Guides

Onik has been involved in biology since she was a young girl - she grew up on a large 5 acre forest/residence near Santa Ana, Costa Rica, building tree houses and swinging on vines. That led to early childhood activities such as gymnastics and an undying fascination with nature. She recently finished her B.A. degree in Biology and she is now studying towards a Master’s degree with an emphasis on Environmental Interpretation and has a special interest in birds. In the intervening years, she has had the opportunity to travel and camp in almost every corner of Costa Rica. Her travels also include Asia, Europe, Africa and the wonderful Galapagos Islands. Her past times are music, dancing and of course soccer. Testimonials: Onik was exceptional! She related so well to the kids, and the adults enjoyed being with her, too. She was fun, knowledgeable, and eager to make this trip a fabulous experience for the group. Onik's love for her country showed in all that she did. Feck-Hammel Family – Costa Rica Active Family Adventure Our guide Onik was wonderful! Our girls (9 and 6) instantly attached themselves to her. She was phenomenally knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and simply great to hang around. We definitely credit Onik for our new-found knowledge about Costa Rica. Having a guide was an eye-opening experience; one that we would highly recommend. Robin and Heath Dolan - Costa Rica Family Vacation

From the time Gerardo was a young child, he enjoyed the natural wonders of his home and the nearby rainforests. His tourism career began as a driver, which gave him the opportunity to travel around the country while his appreciation for Costa Rica’s biodiversity expanded. He then decided to study and become a Naturalist guide in order to be able to share his knowledge and passion for the country. He continues learning to be the best possible guide for visitors who decide to vacation in this little country Gerardo calls “my little piece of paradise”. Testimonials: “This note is to commend our incredible guide, Gerardo Lara Gutierrez. He is the best guide I have ever had, anywhere. He can talk to you, drive the van, and spot a sloth or toucan, all at the same time. Stops van, sets up binoculars on tripod, adjusts to kids’ height (or adults’) in less than a minute, usually before any of the other guides have even seen the bird/animal. He has friends everywhere we went. The twins (9 -1/2) were in awe of him and followed him everywhere. He bought soccer balls and talked a school into setting up a quick soccer game with the twins, which they did. The phys ed teacher organized 6 kids, with Gerardo and my son as goalies. We had to leave after about 20 minutes, and he gave the balls to the school. Everyone came out a winner. When we had the problem at the hotel, he handled it almost before we even knew he was doing it. He is a gem. Please treat him well. Thank you for assigning him to us”. Lois Victor – Costa Rica Active Family Adventure “Now I want to tell you about our terrific guide, Gerardo. He was amazing, full of information about the politics, economy, ecosystems, industry, population, geography etc of Costa Rica… He was always professional and careful driving, despite the winding and bumpy road, and the negotiating of oncoming vehicles or occasionally having to pass, he never did anything rash, made the arduous trip up the mountains very comfortable, we never felt in danger, yet he gave informative commentaries on all the scenery, the plants, ecosystems, types of cattle, farms, sugar cane, coffee, cloud forest, cloud and weather patterns, etc….Anyway, he also was very attentive to any issues. He was just great, funny, patient, excellent English, excellent knowledge of birds, nature, etc. He absolutely made the trip for us, and when we talked with other tourists clearly we had the best guide of all! Other guests from the hotel Fonda Vela would come up and ask to look at the birds he was finding and identifying for us, and he was always gracious and professional with them too. Thanks so much for connecting us to Gerardo Lara”. Owen and Eileen Mathieu – Costa Rica Custom trip

Pedro lives in Heredia, the “City of the flowers”, with his 3 boys and his wife Yaney. For more than 4 years he worked as a bartender on several cruise ships, getting great customer service experience with tourists, and expanding his knowledge of the Caribbean Islands: Bermudas, Antigua, Virgin Islands, Jamaica, and Aruba. When Pedro returned to Costa Rica, he started his career guiding tours throughout the country. Later he finished his training course as a Naturalist Guide at the National Institute of Learning and the National Institute of Biodiversity. With more than 18 years of guide experience Pedro is a true “Tico” who loves sharing Costa Rica’s traditions, nature and culture with the travelers who catch his contagious enthusiasm. He spends his free time playing basketball and going birding with his friends. He is also a serious soccer fan! Testimonials: “Thank you again for you help in coordinating our trip to Costa Rica in March. We had a wonderful and very memorable experience, and are enjoying reliving the moments through the many photos from our trip. Pedro Bolanos was very kind and an exceptional guide”. Dianna D. Overmyer – Costa Rica Active Family Adventure

Alex has worked as a naturalist Costa Rica tour guide for over a decade. He is passionate about birding, biking, kayaking, and specializes in guiding active Costa Rica family vacations. Alex is a rappel and canyoneering expert and represented Costa Rica as a member of a national search and rescue team in adventure competitions in Mexico, Panama and Nicaragua. In his free time he can be found mountain biking, exploring new trails, rappelling down a waterfall, or with his rod and binoculars exploring new fishing sites. These experiences have given Alex the opportunity to explore and gain experience in Costa Rica tourism and throughout the region establishing skills as a top naturalist Costa Rica tour guide. Alex continues to travel a few weeks each year outside of Costa Rica especially canoeing in Boundary Waters, Minnesota and Quetico Park in Canada. "Alex was friendly, organized, and insistent (in a kind way) on helping us see and learn all we could. He is so knowledgeable and pointed out animals, insects, and birds we could never have seen on our own. He deserves an A+." The Lane Family ~ Lapa Rios Tropical Adventure "Alex is a fantastic guide - we were near tears when he left us after just those 3 days. He was great with the kids as well." Matthews Family ~ Natural Wonders Family Tour

Although Leo received degrees at the University of Costa Rica and the National Institute of Learning, much of his vast knowledge of natural history is self taught from so many years in the field. He has been a naturalist guide for over 18 years and in the past decade he has been recording bird songs throughout different habitats. He is a member of the Costa Rican Association of Ornithology and has participated in bird banding projects and surveys. Although he knows his birds, Leo shares his vast knowledge about all flora and fauna of the tropical ecosystem on general Costa Rica eco tours, as well as giving lectures, short courses, and special training sessions for other guides. He has guided birdwatcher groups and naturalist groups for many different organizations and universities and has written a number of scientific papers on Costa Rican's birds and natural history. Leo's knowledge and field experience as a guide is enhanced by field trips he has taken to the Andes and Amazon in Ecuador, Panama, Churchill Canada, and in the United States. Leo especially loves guiding Costa Rica family tours, student groups, and general nature lovers. "The Broyles family trip to Costa Rica was one of the highlights of our life. The experience exceeded our expectations by such a large factor that I'm having trouble thanking everyone properly! Leo Chaves, Ph.D in CR and Interpersonal Relations, was one of the most professional "teachers" I've had the privilege to know. Our itinerary and accommodations were excellent, but the feast of Costa Rica with its people, culture, vistas and animals was out-of-this-world. We've developed a great empathy for the country we had the privilege to visit; of all the outcomes, perhaps this is the most profound". Nancy and Joe Governali ~ Broyles 1st Birding Group "Our guide Leo used several local guides and homes for rest stops and lunches along our route. One lady near Jaco cooked a phenomenal lunch for us and our group still speaks about it. They enjoyed the home feel and the smile of the lady who was obviously very proud of her production and the enjoyment of the group. This was such an important cultural opportunity for our group. I also like the idea of providing direct monetary benefits to the individuals in this community who hosted us". Steven Broyles ~ Broyles 4th Birding Group

Marco (aka Tex) is a native Costa Rica travel guide from the Central Valley suburb of Desamparados. He started working as a Costa Rica tour guide in 1989 and has spent the last 16 years as a master naturalist guide, having been accredited as a professional naturalist guide by the National Institute of Learning. He continues to take courses on nature photography, ornithology and lepidopterology (study of butterfies) at the National Biodiversity Institute of Costa Rica, and also expounds upon his knowledge of Costa Rica's volcanoes by participating in seminars with Costa Rican volcanologists. Marco also travels to many natural areas in the USA including Sedona, Moab, the Grand Tetons, and several nature reserves in Minnesota and Michigan to learn about temperate habitats. Marco's boundless enthusiasm and passion for Costa Rica adventure travel is obvious to all who travel with him; he puts an unbelievable amount of time and energy into all of his Costa Rica tours. Marco and wife Lety live in San Jose and have two children, Mariana and Daniela. When he is not guiding, Marco enjoys reading and his principal hobby of wildlife photography. "Marco - our naturalist guide - was incredible, informative, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and passionate about his country, conservation and the company. We thought this guy to become a good friend. He made the trip so enjoyable. We hope to return and ask for his services! I just can't say enough wonderful things about him". Carla Ullom and Family ~ Costa Rica Family Vacation

Luis had his first nature experiences as a youngster involved in subsistence hunting and logging. That perspective has given him his great respect for the natural environment, as well as excellent wildlife spotting abilities. Born in the Caribbean Province of Limon of Nicaraguan decent, Luis moved north to the small town of Torugero with his mother at the age of 2. After beginning his ecotourism career as a gardener for Tortuga Lodge in 1986, Luis was promoted to fishing and naturalist boatman guide. He paid close attention to the experienced naturalists as they wound their way through the canals, and followed up with study of Costa Rica's natural history. Luis' special efforts have more than qualified him as a first rate Naturalist Guide. Luis has guided for the National Orchid Society, University of California at Berkeley and Microsoft among others. When not spending time with families visiting Costa Rica from other countries, Luis spends time with his own five children and his wife, Angela. "Our guide, Luis Torres, was top notch. He was enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and he demonstrated a real love and respect for nature. He carried a spotting scope on a tripod on all excursions so that everyone had an opportunity to experience what he was showing and explaining." Jeannette Metcalf ~ Costa Rica Adventure

Born on a farm in the town of San Rafeal de Heredia, Alex has always loved the outdoors and enjoyed showing the rainforest to as many people as possible. The animals on the family farm spurred his interest in nature and drew him to guiding and formal wildlife and natural history education. Alex has studied subjects as varied as Butterfly and Frog Breeding, and Bats and Volcanoes of Costa Rica. He has also taken specialized guiding courses. When not guiding, he enjoys mountain biking and diving. "Having our own naturalist guide was worth every penny. Alex and the river guides were all outstanding. He was friendly, organized, and insistent (in a kind way) on helping us see and learn all we could. He is so knowledgeable and saw animals, insects, and birds we never could have seen on our own. He deserves an A+. Our guides on the rafting trip were excellent, skilled, full of the knowledge and very funny. Jorge was an amazing cook!" The Lane Family ~ River and Rainforest Adventure