Balsa River Rafting: Scenic Adventure Awaits

Experience an exhilarating white water river rafting adventure on the Balsa River in La Fortuna-Arenal. Learn the skills from certified guides, enjoy scenic views, and take refreshing breaks along the way.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • WAVE Rafting Costa Rica - Experience the ideal blend of adventure, nature, and local culture with this Rafting Class II & III tour from La Fortuna/Arenal. Begin with a convenient hotel pick-up and a picturesque drive to our exclusive river access, where certified bilingual guides provide a comprehensive safety briefing and paddling practice….
What's Included
  • Professional guide
  • Equipment: Raft, Paddles, Rafting Vest and Helmet
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
  • Lunch
  • Snacks
  • Bottled water
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • Gratuities
  • Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Additional Information

Experience more than just rafting with the ultimate Arenal adventure! Delight in family-friendly Class II & III rapids guided by certified bilingual experts. Enjoy a refreshing riverside fruit break, followed by showers and refreshments after your float. Savor a local farm lunch accompanied by a cultural demonstration, featuring a sugar cane mill and…

Location
WAVE Rafting Costa Rica
Avenida 331
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(526 Ratings)
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Travelingwithmyloml
Mar 16, 2026
The best of everything outing - We just got back from this outing. My husband and I (both turning 60 this summer) thought we were just doing some whitewater rafting and getting some lunch but the day was much more than that and all terrific. The rafting was excellent. Moises was a great guide with 20 years experience. He was funny, informative, and a great teacher. There were about 18 of us on the bus to and from the rafting part and 6 people in each raft plus our guide. (Really felt like the perfect size even though there were other buses and guides for the mid trip snack and lunch part). Our raft was us and a family with preteens. We all felt safe and got very wet. There were challenging moments but as long as you can squat and lean over the raft to paddle, you’ll be ok. This tour is so much more than rafting. Our guide pointed out local sites and animals on the drive to, from and during the rafting trip. We saw an anteater, sloth (from a distance), toucan, and other beautiful birds. We had delicious watermelon and pineapple midway during the rafting trip and drinks on the bus. The stop at the Vida Campesina for buffet lunch after rafting was better than I expected. The food was DELICIOUS and worked with my dairy-free, gluten-free diet and was all ORGANIC. They did a coffee demonstration then a sugar cane and moonshine demonstration. The coffee was the best I’ve ever had. Bought some to bring home for us and family ($11 USD each bag). There’s also a souvenir shop so if you think you might want to buy anything, bring cash and/or a credit card. Lastly, I had a phone and a wet bag that went around my waist that I was going to bring in the raft. Our guide suggested leaving everything on the bus (“our locker”) so nothing got lost or ruined. They have someone taking really excellent action photos for each boat during the trip that you can look at and purchase when you get back on the bus ($40USD). That said, I’m glad I didn’t bring my phone or wet bag pouch. I needed both hands for paddling and would have worried about all the water getting on my phone/camera. So unless you have a really good waterproof pouch or camera/phone, I would leave it behind and spend the money on the photos if you like/want them. Few other quick things to note: 1) it took about an hour to hour and a half from when we got picked up at our hotel (10am) until we actually got in the water. They stopped for a bathroom break just before we headed down to our raft but if you need a snack, you might want to eat a little something on the bus. We didn’t get to lunch until around 2pm 2) they provide a towel and a place to get out of wet clothes and shoes. They also have plastic bags for wet things (if you need or want it). 3) FYI, they pick up and drop off others at different hotels/resorts along the way but that wasn’t a problem. We got back to our resort around 3:40pm Just sharing all of the above so you know what to expect. Bottom line, this is definitely a trip worth doing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alanlarry123
Feb 9, 2026
Fun/safe experience - We're in our early to mid-70's. We had done rafting five or six times before, but our last time was about 15 years ago. So, we were a little concerned that perhaps this might be rough for us. I have to say that our concerns were dispelled the minute we shoved off. We did the two and a half/three stretch on the Balsa River. It was great. There were some exhilarating, challenging sections, but we felt comfortable the entire time. Diego is a terrific guide. Calm, fun, always safety-minded, and very informative. Not only did he tell us about what was going on while rafting, he was very informative about Costa Rica's history and environment on the drive out and back. If you are looking for a fun, safe experience on the river, I highly recommend Diego and Wave.
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Jtn3494fo
Feb 5, 2026
So much fun! - This was our favorite activity so far on our trip in Costa Rica. The guides were great! You go right into rapids so you learn quick, but it was such a fun experience. The stop halfway for a fruit snack was great. The pineapple is to die for! 10/10 recommend this activity.
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Tack44
Jan 28, 2026
Great day on the river - Wave were great. Our guide was really good explaining the paddling instructions and safety rules. We were a group of 6 rafts and they had 2 kayaks for safety. 1 in front and 1 in back. Where you go in is already 2-3. There is no quiet start to learn how to paddle. They give you lessons in an eddy by the river, but into the 3 pretty quick. The first part is bumpy and the last half pretty smooth. The guides make it fun doing spins and allowing you to swim if you want. Stopped to point out some birds, iguanas and bats. We did have a woman bounce out of our raft, but the guide was on her really fast and had her right back in. You will get bounced Ed around pretty good and pretty wet, especially if you are in the bow. They suggest not brining your phone and you couldn’t take pics in the rougher parts. They do have a photographer who will get shots of you Overall very safe and a ton of fun. Would do it again!!
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Marisoln381
Jan 24, 2026
Great for all ages and worth every penny! - Went with my sister on a vacation to Costa Rica this January. We had a free day and decided to go rafting, this activity was a 10/10 for us. The guides were incredibly and their knowledge of the river and wild life was impressive and we learned a lot. Super fun activity for all kids and adults! Would definitely recommend :)
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Happiness50751237869
Jan 18, 2026
River Rafting Fun - An absolutely an amazing trip, the guide Marco was excellent and we all thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Would 100% recommend to anyone visiting the area as a great way to spend the day. The lunch after was also excellent and a great way to finish the trip.
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Z3247zkcurtism
Jan 13, 2026
Best time ever in La Fortuna - We did the Whitewater Rafting Rio Sarapiqui Class II and III and we had a blast! The rafting trip was quite an adventure but we felt safe the entire time thanks to our experienced guide.,We saw wildlife such as sloths and monkeys during our trip. We stopped for a delicious snack of watermelon and pineapple along the way, then finished our tour with a delicious Costa Rican lunch at a local restaurants. Five star service from our guide and driver.
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Pem2323
Jan 6, 2026
Best action tour of the trip! - We have kids of varying ages (13-28) and some with no rafting experience. Every one of us had an absolute blast. We did many action tours in the area but this one was just the most pure fun. Marco was our raft guide and he was hilarious and a little crazy in a good way (Marco Loco). The company and guides are very professional and skilled - all pickups and drop offs on time plus each part of trip was well managed. We really enjoyed our driver and travel guide who were very knowledgeable and friendly. They took care of us throughout the trip. These are not huge rapids but were better than I expected for Class 3 - it is like a wet roller coaster. A Plus!
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U_krishh
Jan 1, 2026
An Unforgettable White Water Rafting Experience. - We had an absolutely fantastic white water rafting experience with Marcos Chaves! From start to finish, he was professional, knowledgeable, and made the entire trip both exciting and safe. Marcos explained everything clearly, kept the energy high, helped with wildlife sightings and shared great local insights along the way, which made the experience even more memorable. He was incredibly attentive to everyone in the group and clearly passionate about what he does. We felt well taken care of the entire time and had an unforgettable adventure on the river. Marcos was fun, safe , and an amazing guide! Highly recommend rafting and with Marcos if you’re looking for fun, safety, and an amazing guide!
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Galensmum
Mar 11, 2026
Ok experience - Took ages to get there, not the most.amazing rafts. Changing facilities not good. First aid available, for my husband who cut his arm falling in, but the guide didn't seem confident. The river was fun but little wildlife.
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From $94
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).