Herman Venegas
Naturalist Guide
Born on a small coffee farm in Tayutic, Turrialba, as a little boy, Herman spent his days outdoors. His mother says that as a child he was especially curious about nature.
His first opportunity to observe guiding was when he got a job at a well-known birding lodge close to his home town, Rancho Naturalista. Herman listened to guests and local guides talking about birds and quickly began to learn, after a short time he was the one identifying the species and sharing their story.
His passion for birds grew, on his way to work Herman was scanning the trees and bushes, identifying the species that he knew. When he saw something he didn’t know, he looked it up in the book and asked the guides at the lodge for confirmation. He spent his free time joining tours that other guides were leading, walking the trails at Rancho Naturalista to find more birds, and then branching out to explore the different parks and reserves close to his home. It wasn’t too long before Herman was one of the resident guides at the lodge.
Today, Herman guides all over Costa Rica, his first love is still birds, but he has applied the same dedication to learning general natural history. He especially enjoys talking about the interactions that take place between birds, trees and creatures in the rainforest.
When he’s not birding and having coffee with guests or fellow guides, Herman plays soccer and rides his mountain bike. What he loves most is to spend time with his wife and son, they enjoy photography nature walks in search of butterflies, dragonflies and orchids.
