7-Day Costa Rica Adventure With the Pacuare River

Welcome to beautiful Costa Rica! Arrive at the San Jose International Airport anytime today. Meet & greet at the airport and private transfer to your hotel.

Meals included: n/a
Mid-Range Accommodations: Hotel El Presidente

Early morning pick-up and overland transfer to the Turrialba area. Breakfast will be enjoyed en-route. Continue on to the Pacuare put-in and begin your rafting adventure!

During this first day we will run 13kms (8 miles) of Class II-III whitewater for a total of 14 rapids. Half way down the river and shortly past noon, you will arrive to your lodge.

After lunch, you can hike through the lodge's protected forest with your guide to an idyllic waterfall, take the Zipline Tour (included), or simply relax in your private bungalow and enjoy the peacefulness and beauty that surrounds you.

After savoring an exquisite dinner by candlelight, you may want to step upstairs to the lounge for a drink before retiring for a restful night's sleep.

NOTES:

1. You will need to pack in a small duffle bag all the clothes you will need for your overnight stay at the lodge in Pacuare. This smaller bag will travel on one raft in dry bags so please be mindful of the size and items that you intend to bring. Your main luggage will be stored up at the operations center in Siquirres. You will reunite with your luggage after the second section of the rafting trip.
2. Remember to pack any medicine and items that you will need.
3. Watershoes or sandals with straps are strictly required (you will get wet).

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mid-Range/Luxury Accommodations: Rios Lodge (Pacuare River)

Optional Activities to choose (nominal fee):

• Ziplining Canopy Tour
• Hiking
• Tubing
• Horseback Riding
• Waterfall Hikes
• Night Hikes
• Birdwatching

Today is a relaxing, adventure-filled day at the lodge, with a full lineup of guided activities to choose from. Start the morning with freshly brewed Costa Rican coffee, perfect for savoring the sounds of the jungle as it awakens with birdsong, the call of howler monkeys, the rush of the river, and the day's weather. Coffee is ready as early as 6 a.m., with breakfast served from 7 a.m.

Guided activities begin around 10 a.m., including options like horseback riding, waterfall hikes, tubing, and rappelling, each lasting several hours. Depending on your choice, you will either enjoy lunch while out exploring or return to the lodge for a meal served between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. in the open-air dining pavilion.

Afternoon activities start at around 1:30 p.m., and you will return to the lodge by late afternoon, just in time for a cocktail on the deck around 5 p.m., soaking in the views and unwinding from a day of adventure.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mid-Range/Luxury Accommodations: Rios Lodge (Pacuare River)

After another great breakfast, you will depart by raft between 9:00-10:00 am for an exhilarating day of whitewater rafting past gorgeous tropical scenery (approximately 3.5 hours over class III-IV rapids). This stretch of the Pacuare River flows through canyons, past waterfalls, and virgin rainforests. You will likely catch glimpses of varied birds and other wildlife during the quiet stretches.

This second day of rafting is significantly longer on the river, with 23kms (14 miles) to travel and about 30 rapids. Two stops are made, one for a nice exploratory hike and another one to have lunch on the river. We will pull over to do a short but spectacular hike to one of the Canyon's most spectacular waterfalls. The cool water in the pristine pool at the base of the falls is a perfect and refreshing break from the warm tropical jungle.

Then continue for a few more miles until we reach the river take out in Siquirres and finish at the operations center, where you can take a shower and change into dry clothes.

You will be met by your private driver and transferred overland to Arenal.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Mid-Range Accommodations: Arenal Manoa

Zip Line & Hanging Bridges:

Today visit Arenal Reserve and do the SkyTram & Skytrek, arguably Costa Rica's best zipline experience. It's a thrilling experience and a "must-do" for any major outdoors enthusiast. Afternoon is free to enjoy as you wish. While relaxing by the hotel pool is free, optional guided hikes, nature walks, paddle boarding, kayaking, and the like are easy to arrange.

Coffee/Chocolate Tour:

Don Juan Farm is a family business that through its tours teaches visitors the whole process behind two very important products worldwide, Coffee and Chocolate. On this tour of coffee and chocolate, you will learn about two of Costa Rica's biggest and most delicious exports. Not only do you go to a side of Arenal volcano that most visitors miss to see the coffee and cacao crops, but you also get to taste the final products - - it is as fresh as they get. Your visit will commence with the coffee tour, which will take you to the entire coffee production process, from the seed to the delicious cup of coffee as your local expert guide shares insight into the industries throughout the tour. Followed by the sweetest part of the tour, the delicious chocolate tour. As with the coffee tour, you will be immersed in the entire Chocolate process, from the seed to the delicious chocolate bar and we will end up selecting some members of the group to grind the cacao beans and make their chocolate bar. Once finished you will have the opportunity to taste several types of chocolate such as Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, and White Chocolate.

Meals included: Breakfast
Mid-Range Accommodations: Arenal Manoa

Hike Arenal Volcano:

Today, you will be transferred to the west side of Arenal Volcano, where you will spend time exploring the Silencio Trail. Your expert bilingual naturalist guide will point-out wildlife and indigenous rainforest plants, informing you about their medicinal properties. Common sightings wildlife include monkeys, wild boars, two types of toucans, white-nosed coatis, Oropendulas, golden eyelash vipers, boa constrictors, and great curassows. You will continue to the observation point, which offers a sweeping vista of the mountain. Your guide will explain the history of this magnificent volcano.

La Fortuna Waterfalls:

Set just outside the town of La Fortuna, La Fortuna Waterfall is a 246-foot (76 m) tall waterfall that descends into two pools. It was formed by the old lava flow of the Cerro Chato volcano, which is an extinct volcano. The access trail runs through pasture and rainforest, offering up chances to spot toucans, monkeys, and other tropical creatures. It takes about 15 minutes to hike down the stairs set to the waterfall. You take 500 steps down to arrive at the waterfall and may be able to swim in one of the two pools that the waterfall makes. The area is surrounded by primary rainforest and your naturalist guide can tell you a lot about what you see as you descend. As you will walk together, you will learn more about the tropical environment you are walking through. The falls emerge from a thick jungle before plummeting into an emerald-green pool below. Those who have brought along swimming suits and a hearty sense of adventure may choose to swim in the chilly waters below the fall.

NOTES:

1. Good physical condition is required to visit the waterfall . This hike can be challenging for some people as it requires to do 500 steps down and the same amount on the way Back!
2. Remember to bring your swimming suits and a change of clothes, in case you plan to take a dip in the river pools!
3. Also recommended is a hat, sunscreen lotion, insect repellent, sunglasses and comfortable sturdy close-toe shoes.

Evening Hot Springs:

End the day at Ecotermales Fortuna which consists of a series of hot-springs pools. There are five pools of thermal hot water between 37° and 42° C. (98° - 107° F.) plus one pool of cool water. The first pool has water that propitiates the natural massage and if you go behind it, the water steam turns it into a natural sauna. There is also a small waterfall and a natural Jacuzzi. This unique oasis is surrounded by lush gardens and forest. There are two bar areas, a restaurant, and dressing rooms with private lockers. You will enjoy a hearty typical dinner and then be transferred back to your hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Mid-Range Accommodations: Arenal Manoa

After breakfast you are met by your driver for a private transfer back to San Jose with a direct drop off at the airport in time for your flight home. Please plan a flight departure no earlier than around 2 pm otherwise you might want to consider an overnight in San Jose, with a departure anytime the next day.

Alternatively, extend your stay with a transfer to any of the wonderful Pacific beach areas, such as Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo, or Nosara. We can arrange any extension, let us know if you are interested.

Meals included: Breakfast