For those who enjoy adrenaline filled vacations with heart pounding adventures, white water rafting is the sport to enjoy. Rated as being among the best white water rafting spots in the world, Costa Rica is a paddler’s delight. Here rivers range from Class II to Class V rapids, with something for everyone. From families to adventure junkies and from novice rafters to those who enjoy the thrill of zipping down a river, Costa Rica offers some amazing white water rafting experiences.
With roaring rivers tumbling down from the mountainsides, get a different view of Costa Rica’s natural exotic beauty and amazing wildlife as you ride the many rivers here. There are a number of rivers that one can white water raft on. However, the Rios Pacuare, Reventazón, Sarapiqui and Corobici are some of the best places to white water raft on in Costa Rica.
Do keep in mind that you choose an experienced white water rafting company, as these businesses are not regulated. An experienced guide means providing you with the proper equipment, rafts, paddles, life jackets and helmets. Also make sure that you choose a bilingual guide so that you know what’s going on and what you can expect as you paddle down the river.
With no prior experience necessary like in other adventure sports, white water rafting is meant for one and all. But do be careful as it can get quite rough out there. Being a good swimmer is an essential pre-requisite for going white water rafting. Ideal for the adventurous at heart, it is important that you realize that this sport also has a number of risks associated with it.
One day white water rafting trips include roundtrip bus transportation from San José with lunch, while multi day expeditions can also be arranged for the more avid rafter with good meals, roomy tents and thick sleeping bags for overnight trips. If you want to raft on your own, you can do so by renting a kayak or canoe from many tour/travel companies all over the country.
The best rivers are the Río Reventazón and the Río Pacuare, with the months of June through October being considered as the wildest and the wettest months of the year. Runs are available for all levels of experience, so be sure to put on plenty of sun block and don’t forget to bring a spare change of clothes.
