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
A New ChapterElias Nature Tours is now VIVO Expeditions
Welcome toVIVO ExpeditionsYour Costa Rican Tour Operator
VIVO — to live, fully. The same local team that ran Elias Nature Tours for 15+ years, with a name that finally captures what we do: design private, unhurried journeys through Costa Rica's wild heart.
Just your groupEvery activity in one placeLocal team · 15+ years
15+ years operating in ArenalReply within 24h900+
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.
VIVO Expeditions 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
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
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
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
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
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
C W.
March 2026
Elias arranged two half-days of private birding around La Fortuna. Outstanding guiding, spotting and scope work. We added many lifers and learned so much about behavior and habitat. Communication and logistics were flawl…
Private Birding
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
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
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
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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
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
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
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
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
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
C W.
March 2026
Elias arranged two half-days of private birding around La Fortuna. Outstanding guiding, spotting and scope work. We added many lifers and learned so much about behavior and habitat. Communication and logistics were flawl…
Private Birding
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
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
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
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Location
La Fortuna, Alajuela, CR
Office Hours
Mon–Sun: 7 am – 9 pm
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Subject to availability. Contact us on WhatsApp for the fastest response.
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