Pacuare Lodge and River Rafting Extension

After an early morning pickup from your hotel in San José, drive through lush farmlands clinging to volcanic slopes toward the town of Turrialba, with a typical Costa Rican breakfast en route. Once at the put-in on the Pacuare, a rafting orientation, paddle instruction, and safety talk with your river guides set you up for a couple of hours of unbelievable fun. Side creeks cascade into quiet pools of the river while iridescent blue morpho butterflies whirl around you, their wings winking in the sunlight. You'll paddle, splash and float your way on Class I-III rapids to Pacuare Lodge, where more fun experiences await you. Accommodations are in Garden Suites, which include a private terrace with hammock and sitting area, king size or two full size canopy beds, and en suite bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers. Dinner and overnight at Pacuare Lodge...BLD

Note: Minimum age for rafting to the lodge is 12. Arrival by land (via 4WD vehicle) or helicopter (at additional expense) is also available if you don't wish to raft. Call us for the details.

The lodge offers a variety of optional activities, including—but not limited to!—the following (note: minimum age is 12 for most excursions, 9 for easier activities):

• Early morning guided birdwatching tours (Costa Rica is a birder’s paradise), right on the lodge's grounds. Enjoy a cup of coffee before you head out, then return to the lodge for breakfast afterwards.
• A variety of hikes, from a moderately challenging hike to visit a clan of the indigenous Cabécar people (4-5 hours) to an easy loop hike (1.5 hours) that ends with a refreshing splash in a local waterfall.
• Most of the action in the rainforest is up in the treetops! Experience it all with a zip line offering dramatic views, exotic birdlife, rappelling down trees, and sliding on cables from tree to tree (2 hours).
• Feeling fit and adventurous? Try canyoning, combining rock climbing, rappelling a rock face, descending a waterfall—all in the lush environment of the rainforest (2.5 hours).
• Or just take it easy—relax at the lodge’s infinity pool, indulge in a soothing spa treatment, enjoy a meal in El Nido (“The Nest:—a platform set high in the branches of a ceiba tree).

Overnight at Pacuare Lodge...BLD

Once again, board rafts and head through the Pacuare's Class III-IV rapids to the town of Siquirres (this is a more challenging part of the river). You can return to San José by vehicle if you do not choose to raft this harder section, arriving at your hotel around 6:00 pm. End of services...BL