Arenal Travel, Tours and Activities: Things to do in the Arenal Volcano Area
White water rafting is one of the 'must do' activities in Arenal Costa Rica if you are an adventure lover. It is hardly surprising it is a popular activity given the warm water, great rapids and the chance of seeing the adundant flora and fauna in Costa Rica. Arenal Volcano is the second most visited location in Costa Rica, afterall who can resist visiting one of the most activie volcanoes in the world, combined with the many activities in the area? Once in Arenal many people take advantage of the white water rafting in the area, the convenience and the beautiful rivers make it a good choice. And who is rafting suitable for? For those with a great sense of adventure and wanting to see Costa Rica from a fun and different prospective...white water rafting Arenal Costa Rica is a must!
Desafio Adventure Company has long provided safe and exciting rafting opportunities and has all the required government permits, permissions and insurance necessary to run adventure sports in Costa Rica. Not forgetting the wealth of esperience and training the guides have.
Costa Rica's Desafio Adventure Company has been white water rafting near Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica since 1992. Desafio operates two rivers in the vicinity of the Arenal Volcano. Read below about the two rivers currently in use: the Rio Balsa (Class 2 / 3) and Rio Toro (Class 3 / 4) rivers.
Come join us for the hottest full day white water rafting trip in the Costa Rica - on the mighty Rio Toro. Three hours of non-stop white water action! This stretch of rapids offers 45 continuous Class III - IV Rapids. The river canyon includes exotic wildlife and fauna. Tours depart from La Fortuna at 8:30am and return around 3.30 pm. Available almost every day of the year.
This thrilling white water rafting tour leaves at 8:30 am from our office in La Fortuna. The Río Toro is the closest class 3-4 river to La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano - only 1 hour away! Arenal Volcano zone rafting at its most exciting!
Once at the river, our experienced guides will give you a thorough safety talk, get you set up with your helmet, life jacket and paddle and then you're off - you'll be paddling for more than 3 hours - we'll stop along the way for a nice, tropical fruit break and afterward we take you out for a typical Costa Rican "casado" lunch. You'll return to La Fortuna and the Arenal Area around 3:30-4:00pm (the Río Toro is located just over 1 hour from La Fortuna - it is much closer than the Sarapiqui).
Price $85 per person.
Departure - 8.30am (pick-up time depends on the location of your hotel). Rating recommended for ages 13-55
Includes:
Included on the white water rafting tour:
All equipment
Transport to and from hotel (in the La Fortuna/Arenal Volcano area)
Safety Kayaker
Fruit fiesta during the tour
Experienced bilingual guides with appropriate safety training
White water rafting right near Arenal Volcano! Desafio Adventure Company is well known as a rafting specialist in Costa Rica. Proven as experts in creating run, safe and adventurous white water rafting trips around the Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna areas. The Rio Balsa is ideal for those first time rafters as it is gentle enough for those inexperienced rafters but enough of a challenge to make it exciting. The Desafio guides are very accommodating to those first time rafters, quickly earning the trust of their clients. As a result of their knowledge and care, first timers soon grow brave enough to enjoy a unique adventure! You'll soon enjoy the challenge as you paddle yourself through fun & safe rolling rapids with names like "Morning Coffee" & "Rock around the Croc" and then play around in tranquil river pools in an isolated rainforest river canyon. Hopefully you'll get to see lots of wildlife like monkeys, sloths and tropical birds such as ospreys, oropendolas and toucans. This unique river trip is the best way to combine adventure and nature. The Río Balsa is dam-controlled, so you are guaranteed good water levels all-year long!
Rio Balsa is only 30 minutes or so from downtown La Fortuna which makes it a convenient location and you'll spend more time on the river than in car! The white water rafting trips offer door-to-door service for most hotels in the Arenal and La Fortuna areas
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At the launch site the guides give a detailed explanation of safety procedures. Rafting is an adventure sport, so everyone receives a helmet and life vest. The guides slowly and clearly explain all rules and fundamentals. Right from the outset, the river is beautiful. Very few farms come to the rivers edge and you find yourself paddling through beautiful stretches of rainforest. The water is clean and cool. Depending on the level of the water-flow that day, the depth of the river will vary from shallow and rocky to fairly deep. Paddling can be practiced through the first few class II rapids before you get to the 'morning coffee', the first of the class III rapids. The guides give you specific instructions on each rapid, for example 'stay to the right on this one' or 'avoid the big boulder at all costs' or even 'watch out for crocodiles on this one' (just kidding).
Sometimes there is a view of a waterfall or cliff-side to photograph. If you are lucky you might see monkeys, sloths, birds and butterflies.
At the end of the two-hour ride you arrive at a small restaurant, built by Christina and Suresh, the owners of Desafio Adventure Company. Guests are invited to a complimentary lunch of fresh fruit and 'typical Costa Rican' food. Here there are bathrooms and changing rooms, so bring a change of clothes to leave in the van which will meet the group at the restaurant.
Price $65 per person
Departure - 11.00am (pick-up time depends on the location of your hotel) Rafting recommended for ages 10-55:
Included on the white water rafting tour:
All equipment
Transport to and from hotel (in the pick-up zones, there might be a small charge for hotels far from La Fortuna/Arenal area)
Safety Kayaker
Fruit fiesta during the tour
Experienced bilingual guides with appropriate safety training
Lunch
What to bring: A big smile, a sense of adventure, clothes to get wet in, secure shoes (sports sandals are best)
& dry clothes for after the trip
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