids-friendly interpretationRainforest ecology

Certifications

· ICT-certified naturalist guide
· Family-tour trained

Highlights: Owl butterflies on the bridges, spider monkeys crossing the canopy, glass frog on night walks.

José Luis

Night Tour & Frog Photography Guide

11 yrs English · Español

José has led hundreds of night tours at Papa's Place and knows exactly where the red-eyed tree frogs, glass frogs and Sylvia's tree frog perch each night. He carries diffused flashlights so you get true colors without stressing wildlife.

Specialties

Night wildlifeFrog & reptile photographyPapa's Place private tours

Certifications

· ICT-certified naturalist guide
· Herpetology field training

Highlights: Sylvia's Tree Frog courtship, fer-de-lance from safe distance, kinkajou feeding.

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