RAFTING · COSTA RICA RAFTING TOURS

The 15 Best Rafting Trips in Costa Rica

26 trips  ·  from $60 a head

The Pacuare, the Balsa and the Sarapiqui, mostly out of La Fortuna, mostly warm, and often paired with a canyon. These 15 are priced with the long transfer included and graded for what the rainy season does to them.

White Water Rafting Canyoning Combo Maquique Adventure - The creek trek and the 13 to 16 minute rainforest hike
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White Water Rafting Canyoning Combo Maquique Adventure

1.White Water Rafting Canyoning Combo Maquique Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 101 reviews · from $170Our pick

You spend about eight hours with Maquique Adventure in Alajuela, rappelling through three waterfalls, crossing a canyon creek, zip lining above the forest, hiking through rainforest, and rafting white water. Equipment, fruit, drinks, and a Costa Rican lunch are included.

“This was hands down the highlight of my trip to Costa Rica! The entire experience was thrilling and unforgettable, from rappelling down waterfalls to canyoning through stunning gorges and rafting in the rushing rivers. Each activity was increRead more”

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Pure Trek Canyoning & White Water Rafting in La Fortuna - Five waterfall rappels and a forest zipline
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Pure Trek Canyoning & White Water Rafting in La Fortuna

2.Pure Trek Canyoning & White Water Rafting in La Fortuna

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 83 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $204

Start with Pure Trek’s waterfall rappelling, rock climbing, and zipline in a rainforest canyon, then ride 45 minutes to the Balsa River for Class 2 to 3 rafting. Guides such as Byran, Augusto, Mario, and Warner have earned praise for calm safety instruction. Hotel pickup, lunch, and drinks are included.

“We had a great time rappelling the waterfalls. During our white water rafting, we tipped over and out raft guide (Mario) did an amazing job at keeping us safe and bringing us back on board! 10 out of 10 recommend this tour to anyone.”

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Savegre River Rafting Class II-III from Manuel Antonio - Paddling through Costa Rican wildlife country
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Savegre River Rafting Class II-III from Manuel Antonio

3.Savegre River Rafting Class II-III from Manuel Antonio

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $125

From Manuel Antonio or Quepos, you’ll ride to the Savegre River, learn paddle strokes, and raft with a guide, safety kayaker, and photographer. Expect Class II and III rapids, wildlife, snacks, and a Costa Rican lunch. Guides may include Nico, Nicholas, Jonathan, Mario, or Jairo.

“This is the third time we’ve gone with this company and have not been disappointed once. I highly recommend them to anybody looking for fun and adventure. I will use them again 100%”

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White Water Rafting class V - Orlando, Jean Carlos, and the safety team
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White Water Rafting class V

4.White Water Rafting class V

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $150

Take on nearly nonstop class V rapids near La Fortuna with guide Orlando and a safety kayak team including Jean Carlos. The six-hour outing includes transport, fruit snacks, lunch, waterfalls, a possible cliff jump, and time at the company’s organic farm.

“We had the best day doing the class V rapids on Sarapiqui with Orlando! I cannot say enough positive things about him. The rapids were a blast but we never felt unsafe. He knows the river and was an excellent guide. He also provided cultural knowledge throughout the day and after the rafting trip, and showed us around the farm behind the company. We got to hold baby goats, crushed sugar cane, and took shots of moonshine together. We would highly recommend this excursion to anyone who is adventurous! And shout outs to Giancarlos (Rasta) and Gustavo!”

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La Leona waterfall Cliffjumping White water Tubbing PrivateTour - Cliff jumping at the Colorado River
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La Leona waterfall Cliffjumping White water Tubbing PrivateTour

5.La Leona waterfall Cliffjumping White water Tubbing PrivateTour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · 7 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $260

Spend 7 to 9 hours with a private guide exploring Guanacaste. Jump from 25 to 45-foot river cliffs, scramble and swim to La Leona Waterfall, then ride Colorado River rapids by tube. Guides such as Paul, Sebastian, and Alberto are praised for personal service, local insight, and photos.

“Adventures and sights were amazing! This experience is definitely for the most adventurous and fit. could not help but notice in our travels that other tours had life jackets, medical kits and other safety nets. This experience did not feature a ton of information, expectation setting or attention to needs of tour members.”

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Savegre River Rafting Class II-III from Jaco - Safety First on the Savegre
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Savegre River Rafting Class II-III from Jaco

6.Savegre River Rafting Class II-III from Jaco

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 70 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $167

Set out from Jaco at 6:30 am for a full day on the Savegre River. Tucanes Tours provides breakfast, transport, safety gear, guides, snacks, lunch, and a waterfall stop. Expect Class II and III rapids, tropical forest, wildlife spotting, and a small group of up to eight people.

“Tucanes Tours has customer treatment down. Pedro picked us up at our door in a spacious, comfortable, luxury van and brought us 90 minutes south from Jaco Beach to a wonderful little cafe where we enjoyed a balanced, light breakfast. On the way to the drop in spot our guide, Marco, pointed out the diversity of Costa Rica's plants, economy, and common aspects of life in CR. I really enjoyed this aspect of the trip. The water and rafting experience were idyllic (mid-February)--we especially liked the interactions with the other rafters and guides of other boats (Nicholas). Our rafting was interrupted for a short period where we ventured off to…”

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Combo Arenal Rafting and Canyoning Adventure - Rappelling through rainforest canyons
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Combo Arenal Rafting and Canyoning Adventure

7.Combo Arenal Rafting and Canyoning Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 66 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $160

Spend about eight hours with Arenal Rafting, rappelling through rainforest canyons before tackling the Balsa River. Expect Class III rapids, easier water for swimming and wildlife spotting, lunch, fruit, towels, and transport. Rafting guide Victor has earned praise for safety and animal spotting.

“Canyoning is exhilarating. No prior experience needed. I am a 51 year old who is not athletic, but they were very helpful.”

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Combo White Water Rafting and Tubing in La Fortuna - The fruit break and the switch to white-water tubing
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Combo White Water Rafting and Tubing in La Fortuna

8.Combo White Water Rafting and Tubing in La Fortuna

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Start with a 40-minute ride from La Fortuna, then raft through river rapids before switching to white-water tubes for the second half. After lunch, visit an organic farm and see sugarcane turned into a traditional drink. The six-and-a-half-hour outing suits fit adults and children 12 and older.

“What a great time. Everything was well coordinated and great. No complaints besides wishing for more rapids”

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Awesome Fun Rafting Class 3 Balsa River 5-Hour Tour in La Fortuna - Getting ready for an active 11 km run
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Awesome Fun Rafting Class 3 Balsa River 5-Hour Tour in La Fortuna

9.Awesome Fun Rafting Class 3 Balsa River 5-Hour Tour in La Fortuna

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $88

Join Christian, Marcos, and the Rafting Costa Rica team for an 11 km Balsa River run near La Fortuna. You’ll handle lively Class 3 rapids, watch for monkeys, sloths, and toucans, stop for fresh fruit, and finish with a traditional Costa Rican lunch. No rafting experience or swimming skills are required.

“Our family has done whitewater rafting before and we all agree that this is one of the best. From pick up to drop off, Christian and his team were top notch in the equipment, safety and knowledge of the river. The Balsa River was nonstop action with very little calm water. We had a blast and really appreciated all the little extras like a towel to dry off, fresh fruits and snacks and a delicious wood fire Costa Rican lunch. Pura Vida!”

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Savegre River Rafting Private Trip from Manuel Antonio - Safety briefing and getting on the water
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Savegre River Rafting Private Trip from Manuel Antonio

10.Savegre River Rafting Private Trip from Manuel Antonio

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 61 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $146

Set out from Quepos with H2O Adventures for a private Savegre River rafting trip through Costa Rica’s rainforest. Guide Ronny leads the Class II and III rapids, with a waterfall swim, fruit-and-cookie snack, and a traditional casado lunch. Expect about six hours, including transport.

“This tour was very fun! I am not a huge fan of the water/swimming ect but my husband really wanted to do it so I acquiesced. I am glad I did! I had waaay more fun than I had expected and the rapids weren't bad at all we did class 3. We got to hang out for awhile at a fun waterful and stuff ourselves on pineapples and cookies before finishing the trip. My only complaint was the lunch that was included after the trip, they'd have almost been better off not including it at all. It was nearly 20 for 2 drinks, and the food was dry and 'meh'.…”

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Pure Nature Safari River Float - Why the river habitat matters
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Pure Nature Safari River Float

11.Pure Nature Safari River Float

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $101

Ride from La Fortuna to San Rafael de Guatuso, then float the Frio River with a naturalist captain who points out monkeys, sloths, caimans, birds, and more. The relaxed river trip ends at a Costa Rican family farm for homemade food. Guides may include Cesar or Nelson.

“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…”

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Naranjo River Rafting Private Trip from Manuel Antonio - Tackling the Naranjo’s rapids
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Naranjo River Rafting Private Trip from Manuel Antonio

12.Naranjo River Rafting Private Trip from Manuel Antonio

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $134

From Quepos or Manuel Antonio, you ride about 35 minutes to the Naranjo River, gear up, and raft for roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes. Guides such as Gregory, Landon, Jonathan, and Eric lead the way through rapids, quieter bird-filled water, and a riverside snack stop.

“This was our first time rafting. We were a bit nervous about it at first but it turned out to be a fun experience. I highly recommend H2O Adventure Rafting out of Quepo. Jonathan, Landon, and Jose are a great team, they explain things well and keep you safe. Try it !”

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White Water Rafting Pacuare River with Lunch From Puerto Viejo - Breakfast, briefing, and the road to the river
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White Water Rafting Pacuare River with Lunch From Puerto Viejo

13.White Water Rafting Pacuare River with Lunch From Puerto Viejo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 56 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $131

Start with hotel pickup in Puerto Viejo, breakfast, and a safety briefing before rafting the Pacuare River through Class III-IV rapids. Guides such as Roberto, Andres, Eduardo, and Roy lead the way. After lunch beside the river, finish with showers, changing rooms, drinks, and photo viewing in Siquirres.

“Fun rapids, amazing wildlife and scenery! Guides were informative and professional. Breakfast and lunch was yummy and efficient.”

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Pacuare River Whitewater Rafting from San Jose - Learning the river in the first four miles
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Pacuare River Whitewater Rafting from San Jose

14.Pacuare River Whitewater Rafting from San Jose

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 56 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $119

Travel from San Jose to the Pacuare River for a full day of guided whitewater rafting. You’ll paddle through class II and III rapids, the Pacuare Gorge, and calmer wildlife areas, with breakfast, lunch, equipment, hotel transport, and guides such as Roberto, Rob, David, and Luis included.

“Breath taking country, beautiful canyons, rain forest vegetation, indigenous people along shore, fantastic & challenging river; friendly, fun, expert guides - this river has everything. The breakfast & lunch were also good.”

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Rafting Sarapiqui River Class II-III Costa Rica - The 20-minute ride to the river put-in
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Rafting Sarapiqui River Class II-III Costa Rica

15.Rafting Sarapiqui River Class II-III Costa Rica

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $60Best value

Spend about two hours rafting 12 kilometers of the Sarapiquí River with certified guides such as Arturo, Felipe, Andres, and Philippe. Expect beginner-friendly Class II to III rapids, a natural-pool swim stop, fruit and cookies, equipment, towels, and transport from the base.

“Andres and Philippe were terrific. Make sure to jump in at the stop. I am 73 and had concerns, but it was fantastic. They took very good care of me.”

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New in Costa Rica Rafting Tours

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