Our Story

OUR STORY

How we started

Namu Travel Group is a Central America-based travel company specializing in luxury, boutique vacations to Central America and South America.

It was founded in 1999 when two twenty-something expats in Costa Rica connected through a 'roommate wanted' ad.

Living in Costa Rica, they found themselves giving friends and family personalized travel recommendations in the country. From there, Costa Rican Vacations was born and soon became the most successful online travel agency in Costa Rica.

Over the years, the company began offering services in other countries around Central America, and thus Namu Travel came into being as an umbrella brand to hold everything together and identify itself.

The Namu family encompasses the following brands: Costa Rican Vacations, Panama Vacations, Nicaragua Vacations, Fishing Vacations, and Centralamerica.com (our regional information site).

AS SEEN In

NAME ORIGIN

What “Namu” means

Our name, Namu, holds a special meaning as it signifies "jaguar" in the Bribri language—a sacred animal in Costa Rica and Latin America.
The Bribri, one of the country's largest indigenous groups, reside in the Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica and Panama.

OUR TEAM

Who We Are

Our tribe hails from all over the world and know their way around the region like locals. Travel isn't only our profession—it's also our passion, our way of life. We understand what it feels like to visit a country for the first time and strive to help our guests, with our intimate knowledge of the region, as only locals can.

Silvia Mattio

Sales Consultant

After of 23 year living in Costa Rica, marrying a Costa Rican native, and raising two kids, I moved back to Argentina where I was born. I have had over 20+ years of creating travel adventures for clients.

Leonardo Cascante

Sales Consultant

I am a native Costa Rican, born and raised in this beautiful country. My biggest passion is to discover and explore new areas, cultures, and experiences and that’s why I love what I do as a Travel Consultant.

Isaac Hernandez

Sales Consultant

Costa Rican, originally from Alajuela City, now living in the peaceful countryside of Sarapiquí. I’m a passionate traveler and planner with over 15 years in the tourism industry.

Felipe Martinez

Sales Consultant

Born and raised in Costa Rica, I am a passionate scuba diver and globetrotter who has lived in Canada, Australia, and Indonesia. With over 10 years in the tourism industry, I specialize in luxury and adventure travel, currently living on Costa Rica’s South Pacific coast with my family.

Natalia Gonzalez

Sales Consultant

Proudly from Costa Rica and based in the beautiful Arenal Volcano area. I have been working in tourism for over 14 years now. I love traveling and getting to know new people and cultures.

Leslie Sickler

Sales Consultant

My passion for travel to Central America began while I was conducting archaeological fieldwork at Caracol in the jungles of Belize and during numerous extended trips all over Costa Rica.

partners

Our Esteemed Affiliates

We take pride in collaborating with a curated selection of travel and hospitality experts who share our commitment to excellence. Together, we bring you seamless experiences that blend luxury, authenticity, and exploration.

OUR VISION

Unforgettable Stories

As a Central America-based company, we see this region as "home," not just another destination. We strive to contribute to society here and create a deeper understanding of Central America's people and customs. It's that important to us, and ensuring you have a perfect visit goes far to achieve that goal.

Therefore, we offer a level of service that aims to more than satisfy all our guests, no matter where they're traveling to in Central America.

Our ultimate goal is to ensure that each guest returns home with unforgettable stories to cherish about their vacation in Central America and beyond.