Sávio C.
April 2026
I highly recommend hiring an Elias Tour. The entire Elias team is spectacular, especially Chino and Roy, who guided us on fantastic tours.
· Guide Chino & Roy
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Local Operator · 15+ Years · All Activities, One PlaceVIVO Expeditions — formerly Elias Nature Tours
Your Local Costa RicaTour OperatorWildlife · Birding · Photography · Transfers
We're a local team in La Fortuna — book any activity in the region through us. Expert guides, private transport, full coordination. One contact, zero stress.We organize every activity in the Arenal region — our own private wildlife and birding tours, access to top venues like Mistico and Ecocentro Danaus, adventure activities and door-to-door transfers. One trusted local team, 15+ years of experience, everything in one place.
Just your groupEvery activity in one placeLocal team · 15+ years
15+ years operating in ArenalReply within 24h5.0★
TripAdvisor
900+
Bird species
10+
Years local
900+
Bird species in Arenal
Photo
Photography-first private tours
Local
Born-and-raised bilingual guides
Most Popular in La Fortuna
The experiences travelers book again and again.
Hand-picked from over 5 years guiding visitors around Arenal — these are the tours that consistently top reviews.
#1
From $582all incl.
🌋 La Fortuna – Classic Combo Experience
🌿 Our private tour
Most popular spots in one day: Hanging Bridges + Arenal 1968 + La Fortuna Waterfall
Full day (~10 hours) La Fortuna, Arenal 5.0
Free cancellation 72h+ (−5% fee)
#2
From $122all incl.
Arenal 1968 Volcano Walk
🤝 Private access to venue
Volcano trail walk with lava fields, forest edges and classic Arenal viewpoints
2.5–3 hours Arenal 1968 Volcano Trails 5.0
Free cancellation 72h+ (−5% fee)
#3
From $34all incl.
La Fortuna Waterfall Visit — Self-Guided
🤝 Private access to venue
Self-guided park entrance to the iconic La Fortuna Waterfall — explore at your own pace, swim and take photos.
2–3 hours La Fortuna Waterfall 5.0
Free cancellation 72h+ (−5% fee)
#4
From $135all incl.
Mistico Hanging Bridges – Wildlife Walk
🤝 Private access to venue
16 hanging bridges through pristine primary rainforest — Arenal Volcano views, toucans overhead and sloths in the canopy.
2.5–3 hours Mistico Hanging Bridges 5.0
Free cancellation 72h+ (−5% fee)
#5
From $115all incl.
Bogarín Trail – Sloths & Wildlife Tour
🤝 Private access to venue
Almost-guaranteed sloth sightings, trogons and easy wildlife photography on La Fortuna's most beloved trail.
2 hours Bogarín Trail / Sloth Paradise 5.0
Free cancellation 72h+ (−5% fee)
#6
From $135all incl.
Safari Float – Peñas Blancas River
🌿 Our private tour
FamiliesEasy
A silent river float where sloths, spider monkeys and Agami Herons come to you — no effort, pure wildlife.
2–2.5 hours Peñas Blancas River 5.0
Free cancellation 72h+ (−5% fee)
🗓️ Simple Process
How Booking Works
1
Tell us what you want
Share dates, group size and interests via WhatsApp or our form. We reply within 12 hours with a personalized, itemized quote.
2
We build your plan
Tours, transfers, timing — one itinerary, one team. We coordinate everything with venues, guides and drivers on your behalf.
3
Pay and enjoy
Secure payment by card or PayPal. You instantly receive full confirmation with pickup times, guide contacts and your complete itinerary.
The team behind every trip
Local experts. Real experience.
Elías Peña Ramírez
Co-owner · Lead Naturalist Guide · La Fortuna
Certified naturalist guide with 15+ years in the field. Former Operations Manager at Ecocentro Danaus. Born and raised in La Fortuna — knows every trail, species and season firsthand.
WildlifeBirdingArenal specialistEN · ES
Yehudi Hernández
Co-owner · Wildlife Photographer · Expedition Leader
Internationally recognized wildlife photographer. Leads private photo expeditions across Costa Rica, Brazil's Pantanal and Ecuador. Specialist in macro, multi-flash and natural-environment hides.
MacroMulti-flashExpedition leaderInternational
🤝
Behind Elías and Yehudi is a full team of certified local guides, professional drivers and operations staff — all vetted, bilingual and fully insured. Every trip is coordinated by people who actually live here.
"Book any activity in the Arenal region through us — from our own private wildlife tours to partner venues like Mistico, Ecocentro Danaus and Baldi Hot Springs. One local team, full coordination."
Our long-term relationships with local venues and providers mean honest recommendations and a single trusted contact — no need to coordinate with multiple operators for your entire trip.
Our own private toursPrivate access to partner venuesAdventure — shared or private
Why book with usEverything your trip needs.
Everything your trip needs.
One trusted local operator.
We've been operating in Arenal for 15+ years with deep venue relationships, local expertise and a full team — so your entire trip is handled by people who know this region inside out.
Every activity in one place
Our own tours, partner venue access, adventure activities and transfers — all bookable through one team. No juggling multiple operators or repeated paperwork.
Full coverage100% private groups
Every experience is exclusively yours. No shared shuttles, no strangers, no fixed schedule. We adapt completely to your group's pace and interests.
Private-onlyExpert local knowledge
Born-here guides with 15+ years of local experience. The best sighting spots, real seasonal timing, hidden trails — knowledge no booking platform can replicate.
Born localDirect, personal coordination
You communicate directly with the team — not a call center. Custom adjustments, last-minute changes, real answers. WhatsApp or email, always fast.
PersonalizedPhotography & birding specialists
Proper fieldcraft for birding. Macro in natural environments. Multi-flash and expedition-grade photography experiences co-led by wildlife photographer Yehudi Hernández.
Birding · Macro · ExpeditionPrivate transport included
Door-to-door pickup from your hotel in fully insured private vehicles with professional drivers. Extend to airport transfers and inter-city routes across Costa Rica.
Country-wide⭐ Top Experiences
Most Popular Tours
Hand-picked experiences loved by travelers visiting Arenal and La Fortuna.
Elías Peña
Co-Owner · Lead Guide · La Fortuna
Yehudi Hernández
Business Partner · Wildlife Photographer
About Us
Two Local Experts. One Trusted Alliance.
Elias Nature Tours is led by Elías Peña Ramírez and Yehudi Hernández — co-owners and business partners who joined forces to deliver Costa Rica's most personal wildlife and photography experiences. Elías, a certified naturalist guide with 15+ years in the field, previously served as Operations Manager at Ecocentro Danaus and built the operation from the ground up in La Fortuna.
Yehudi is an internationally recognized wildlife photographer who leads our private photo expeditions across Costa Rica, Brazil's Pantanal, Ecuador and Colombia. Together, our team of certified local guides, photographers and professional drivers operates with fully insured vehicles and every license required for tourism in Costa Rica — bringing specialized knowledge in ecology, macro photography, and species ID that bigger companies cannot match.
Today we organize personalized experiences across La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio, Bijagua and Boca Tapada — plus international photo expeditions through our alliance — offering seamless logistics, private transport and a genuine local connection. Whether you need a single tour or a complete multi-country itinerary, we handle every detail.
Whether you need one airport transfer or a two-week birding journey across Costa Rica, we help build the right plan for your trip. Our team brings real local energy, flexibility and Pura Vida spirit to every experience.
Operated directly by a local team based in La Fortuna — with deep coverage across Arenal, Manuel Antonio, Bijagua & Boca Tapada.
Private ToursTransfersTravel CoordinationBirding & PhotographyWorkshopsCustom Multi-Day Trips
Certified Naturalist Guides
Full-Service Tour Operator
15+ Years of Experience
Sustainable Tourism
Fully Insured Fleet & Guides
Multi-Region Coverage
Private Transport Fleet
Trusted Local Operation
Registered in Costa Rica. All vehicles, guides and operations are fully insured and licensed.
🌳 Our Services
Everything You Need for Your Costa Rica Trip
From private tours and photography expeditions to transfers and full multi-day packages — we curate experiences with care, not just sell activities. Your trip, your pace, our local expertise.
Naturalist-Guided Tours
Expert-led wildlife encounters across Arenal, Manuel Antonio and beyond.
- Birdwatching & wildlife observation
- Rainforest ecology walks
- Night wildlife tours
- Family & private group tours
Photography & Birding Travel
Specialized trips for photographers and birders — from day tours to multi-day expeditions across Costa Rica.
- Wildlife photography sessions
- Multi-day birding itineraries
- Macro & landscape photography
- Workshops & specialized experiences
Transfers & Custom Travel
Private transfers, multi-day packages, and full trip coordination across Costa Rica.
- Private transfers across Costa Rica
- Custom multi-day itineraries
- Family travel coordination
- Multi-zone logistics & planning
TripAdvisor
Sue B.
November 2025
Our early morning nature tour at the Mistico hanging bridges with Raul was the very best start to our trip we could have hoped for. Raul is a qualified naturalist and made the rainforest come alive with his knowledge of…
Mistico Hanging Bridges · Guide Raul
Anal Dave
January 2026
I reached out to Elias 2 weeks ago for a photo tour during my stay at La Fortuna. He set up a birding tour, an amazing night photo tour in La Fortuna and a wildlife photo tour in Manuel Antonio National Park. Guides Gabr…
Photo Tours: Birding + Night + Manuel Antonio · Guide Gabriel, José "Chino" & Andrew
cgrenwick
Leeds, United Kingdom · April 2026
Fantastic experience with Elias Nature Tours, right from booking with responsive, helpful communication, to the tour itself. We did the private night tour in La Fortuna with José as our guide — SO many frog species (incl…
La Fortuna Night Tour · Guide José
U. V.
November 2025
What a fantastic experience! Today we went on a private birdwatching tour with Elias. His passion for nature, birds and all other living creatures in his homeland of Costa Rica is truly inspiring. We had the opportunity…
Private Birdwatching Tour · Guide Elias
Eduardo R.
February 2026
A simply stunning experience, better impossible. 100% recommended.
cgrenwick
Leeds, United Kingdom · May 2026
Fantastic experience with Elias nature tours, right from booking the tour and having responsive, helpful communication, to the tour itself. We did the private night tour in La Fortuna, with José as our guide and we saw S…
La Fortuna Night Tour · Guide José
Sávio C.
February 2026
I highly recommend hiring Elias Tours. The entire team is spectacular, especially Chino and Roy, who guided us on fantastic tours.
Multi-day Itinerary · Guide Chino & Roy
Erin P.
July 2025
Luis was an amazing guide and we had a wonderful day birdwatching in La Fortuna and Arenal. We identified nearly 100 species. We would absolutely recommend Luis and the whole team — knowledgeable and helpful in identifyi…
Birdwatching La Fortuna / Arenal · Guide Luis
Rupyo
Geneva, Illinois · February 2026
From booking to tour the entire experience was excellent. This was a private photography tour and the guide knew exactly where to find what I wanted to photograph and helped with camera settings and composition for the c…
Photo Tour
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Sávio C.
April 2026
I highly recommend hiring an Elias Tour. The entire Elias team is spectacular, especially Chino and Roy, who guided us on fantastic tours.
· Guide Chino & Roy
Sue B.
November 2025
Our early morning nature tour at the Mistico hanging bridges with Raul was the very best start to our trip we could have hoped for. Raul is a qualified naturalist and made the rainforest come alive with his knowledge of…
Mistico Hanging Bridges · Guide Raul
Anal Dave
January 2026
I reached out to Elias 2 weeks ago for a photo tour during my stay at La Fortuna. He set up a birding tour, an amazing night photo tour in La Fortuna and a wildlife photo tour in Manuel Antonio National Park. Guides Gabr…
Photo Tours: Birding + Night + Manuel Antonio · Guide Gabriel, José "Chino" & Andrew
cgrenwick
Leeds, United Kingdom · April 2026
Fantastic experience with Elias Nature Tours, right from booking with responsive, helpful communication, to the tour itself. We did the private night tour in La Fortuna with José as our guide — SO many frog species (incl…
La Fortuna Night Tour · Guide José
U. V.
November 2025
What a fantastic experience! Today we went on a private birdwatching tour with Elias. His passion for nature, birds and all other living creatures in his homeland of Costa Rica is truly inspiring. We had the opportunity…
Private Birdwatching Tour · Guide Elias
Eduardo R.
February 2026
A simply stunning experience, better impossible. 100% recommended.
cgrenwick
Leeds, United Kingdom · May 2026
Fantastic experience with Elias nature tours, right from booking the tour and having responsive, helpful communication, to the tour itself. We did the private night tour in La Fortuna, with José as our guide and we saw S…
La Fortuna Night Tour · Guide José
Sávio C.
February 2026
I highly recommend hiring Elias Tours. The entire team is spectacular, especially Chino and Roy, who guided us on fantastic tours.
Multi-day Itinerary · Guide Chino & Roy
Erin P.
July 2025
Luis was an amazing guide and we had a wonderful day birdwatching in La Fortuna and Arenal. We identified nearly 100 species. We would absolutely recommend Luis and the whole team — knowledgeable and helpful in identifyi…
Birdwatching La Fortuna / Arenal · Guide Luis
Rupyo
Geneva, Illinois · February 2026
From booking to tour the entire experience was excellent. This was a private photography tour and the guide knew exactly where to find what I wanted to photograph and helped with camera settings and composition for the c…
Photo Tour
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Let's Plan Your Experience
Send us your dates, group size, and interests — we'll get back to you with availability and a personalized recommendation.
Location
La Fortuna, Alajuela, CR
Office Hours
Mon–Sun: 7 am – 9 pm
Last-Minute Request?
Subject to availability. Contact us on WhatsApp for the fastest response.
Contact via WhatsApp