Pacuare River Whitewater Rafting from San Jose

I went solo and I had a blast. Aaron and Esteban were the guides, they made the experience a lot of fun and safe! Good food was also included.

So much fun. The watery was murky because it rained the night before. Other than that, it was fun. Luis was our water guide I guess that’s what they are called, he was funny and fun and let us jump in the river and swim for a little bit.

The rafting was super cool very nice guidance and good food

Awesome experience that I hope to do again! Eduardo was an amazing guide - he knew the river well and was fun to talk with! Breakfast and lunch were both great, plenty of food, plenty of space and time to change and store your bags. Don't forget to bring a towel. Everyone was fun and made the experience welcoming for the first timers and more experienced rafters.

My friends and I recently went on a rafting tour, and unfortunately, what should have been an exciting and memorable experience turned into a very disappointing one due to poor service from one of the guides. To start on a positive note, the transportation service was excellent. We were picked up on time, and our driver/guide, Roberto, was incredibly friendly, professional, and charismatic. He provided outstanding customer service and made us feel welcomed from the very beginning. Additionally, the breakfast and the staff at the base location were great well organized and very attentive. However, the experience drastically changed once we were assigned a different rafting guide who goes by “Camarón.” From the moment we started, his attitude was rude, disrespectful, and completely unprofessional. Instead of encouraging and guiding us as one would expect he constantly made vulgar and offensive comments. At one point, while we were paddling (we were a group of all women), another raft asked how things were going. Our guide responded with comments implying he was “struggling” because we “weren’t doing anything,” using inappropriate and offensive language. This kind of behavior continued throughout the entire trip. Rather than motivating us, he belittled us, made us feel uncomfortable, and completely ruined the atmosphere. We were doing our best, but instead of support, we received constant negativity and disrespect. By the end of the tour, all of us felt discouraged and upset. What should have been a fun and empowering activity turned into a negative experience because of his attitude. To make matters worse, at the end of the tour, he had the audacity to ask for a tip, referring to himself as a “great guide,” which was honestly shocking given how poorly he treated us. We were five women in total, and all of us were extremely disappointed. The guide’s use of vulgar language, disrespectful tone, and lack of professionalism are completely unacceptable, especially for a paid tourist experience. I would not recommend this company if this is the type of staff they employ. At the very least, I strongly advise against being assigned to this particular guide. A good guide can make an experience unforgettable in our case, it made it unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.

My friends and I recently went on a rafting tour, and unfortunately, what should have been an exciting and memorable experience turned into a very disappointing one due to poor service from one of the guides. To start on a positive note, the transportation service was excellent. We were picked up on time, and our driver/guide, Roberto, was incredibly friendly, professional, and charismatic. He provided outstanding customer service and made us feel welcomed from the very beginning. Additionally, the breakfast and the staff at the base location were great—well organized and very attentive. However, the experience drastically changed once we were assigned a different rafting guide who goes by “Camarón.” From the moment we started, his attitude was rude, disrespectful, and completely unprofessional. Instead of encouraging and guiding us as one would expect he constantly made vulgar and offensive comments. At one point, while we were paddling (we were a group of all women), another raft asked how things were going. Our guide responded with comments implying he was “struggling” because we “weren’t doing anything,” using inappropriate and offensive language. This kind of behavior continued throughout the entire trip. Rather than motivating us, he belittled us, made us feel uncomfortable, and completely ruined the atmosphere. We were doing our best, but instead of support, we received constant negativity and disrespect. By the end of the tour, all of us felt discouraged and upset. What should have been a fun and empowering activity turned into a negative experience because of his attitude. To make matters worse, at the end of the tour, he had the audacity to ask for a tip, referring to himself as a “great guide,” which was honestly shocking given how poorly he treated us. We were five women in total (three locals and two from Mexico), and all of us were extremely disappointed. The guide’s use of vulgar language, disrespectful tone, and lack of professionalism are completely unacceptable, especially for a paid tourist experience. I would not recommend this company if this is the type of staff they employ. At the very least, I strongly advise against being assigned to this particular guide. A good guide can make an experience unforgettable in our case, it made it unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.

This was my first solo trip, and this excursion was amazing! Everything was smooth sailing from pick up to drop off. Highly recommend!

Our guide was amazing and we had a fabulous time. We went from smooth waters to level 4 rapids, all with laughter and a bit of apprehension. Never flipped over. Excellent rip. Beautiful scenery. I highly recommend.

The guide I was assigned from Exploradores lacked professionalism and made several comments that objectified women. While on the raft, he tried to be playful by splashing water on the group, but many of his remarks came across as flirtatious. At one point during the trip, five out of the six people on my raft—including myself—fell into the water. Two individuals were injured: one person had a bleeding nose and another was also bleeding from the face. We were all shaken up, yet the guide showed little concern in checking on anyone or addressing the situation. Instead, his response was simply, “You all signed a waiver.” When I asked how the accident had happened, he appeared irritated and told me that I could stop the activity if I wanted to. This comment felt sarcastic and dismissive, especially considering we were in the middle of a river surrounded by forest. Toward the end of the tour, the guide became visibly frustrated when two other participants and I chose not to jump into the water to swim. He sighed, muttered under his breath, threw the paddles into the raft, and jumped into the river himself. After the tour ended, he approached me directly and asked for a tip. Given the experience, I chose not to tip him. When I declined, his demeanor shifted noticeably and he appeared angry. Overall, this company seems to operate large tour groups with many participants, but the guides appeared careless. During our trip, several other rafts flipped as well. In one case, a guide was unable to get back into his own raft to assist the people in his group. Based on this experience, I would recommend choosing a smaller tour operator, as they may provide more attentive and customer-focused service.

This was my third time on the Pacuare. Such a scenic river with almost constant action. Eduardo was a great guide and we really enjoyed the trip.