White Water Rafting Trips near the Arenal Volcano - Costa Rica
Desafio has been rafting in Arenal Costa Rica since 1992. At this time we are operating two rivers in the vicinity of the Arenal Volcano. We offer both kayaking and inflatable raft trips. Floating safaris are also available in addition to the white water river tours. Write us and we can arrange just the excursion you are looking for. info@arenalvolcanotours.com Read below about the two rivers currently in use, the Arenal and Toro rivers.
Come join us for the hottest full day rafting trip in the country on the mighty Rio Toro. 2 ½ 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 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!
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 only 1 hour from La Fortuna - it is much closer than the Sarapiqui).
At this time Desafio Adventure Company is the only company running full-day trips on the wild and scenic Toro River.
Price $85 per person.
Included on the tour:
All equipment
Transport to and from hotel (in the La Fortuna area)
Safety Kayaker
Fruit fiesta during the tour
Experienced bilingual guides with appropriate safety training
Desafio is well known as a rafting specialist in Costa Rica. Proven as experts in creating fun, adventurous and most importantly, safe, rafting trips around the Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna areas.
We are particularly accommodating with first time rafters, the guides are very successful at earning the trust of their clients; As a result of their knowledge and compassion, first timers grow brave enough to enjoy the adventure of a lifetime.
Rio Arenal is home to Desafio's lower level rafting trip, the Class II/III tour. The location of this river, a 20 minute ride from downtown La Fortuna, makes Desafio's rafting ideal for a half day trip, more time on the river and less time in a car!
The rafting trips offer door to door service for all hotels in the Arenal/La Fortuna area. The drive to the Rio Arenal is short but interesting. Although the Rio Arenal is for low level rafting (rivers can be rated anywhere from I to V) the muddy, steep drive down to the launch point might need to be judged a Class V!
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. Most people will paddle inflatable kayaks or 'duckys'. These two person kayaks are made of lightweight but very durable plastic. The person in front provides much of the power and the person in the back is in charge of steering. Of course, the rafting is not nearly as easy as it sounds, but by the end of your tour you're guaranteed to feel like a pro! If anyone is uncomfortable with the kayaks they may go in the far more tranquil four to six man raft.
When first entering the river it becomes immediately apparent why it is suggested to wear sport sandals, sneakers will become soaked before ever leaving the riverbank! Also suggested would be swimsuits, sun block, and mosquito repellent.
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).
Periodically the group will stop and let the slower paddlers catch up. 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 beautiful new lodge and restaurant, built by Christina and Suresh, the owners of Desafio Adventure Company. Guests are invited to a complimentary lunch of fresh fruit and sandwiches. Soon the restaurant will offer a full menu of Indian cuisine and will be open to the public. Here there are bathrooms and changing rooms, so bring a change of clothes to leave in the van which will meets the group at the Lodge.
The nicest thing about the Rio Arenal is that it is gentle enough for even the most inexperienced riders. Anyone age 6 or above can ride this river, although you might need to be a little older to paddle a two-person kayak. If you are a more experienced rider the kayaks can be quite challenging at times, so this river proves to be good for large groups of people with different skill levels.
Price $65 per person
Included on the tour:
All equipment
Transport to and from hotel (in the La Fortuna area)
Safety Kayaker
Fruit fiesta during the tour
Experienced bilingual guides with appropriate safety training
IMPORTANT NOTICE: All rafting excursions are recommended for persons in good physical shape. Rafters should be competent swimmers. Recommended ages 14 -55 (the Class I Wildlife tour is good for all ages) For the safety of the rafters, river guides reserve the right to deny participation of any rafter. Furthermore, given that rafting is influenced from the forces of nature, Desafio Expeditions can not guarantee that a rafter's first choice in rivers will be run and, for safety reasons, the river guides further reserve the right to change rivers at any time due to water levels.
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