? Overview

Start early with a pickup from your San José-area hotel and head into the Costa Rican countryside, passing through Cartago and small rural towns. Once you reach the rafting launch site, professional guides will brief you on safety, paddle technique, and then you’ll set off on an 18-mile (approx. 30 km) rafting journey down the Pacuare River. You’ll navigate a mix of rapids, drift past waterfalls, and soak in dense rainforest scenery before returning to San José at the end of the day.

✨ Highlights

• Paddle through class III and IV rapids, making it an exhilarating yet accessible experience for beginners and more experienced paddlers.
  
  

• Navigate some of the river’s most famous rapids by name: Huacas, Rodeo, Pinball, Cimarrones, and Dos Montañas.
  
  

• Witness a waterfall cascading into the river from both sides, adding a dramatic natural backdrop.
  
  

• Enjoy a picnic lunch on a riverside beach, surrounded by jungle.
  
  

• Spot wildlife along the river gorge — sloths, toucans, parrots, and coatis are among the common sightings.
  
  

? Full Description

After your hotel pickup in San José, the journey begins through Costa Rica’s lush highlands, winding through Cartago and other scenic rural areas. Breakfast is served en route to fuel up before the rafting adventure. When you arrive at the river, your guides will fit you with safety gear — helmets, life jackets — and give a paddling and safety briefing.

Then you begin the rafting portion: gliding down the Pacuare River over approximately 18 miles (30 km), confronting rapids of Class III and IV difficulty. Along the way, you’ll pass through narrow canyons, encounter roaring rapids, and be surrounded by lush tropical forest. Key rapid sections on this route include "Huacas,” “Rodeo,” “Pinball,” “Cimarrones,” and “Dos Montañas.” Midway, you’ll pause at a peaceful riverside beach for a riverside picnic lunch. After lunch, you continue rafting, then reach the take-out point, where you’ll change into dry clothes before being driven back to San José.

✅ What’s Included

• Round-trip transportation from hotels in the San José area.
  
  

• Breakfast to start your day.
  
  

• Picnic lunch by the river.
  
  

• Professional river guides plus a safety kayaker.
  
  

• Rafting gear: raft, paddles, helmets, life jackets.
  
  

? What to Bring

• Closed-toe, comfortable shoes that can get wet.
  
  

• Swimwear.
  
  

• A change of clothes + a towel.
  
  

• Sunscreen.