Juan Jorge Araya Castillo
Manager / Naturalist Tour Guide / Surf Instructor
I was born and raised in Palmares, a small town in the western side of the central valley of Costa Rica.
I grew up spending a lot of time outdoors, which strengthened my connection with Mother Nature. When I was a teenager I was introduced to surfing, which completely changed the way I see life. The love for the ocean and its energy opened my mind and planted in me great admiration for the forces of nature.
I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism and Hospitality and now I am studying Natural Resources Management at Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED). I have been working in tourism since 2008.
My appetite for knowledge and adventure has led me to explore places like Indonesia, Peru, India, Cuba, Mexico, Dominican Republic, United States, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Nicaragua, Panama, Guatemala and of course, my beautiful Costa Rica.
Some of my pastimes and interests include literature, history, films, philosophy, music, cooking, snorkeling, fishing and photography. I also practice yoga and of course still surf as much as I can.
I have always felt a deep connection with the environment, it is my purpose, through my work, to help others find and strengthen that connection.
I am proud to be the founder of Costa Rica Outdoors Waves.
Andrey Acosta Cabezas
Birding Expert / Naturalist Tour Guide / Wildlife Photographer
I am from Puntarenas, a beautiful city located between the Pacific Ocean an estuary at the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Ecotourism at University of Costa Rica (UCR). I am proud to say that my University is considered one the best universities in my country and in Central America according to the QS University Rankings from 2016.
I nurtured and developed the love for nature while studying Ecotourism at UCR, especially for the amazing and colorful variety of the tropical birds of Costa Rica.
I have participated in many bird counts in different areas of Costa Rica, from the beach to the highlands. I have mingled with great and devoted Costa Rican and foreign birders.
My passion for nature has awakened the love for wildlife photography. In various opportunities I have participated in nature photography exhibitions.
I like to socialize and share with people from around the world. I love my profession as a Naturalist Tour Guide; I feel that my duty as a guide is to provide an unforgettable and exhilarating experience to our guests.
Raúl Arias
Certified CrossFit coach.
For a long time I tried different sport disciplines, trying to find one that made me passionate about.
When I found CrossFit I simply fell in love and from that moment I was inclined to study Physical Education, specializing in the area of Functional Training and CrossFit.
Today I am an athlete, a physical educator and a certified CrossFit trainer, I also have courses on functional hypertrophy, sports programming with emphasis on functional training, mobility and Olympic Lifting.
It's been 4 years since I opened KOMBE, my own CrossFit Box in my homeland Palmares. Everyday my love for this sport grows. I always look for the progress of my athletes, trying to get them further than they ever imagined.
Stefano Allegri
Yoga Teacher
Stefano Allegri began the deep exploration of “mind body” years ago through the world of martial arts. Stefano studied for more than ten years with Enzo Montanari, a legendary Sensei of Karate-Do. He received a second-degree black belt in the Karate-Do Shotokan style and he became an international instructor in this ancient practice.
Stefano’s love of nature and respect for a country that had no army moved him to Costa Rica where he took the first steps in learning Asana Yoga. His passion for the union between oppositional energies brought Stefano to Bali in 2003 to explore his first teacher training in Ubud.
In 2005 Stefano travelled to Mysore, India where his Ashtanga studies unfolded with K. Pattabhi Jois. In the last decade, he has spent time in California and Colorado practicing and learning from Masters Tim Miller and Richard Freeman.
In 2013, Stefano returned to India and studied intensely with one of the most recognized yoga masters in the world, Mathew Sweeney. Stefano loves yoga and working with body anatomy and alignment. His yoga practice is both on and off the mat. Stefano’s classes are a journey of the mind and the body and he always teaches with passion, joy and a fabulous sense of humor.