My name is Yarenis Ramirez, and I am your La Fortuna local tour guide at Guide Me Around Costa Rica. I have worked as a naturalist guide for over 12 years, and every one of those years has been spent in this region – the forests, the volcanic trails, the rivers, and the communities of the Arenal area. My work is not just a job. It is a genuine commitment to showing you my country the way a local sees it.
I am very passionate about connecting with people who want to enjoy Costa Rica and learn about its culture, its wildlife, and its landscapes. That passion shapes everything I do – from the way I pace a morning trail walk to the way I explain the ecological story behind a strangler fig or a 1968 lava field.
A Certified Naturalist Guide in Costa Rica: My Credentials
As a certified naturalist guide in Costa Rica, my work is backed by formal training and official licensing. I believe travelers deserve to know exactly who is leading them into the forest. Here is the foundation behind every tour I guide:
My philosophy is built on three things: personalized service, responsibility, and safety. I do not believe in one-size-fits-all tours. A family with young children needs the story behind every discovery. A wildlife photographer needs patience and silence at exactly the right moment. A couple celebrating something special needs an experience that feels considered and unhurried. Moreover, every tour I lead – or recommend through my partner network – meets the standards of responsible, low-impact guiding, because the Arenal region deserves to be treated with care.
Credentials
- B.A. in Tourism Education – Universidad Tecnica Nacional (UTN)
- Official Tourism License – Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT)
- Naturalist Guide Diploma – Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje (INA)
- Advanced First Aid and CPR Certification
What 12 Years as an Arenal Tour Guide Actually Means
More than a decade as an Arenal tour guide means I have walked the same trails through thousands of different mornings. I have watched seasonal patterns shift, learned which trees draw wildlife in each month, and built the kind of local knowledge that no app or brochure can replicate. For example, I know which stretches of the hanging bridges trail produce the best early light for photography. I also know how rain changes the behavior of the sloths that live in the cecropia forest above La Fortuna.
Furthermore, those years have taught me what makes a tour genuinely memorable – and what makes it forgettable. The difference is almost never the destination. It is the depth of interpretation, the pace of the experience, and the quality of attention your guide brings to every moment. That is what I aim to deliver on every tour I lead.
A Private Guide in La Fortuna: Local, Not Generic
Working as a private guide in La Fortuna means I have a choice to make every single morning: show up with a script, or show up with genuine attention. I choose the latter. Consequently, no two tours I lead are exactly the same. The route, the pace, the stories – all of it adapts to the people I am guiding that day.
Large tour agencies move groups on a schedule. They fill a van, assign a guide, and deliver the same experience in the same order regardless of who is in the bus. That model works for some travelers. However, it is not what I offer. A tour with me means your group is the only group. Your questions shape the morning. Your interests determine where we slow down. This approach is especially valuable for families, for guests who want depth over efficiency, and for anyone who has done the big bus tour before and wants something that actually stays with them.
Tours Yarenis Ramirez Guides Personally in Arenal
As your Yarenis Ramirez guide in the field, I offer a range of tours across the La Fortuna and Arenal region, covering the experiences that define this part of Costa Rica. That includes hanging bridges walks through the primary rainforest canopy, sloth watching in the forest corridors above town, hikes through Arenal National Park and the 1968 lava trail, thermal hot springs evenings, and white water rafting on the Balsa River.
Every tour is available in a private format – just your group, guided personally by me. Additionally, some tours are also available in a standard shared format through carefully vetted partner operators who meet my quality standards. For full details on the private guiding experience and what it includes, visit the dedicated page.
Ready to Explore Arenal?
Whether you are planning a single morning in the forest or a full week of activities around Arenal, I would love to help you make the most of your time here. Browse the available tours, arrange your private transport between destinations, or reach out directly with your dates and interests. I will build the right experience around your group.
You can contact me at info@guidemearoundcr.com or by phone at +506 8319-2746. I look forward to meeting you in La Fortuna.