Tortuguero Tour & Pacuare River Rafting – 5-Day
Explore Tortuguero National Park and its canals by boat and then raft the Pacuare River, one of Costa Rica’s most famous and beautiful rivers. Mawamba Lodge in Tortuguero and our award-winning Rios Tropicales Lodge teamed up for this incredible five-day trip to two of our country’s most iconic locations.
Tortuguero National Park and its canals offer one of the richest biodiverse areas in Costa Rica. From the Mawamba Lodge, you’ll boat deep into the national park, where you’ll be surrounded by wildlife on all sides! Caimans, a variety of birds, monkeys, turtles, emerald basilisks and more await you. There are other tour options available, including night-time tours of nearby turtle nesting grounds and rainforest hikes.
After Tortuguero, you’ll head deep into the primary rainforest and the Pacuare Gorge by river! A half day of rafting takes you right to the riverside Rios Tropicales Lodge, our award-winning ecolodge. You’ll have a full day and two nights to enjoy all the incredible activities on our 2,470-acre private reserve, including a zip line tour (additional cost), adventure loop (additional cost), bird-watching, and numerous hiking trails to waterfalls and soaking pools. On the final day, you’ll raft through the Pacuare Gorge and Lower Pacuare, where the rapids become more powerful and challenging. You’ll see gorgeous waterfalls tumble into the river and you might catch a glimpse of some of the exotic birds and animals inhabiting the surrounding jungle. At the end of the trip, after a hot lunch and a shower, you’ll transfer back to San José.
Got questions? Contact us!
Need To Know
- Luggage is limited to 25 pounds per person
- During turtle nesting season, dinner time at Mawamba Lodge changes to 7:00 pm so that guests can join the optional turtle night tour
- Optional tours at the Mawamba Lodge include:
Turtle night tour* (July to September)
Kayaking Tours*
Night Rainforest Hike*
*These are an additional cost. - Optional tours at Rios Lodge include:
Zip line tour
Adventure loop
Bird-watching tour - Entrance fee to Tortuguero National Park is not included in the package: USD $15.00 per person
Trip Details
Trip Length: 5 Days
River Time: 3.5 – 5 Hours
Rapid Class: III – IV
Minimum Age: 12 – Swimming experience is required
Distance: 26km
Price: Single: $752 | Double: $692 | Triple: $627
Reserve Your Trip
What’s Included
- Professional bilingual guides
- All specialized gear necessary for each activity
- Secure, dry transport of your luggage in dry bag
- All meals included, except dinner on day 5
- Spacious changing rooms and hot showers
- Transportation to and from San Jose
Day 1 Itinerary
- Early morning pick up at major hotels in San José area.
- Costa Rican style breakfast at Grupo Mawamba’s Río Danta Restaurant in Guápiles.
- Departure to Caño Blanco dock in Siquirres area.
- Arrive at Caño Blanco and board Mawamba’s boat for your ride to Tortuguero and Mawamba Lodge.
- Lunch at the pool restaurant.
- Optional visit to the Village of Tortuguero along with your guide.
- Dinner at the restaurant.
Day 2 Itinerary
- Breakfast at Mawamba Lodge.
- Tour with a naturalist guide of Mawamba Park: butterfly farm, frog farm and garden, iguana farm, bio-digestor and gardens.
- Lunch at the pool restaurant.
- Afternoon canal tour to a different canal than the one visited the previous day.
- Dinner at the pool restaurant.
- Optional tour (night walk on private trail).
Day 3 Itinerary
- Breakfast at Mawamba Lodge.
- Return boat ride to Caño Blanco dock.
- Bus ride and transfer to Rios Tropicales Operations Center.
- Lunch.
- Load up for transport to Pacuare River put-in in San Martin.
- Safety orientation and paddle instruction with professional guides.
- Class III rapids as you enter the Pacuare Gorge and primary rainforest.
- Arrive at Rios Tropicales Lodge, an award-winning ecolodge.
- Variety of activity options on the 2,470-acre private reserve.
- Dinner and overnight at Rios Tropicales Lodge.
Day 4 Itinerary
- Full breakfast at the ecolodge.
- Choose from a number of activities or just relax in a hammock.
- Lunch at the lodge or picnic-style if you’re hiking or touring.
- Another delicious dinner.
Day 5 Itinerary
- Healthy breakfast.
- Pack up for return raft trip.
- Class IV rapids on the Lower Pacuare
- Hearty hot lunch at the Rios Tropicales Operations Center.
- Transport back to your hotel.
This trip includes 2 nights at Mawamba Lodge and 2 Nights at our authentic, award-winning ecolodge.
Deluxe & Group rooms, spectacular views, incredible ambience.
We offer several room options to accommodate a variety of tastes and budgets. All rooms include linens, towels, pillows and either a private or a shared bathroom. Choose from single, double and triple occupancy.
Most lodge activities and meals while at the lodge are included in your package. Ziplining and Canyoning are additional cost. Enjoy cocktails overlooking the river, while you watch brightly colored toucans fly to the other river bank. Magical!
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