Pacuare River Rafting: Costa Rica's Rapids Adventure

Embark on an exhilarating full-day whitewater rafting adventure on the Pacuare River. Experience the thrill of navigating class 3 and 4 rapids, surrounded by stunning rainforest scenery. Suitable for beginners and experienced paddlers, this action-packed day trip is not to be missed!

Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Turrialba - Start the day with a delicious Costa Rican breakfast featuring gallo pinto, eggs, fresh fruit, and coffee before heading to the river launch site.
  • Tres Equis - Meet the skilled guides for a safety briefing and gear fitting. This marks the beginning of the rafting adventure!
  • Huacas - Experience a dramatic, narrow gorge with…
What's Included
  • Transportation from Hotels in San José
  • Breakfast
  • Tour Guide
  • Lunch
  • Rafting equipment
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
Additional Information

Prepare for an exciting day of adventure as you navigate the heart of Costa Rica’s vibrant rainforest on the famous Pacuare River. This thrilling expedition covers 18 miles of Class III and IV rapids, ideal for both beginners and experienced paddlers (ages 12 and up).
The day starts with an early pickup from your hotel in San José, followed by a…

Location
Turrialba
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.7
(228 Ratings)
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Joe
Jan 20, 2026
Epic excitement, stunning scenery and personable professionalism! - Ivan our Navigator was funny, friendly and full of facts! We felt safe and yet exhilarated enough to be constantly engaged. The scenery was unbelievable!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Francois_a
Jan 10, 2026
Best rafting I’ve ever... - Best rafting I’ve ever done! Tons of adrenaline, incredible views, and excellent guides. Strongly recommend
Review provided by Viator
Marjorie_m
Jan 6, 2026
Exciting, fun. Great... - Exciting, fun. Great family time! The whole experience was very positive. The guides are great and they know very well why they’ re doing.
Review provided by Viator
Tonia_s
Jan 4, 2026
Excitement on the River! - Absolutely amazing! Tara was exceptionally knowledgeable and helpful! Her confidence and leadership guided us safely from start to finish!!
Review provided by Viator
Numba1dunner
Dec 14, 2025
Amazing thrill seeking adventure day trip out of San Jose - I was happy to boom this amazing thrill seeking adventure day trip out of San Jose. The guide Tara was very experienced and active in leading the raft and issuing instructions. It was quite exciting to navigate Class 3 and Class 4 rapids even though it was raining. The weather doesn't matter much anyways since you'll be wet during the adventure navigating the rapids. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ryan_s
Nov 27, 2025
10/10 Recommend - Our experience was so enjoyable from start to finish - we had a reroute due to high water levels, and they still made our day a beautiful adventure. Our guide Estéban was so knowledgeable and friendly, and we had an amazing time. Everyone guiding the tour clearly loved what they do & loved sharing it with people. Highly recommend !
Review provided by Viator
Sjr9217
Nov 23, 2025
Day trip to the Pacuare - My wife and I had an awesome time. Very professional throughout, never felt unsafe. Worth the drive from San Jose to experience the Pacuare.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Trip535615
Jan 8, 2026
Great day of rafting adventure - Beautiful day of rafting in wonderful natural surroundings. Driver and guides were great. Late confirmation from the tour operator regarding pickup. Excellent overall.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ana_o
Jan 24, 2026
Be aware: last-minute bookings may result in no pickup - Please note that this review is not based on the tour experience itself, but on the company Destination Services, which operates the tour. I hope this helps other travelers who book through Viator. If you book this tour less than 24 hours in advance, you may not be picked up, even though Viator allows the booking, confirms it, and charges you. I booked this tour the evening before (7:44 p.m.) to be exact, received email confirmation, and was charged by Viator. The tour states it starts at 6:00 a.m., so I was waiting at my hotel by 5:30 a.m. the day of the tour. At 6:05 a.m., after no one showed up, I called the number listed. I was told they had already passed my hotel at 5:15 a.m. and that they did not see my reservation because they require at least 20–24 hours to confirm bookings. If that is the case, this tour should not be available for last-minute booking on Viator. Waking up at 5:00 a.m. on a Saturday while traveling, only to be told there was nothing they could do, is extremely frustrating and unprofessional. The representative also claimed this was “the first time this has happened,” which is hard to believe. My advice to other travelers: book this tour at least two days in advance. Booking the day before will result in no hotel pickup, despite confirmation from Viator.
Review provided by Viator
Jorgo_n
Dec 2, 2025
A beautiful tour if it wasn't for a rude driver - This tour was the second time I do it everything was nice apart from some things breakfast has to be in a cleaner place and up to standards... lack the videos 📹 for the tour no only photos we are in 2025 still you with only photos then the worst of the worst was for us the bus driver who made an unbearable 4 hour road to get to San José with the excuse that main road there was traffic that is we will do faster from the mountains that never ended and he never wanted to listen to our choices was horrible never again there we explained everything that looks the better the big road less curves we are coming back tired you make us vomit like this and he doesn't care anything
Review provided by Viator
From $121
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).