Sarapiqui River Kayak Tour: Wildlife and Scenery

30 Ratings

La Virgen

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Embark on a thrilling white water kayak tour on Costa Rica’s Sarapiqui River. Explore the jungle, spot wildlife, and paddle through class I and II rapids. Perfect for beginners and experienced kayakers alike!

Duration: 3 hours

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Sarapiqui River - The adventure kicks off at either 8:30 AM or 11:30 AM from our base in La Virgen de Sarapiquí. Once equipped, participants will take a brief drive to the tranquil part of the Sarapiquí River.
The experience begins with a safety briefing and basic paddling practice, followed by an enjoyable and picturesque 12 km journey on Class…

What's Included

Round-trip river transport
Insurance coverage
Private parking
Lunch included
Certified guides
Safety equipment provided
WiFi access
Pre-river safety instructions
Tropical fruits and cassava snack
Safety box
Dressing rooms
Lockers available

What's Not Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Photos and videos

Additional Information

Discover the picturesque landscape of the Sarapiqui area via the Sarapiqui River. This journey offers a glimpse into the multitude of fauna and flora unique to riverside sceneries.
Open to both novices and experts, this whitewater kayak ride (class I and II) brings a chance to explore unfamiliar waters and elevate your proficiency. While not a…

Location

Sarapiqui Outdoor Center - Costa Rica

It is important to take into account that we are approximately ***2 hours*** away from San José, therefore routes must be verified and considered in advance to prevent any delays.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.8

(30 Ratings)

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Ellenb71

Jan 17, 2026

Excellent trip with Stephen - We had such a great time with Stephen! To be honest, he did all of the paddling work so my husband could take photos. Where we stopped for a swim we saw spider monkeys! He was excellent at pointing out animals, especially birds. The lunch was fantastic too and everyone who works there is so friendly.

Review provided by Viator

David_f

Jan 16, 2026

Pura vida on the sarapiqui river - David, the monitor is a pure Costa Rican product "pura vida" Professional at the beginning of the experiment , he knows how to get the one who understands the beauty of his country to share all its beauties through his smile and joie de vivre. We had the chance to walk the green river under the sun and we even had a wink of Monsieur tapir in addition to the other birds, iguanas and monkeys. Exceptional experience both sporting and human. And what about a typical Costa Rican meal made with cassava, various vegetables and other fruits of the country. The finishing touches, "the jungle viagra" as David so aptly put it. One word go for it is a unique experience on sarapiqui.

Review provided by Viator

Ryanz432

Mar 24, 2025

Best Kayaking Experience! - Most amazing experience of my life! Such a beautiful view and the kayaking was run by such amazing people! 100% recommend!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

688lonnekes

Mar 8, 2025

Great kayakyour through beautiful nature area - Kayaking through a super beautiful area: Selva NP. Besides turtles, a monkey, iguanas, also really many different birds spotted, thanks to guide David. Great experience, nice company with friendly and knowledgeable people.

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D8844bxkatrinas

Aug 8, 2024

A fantastic, unique way to experience the jungle! - The office staff (Tatiana) and guides (Miguel and Jordy) were all very friendly and helpful. The trip was well organized, and they did a great job helping to explain everything. Our guides helped us to feel safe on the river, and they also pointed out wildlife (especially birds) as we kayaked. They also took pictures that were available for us to see at the end. After the kayak tour, we also enjoyed the snack (fruit, cassava, and coffee) and got to participate in crushing sugar cane! This was a very fun experience for us. One tip: Be sure to wear clothes that can get completely wet. They will have you practice escaping from a flipped kayak, just in case it happens to you. Don't worry too much- there were a few small rapids but we never felt unsafe nor did we tip.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Spencer_s

Mar 3, 2024

ADVENTURE AWAITS! - Awesome experience for kayaking and seeing wildlife along the river. Great introduction to kayaking with lots of safety instruction at the start, such as practicing a kayak flip exit and learning basic paddle maneuvers. David was an amazing instructor and made sure we all felt safe and comfortable before going on the river.

Review provided by Viator

Mkloomis

Feb 28, 2024

Highly recommended! - Sarapiquí Outdoor Center is a gem. Tatiana and David were so friendly and helpful. The kayaking was spectacular. David is a good guide and a good teacher. Our kayaking skills are pretty basic and he made sure we had a good time while staying within our abilities. We saw many different birds and enjoyed the quiet river and forest. The fruit snack afterwards was generous and delicious! We also stayed over at one of the "glamping" huts and it was about the most restful night of our whole Costa Rica trip. The setting is charming, with rock work and a small river. There were monkeys right there in the forest. The whole setup is rustic and homey.

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Jim_c

Jan 18, 2024

Super fun! - We loved that the rapids were almost constant. Rarely was there calm water which made it exciting the entire time!

Review provided by Viator

Ricarda

Apr 9, 2025

Excursion with ups and downs - We booked the kayak tour a day before by trip padviser. When we arrived, none of us knew and we had to wait a bit until our guide came, who had to be called and the equipment was gathered. Unfortunately, they did not choose the boats well or let us proown them at the site. So we were driven 20 minutes to the boarding point and then we realized that we are too big for the kayaks (we are normal size). But no other boats had been taken. So we had to squeeze in, which was quite uncomfortable especially in the long run. We both had bruises on our legs afterwards...Otherwise it was a nice exit. Unfortunately, the guide did not speak very good English, although booked as an English tour. So there was a bit of information about the surroundings, but it was rather difficult to communicate. The snacks at the end were delicious again 😋 Overall a mixed experience.

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Sunshine19402028625

Feb 2, 2026

Last minute fees and wrong accommodation - It all went wrong with this company. First, we booked an Airbnb service with them where they offered a camping tent (with photos). A day earlier, we are told that this service no longer exists. We had to cancel in time to get a refund. Then we booked the Kayak tour, because of a bad weather alert we asked to move it 1 day later, to which they accepted 100%. We moved our plans to go to Sapariqui and pay for a hotel night. However, the night before 9pm we were sent to warn that we had to pay $100 extra! Which was ridiculous almost as expensive as the total cost of the tour. It was not professional so we do not accept and prefer to look for other more ethical options with the tourist.

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Check Availability

From $95

up to 8 guests

1 - Adult