Pacuare River Whitewater Rafting: Full-Day Adventure from San Jose
4.8
131 Ratings
Cartago
Embark on an exhilarating full-day whitewater rafting adventure on the Pacuare River. Experience the thrill of navigating class 3 and 4 rapids, surrounded by stunning rainforest scenery. Suitable for beginners and experienced paddlers, this action-packed day trip is not to be missed!
Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Pacuare River - During this trajectory you will enjoy a combination of enthusiasm and extreme adventure. The Pacuare River is recognized worldwide for its beauty flanked by its green canyons bathed on both sides by its lush waterfalls. Within its abundant flora and fauna in sight: sloth bears, toucans, parakeets, coatis, a colorful fan of butterflies and frogs, is not out of its exciting crystalline waters that make it an unforgettable adventure trip.
What's Included
  • Rafting equipment
  • Transportation from hotels in San Jos
  • Breakfast
  • Tour guide
  • Lunch
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Additional Information

Embark on an exciting one-day journey filled with thrilling whitewater rafting, remarkable waterfalls, and magnificent rainforest views. The Pacuare’s class 3 and 4 rapids cater to both novice and seasoned rafters aged 12 and above who are keen on adventure and stay physically engaged throughout the day. Your day begins with an early morning pick-up from your hotel in San Jose area, followed by a drive to Cartago, the historic heart of Costa Rica, on to small towns and scenic countryside before reaching the rafting center of Turrialba. Here, we will halt for an included breakfast before proceeding to the Pacuare River for embarkation. Upon reaching, our guides will equip you with the necessary rafting gear and brief you on paddling instructions and safety measures. The adrenaline rush kicks off immediately as we paddle 18 miles downstream through class 3 and 4 rapids, navigating through “Huacas,” “Rodeo,” “Pinball,” “Cimarrones,” and “Dos Montañas.” We’ll take a break for a picnic lunch by the river. Post rafting, you can change into a dry outfit before returning to San Jose.

  • What to bring: Come with rafting clothes on (light shoes that will stay on, swimsuit, shorts, nylon shirt), sunscreen,water bottle, change of clothes, towel, insect repellent, some money for personal expenses.
  • Tour operate with a minimum of 2 people
  • Not persons under 12 years old
Location
Pacuare River
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(131 Ratings)
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Robin_n
Apr 24, 2024
Easy pick up at my hotel.... - Easy pick up at my hotel. Fun rapids and great views. The guides were so helpful and accommodating to the language needs of our group.
Review provided by Viator
Michael_b
Apr 9, 2024
Amazing adventure - I highly recommend this tour from start to finish was amazing. Transport was on time and friendly guides were great, Knowledgeable and super friendly as well. I will definitely use again.
Review provided by Viator
Inspire24801457671
Apr 8, 2024
Highly recommend - Great experience! Tons of fun for the kids. A nice day trip before you leave Costa Rica. Joy was had by all involved. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Curious06606593879
Apr 6, 2024
Great experience! - Text: Amazing experience! We booked the Pacuare river but we ended up at Reventazón River due to drought in the Pacuare region. The weather at Reventazon was perfect. Our leader rafter Julian was incredible! He perfectly knows the zone, the animals, plants and history of the area. The two other guys in the kayaks were amazing as well. Lunch espectacular and they did all the picnic in front of us. Our driver Di Lucas was with us the whole trip and he was very attentive!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
James_n
Mar 20, 2024
Great workout - Great guide. Professional. Never felt out of control. River was a little low because of the drought.
Review provided by Viator
Liam_k
Mar 12, 2024
Must do experience - Overall a really awesome experience! To start, our driver was on time to pick us up, and was really great in telling us things about the area as we drove! We had a great time rafting with our guide Carlos, who not only told us what we needed to do, but also explained why and how things worked, which I really appreciated. Overall it was a truly amazing experience, something you can’t miss. I’ll also add that you definitely don’t need any experience in whitewater rafting to go on this trip. I was concerned about that at first, but Carlos taught us everything we needed to know!
Review provided by Viator
K9318bystacyb
Mar 9, 2024
Great value and absolutely beautiful river! - What a great day trip! We had a comfortable ride from San Jose. As a farmer, I enjoyed seeing the fields of vegetables on the way to the river. The trip included a nice breakfast at a restaurant on the way and lunch along the river. Our time on the river was great, and we enjoyed our trip very much, the river is beautiful! I would highly recommend this trip as it is an excellent value for what you see and get to do!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tamera_b
Mar 8, 2024
Adventurous river rafting all in one day! - Awesome trip, many rapids, great guides, and our trip guide, Mario, was awesome. 2 meals were just right and the river was spectacular! The shuttle, if you are picked up from San Jose, is a few hours each way. I would suggest the overnight or 3 day option if you have the time. When you do it all in one day, it’s a long day!
Review provided by Viator
Petr_f
Mar 6, 2024
Amazing times in the river - I had amazing time in the river. Our driver Luca was professional, friendly and helpful. Thank you We had delicious breakfast. Our tour guy Carlos was funny, professional and he had a lot of experiences. I feel safe. I will never forget this trip.
Review provided by Viator
Ronaldos52
Apr 10, 2024
Nice experience, but waiting for photos - Very Nice experience and the viesse are amazing. Althoug, we are still waiting to receive the photos we paid for. I world like to get in touch with somente from the company to solve it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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