Pacuare River

On the 1 st of March my partner and myself went with Roberto and 3:others to the starting point for crafting. My adventure ended after 409 meters during the first rapid where I was kicked out of the boat, fell in the water and hit two times a rock with shoulder and chest. The caption realised that I was injured and he brought me to a nearby ecolodge. The owner of that lodge refused to help with transport towards mainroad...so I arrived 3 hours later in public hospital of Turrialba accompanied by all family members of Roberto which were really helpful. His daughter offered me even free illimited stay at her site. First diagnosis broken clavicula, two broken ribs and collapsed lung. For the last fact I got treatment but my travel insurance arranged transfert to specialised respiratory hospital in San Jose...second diagnosis...12:broken ribs, flying chest and inflammation on lungs already..a life threatening situation...the operation took 7 hours. And I got an additional 3 operations. The paralysis of the diafragma was another issue which had to be followed by specialist/surgery in my homecountry Belgium. What is important to know before rafting : - be assured of a good travel insurance because the hospital expenses were more then 180000 euro; - look if the organiser of the rafting has a decent insurance; - do inspection of raft before going to river...following European safety prescriptions a bottom rope to fix the feet is required. In Costa Rica it isn t required. I. My opinion I was kick out of the boat for that reason Anyhow I was apparently the only victim on the Rio Pacuare that day...8 rafts. Whenever I come back I LL go back to Tico sports to fulfill the rest of the trajet and I hope that my information is helpful towards adepts of rafting as well organisers. Never accept to sign paperwork to decline every responsibility. I had also very good insurance for civil responsibility but I am not a rancuneus man...Roberto dus surely his best helling me to hospital....

Fantastic trip led by Roberto and his son. My family of 6 had an amazing time. Can’t recommend highly enough.

An amazing experience and a must do when in Costa Rica! Our guide was very experienced so it felt safe. The views were spectacular and I liked the fun facts we learned on the way.

On July 22, 2025, we went rafting with Tico's River Adventures – a fantastic experience! Robert was our captain and from the beginning everything was top-notch. We were picked up at 7:30 am at Villa Bosqua in Turrialba and then drove about an hour to the river. V,for us it was the first time rafting and yet we immediately felt safe and at ease. Robert gave a clear explanation. A kayak was also included for extra safety and this guide also took photos and videos during the trip, which you can buy afterwards – a super nice memory of an unforgettable day! In short: we absolutely recommend Tico's River Adventures to anyone who wants to have an adventure experience in Turrialba.

I highly recommend this experience—it was an awesome time for my family. We felt safe the whole way through, which really mattered since I was with my wife and daughters. The guides were super friendly, and there were kayakers in the water for safety and to take great photos and videos. The rapids were exciting, but there were also calm spots to relax and enjoy the scenery. Afterward, they served a tasty lunch and had showers and changing rooms, which was a nice bonus. Overall, a fun and well-run adventure. We’d definitely do it again!

We did a two day rafting trip on the Pacuare. Both of us were novice rafters but we were greatly taken care of. Roberto was awesome and was very friendly and welcoming. Highly recommend if you are looking for a nice way to spend some days with great people.

At first I was scared with the idea of rafting but, with the descent through the Pacuare River, even due to the safety that our support team went through, it was quite challenging and gratifying. Amazing experience! It's worth it!

My wife and I decided on the spur of the moment to book a rafting tour with Tico’s River Adventure, and it turned out to be an amazing experience from start to finish. The communication with Robert was smooth, and even the hotel pickup service was perfectly organized. We even had time for a quick coffee stop on the way to the river. Throughout the entire tour, we felt completely safe and had an incredible day. One of the highlights was the picnic on a riverbed, where the guides prepared fresh, delicious food for us. We wouldn’t hesitate to book this trip again!

Wonderful day on the river with exceptional service. Communication was very good and everything was as expected. The lunch was great and the photos too, my family with older boys had a great time.

Avid rafters/kayakers.newly retired, Roberto, owner/guide was beyond our greatest expectations. He & Alfonso made the trip exhilarating, humorous, historically & professionally informative. The 40 years he’s been rafting this river is clear. Not for the faint at heart but a real thrill.