CRR Field Team & Guides
We like to call our staff the dream team. We are made up of locals and foreigners who have been in the tourism industry for years. Our office and reservation staff has the same knowledge of the country as our drivers and guides. All guides have been certified by Costa Rica Board of Tourism as naturalists in order to give the most complete and ACCURATE information on Costa Rica. All of our guides are certified with rescue and first aid courses.
Our adventure guides in rafting, rappeling, hiking, and ziplining have all been certified with years of experience. We take pride in our staff. They are the ones that make this experience truly memorable.
Paulo Monge, videographer
27 years old guide and videographer. Paulo has been working in rivers all over the world from the White Nile in Uganda to the Pacuare River in Costa Rica. His skills at making and editing videos is what separates Paulo from most other guides. During Paulo´s spare time he works at the children hospital as a clown. Don’t be surprised to see Paulo hanging from a tree limb up in the rainforest just to get some good footage of the group.
Marlon Bustos, river guide
Marlon is Costa Rican and has been working here as a guide for 14 years. Marlon is 30 yrs old and lives in the village of Sitio de Mata where you will be spending a night. Marlon´s expertise is rafting and he´s been on the river since before he could walk. Marlon was asked by the government of Costa Rica to certify all river guides. We are happy he turned the job down to come work with us.
Jehudy Carballo, naturalist guide
He is a 33 yr old Costa Rican and has 14 yrs of guiding experience all over the country. His knowledge of plants and animals is some of the best you will find. Jehudy is a naturalist guide and his favorite area is birds. He also is very impressive at doing different accents of different Spanish speaking countries which is very funny.
Jonathan Serrano, naturalist guide
Jonathan is a Costa Rican and one of our naturalist guides. There are 10,000 different species of plants in Costa Rica and Jonathan knows 9,999. Ok, maybe not quite but he does know his natural history. He has been guiding all over the country and Central America for 14 yrs.. Jonathan has also been known to tell some pretty funny jokes on long bus rides so don’t be afraid to ask him for some joke time. Jonathan lives in the north of the country in San Carlos.
Alonso García, driver
Alonso lives in Heredia and knows the country better than anyone you will meet WITHOUT A GPS. Alonso is one of our drivers. Not only does he drive but he loves nature. This is a great plus because we can stop and see an animal and we actually have to drag Alonso back into the bus and tell him its time to go. He takes great pics also (Not when he is driving of course).
Jose Alfredo Barrantes, driver
What can I say; this guy is the president of the country. With almost 25yrs of driving all over the country he knows everybody and even if he meets somebody he doesn’t know he is so out-going he makes them think that they know him. VOTE JOSE FOR PRESIDENT 2010!!!
Juan Manuel Ramírez, driver
Juan is a hardworker who does everything that needs to be done when something is not done. Juan is what we like to call our Campesino. Juan is our salsa dancing king! He happens to think he is the best in all of Central America but I can promise you that is common with Latin guys.
Jim Ranieri, Tom´s brother
Jim is a guidance counselor in the US who has spent the last year of his life traveling the world doing community service in all parts of Africa, South America, and not to mention he squeezed in a few marathons. Jim is an educator like all of you and our US source for information relating to our company.
Tom Ranieri, Founder
Tom has lived in Costa Rica for the last 8 yrs and is NOT a professional salsa dancer. He taught in Belize before moving to Costa Rica and starting Spanish schools in rural communities which has led to family vacations and student travel. Let it be repeated Tom is NOT a professional salsa dancer.
Tuk,
Tuk is the company´s Black Lab. He sleeps on the floor all day and chases his tennis ball and the bosses never seem to yell at him. Being a company dog doesn’t sound like such a bad gig!
