2–2.5 hoursSafari Float – Peñas Blancas River
A silent river float where sloths, spider monkeys and Agami Herons come to you — no effort, pure wildlife.
From$135View →
La Fortuna · Arenal · Costa RicaNot simply a tour.
Not simply a tour.
A journey cared for in every detail.
Private and semi-private journeys designed one at a time — wildlife, photography and every logistic handled by a team that lives here.
✓ Private & semi-private✓ Specialist naturalist guides✓ Flexible timing✓ Coordinated transportation
Scroll to explore
Our manifestoWe are not a tour agency.
We are not a tour agency.
We are your travel companion in Costa Rica.
We live in La Fortuna. We know what hour the forest sings, where the toucan lands at first light, and which road to take when it rains. Every journey we design begins with a conversation — never with a catalogue. Small groups, trusted guides and specialist local partners, time to stop and look. That is how we have travelled with families and photographers for more than fifteen years.
Elías PeñaFounder & travel coordinator, VIVO Expeditions
How we work
Four promises that guide every journey
Carefully curated
We work only with the operators and trails we know first-hand. No endless lists.
Personal
One connected team supports you from first enquiry to the final transfer.
Flexible
We adjust times, pace and stops around the weather and your energy that day.
Private or semi-private
Always small groups. You choose full exclusivity or sharing with a handful of travellers.
What you may see
Wildlife You May Encounter
Real photographs from our own outings. Nature is wild — sightings vary with season, time of day and weather.
Boca Tapada hide
King Vulture
Sarcoramphus papa
La Fortuna night walks
Red-eyed Tree Frog
Agalychnis callidryas
Manuel Antonio coast
Scarlet Macaw
Ara macao
Bogarín Trail, La Fortuna
Three-toed Sloth
Bradypus variegatus
Arenal birding mornings
Red-legged Honeycreeper
Cyanerpes cyaneus
Multi-flash sessions
Hummingbirds
Trochilidae
Peñas Blancas river float
Yellow-throated Toucan
Ramphastos ambiguus
La Fortuna night walks
Night Walks
Boca Tapada nesting sites
Great Green Macaw
Ara ambiguus
Northern Lowlands
Arenal & La Fortuna
Our home base. A volcano, hot springs, hanging bridges, waterfalls and night walks — all within 30 minutes of your hotel.
- ✓ 25+ experiences
- ✓ Hotel pickup included
- ✓ Year-round
Central Pacific
Manuel Antonio
Rainforest meeting the Pacific. Squirrel monkeys, sloths and scarlet macaws along beaches you can actually swim in.
- ✓ National Park guiding
- ✓ Mangrove boat safaris
- ✓ Family friendly
Remote North
Boca Tapada
Costa Rica off the tourist map. Purpose-built photography hides for King Vultures, Great Green Macaws and Agami Herons.
- ✓ Dedicated hides
- ✓ Small groups only
- ✓ Photographer-led
Beyond the trail
See more →Boats, rivers & mangroves
Signature experiences
Six ways to begin
2–2.5 hours
2.5–3 hoursRainforest Macro Night Photography Experience
A private photography session paced entirely for your camera — red-eyed frogs, pit vipers and rare nocturnal species in their natural habitat.
From$129View →
2 hoursBogarín Trail – Sloths & Wildlife Tour
Almost-guaranteed sloth sightings, trogons and easy wildlife photography on La Fortuna's most beloved trail.
From$115View →
2.5–3 hoursMistico Hanging Bridges – Wildlife Walk
16 hanging bridges through pristine primary rainforest — Arenal Volcano views, toucans overhead and sloths in the canopy.
From$135View →
~2 hours (boat) + transportCaño Negro Wildlife Tour
Relaxed boat tour through one of Costa Rica's richest wetlands, ideal for families and wildlife lovers
From$398View →
2.5–3 hoursArenal 1968 Volcano Walk
Volcano trail walk with lava fields, forest edges and classic Arenal viewpoints
From$122View →
For photographers
Hides, light and real waiting time
We coordinate each session with specialist guides, photographers and regional partners who understand light, wildlife and field conditions. We plan around light, not around a tour clock: hummingbird multi-flash, night macro, King Vulture hides and bird sessions at real working distances.
- — Purpose-built hides in Boca Tapada
- — Multi-flash & macro night setups
- — Multi-day workshops with editing
What Our Guests Say
5/ 5
Trusted by Travelers from Around the World
← Swipe to read more →
Rebeca T.
April 2026
Elias was wonderful in helping us plan out our trip, excursions, hikes, restaurants, drive times and routes. Our guide Miller at Místico Hanging Bridges was knowledgeable about the local wildlife and gave us a much deepe…
Mistico Hanging Bridges · Guide Miller
Robert
March 2026
I had an incredible experience on a bird photography tour with Elias at Ecocentro Danaus. We spotted around 40 different bird species, and Elias identified each one effortlessly, sharing details about behavior and habita…
Ecocentro Danaus Bird Photography · Guide Elias
Nadine J.
Toronto, Canada · March 2026
We had an incredible experience with Miller at the Mistico Hanging Bridges. He found us so much wildlife we hadn't seen before, and was really focused on finding us a yellow-throated toucan — which he finally did! I'd hi…
Mistico Hanging Bridges · Guide Miller
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
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
C. W.
February 2026
Elias arranged two half-days of private birding around La Fortuna, taking into account our goals and some physical limitations. We had a different guide each day, Ignacio and Luis, both terrific — super knowledgeable, en…
Private Birding · Guide Ignacio & Luis
Stephanie S.
February 2026
Loved our tour of Mistico Hanging Bridges! Luis was a fantastic guide. We have an almost three year old and Luis was very patient and engaging with him. Very knowledgeable about the birds, animals and Costa Rica as a who…
Mistico Hanging Bridges · Guide Luis
Laura W.
February 2026
This was just the most incredible experience! We all had the most magical time and core memories that will last a lifetime. Our guide Luis was wonderful and so free with knowledge. We saw wonderful birds and agoutis, and…
Wildlife Walk · Guide Luis
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
Wei P.
March 2026
I had two private night tours with José — very professional and helpful. He worked hard to find my target animals and perfect photography angles. I learned a lot about the creatures here. I told him I wanted to see more…
Private Night Tours · Guide José
Read all reviews on
Have you toured with us? We'd love to hear about your experience.
Leave a Google review
How you move
Private door-to-door transfers
Our own drivers, air-conditioned vehicles and optional scenic stops. No shared-shuttle waiting, no transfers between vans.
Plan your trip
Three steps, one local team
Tell us your dates
Dates, group size and what you dream of seeing — wildlife, waterfalls, hot springs or photography.
We design the route
A local coordinator builds a realistic day-by-day plan with transfers, timing and honest trade-offs.
You travel, we handle it
One team, one WhatsApp thread, every pickup confirmed the night before.
The people behind every expedition
Your guides. Born local.
15+ yrsElías Peña
Founder · Lead Naturalist
Wildlife · Birding · Arenal specialist
20+ yrsYehudi Hernández
Photography Expedition Partner
Macro · Multi-flash · Expeditions
15+ yrsDenis Fernández
Partner · Photographer · Birder
Multi-day TL · Monteverde specialist
10+ yrsJosé "Chino"
Night Macro Specialist
Macro · Frogs · Night fauna
20+ yrsGabriel
Birder · Frog & Reptile Specialist
Birding · Herps · Expeditions
8+ yrsJohander
Naturalist Guide
Wildlife · Birding · Arenal
10+ yrsLuis Fallas
Naturalist Guide
Wildlife · Hiking · Volcano
1+ yrsIsa
Social Media · Spanish
Content · Community · Bilingual
10+ yrsFabián
Driver
Transfers · Logistics · Bilingual
8+ yrsNacho
Naturalist Guide
Wildlife · Birding · Photography
6+ yrsMiller Josué
Naturalist Guide
Wildlife · Hiking · Arenal
5+ yrsAndrew
Local Partner · Manuel Antonio
Operations · Wildlife · Bilingual
15+ yrsLeonardo R.
Driver Partner · Tour Guide
General TL · Safari Peñas Blancas · Birder
Verified expertise
Credentials are verified individually — guiding certification, languages and insurance are confirmed for each guide and partner assigned to your trip. You'll know who's picking you up before the day begins.
Why VIVOEverything your journey needs.
Everything your journey needs.
One trusted local team.
We've worked in Arenal for over 15 years, with direct venue relationships and a network of specialist guides and partners — so your whole journey is handled by people who truly know this region.
Every activity in one place
Guided experiences, partner venue access, adventure activities and transfers — all coordinated by one team. No juggling operators or repeating your details.
Full coveragePrivate or semi-private
You choose: a departure exclusively yours, or a small semi-private group at a friendlier price. Always small numbers, never a mass shuttle.
Your choiceDeep local knowledge
Guides and partners who live and work in these regions. The right sighting spots, real seasonal timing, quiet trails — knowledge no booking platform can replicate.
Local networkDirect, personal coordination
You talk with the team that runs your trip — not a call center. Custom adjustments, last-minute changes, real answers by WhatsApp or email.
PersonalizedPhotography & birding specialists
Proper fieldcraft for birding. Macro in natural environments. Multi-flash and expedition-grade sessions coordinated with specialist guides and photographers.
Birding · Macro · ExpeditionCoordinated transportation
Door-to-door pickup in insured vehicles with professional drivers. Extend to airport transfers and inter-city routes across Costa Rica.
Country-wideTravel Guides
Plan smarter — read from our local experts
Wildlife hotspots, photography tips, and season-by-season guides written by the VIVO team.
Travel Tips 2026-07-26
Liberia (LIR) vs San José (SJO) Airport: Which One for La Fortuna & Arenal?
Read article
Wildlife 2026-07-17
Best Sloth Tour in La Fortuna — Bogarín vs Mariolas vs Sloth Territory (2026)
Read article
Destinations 2026-07-06
Where to Stay in Boca Tapada: Best Lodges for Wildlife Photography (2026)
Read articleSimple 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.
Get in Touch
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 WhatsAppFAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Your journey starts with a conversation
Let's plan something truly yours.
We reply in under 24 hours, in English or Spanish, with a real plan — not a template.
With VIVO, you are not another visitor. You are a travel companion.