Private experiences in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Never a shared bus, never a stranger’s schedule — just your group and a local naturalist guide who calls Guanacaste home, on a day designed entirely around you.
Guanadreams CR offers private experiences in four worlds across Guanacaste, Costa Rica: nature (7 experiences), adventure (5), ocean (4), and birding and photography across 3 habitats. Every one is 100% private with a local naturalist guide — never a shared bus — priced per private group with taxes included, and with door-to-door pickup from Tamarindo to the Papagayo Peninsula.
Every experience is 100% private — never a shared bus, never a stranger’s schedule. Just your group and a local naturalist guide who calls Guanacaste home, on a day designed entirely around you.
For more than 30 years we have lived and worked among these forests, rivers and volcanoes — from turquoise waterfall canyons and volcanic hot springs to river safaris, cloud forest trails and the wildlife corridors between them. That lifetime of local knowledge is what turns a good day in Costa Rica into the one your family talks about for years.
Our experiences show starting prices per private group, taxes included, with hotel pickup from Tamarindo to the Papagayo Peninsula. Choose your world below and we’ll design the details together on WhatsApp — pace, pickup and personal touches included.
What private experiences can you book in Guanacaste?
Each world is fully private and led by a local naturalist guide. Start with one — or combine them across your trip.
Nature
Rainforest adventures, volcano experiences, wildlife encounters and cloud forest trails.
Explore Nature →
Adventure
ATV experiences, zip lines and adrenaline-packed adventures through Costa Rica’s wild side.
Explore Adventure →
Ocean
Private catamaran cruises, snorkeling and Pacific Ocean adventures.
Explore Ocean →
Birding & Photography
Guided bird watching and wildlife photography across cloud forest, dry forest, wetlands and rainforest.
Explore Birding →Which experience is for you?
A quick way to find your world. Not sure after this? That’s what the WhatsApp chat is for — tell us who’s coming and we’ll point you to the right day.
| World | Choose it for | What a day looks like | Time you’ll need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nature | Rainforest, volcanoes & wildlife | Sloths, waterfalls, volcanic hot springs, cloud-forest trails and river safaris | Half or full day |
| Adventure | Adrenaline in the outdoors | White-water rafting, ATV & buggy, zip lines and waterfall hikes | Half or full day |
| Ocean | Beach days on the Pacific | Private catamaran, snorkeling and sunset sailing | Half day |
| Birding | Birds & wildlife photography | A private morning in cloud forest, dry forest, wetlands or rainforest | Early start, half day |
Doing more than one? Most families mix two or three worlds across a week — a rafting morning, a catamaran sunset, a rainforest day. We build the order and the pickups around where you’re staying.
When is the best time to come?
Guanacaste has two seasons, and both are good — they just show you a different Costa Rica. Here’s the honest version.
Sunny days, calm Pacific water and gold-and-green dry forest. The peak window for beach days and catamaran sailing. Around the Tempisque wetlands the birds concentrate — jabiru storks, roseate spoonbills and herons are easiest to find now.
Afternoon showers, full rivers and waterfalls at their strongest, with lush forest and fewer crowds. The best window for river safaris and waterfall canyons. After very heavy rain, Río Celeste can briefly lose its turquoise color — we’ll always tell you before you go.
Cloud forest (quetzal, three-wattled bellbird) is at its best around April–May. Wetlands & dry forest peak in the dry months (Dec–March). Rainforest birding — toucans, motmots, Montezuma oropendola — rewards you year-round, best at dawn.
We come to you
Every private day starts at your door. We pick you up and drop you off right where you’re staying, from Tamarindo to the Papagayo Peninsula. No shared meeting points, no shuffling between vans: just your group, your guide, and a day built around where you are.
See private tours from your area: Papagayo · Playa Hermosa & Coco · RIU Guanacaste & Palace · Las Catalinas · Flamingo & Potrero · Conchal & Brasilito · Tamarindo & Playa Grande · Hacienda Pinilla · Marina Papagayo (Yacht Guests)
“I was born and raised here in Guanacaste. For more than thirty years these forests, rivers and volcanoes have been my backyard — and for more than twenty I’ve guided visitors through them as a naturalist guide. You don’t get handed to a stranger: it’s me, or someone I’ve trained and trust, and a day built around what you came to see.”
Miller Contreras — naturalist guide, wildlife photographer & co-founder, Guanadreams CR · Meet your guide →
“My family of 4 did 2 tours with Miller as our guide. I highly recommend this company! Miller is very knowledgeable about the plants and trees of Costa Rica… The highlight of the day was getting to see sloths and monkeys — one sloth was so close I could have touched it!”
Planning more than one day?
Pick your days and combine experiences from any of these categories into one private, door-to-door itinerary — we’ll handle the order, the pace and the pickups.
We run these tours ourselves.
- No middleman, no reseller — you talk to the people who guide the day.
- Private from two people on most experiences, taxes included, the price you see is the price you pay.
- Hotel pickup from Tamarindo to the Papagayo Peninsula, door to door.
Not sure which experience?
Chat with our team and we’ll design the perfect experience based on your interests.
More than 300 five-star reviews on Tripadvisor. Our guides’ eBird lists are public — you can read them before you write.
Or write to us