"To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product
of civilization."
-Bertrand Russel
MASTER NATURALIST GUIDES
carlos gomez Master Naturalist Guide & Director of Guiding Depa
Carlos, or as he is better known, Charlie, started his birding career working with Gary Stiles, the author of Birds of Costa Rica. He has guided birding and other natural history groups for Costa Rica Expeditions for two decades. Before that, he was Station Manager at the Organization for Tropical Studies' La Selva Biological Station. Called "legendary" in the Washington Post, groups he has led include Henderson Birding, Audubon Naturalist Society and Noble Proctor.
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"Birding is my number one love – after my family of course. Guiding lets me share my ideas about conservation with other people. Sometimes I think I am a frustrated professor, but my job as a guide is much better than sitting behind a desk, and it’s a great way to meet people and share my knowledge with them."
An excellent naturalist and avid birder with a B.S. in biology from the University of Costa Rica, Charlie's tireless enthusiasm on the job has made him our most requested naturalist guide. He is often asked by our clients to guide their trips in other countries. Charlie was born on Dec. 29, 1955. When he's not guiding, Charlie works in his garden, making it a haven for birds, and relaxes with his family. He and his wife, Vicky, have three adult children: Laura, Sergio, and Silvia.
First guided for IE and CRE from 1989 to 1992. He then went to the Denver, Colorado to get his Masters Degree in International Politics, returned to Costa Rica, and started guiding again several years later.
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Born in San José, Jorge has been working as a guide for a decade. He is an avid reader and autodidact and, to enjoy and improve his career as a naturalist, Jorge moved to the mountains of Heredia to be closer to nature. On his farm he grows different kinds of ornamental and medicinal plants as well as cut flowers.
Jorge has a BS in marine biology and Masters Degrees in tropical biology and international politics. With a diverse education and interests, it's not surprising that he has guided groups such as the National Geographic Board of Directors, Sierra Club Board of Directors, and many more. In fact, he remembers all of his groups fondly and always learns something new from each guiding experience.
When he guided Michael Collins, the astronaut, Jorge could not resist asking him what it was like to be on a spaceship looking down at the Earth. He never forgot Collins' reply: "It feels lonely, Jorge. Mostly you feel loneliness."
Arturo's passion and career is landscape architecture. He is a graduate of the Longwood Gardens Horticultural School's work-study program in Pennsylvania (1983-4) and also spent a year working at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis (1987-8). Arturo, who worked for Costa Rica National Parks for three years (1979-82), not only has a strong background in horticulture and conservation, but also has a strong knowledge of the country's native bird species.
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In 1996 Arturo completed Monteverde Lodge's gardens using mainly native species. His goal was to bring the forest and its wildlife right up to the Lodge's doorstep. Today's visitors enjoy the results of this work. During his twelve years as a guide for Costa Rica Expeditions, Arturo has led trips for the Nature Conservancy, Massachusetts Audubon Society and several horticultural organizations.
Through guiding he has realized a life-long dream of designing and managing a cloud forest reserve. His charisma, talent and love of nature caught the attention of a visitor from San Francisco in 1996 and she ended up financing a private reserve now managed by Arturo.
Born May 19, 1940, Jim is Costa Rica Expeditions' Master Naturalist Guide Emeritus, with nearly three decades of guiding with us. Although Jim is now retired, he continues to advise the company and our guides.
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Jim has extensive field experience with animal surveys for the Smithsonian Institution, Scripps Institute and the Farallon Islands off California. Before joining Costa Rica Expeditions as head naturalist in 1980, he did six years of biological consulting work and independent research throughout Costa Rica.
An avid birder, Jim has guided trips for numerous Audubon Society groups, the Americans Society (which is chaired by David Rockefeller), The Nature Conservancy, the NY Zoological Society, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Oceanic Society, among others.
Jim and his wife, Barbara, have two adult children, Jonathan and Jennifer. In his free time, Jim volunteers at INBIO and tends his orchid collection (he especially loves miniatures).
As you search for your ideal trip in the custom itineraries section of our web site, you may wish to create a list of favorite trips. To do so, click on the link above each itinerary, “Add to My Favorites.” Each itinerary you chose will be added to a personalized list of trips. You can add as many trips as you want to your list and refer back to them by clicking on the link, "See My Favorites," which will appear in the right column once you have selected a favorite.
Your list of favorites will follow you as you surf the site, allowing you to refer back to selected itineraries at any time. On your next visit to our web site, the list will reappear by clicking the link, “See My Favorites.”
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As you search for your ideal trip in the custom itineraries section of our web site, you may wish to create a list of favorite trips. To do so, click on the link above each itinerary, “Add to My Favorites.” Each itinerary you chose will be added to a personalized list of trips. You can add as many trips as you want to your list and refer back to them by clicking on the link, "See My Favorites," which will appear in the right column once you have selected a favorite.
Your list of favorites will follow you as you surf the site, allowing you to refer back to selected itineraries at any time. On your next visit to our web site, the list will reappear by clicking the link, “See My Favorites.” 
