White Water Rafting on Rio Pacuare, Costa Rica

Extreme sport lovers flock to Costa Rica to try a number of exciting activities, including the popular white water rafting on Rio Pacuare (Pacuare River). This exciting excursion takes you down a stunning river where you will be in the middle of the Costa Rica jungle.

While white water rafting can be dangerous if you are inexperienced, excursions come with guides who will ensure you remain safe throughout the full ride. Excursions typically come with safety training, lifejackets, helmets, a photographer, and roundtrip transportation.

Continue reading to experience what it’s like to go white water rafting on Rio Pacuare in Costa Rica!

**Please note that this blog post uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my link, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

**Note: This was not a sponsored excursion and all views are my own. All photos while rafting were taken by the tour operator, Costa Rica Groups Travel Company.

White Water Rafting on Rio Pacuare

Receiving Thorough Training on the Ground Before Heading Out

Heading out white water rafting can definitely be intimidating for your first time. But, what set my mind at ease was the training we had beforehand. You will receive safety equipment, including a helmet and a life jacket.

After you are put with your group, you will meet your guide (they sometimes are called the captain as well). The guide will walk you through everything from how to properly sit on the boat, when to paddle, how to follow their directions, and what to do if you accidentally fall off. You will likely even practice following the commands with the boat on the ground before heading out!

Begin White Water Rafting on Rio Pacuare

Now, for the exciting part! Your team will get in the boat in a calm area of the river. This is a strategic move, as you will have some time to practice commands and paddling in the water before hitting the more difficult rapids.

As you complete your practice session, you will see the water becoming rougher in the distance…

Float Through Class II-IV Rapids on Rio Pacuare

The first rapid you go through will likely (hopefully) be a lower class rapid. These will be a lot of fun to go through as the boat rises into the air from the rapids. As you continue floating down the river, you will reach more challenging rapids up to Class IV.

These rapids will give you an adrenaline boost as you float over them! While going over the rapids, the captain will ask you to paddle hard. I found this interesting as it is opposite of what I would have thought you should do in this situation.

Throughout parts of the trip, you may reach rapids that aren’t extremely safe for beginners. There are times throughout the journey where your captain will yell at you to get in the boat and hold on! This is when you know it’s about to get REAL!

Once you survive the big rapids, there’s typically a bit of time where you gently float down the river and recover. Depending on the tour, you may be brought to a spot where you can swim in the middle of the jungle!

Experience Costa Rica Wildlife In It’s Natural Habitat

During the calm portions of the river, definitely take the time to look around at the surrounding jungle. You feel like you’re lost in the jungle!

Keep your eyes out for wildlife as you float down the river. You could potentially see some interesting birds, monkeys, and much more! Our guide pointed out all the animals he could find along the way.

How to Get to Rio Pacuare

From San José, Rio Pacuare is about 61 kilometers driving distance. If you don’t have a car in Costa Rica, you could take a bus or taxi to the river. Alternatively, you could take a guided tour from San José and have your travel planned by a tour company.

Guided White Water Rafting Tours on Rio Pacuare

The best and safest way to experience white water rafting on Rio Pacuare is by booking an excursion. These can typically be booked through your accommodations or an excursion company such as below.

Have you been white water rafting on Rio Pacuare in Costa Rica? Let me know about your experience in the comments!

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