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. For safety reasons beyond our control, such as dangerous water levels on the Pacuare River, we reserve the right to change the trip to the Pejibaye River, and refunds are not applicable.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 10.
We provide experienced, specialized rafting guides, great food, top of the line equipment, and a full day of safe & exciting adventures.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 738 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Rafting Pacuare River from Turrialba lasts about 6 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $120 per person for this San Jose experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 7:45 AM and 8:00 AM.
Children aged 12–12 pay from $120, adults from $120.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Departure Point: Explornatura Office, Base Camp. Dates: Daily. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN, ES.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 24 participants.
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 196 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Explornatura.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Highly recommended. Very professional. Super fun. Lunch afterwards was very good. I would do it again 1000%. We loved it.
Muchas gracias por darnos la oportunidad de llevarlos al rio Pacuare. Estaremos 1000% listos para recibirlos nuevamente :) Pura Vida
The activity was incredible. The guides cared a lot about everything going well and provide a lot of security with their explanations. The truth is that the setting was unbeatable, the water flow allowed us to travel about 24 km that went by very quickly enjoying the rapids. A highly recommended experience!!
¡Muchas gracias por recomendarnos y por reconocer la dedicación de nuestros guías! Nos alegra que se lleven tan buenos recuerdos del Pacuare. Sus palabras son una gran motivación para todo el equipo. Gracias por confiar en Explornatura y elegirnos para esta aventura; será un gusto recibirles nuevamente. Pura Vida.
Comprehensive, convivial, fascinating, adventurous and team building. In short, a day to remember.
Hartelijk dank voor uw mooie review. Wat fijn om te weten dat u de ervaring als zo compleet, avontuurlijk en bijzonder heeft beleefd. Het betekent veel voor ons dat u ook de sfeer en het teamgevoel hebt gewaardeerd. We hopen u in de toekomst opnieuw te mogen verwelkomen voor weer een onvergetelijke dag. Pura Vida
Guide handled both experienced rafter and first-timer well, differentiating information. Great communicator and established trust from the beginning. Other support staff also had good work ethic and positive attitudes. Ended with tasty lunch and great pics.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience. We’re glad to know the day exceeded expectations and that the guidance on the river helped everyone feel confident, whether it was their first time rafting or not. Clear communication, trust, and a positive team attitude are a big part of what we work hard to provide, so your feedback means a lot to us. We’re also happy the lunch and photos were a nice way to close the adventure. We truly appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another great day on the river. Pura Vida.
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.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rafting Pacuare River from Turrialba | 6 hours | 5.0 (196) | $120 | |
 Rafting Pacuare River One Day from Turrialba | 6 hours | 5.0 (385) | $99 | View |
 White Water Rafting Pacuare River From San José | 10 hours | 4.7 (250) | $125 | View |
 Pacuare River Whitewater Rafting from San Jose | 12 hours | 4.6 (70) | $119 | View |
 Full Day Pacuare River Rafting Experience | 1 day | 4.8 (17) | $124 | View |
 1 day Pacuare River Rafting with Transportation and Lunch | 4h 30min | 4.8 (14) | $128 | View |
 Two-Day Rafting Tour on the Pacuare River Transportation included | 2 days | 4.9 (10) | $370 | View |