Pacuare White Water Rafting

The Pacuare River is one of the best choices for your adventure treks in Costa Rica. No other tour in Costa Rica offers you a such perfect blend of wilderness exposure and excitement, including a night at Pacuare Tent Camp, living right in nature. The Pacuare river is world famous for its sheer beauty.

A true river gorge, it is flanked by steep, green walls. Here you enjoy the feeling of total isolation from urban life and the realness of being connected with nature. You see waterfalls cascade into the river from both sides as colorful, tropical birds fly right over your head. Amazing views of this virgin tropical rainforest area, appear before your eyes as you descend this true exploratory land.

Wildlife is abundant, with sloth, toucans, parrots, coatis, morpho butterflies and colorful frogs being common sights. Our guides are experts at finding them and you will be the benefactors of their knowledge and expertise. Other inhabitants of this jungle include monkeys, jaguars, peccaries and tapirs, but these animals generally stay more hidden.

The Pacuare River has white water that is equal to its natural beauty and abundant wildlife. It is not an overly challenging river, but it has a lot rapids, therefore giving you an adventure filled with lots of fun. The 18 mile one day run includes a total of 38 rapids. Few rivers in the world can offer you so many rapids in such a short stretch of river.

The day begins between 6:00am and 6:30am when we pick you up at your hotel in San José. The drive is very relaxing and scenic with picturesque little towns, colorful plantations and great mountain views. The guides make this time entertaining by delivering quality information about the area's geography, history, crops, flora and fauna. The drive time to the "put in" is approximately two hours, during which time we will stop for breakfast at the half way point.

Upon arrival to the river we will gear you up with a life jacket, helmet and paddle and then brief you with a full safety orientation talk. Finally, it is time to take off down the rapids!

The first 4 miles consist of fun class II-III rapids which is a perfect time to test your new river skills and gain confidence in your team. Here you can find pockets of secondary growth forest that is extremely beautiful. After about 40 minutes we will enter the famous Pacuare River Gorge, which is 5 miles of some of the best white water Costa Rica has to offer. The rapids here are "Terciopelo snake", "Double drop", "Upper and Lower Huacas", "Pin ball" to name a few. You will also see the Huacas watefall, a 150 foot dramatic drop into the river.

After the gorge the rivers opens up to a 5 mile stretch on the Valle del Pacuare, where the river has a different character. It is wide open, which gives you the opportunity to rest a bit and take the opportunity to do some wildlife spotting. The main rapids here are "Cimarrones", "The Play Hole", "El Indio" and "Magnetic Rock". The forest remains just as lush, and the rapids just as fun.

The final 3 miles are filled with great class III rapids which carry you all the way to the end.

We finish in Siquirres, at our own private Exploration Center, where you can take a shower, change and enjoy the gardens and terrace while having a beer or two and reflecting with your new friends about the great adventure you just shared.

It takes approximately one hour and 45 minutes to drive back to San José during which time you will appreciate the time to fully relax.