Natura pura Safari River Float

Our guides were exceptional! Saw lots of critters like sloths. We would never have noticed without our guide. Had yummy food at a private house where we departed.

We drove to La Fortuna and arrived at the Jacamar Tours bus where we were met by our guide James. We were the only 2 guests on the tour in a 20+ passenger van. It was a very winding road with beautiful scenery. The road was good but narrow. At a viewpoint, the driver pulled over so we could take photos of the spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano which was very clear that day. The last part of the road was on rough gravel. We had a chance to use the washrooms and then got our feet wet climbing into our inflatable boat. James did almost all the paddling on the peaceful river. The water was cold but looked shallow. We saw so many birds – several types of herons, kingfishers, ibises, egrets, anhingas, a trogon and rare black collared hawk. We also saw iguanas, basilisks, and even a crocodile. Howler monkeys entertained us in the trees. We floated down the river about 7 miles before landing at a farmhouse. We met Wendy who prepared the snacks for us in her kitchen. We each received a plate with deep fried plantain chips, black bean dip and a tortilla with fresh cheese as well as a pitcher of lemonade. It was plenty for our lunch. After the meal, Wendy made coffee in a typical Costa Rican filter and served fried cassava with sweet syrup for dessert. We retraced our route and were back in La Fortuna at 2 PM. It was a great tour with a great guide and driver. Thank you Jacamar Tours.

We did the pure nature safari float, was very peaceful no other boat than us. The guide was super knowledgeable and professional, picked us on time told us about animals and flaura and fauna around. The farm visit to get snacks and coffee was cherry on top. Super Nice food and amazing hosts on the farm.

We took the Pure Nature tour on March 23rd with Miguel Jose. This float trip was everything that we were hoping for - the river itself was gorgeous - we were the only raft on the river the entire day and saw a multitude of birds, monkeys, a sloth, caimans, a crocodile and tons of iguanas and lizards. After the ride, we enjoyed a wonderful light lunch consisting of plantains toasted over an open fire, beans and a corn tortilla and cheese. We also had a delicious dessert and fresh-brewed cup of coffee. Miguel was a wonderful guide and Jose’s driving made us comfortable from start to finish. I can’t recommend this tour highly enough.

Our guide was Jose Pablo Solano, and he was great; knowledgeable, courteous and a great conversationalist. It was about an hour drive to the river, but worth it as we were the only people on the river, as opposed to the heavy use I hear about on other rivers closer to La Fortuna. They picked us up in downtown La Fortuna in a nice van and drove us to the loading area. We then boarded the inflatable zodiac (would probably fit about 8 people total) for a "float" down the peaceful river. For the most part, the water was calm. There were a few spots where it ran over sunken trees or rocks, but nothing that made the raft speed up. All in all, a very restful drift. When Jose saw animals or items of note, he would use his paddles to stop and/or turn the raft so we could better see what he was seeing. As usual, without a guide, we would have seen very little of what was there. Instead, we saw a caiman, a few crocodiles, some beautiful birds, sloths, howler monkeys, and white-faced capuchin monkeys. At the end of the tour, he maneuvered the raft to a ramp and we all got off. They then drove us to a nearby home where the hostess served juice and snacks. We spent about 30 minutes there (about 10 of which the kids spent petting their dog!), and then returned to downtown La Fortuna. Even without seeing the animals, this was a great break from the bustle and traffic of La Fortuna. We could just sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I highly recommend this tour.

Such a calm experience, just our small boat floating peacefully down the river, looking at nature. We were fortunate to see a sloth up close, a group of monkeys, many caimans, many birds and iguanas. But even if nature hadn’t cooperated, it would still have been a wonderful day. The guides were friendly and we had a delicious snack prepared at a local home.

The trip down the river is incredibly peaceful; just your raft and nature. It’s a nice break from the more crowded trails and sites in Fortuna. On our trip, we saw howler monkeys, sloths, caimans, iguanas, and many birds. A nice lunch at the termination point.

The Pure Nature Safari Float on the Rio Frio was one of our favorite tours. It was incredibly peaceful, with no other groups on the river at the time. We were told that even during peak season, the Rio Frio is much less crowded than places like Rio Celeste—and that was a big plus for us. We saw a wide variety of birds and howler monkeys, and the rural scenery was beautiful and serene. Our guide was excellent—very knowledgeable about the wildlife, geography, history, and local culture, which added a lot to the experience. After the float, we were treated to a homemade meal at a local family’s farm (listed as a snack, but it was definitely a full meal). Everything was authentic and delicious—bean dip, plantain chips, cheese, tortillas made on site, and enyucados with honey sauce, which were a highlight. Standing by the wood fire to warm up after some rain on the river made it even more memorable. The pace of the tour was relaxed and never rushed. We did opt to pay extra for a private tour, and for us it was well worth it—we prefer this option whenever it’s affordable. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a quiet, authentic Costa Rica experience.

OMG! The float down Rio Frio with Jacamar Tours was the best thing we did in the Arenal area, and we were absolutely blown away. We saw a rare two-toed sloth in its natural environment, and it was playing and scratching its face the whole time. We saw entire families of howler monkeys. We saw entire families of white-faced monkeys (capuchin). We saw Costa Rican crocodiles (caimans). We saw giant orange iguanas. We saw all kids of birds and lizards running on water. The whole ride was completely insane and we were the only people on the river in high season. We are a family of two adults and two teenage boys, and this is the best thing we did in Costa Rica so far.

We were deciding between this trip and the cano negro boat trip and I’m so glad that we chose this one. It was just so peaceful floating down the river - just us - spotting all the wildlife. The tour then ended with a delicious lunch. Obviously i have no idea which tour was best, but i was very happy with my choice and would highly recommend. I would also recommend Jacamar tours as it was all very well organised.