Professional Tour Guides
MIGUEL ANDRADES
Miguel is the co-founder of Adventures of Sarapiquí. He is from Santiago, Chile, where his favorite sport was mountain-hiking. Miguel has international experience in mountain-hiking and rowing sports, which has taken him to many countries such as Honduras, Peru, USA, Venezuela, Panamá, Guatemala, Ecuador, and his native country Chile. Miguel is certified as a Swift-water Rescue Technician, He obtained his certificate in Nantahala Outdoor Center, located in North Carolina, USA. Also, he has worked as a guide in the Arkansas River with the ART Company, in Colorado, and with North American River Runners in the Gauley River in West Virginia. Also, Miguel graduated in Anthropology from the University of Florida, before founding Adventures of Sarapiquí in Costa Rica.
ALEXANDER “PONGO” BAKER
Pongo, native of Costa Rica, is a co-founder of Adventures of Sarapiquí. He is a renowned athlete in adventure sports, with years of experience as a rafting guide, including many years working for the ARTA Company in California. He is a class V Kayak expert and also a mountain-biking expert. He participated in the Pan-American games, in the Galuoises Raid and he was captain of 1 of the 2 teams that represented Costa Rica in the Latin-American rafting tournament. Also, he is a certified Swift-water Rescue Technician. Pongo is directly involved in environmental preservation projects, such as cleaning the rivers of Costa Rica, projects that involve the impact of hydro-electric plants, and protection projects involving the green macaw. Pongo was the captain of the first Costa Rican team to participate in the Eco Challenge, the hardest adventure sports race in the world, where the Costa Rican team F.O.R. (Friends of the river), besides placing 28 in the competition, was the 2nd Latin-American team to finish. Also they obtained the Eco Challenge “Spirit” award, for their support and help to other teams. In the year 2002, he participated in the Eco Challenge again, as captain of the Costa Rican team Pura Vida, which took place in the Fiji islands. He has also participated in numerous rowing and national adventure competitions, where he has placed among the top 3 for the 2003-2005 seasons.
JOHANA ARGÜELLO MENDEZ
Johana was born in San José and since more than 8 years ago she started taking part in numerous adventure and rowing sports. After graduating from the Castella conservatory, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the U.A.C.A., and she also has Master’s degree in Integral Health and Human Movement, with emphasis in sports, obtained from the National University. Her sporting activities include various climbs to the Chirripó Peak; also she has participated 3 times in the Campo Traviesa international race. She has obtained first place finishes in flat-water rowing races, as well as mountain-biking races and adventure races. Johana has more than 5 years of being a rafting guide and because of having the opportunity of working in rivers, combined with her job and knowledge; she was put in charge of writing the Ethics and Human relations manual for whitewater tour guides, for the INA. Also, she possesses the license for Adventure tour guide from the INA, which includes instruction on swift-water rescues, CPR, among others. In November of 1999, she was a member of the Women’s Rafting team, unique in the country, which competed in the National Rafting Championship in Sarapiquí, obtaining 6th place. On that same year they competed in the Latin-American rafting championship in Costa Rica taking home 5th place.
Comments
Much more thah just racing down the river. good guideds who knoew what we wanted. Jonathan and Jose were EXCELLENT !!! see more
El viaje fue muy divertido y de buena Calidad. see more
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