Rafting Pacuare River from Turrialba
Description
This class III and class IV rapids cover about eighteen miles some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of Costa Rica. You will enjoy the thrill of the rapids, as well as the natural beauty that surrounds the river such as variety of waterfalls and tropical flora and fauna. We provide experienced, specialized rafting guides, top of the line equipment, and a full day of safe and exciting adventures on this river The tour commences near the town of Tres Equis; an hour East of Turrialba.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We provide experienced, specialized rafting guides, great food, top of the line equipment, and a full day of safe & exciting adventures.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- What to bring:
- T-shirt
- Swimsuit
- Shorts
- Tennis shoes or sandals with ankle straps (no flip-flops)
- Sunblock.
- Extra clothes and towel will be needed at the end of the tour
Reviews(192)
Seamless experience and Jose Luis was a fantastic guide. Upbeat, knowledgeable, personable and very skilled at rafting! The rapids were great for my family and provided lots of thrills without being overwhelming. Lunch was delicious and the scenery was beautiful. Highly recommend!
Thank you very much for your review! We’re so glad everything flowed smoothly and that your family had the right balance of adventure, comfort, and fun on the river. It’s wonderful to know the day felt exciting without being overwhelming, and that the guiding, lunch, and natural surroundings all helped make it a memorable experience. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Costa Rica. Pura Vida.
There were class 3 and 4 rapids that we hardly found at any other destination we've been to. It didn't rain too much the past days but still the rapids were fun to take. It was more exciting than any other rafting trip we took.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re very happy to hear the Pacuare delivered such an exciting day on the river and stood out compared to other rafting trips you’ve done. The river always has its own character, and it’s great to know the conditions gave you a fun and memorable adventure. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another ride in Costa Rica. Pura Vida.
Rafting the Pacuare River with my family was truly the highlight of our time in Costa Rica! Our guides were so kind, funny, warm, skilled, and engaging. We felt completely safe and had a clear understanding of how to work together as a team to make our way downriver. They also shared so much knowledge about the ecology of the river basin, pointing out strawberry poison dart frogs, keel-billed toucans, leafcutter ants, bullet ants, blue morpho butterflies, and so much more. The abundance and vibrancy of life along the river was mindblowing. I’d rafted this same stretch of the Pacuare as a teenager, and returning years later with my family felt extra special. Thank you SO much!
Thank you so much for sharing this—reading that the Pacuare was the highlight of your trip truly means a lot to us. We’re very glad you felt safe and well guided, and that the teamwork on the river helped everyone enjoy the day with confidence. We also love that the nature interpretation stood out. The Pacuare is special not only for the rapids, but for everything living around it, and it’s always a treat when guests get to spot so much wildlife along the way. And coming back years later to experience the same stretch with your family—that’s really meaningful. Thank you for choosing to share that moment with us. Pura Vida.
This is one of the best experiences we have ever had in Costa Rica. The company is super serious and very well organized. The welcome of the guides was great. They're adorable. The safety briefing was very clear and the most effective of all the sports experiences we have done. The guides are very professional before and during the descent but always with a smile. The lunch offered during the descent was excellent and nicely prepared. The canyon landscape with many rapids was beautiful and all the explanations of the guide on the raft were great! We were able to sail outside the cohort of other big rafting companies. So it was a great experience. A big thank you to this small company for its professionalism, kindness and cheerfulness of the managers!
Merci infiniment d’avoir pris le temps d’écrire un avis aussi généreux. Savoir que cette journée fait partie de vos meilleurs souvenirs au Costa Rica nous touche beaucoup. Nous mettons un point d’honneur à encadrer chaque sortie avec une approche claire et rassurante, afin que vous puissiez profiter de la rivière en toute confiance. Nous sommes également ravis que le cadre, les rapides, les explications pendant la descente et la pause repas au bord de l’eau aient rendu l’expérience encore plus marquante. Et merci de mentionner le fait d’avoir pu vivre une sortie plus “à taille humaine”, loin des grands groupes — c’est exactement le type d’expérience que nous aimons offrir. Au plaisir de vous revoir pour une prochaine aventure ! Pura Vida.
We loved this rafting experience. We especially loved swimming in the swimming hole and seeing all the amazing creatures along the way.
Thank you so much for your review! We’re very happy you loved the rafting experience, especially the swim in the swimming hole and spotting all the amazing wildlife along the way. Those little moments in nature are what make the Pacuare so special. We’d love to welcome you and your family back for another adventure anytime! Pura Vida.
Amazing experience. Really one of the best places in the world for rafting. I'd definitely come back. The super attentive guides knew how to teach us everything about activity safety and make the experience amazing. We had tacos for lunch halfway through the jungle. It's always gonna stay in my memory.
¡Muchísimas gracias por su reseña! Nos alegra enormemente saber que la experiencia en el río Pacuare fue tan especial y que se llevó un recuerdo tan bonito de la aventura. Para nosotros es clave que se sientan seguros en todo momento, así que nos encanta leer que nuestros guías les explicaron bien cada detalle y que pudieron disfrutar al máximo. Y esos tacos en medio de la selva… ¡son parte de la magia del día! Será un placer recibirles nuevamente cuando decidan volver. Pura Vida.
Perfect process, super nice guides, there were only three of us and had a boat with 2 guides very private for us
vielen Dank für Ihre tolle Bewertung! Es freut uns sehr, dass alles perfekt organisiert war und Sie einen so schönen Tag auf dem Fluss hatten. Dass Sie die Tour in einer kleinen, privaten Gruppe mit zwei Guides genießen konnten, macht das Erlebnis natürlich noch besonderer. Wir hoffen, Sie bald wieder bei einem neuen Abenteuer begrüßen zu dürfen. Pura Vida.
Overall, a fantastic experience. I have spent my career working for amd managing river businesses like this one. This outfit runs a high quality operation. Good communication, friendly guides. We did the family section up near finca tres equis, above the big whitewater. Still lots of small rapids, good scenery and good timing for a half day. This was perfect for my 7 year old. The tractor ride down to the river was very cool. Lunch was better than what the clients get in jackson hole on similar trips that I ran. I would make this a priority on your trip. My son is already planning our return trip when he'll be 12 and can go on the big kid section.
Thank you very much for such a detailed review. We’re really happy to hear you noticed the quality of the operation, especially coming from someone with a professional background in river trips. It’s great to know the family section near Tres Equis was the perfect fit: fun small rapids, beautiful scenery, and ideal timing for a half day adventure. We’re also glad your child enjoyed the tractor ride down to the river, and that the lunch stood out as a highlight too. Thank you again for recommending it so strongly, we’d love to welcome you back when it’s time for the “big kid” section! Pura Vida.
Yesterday we had an awesome rafting experience under the guidance of Luis. In between the rapids he took the time to explain the local fauna, flora , geology … what a professional and great team Exploranatura is. I will recommend you guys highly to everyone who visits Costa Rica. Thanks also to Eduardo and Laura.
Thank you so much for your review! We’re very happy to hear you had such an amazing rafting experience and that you enjoyed learning about the local fauna, flora, and geology along the way. It means a lot to know you felt well guided and supported throughout the day, and we truly appreciate your recommendation to others visiting Costa Rica. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with the team as well. Thank you again for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future! Pura Vida.
Incredible rafting, probably the best activity we did in Costa Rica! A huge thank you to our guides José and Manuel, who were absolutely on top from start to finish: very friendly, professional and always attentive to safety. You immediately feel confident with them, which allows you to fully enjoy the adventure. The descent is fun, sporty and beautiful. Guides also take the time to introduce us to the flora and fauna around the river, which makes the experience even more rewarding. The riverside meal was delicious, a real moment of relaxation after the effort in an incredible natural setting. Perfect organization, great atmosphere and guaranteed sensations. I recommend 100%!
Un grand merci pour ce magnifique retour ! Nous sommes ravis de savoir que cette descente a été l’un des meilleurs moments de votre voyage au Costa Rica. Merci aussi de souligner le professionnalisme de nos guides, l’attention constante à la sécurité, ainsi que le temps pris pour partager la faune et la flore autour de la rivière. Et quel plaisir de lire que le repas au bord du fleuve a été un vrai moment de détente après l’effort ! Merci pour votre recommandation à 100% — ce sera un plaisir de vous accueillir à nouveau pour une prochaine aventure. Pura Vida.
