Do you love a thrill as much as you love Mother Earth? Choose Costa Rica Rios with a clear conscience, knowing that we are committed to preserving the exquisite landscapes which set the scene for our Costa Rica adventure tours.
Our Week of Adventures package, which includes everything from ziplining to surfing to canyoning, is a fantastic opportunity to connect with nature, get your heart pumping, and let loose. Costa Rica Rios wants to supply you with eight days of exhilaration, but we also want to ensure our activities respect the natural sites we visit. That’s why we’ve taken a number of steps to ensure that our tours are as considerate to the environment as they are to your enjoyment.
For instance, as a member of 1% For the Planet, we donate one percent of our annual turnover to a network of more than 3,000 environmental organizations worldwide–a cause most of our customers would celebrate as they absorb the breathtaking wildlife on our canopy tour or the colorful sea creatures while snorkeling in the Caribbean. Speaking of treetops, we only use recycled or sustainably sourced paper in our business. We also support a local company that produces biodegradable water bottles, so you’ll stay hydrated as you mountain bike down the Irazú volcano or hike through the jungle hoping to spot a howler monkey.
On our Week of Adventures tour, you’ll also go surfing, whitewater rafting, and kayaking–activities which instil respect for Costa Rica’s amazing water sources. To help keep these systems clean, we have a recycling program and a compost program where we collect and donate all organic waste to an organic cocoa farm.
After a morning of surf lessons, you’ll want to refuel with the delicious, locally-sourced food we provide, which reduces our carbon footprint (and increases the taste factor). Of course, we provide easy transport to and from all of these natural wonders, and Costa Rica Rios also has a No Trace Policy, meaning that we strive to leave the visited environments as we found them.
It’s time to escape into the wild and celebrate all that it has to offer; contact us now to set your adventure in motion. After eight days of our all-inclusive vacation package, you’ll be amazed (and maybe a bit exhausted) by the splendors that Costa Rica Rios has to show you.
As our website proudly states, we are pleased to have been rated as one of the Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth by National Geographic Adventure. Today we thought we’d talk a bit about the criteria they used, and what those ratings say about our ability to host your perfect Costa Rica adventure.
Quality of Service: we rated 92.5 out of 100 on this aspect, because of our expert local guides, small group sizes and over 16 years of experience in Costa Rica’s adventure vacation industry. We know and love the fantastic opportunities available here in Costa Rica, and we have that critical insider’s connection which allows us to provide you with friendly and superb service. We also always make safety a top priority, so that you can enjoy your adventures without concern.
Sustainability: we rated 89.5 on this aspect, because of our commitment to respecting and supporting the environment in every way possible. We recycle and compost, donating all our organic waste to a local organic cocoa bean farm. We have a No Trace policy whereby we intend to leave every one of our stunning natural habitats as clean and unspoiled as we found it.
Spirit of Adventure: we scored 89 on this aspect, because we focus on the incredible diversity of adventurous opportunities available. From sea depths to volcanic heights, you can go snorkeling and diving, kayaking and sailing, rappelling and climbing, hiking and biking…the opportunities truly are endless.
Education: we scored 82.5 on this aspect, because our local guides have that innate knowledge that comes from growing up in Costa Rica. Unlike a lot of travel companies which are based far from the location of their adventures, we understand this country at a deep level, and love to share its riches with all our guests.
Client Satisfaction: we scored 100 on this aspect—that’s right, a perfect score! We are very proud of this accomplishment, because it illustrates how successful we are at fulfilling our Mission Statement, which says that we “will provide the highest quality service to meet all client’s needs and expectations.”
We invite you to contact us today and make plans to come discover the Costa Rica Rios experience that National Geographic has rated so highly.
If you’re planning your wedding then you most likely have an idea of what you want to do on your honeymoon. For the active couple that enjoys doing things a little different, an adventure honeymoon in Costa Rica is the perfect way to enjoy your new life together.
You can create a custom itinerary or choose from one of the exciting itineraries that are set up. Best of all, you can even take advantage of the Honeymoon Registry Program that allows you to get your honeymoon as a wedding gift.
Imagine eight exciting days with the Caribbean Adventure where you’ll enjoy kayaking, whitewater rafting, a zipline/canopy tour, guided waterfall hikes, a snorkel boat tour and a visit to the sloth sanctuary.
On the Exotic Adventure Honeymoon, you’ll enjoy eight days of bliss with surfing lessons, a jetski safari snorkel tour, a zipline/canopy tour and then can choose from two exciting activities at the safari lodge that includes scenic waterfall hikes, adventurous whitewater rafting or horseback riding for those that want to relax a little.
The eight day Volcanoes, Jungles and Beaches Adventure Honeymoon offers some of the same excursions such as whitewater rafting and ziplining but also has kayaking and surfing and you’ll find picture perfect moments when you’re exploring scenic volcanoes, rainforest, rivers, beaches and you may even spot some of the local wildlife.
The Eco-Deluxe Honeymoon is a thrilling 12 day adventure. This honeymoon tour has many of the same exciting adventures such as whitewater rafting and ziplining but you’ll also enjoy the Tabacon Hot Springs entrance and dinner, Lost Canyon Adventures Canyoneering and an extra activity that can include an extreme volcano hike, a waterfall horseback ride, mountain biking, stand up paddle boarding, a national park hike, an ATV tour and this is in addition to all of the other things you’ll see and experience. You will stay in premium luxury eco hotels who are leaders in eco-tourism and sustainability.
No matter which itinerary you want to explore or even if you want to create your own personalized honeymoon, you’ll be guaranteed an adventure that creates the memories of a lifetime. If you’re ready to explore your options in stunning Costa Rica, contact us and we can help you plan the perfect adventure honeymoon.
Looking for an exciting vacation that will provide thrilling adventure, breathtaking scenery, and exotic flora and fauna? Look no further than Costa Rica Rios and our many costa rica vacation packages. Our whitewater rafting or kayaking packages provide all of the memorable thrills of a lifetime. And they can be customized to your interests and ability levels.
The rivers we run in Costa Rica rise out of the mountain spine that divides the Atlantic watershed from the Pacific watershed. The Rio Sarapiqui rises out of the highlands on the eastern side of the cloud forests that are also home to Poas Volcano. The Rio Pejibaye and Pacuare River have headwaters out of the Talamanca Mountains. Each river has a distinctive nature, but all provide exciting whitewater and scenery.
The trade winds from the west bring copious amounts of rain down on the mountains as the moisture carried by the winds hits the colder air in the higher elevations. This abundance of moisture also provides unique ecosystems such as the cloud forests with their huge diversity of plant and animal life. When you travel the rivers, it’s not unusual to see anteaters, sloths, iguanas and capuchin monkeys along the way. Birds of all kinds, including the colorful toucan, parakeets, ospry, hawks, and blue herons, are as entertaining as the whitewater. The distractions of the scenery and wildlife can almost make you forget the adventure you came to experience.
The culture, people and cuisine of Costa Rica are also part of the draw. Our experienced guides always have your comfort and safety in mind. While you experience the adventure, our crew will create meals you will remember and your lodgings will always be comfortable and luxurious. The people you meet are the heart of Costa Rica and their charm and character will warm your memories forever.
When you’re ready to create the adventure of your dreams, contact us for more information and any personalization of your plans for the trip. We will make your kayak tour of Costa Rican rivers the best adventure travel you will ever experience.
With summer vacation coming up at schools and colleges across the U.S., Costa Rica trips make an ideal vacation for adventure travel. Forget about laying on the beach doing nothing! In Costa Rica, you can mountain bike volcanoes, whitewater raft past primary rainforest, hike national parks, harness up to a zip line in the jungle, surf or snorkel in warm tropical waters or soak in natural hot springs near an active volcano. So show your kids how to much fun an active adventure vacation can be.
Make your school break a Costa Rica adventure vacation with some learning thrown in.
The tropical paradise of Costa Rica boasts several different ecosystems, from the Monteverde cloud forest, to tropical rainforests to the beaches on both the east and west coasts of the country. Your guides will teach you all about the rainforest, flora, fauna, culture and history of this diverse country. They are will bring the country alive for you and thrill your imagination beyond your expectations.
With Costa Rica Rios, you can choose your own adventure with our packages designed for the active traveler. The all-inclusive Week of Adventures adventure tour features kayaking, whitewater rafting and snorkeling. Zooming along a zip line and mountain biking volcanoes are also included. Don’t worry, beach time is part of the package, as well!
If none of the pre-packaged tours fit the bill, Costa Rica Rios can also design custom tours for families, couples and groups of friends. Honeymoon packages are also available for couples who want to celebrate the lifelong adventure of marriage with an adventure honeymoon.
Contact us today to start planning your adventure vacation in Costa Rica.
If you think he’s swept you off your feet, wait until you arrive for your Costa Rica honeymoon. Imagine rappelling down four waterfalls and mountain biking in the shadow of a volcano, or swinging a la Tarzan in the midst of an exotic jungle backdrop. These are just some of the activities we have planned for you as you begin your new life’s adventures together.
Costa Rica Rios is a well-established leader in Costa Rica adventure vacations and celebrations. Not only can we create a custom honeymoon package for you, but also we offer four, well thought out and predesigned honeymoon options ranging from 8 to 12 days. Each choice offers you a chance to explore a world of natural beauty around you as you continue to nurture the growing beauty that you see in each other.
Our Caribbean Adventure Honeymoon let’s you go whitewater kayaking and experience the rainforest in a canopy tour. You’ll go ziplining, rappelling and snorkeling on a protected reef where you’ll meet some of the two- and four-legged locals.
Our Eco-Deluxe Honeymoon Adventure gives the two of you more time to spend in the beautiful tropical world that is Costa Rica. You’ll not only jetski, kayak and tour by ATV, but also you’ll go mountain biking, horseback riding and canyoneering, including a chance to rappell down four waterfalls. You’ll stay in private, comfortable rooms and eat chicken, beef, seafood, fruits and vegetables, as you wind your way through this tropical Wonderland. All you have to do is enjoy the surroundings, the activities and each other.
Or have us design a unique custom honeymoon to suit just the two of you and your budget.
Costa Rica Rios is located in Turrialba, where our staff lives as well as works all year long…which, by the way, means that we ensure that our adventures are not harmful or destructive to the surroundings. This is our home. We take good care of it. Since we enjoy a tropical climate year round, you can plan your Costa Rica honeymoon anytime of the year. So, whether you choose to customize your trip, or decide on one of our pre-designed plans, let him sweep you off your feet—and let us start you off on your new life’s adventures together.
Contact us now to plan your adventure honeymoon with Costa Rica Rios.
Planning a vacation is exciting. You know that you want to enjoy something unique, fun and maybe even a little adventurous but what to choose? A Costa Rica adventure vacation is the perfect setting for memories that will last a lifetime.
Imagine kayaking, adventurous white water rafting, snorkeling, surfing, mountain biking and even gliding over the jungle on a zip line. In our all-inclusive tour, you get to experience all of that and more.
Your Costa Rica guided tour includes spending some nights in the rainforest jungle lodge, biking across live volcanoes and some of the most beautiful beaches in the world where the jungle and wildlife meet up with crystal clear water that is teeming with rare sea life.
It doesn’t matter if you want to meet others that share your love of adventure or you are traveling with your family and want to make memories that you can share for the rest of your life, Costa Rica is the perfect place to enjoy adventure.
You don’t have to worry about what to do or about being safe while enjoying your vacation. Our guides are trained professionals that have your safety and fun in mind. Since everything is all-inclusive, you won’t have to figure out where to dine for the evening or what hotel to stay in. The accommodations offer a volcanic view and luxurious surroundings that are picture perfect.
The best thing about your adventure is the experiences like no other. Where else can you have a morning coffee with a volcanic view and then kayak down a river or zipline through the jungle all in the same day ?
If you’re ready to experience the vacation of a lifetime where every photo will tell a unique experience then contact us so we can help you plan your next adventure.
It’s time to plan your next vacation…but your children roll their eyes when you start talking about it. Perhaps they are teenagers, whose main goal in life seems to be staying “cool” about everything, or perhaps they are younger and their favorite summer phrase is “are we there yet?”
Here’s a chance to get your children involved: have them plan your very own Costa Rica Adventure! We have lots of options for them to choose from, and you can be confident that our professional guides and courteous staff will make your custom vacation into an unforgettable experience for everyone in the family. If your daughter is into animals, we’ll go in search of sea turtles, snorkel among the fish and take a canopy tour to where the exotic birds hang out. If your son is just learning about other cultures, we’ll hike into a remote village where you can meet the locals and discover how they live. If your teen believes that he or she has “seen it all,” we will plan a day full of sights, sounds and experiences that can only be found in Costa Rica. If the most important thing is to keep everyone active, we have sea kayaks, mountain bikes, whitewater rafts, ziplines, surfboards…everything you could want to have a fun-filled and lively day together.
Costa Rica Rios will create your custom adventure with the entire family in mind. As a parent, you will appreciate our high quality adventure equipment and excellent safety record, and value our commitment to sustainability and the environment. Your entire family will enjoy our comfortable and upscale lodgings and outstanding food. Our expert local guides will draw you into the heartbeat of our life here and make your Costa Rica Adventure a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Contact us or click now on our Custom and Family Tours page and get started!
I had just begun my first season in Costa Rica as a video kayaker for Costa Rica Rios, the premier kayak guiding company based out of Turrialba. Upon the insistence of my new employers Jane and Fraser we had been sent to scout out new, more challenging runs that would be suitable for our more advanced clientele. We had a short list of class IV/IV+ rivers to explore in the Pacuare and Sarapiqui drainages. One section that we found to be particularly exciting was the previously un-run Upper Gorge of the Rio Toro Amarillo. Due to its remoteness and inaccessibility, the upper reaches of this river were left forgotten to the paddling community of Costa Rica.
This is the access route into the Upper Toro Amarillo Gorge.
Jane had offered to run our shuttle and we rumbled along the muddy wet roads through cow pastures and banana trees bouncing and swaying to the last meter of navigable path. The road dropped down into a creek bed and veered off to another parallel drainage, “We should stop here and hike in.” Danny our head guide said. Danny had been a river guide in Costa Rica for years on the Pacuare, Sarapiqui, and Reventazon rivers to name a few. Even with all of his experience he had never been on this run and was uncertain of what to expect. Our logistical information consisted of a Google Earth satellite image and very brief description in the Chasing Jaguars guidebook. We had every reason to believe that we would be paddling a few extra miles of Class IV whitewater in addition to the previously run lower section of the Toro Amarillo. The rain had been falling off and on all morning but increased in intensity when the truck came to a stop. Just when it is time to change into our gear it starts pouring I thought, never fails… Danny pulled me aside to show me our satellite image and the proposed route of access. Made sense to me, we will just walk upstream and find a new put in. I hadn’t inquired much about the run or its characteristic’s I knew we were paddling class IV and didn’t care to learn more about it. I enjoy a good surprise every once in a while and the Toro Amarillo wouldn’t disappoint.
We changed in a hurry as the cold drizzle turned into a steady downpour, and set out through a muddy cow pasture towards the rivers direction. Our feet sank through the murky soil and made a sucking sound with each step threating to swallow our river booties. The dense grass stood at eye level and all I could see were the multicolored line of kayaks in front of me, Stef, Davis, Danny and myself picked our way slowly to the edge of the pasture into the dark Costa Rican Jungle. The path came to an abrupt end as the plateau we stood upon plunged dramatically down into the River Gorge with no path down in site. We could see the river raging a few thousand feet below us. Finding the access would prove more difficult than we thought. After pursuing a number of dead ends we decided to continue along a machete hacked jungle path upstream in hopes of finding a way down. We trekked along for almost an hour through dense jungle, deep mud, tangled vines and the sound of rain with its ever-increasing intensity. The warnings of fellow boaters on the dangers of Tropical Rivers echoed in my head: No one explores new rivers in Costa Rica, there are too many poisonous snakes, more than anywhere else in the world. Don’t put on during a heavy rainstorm the rivers can flash flood without warning. If Danny, Davis, or Stef had the same apprehensions, they certainly weren’t vocalizing them.
Finally after a long grueling Jungle trek we found a “pathway” into the gorge. It was a near vertical incline that followed a tiny creek straight down. It looked like someone had kicked steps into the soft earth, and was our best option for descent. The tiny creek was swollen to its banks with muddy brown water. I imagined thousands of other little tributaries doing the same as I slowly kicked my heels into the mud to make purchase on the 45-degree slope. My old sneakers were well past retirement and reminded me of this by tearing in half. My feet poked out through the heals and toes making them look like some kind of hobo clown shoe. I turned back to Stef, “Is this a bad time to say that I think this is a bad idea?” There was no way we would be able to take clients into something this remote, my legs and arms were already tired and lactic from wrestling my heavy kayak through the near impassible jungle plant life. Stef shrugged the comment aside, trying not to let the doubt creep into her own mind. At this point the only way was down and we were going to run this for ourselves whether it was commercially viable or not.
The slope leveled out halfway into the gorge the rain hammered into the thick canopy above us, creating an acoustic dome around us. “Look up there.” Danny pointed at the tree tops, “Tiki monkeys, this is a good sign.” I wasn’t in the mood for local superstitions, but I noticed a corrugated iron roof. It was a squatters hut. Someone had been living here out of site from any civilization and we had him or her to thank for the narrow trail leading to this flat area. On every side was a vertical cliff leading down the bottom of the gorge. “We will have to repel the rest of the way.” Danny said. Stef had a 11mm rope suitable for repelling and we doubled it around a tree and dropped it to the bottom. Danny went first, and without repelling or taking any safety precaution began climbing the slender rope down the loose muddy cliff side. Christ who are these people I thought. It had been only my second time paddling with them and I immediately was questioning their sanity. “You may want to tie in!” said Danny breathing heavily from his sketchy down-climb. Yeah no shit! I thought. The rest of us lowered boats and gear and turned our Astral PFDs upside down, put our legs through the arm straps and clipped the rope into the anchor point in the PFD. It made for and extremely comfortable harness. I went last, tying a munter hitch into the rope and kicked myself away from the cliff and letting the rope slide through my hand and harness as I repelled down the thirty foot cliff to the bottom. From there we stood on a bench just fifteen feet above the riverbed. We were standing at the high water line and the river raged below us a muddy yellow brown color.
The Rim of the Toro Amarillo Gorge is only accesible in a few spots. This is a dead end.
Upstream and downstream of where we stood, were the vertical basalt walls of the canyon. We just happened to arrive at a spot that would allow us to access the river. The riverbed consisted of threaded boulder choked channels too tight to run upstream of us. Just downstream the channels came together into a slot and continued out of site into a box canyon, the opening in the Jungle canopy allowed the heavy rain to fall unhindered, reminding me how much trouble we could potentially be in. A box canyon with no way out… this is absolutely the worst possible place we could be in the event of a flash flood. Oh well at least it’s class IV. We can just bomb down the few miles to the bridge.
When we saw the first rapid my attitude changed. The river channeled into an un-runnable drop choked with wood and ending in a terminal hole. Danny and Davis scouted the drop trying to find a line. I saw mine immediately along the left bank and shouldered my boat across the slippery boulders. I was already out of breath my arms and legs exhausted and lactic from the arduous trek in. “This is why I exercise.” Said Davis, an endurance athlete and competitive paddler. He showed no signs of wear and tear. Exercise… that’s what should have been doing last month instead of sitting on my ass, maybe then I would be feeling prepared for this. Our entire group decided to portage and seal launched into the river just below the class VI rapid.
The next rapid looked manageable; a right to left move through a boulder garden with boofs over a few holes. A fun class IV which is exactly what I was expecting. I pointed the line to the group and warned them of wood that I could see just downstream. Hopefully we wouldn’t have too much wood to contend with. We began working our way downstream through long continuous boulder strewn rapids that never let up. The nature of the run consisted of, continuous class IV whitewater, with fun boofs and holes just sticky enough to make things interesting. As we worked our way downstream swollen tributaries discharged their muddy contents into the river adding to its volume and intensity. The continuous class IV grew to continuous class IV+.
Despite the increasing difficulty I was still having a blast, it was non-stop boofing, endless horizon lines, relentless whitewater. All in all, it was just pure kayaking all the way. The river began to channel to the right and dropped out of site. I caught an eddy to look and Davis caught the eddy just below me. “I’m going to drop in!” I shouted and peeled out into the obvious line into the right hand channel expecting a clean run out. The river plunged into an abrupt blind double drop ending in a sticky terminal hole blocked in on either side by huge boulders making a V-shaped notch. I took my boof stroke too early on the first part of the drop tried to reach forward to get another stroke in. OH SHIT! I took the stroke too early and my bow dove into the hole, my stern caught and back endered me into the air. I came down hard on the right side of the V shaped rock and flipped against the wall. I took a few desperate and feeble attempts to roll but the wall kept me from coming up. I went back under and tried to grab the rock to pull myself up. The eddy surged and slammed my head and hands into the rock wall. I braced my head into the wall for a brief second of much needed air as the hole grabbed me and pulled me back in for a solid beat down. There is no way out of is! I am going to swim! Already starved for air I had no fight left in me. I brought my knees up and pushed through the implosion bar and rolled out of the boat. I began kicking for the surface but the aerated water wouldn’t let me float up, I balled up and let the current kick me down deep under the hydraulic. I came up finally gasping for air in the only calm spot on the entire river. Stef came through the rapid just as my boat was exiting the hole. She pushed the boat towards me as I climbed onto a rock to catch my breath. That was my first swim since 2001, 11 years… I had this coming for a long time. The rest of the group made it through and gave me a chance to catch my breath.
After my swim the river changed in characteristic. The rapids longer and more relentless, the gradient steeper, the holes stickier and the volume was ever increasing with the torrential downpour. This was getting real, we were no longer playing on a class IV creek, we were stuck in a grueling non stop class V run and the only way out was down stream. If I was tired when we put on, then I was completely fatigued now and I had to find the strength to maintain the endless battle through the steep blind boulder choked rapids of Toro Amarillo. The Yellow Bull, was aptly named in both color and character, and we would need to put our game faces on to fight our way down this intense class V run.
Our group stayed tight with Davis in the lead and myself in sweep, we worked our way downstream without a word. Glancing back to each other when we had a chance to look away, and catching eddies to catch our breath. My breathing was labored and the river proved just how out of shape I was, I had never before experienced a run so demanding of cardiovascular stamina. Our entire group was thinking the same thing but no one wanted to say it. Danny had the subdued half smile of an experienced guide who never showed his fear. Stef had a general pissed off war face expression, and Davis seemed generally unconcerned with the environment he was in. Must be nice be in top physical condition during trying times such as these.
The river never let up and gradually got steeper as every member of our group had a close call getting worked in a sticky hole. I had another epic surf myself with a few window shades and a cartwheel before I was kicked out laughing. After the beating I had received the only thing I could do was laugh. Finally the river leveled out enough for a brief moment of respite and an Iron bridge appeared on the horizon. “We made it,” said Danny.
“Thank god, I am so spent.” I replied.
The deceptively calm bridge rapid of the Toro Amarillo
We dragged ourselves to shore and called Jane to pick us up. The water had risen significantly from the first time we had driven across this bridge on our way to put-in. Danny and Davis continued downstream to the lower take out to see if the rest of the run would be suitable for clients. Halfway down Davis dropped into a massive hole for the surf of his life, and was let go after a long fight. Jane picked up Stef and myself went to the lower bridge to pick up Danny and Davis. What a day, every paddler agreed that this was one of the most demanding runs we had ever done. From the jungle trek in, to the repel, and the relentless whitewater to follow. The Rio Toro Amarillo is sure to test the skills of any paddler. I highly recommend this run to any class V boater looking for a real whitewater adventure in the rainforest of Costa Rica. The Rio Toro Amarillo will not disappoint.
