Top La Fortuna White Water Rafting

Balsa River White Water Rafting class 2/3 in Costa Rica

Upper Balsa River White Water Rafting Class 3/4 in Costa Rica

(2,078)

from $73

Price varies by group size

(1,984)

from $77

White Water Rafting Class II and III

Rafting the Sarapiqui River isn’t just a fun way to get an adrenaline fix; it’s also a chance to see spider monkeys, sloths, toucans, and other wildlife. As you hit a series of class III and IV rapids on a raft, your guide shares information about the river’s important history and rich wildlife. This all-inclusive tour provides hotel pickup, transportation, snacks, drinks, and lunch, so you can avoid logistical planning.

(919)

from $65

Sarapiqui River Extreme White Water Rafting Class IV

Sarapiqui River Extreme White Water Rafting Class IV

White Water Rafting Class II & III in the Afternoon

(845)

from $88

4 hoursFree Cancellation

White Water Rafting Class III & IV

(189)

from $70

Experience the thrill of rafting down Costa Rica’s Balsa River on this small-group white-water adventure. Following the lead of an experienced guide, navigate Class II and III rapids as you pass through a lush rainforest landscape for a safe and unforgettable journey. After working up an appetite paddling down the river, enjoy a delicious buffet-style lunch at our private restaurant located next to the famous El Salto swimming hole. Round-trip transport from your La Fortuna hotel is included.

(1,320)

from $85

Whitewater Rafting Class 2-3 Balsa River from La Fortuna

4 hoursFree Cancellation

Combo White Water Rafting and Tubing in La Fortuna

(324)

from $93

6 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

Navigate the white water and challenging rapids of the Balsa River on a rafting trip from La Fortuna that’s suitable for all experience levels. Suit up, cast off and paddle alongside your guides, then watch for the monkeys, sloths, iguanas and birds that congregate at the water’s edge. Splash your way through Class II–III rapids, enjoy lunch on the river, and take in the serenity of flat water between the waves before finishing your day with return transfer to La Fortuna.

(89)

from $90

White Water Rafting (Class III) with lunch - Arenal Area

White Water Rafting (Class III) with lunch - Arenal Area

Rafting Class II & III + Local Farm Lunch & Cultural Tour

(110)

from $93

(542)

from $94

Pure Trek Canyoning & White Water Rafting Class II & III

8 hoursFree Cancellation

If you’re looking for an extreme adventure on the Balsa River, this white-water rafting tour is a great pick. Paddle your way down six miles (9.6 kilometers) of nearly non-stop white water—most rafting companies don’t take this extreme route on the Upper Balsa, so it’s unlikely that you’ll see any other rafts as you head through the rain forest canyon. This tour includes an extra stop at the El Salto swimming hole and lunch.

(98)

from $205

White Water Rafting class V

Jungle adventure meets family fun on this canyoning and whitewater rafting tour from La Fortuna. Tour the rainforest, rappel down waterfalls, and bounce down class II and III rapids on the Balsa River, stopping along the way to swim and spot wildlife. This tour even includes a professional photographer so you can leave the camera somewhere safe, live in the moment, and purchase pictures after.

(78)

from $150

Welcome to the Mambo Combo Rappel & Raft! — the top adventure tour for anyone seeking thrills in the environs of the mighty Arenal Volcano!

Mambo Combo Canyoning and Rafting near the Arenal Volcano

Combo Arenal Rafting and Canyoning Adventure

(124)

from $192

8 hoursFree Cancellation

Rafting Class II-III and Zipline Tour from La Fortuna and Arenal

(68)

from $160

9 hoursFree Cancellation

Rafting La Fortuna the highlight of your vacation in Costa Rica - Lunch Included

(272)

from $149

Adventure-seeking travelers will love this combo tour that includes two of Costa Rica’s most exciting activities: a zip-lining forest canopy tour and white-water rafting. Start in the Arenal Volcano National Park, where you’ll travel between 13 platforms high up in the canopy. Jump from the Tarzan swing, if you dare. Later, splash down the river through moderate grade-3 rapids on a thrilling rafting tour, seeing areas you couldn’t otherwise access.

(23)

from $73

Canopy Tour + Tarzan Swing + White Water Rafting

Canopy Tour + Tarzan Swing + White Water Rafting

8 hoursFree Cancellation

Rafting Class 2-3 Sarapiqui AFTERNOON Trip

(6)

from $193

Costa Ricas Finest White Water Rafting Adventure (Class 4/5)

4.8

(38)

from $93

La Fortuna Waterfall, Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Combo Tour

(1)

from $155

8 to 9 hoursFree Cancellation

White Water Rafting Adventures - La Fortuna, Costa Rica

(1,863)

from $154

Our experienced guides will tell you everything you need to know about whitewater rafting and guide your team safely through the exhilarating and breathtaking rapids. Not only are they trained whitewater guides, but they will also share their expertise on the abundant flora and fauna of Sarapiquí. La Virgen is particularly suitable for wildlife lovers given the more moderate pace of the rapids, allowing more time to explore the banks and treetops in search of birds, reptiles, and mammals. Halfway through the trip, we'll stop at our majestic lunch spot to offer a chance to stretch your legs and fill your stomach with a delicious riverside lunch.

(11)

from $97

Whitewater Rafting on the Sarapiquí River, Costa Rica – Class III

Whitewater Rafting on the Sarapiquí River, Costa Rica – Class III

2 hours 30 minutesFree Cancellation

Dial up the adrenaline with this family-friendly, full-day, guided white-water rafting adventure with lunch included. No matter your skill or ability level, this thrilling ride down the Balsa River and over class II and III rapids is pure fun. Paddle with your fellow travellers over rapids called “Dredges” and “Magnetic Rock” and see the tropical jungle and wildlife along the shore. Afterwards, relax with a traditional lunch.

from $110

White Water Rafting Balsa River |Class II &III From Arenal

White Water Rafting Balsa River |Class II &III From Arenal

This Balsa River rafting experience combines adventure, nature, and local hospitality in one unforgettable tour. Unlike more intense rafting trips designed only for experienced paddlers, this experience is ideal for beginners, families, and travelers who want real excitement without feeling overwhelmed. The Balsa River offers the perfect balance of fun Class II and III rapids and peaceful stretches where travelers can enjoy the scenery, swim, and look for wildlife such as sloths, monkeys, iguanas, and tropical birds. In addition to rafting, guests enjoy fresh tropical fruit by the river, professional bilingual guides, round-trip transportation from La Fortuna, and a traditional Costa Rican lunch. It is more than a rafting trip it is a complete Arenal adventure.

(3)

from $86

Balsa River White Water Rafting in La Fortuna & Costa Rican Lunch

Balsa River White Water Rafting in La Fortuna & Costa Rican Lunch

Upper Balsa River White Water Rafting Class 3/4 in Costa Rica

(4)

from $78

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Top Attractions in La Fortuna

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Attractions

What are people saying about La Fortuna

Jennifer_C, Aug 2026

Family fun!

We had so much fun! Even though the dam wasn’t working in the river we were supposed to go to, they took us to another river and had the best time! We even saw iguanas and monkeys along the way. Alan was a great guide, who kept us safe while having a blast! The lunch afterwards was enjoyable as well

La Fortuna Waterfall, Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano Combo Tour

Kim_D, Aug 2026

Will was awesome...

Will was awesome throughout the whole excursion. Gave clear instructions prior to the day and detailed explanations of what to bring for each experience. Took the hassle out and made the whole day smooth and fun. Would highly recommend you book this trip if you would like to see all three places in a single day. There will be lots of walking but nothing to strenuous for the average person. About 4 miles in total. Lunch was great and enjoyed this thoroughly.

Balsa River White Water Rafting class 2/3 in Costa Rica

Julie_L, Aug 2026

River rapid fun!

AMAZING! Super fun experience 😊 Braulio was our guide and he was super high energy making the experience truly unforgettable! We felt safe the entire time. Everything was well organized. It was a great set up, from meeting at the office, driving to the river, hitting some rapids, fruit on the river and lunch back at the office. Everyone on staff was great. HIGHLY recommend Arenal Rafting!

Pure Trek Canyoning & White Water Rafting Class II & III

Audrey_M, Jul 2026

Great experience! Pure...

Great experience! Pure trek was so easy to work with, great at responding to any questions and the crew were fantastic at keeping everyone safe and having a great time! The first drop was the most intimidating because you have no idea what you're in for. Everyone in our family had a fabulous time and it's a unique experience that was a must do on our trip!

Sarapiqui River Extreme White Water Rafting Class IV

Roel_V, Jul 2026

Adrenaline kick in the jungle

Fantastic experience, adrenaline, fun, nature and a super guide that always remains calm and gives one the certainty to be safe. I loved it from the beginning (entertaining busride) to the end (delicious lunch with foto show) i recommend this rafting adventure to beginners and experienced rafters.

Mambo Combo Canyoning and Rafting near the Arenal Volcano

Sean_J, Jul 2026

Made Lifetime Memories

My son and I had the most incredible experience. The canyoning was better than we thought it would be. It was a lot of fun and the guides were funny, helpful and made everyone feel safe. The whitewater was equally as fun. Our guide gave us a great experience and even when my son fell out we laughed it off. It’s hard to get a 14 year old boy to be impressed, but he has been talking about the experience ever since.

White Water Rafting Class II and III

Mariam_R, Jun 2026

Highly recommend doing this!

The trip was really well organised. We went by bus to the river, about an hour long, stopping enroute for bathroom and souvenir shop. All of the guides were great fun. Really experienced river guides so we felt very safe. It was a fantastic activity! We returned to the base after rafting and had a delicious lunch and tour of the farm. We all thoroughly enjoyed our adventure with Descents!

Rafting Class II & III + Local Farm Lunch & Cultural Tour

Chelsea_B, May 2026

Great experience! Jairo...

Great experience! Jairo was very informative of the expectations of the tour during the bus ride, and his photos of the experience came out incredible! Our raft guide was Esteban and he did a wonderful job navigating a group of English and Spanish speaking people during stressful moments. We had a scary experience in the raft where it got wedged under a rock, but navigated everyone to safety and we all enjoyed the rest of the experience! I have white water rafted before in other countries and this experience is very equivalent and fair-priced. Be warned if you don’t like long bus rides, there is a fairly long bus ride to and from the experience. However, they do provide drinks after the experience and an opportunity to change out of your wet swimsuits, which was awesome!

Whitewater Rafting Class 2-3 Balsa River from La Fortuna

Patricia_L, May 2026

Amazing Experience

This was an amazing experience, I had never done this before so I was a little hesitant. But I felt totally safe, they formed groups of ~4 peolple in each raft plus a tour guide in each. It was super fun, the scenery was beautiful. There is an additional person taking pictures and videos of the whole experience which are sold at $40 and emailed to you the next day, great price. Thank you Aurelio and Rolo for making me feel so safe and making it so much fun. Pura vida!!

Whitewater Rafting Sarapiqui Class 3-4 from La Fortuna

Brady_W, Feb 2026

Sarapiqui River Class 3-4 whitewater rafting

We had fantastic morning of white water rafting and a nice meal included. The drive of about an hour to and from La Fortuna was comfortable. The guides were great and included safety kayakers which I’ve never seen before. The rafting was about two hours of 3-4 level rapids with short floats between and a couple of stops for swimming and fresh fruit. It was quite enjoyable!

Rafting Class II-III and Zipline Tour from La Fortuna and Arenal

Jailene_R, Dec 2025

This tour was an amazing...

This tour was an amazing experience. As someone who is afraid of both heights and water due to not being a strong swimmer, I was nervous going in, but I would absolutely recommend it. The scenery throughout the tour was stunning. The ziplining portion did feel a bit rushed, and the photo and video package for ziplining wasn’t worth the cost. However the rafting portion was incredible and truly the highlight of the day. Our guide Moi/Moises was absolutely amazing, full of energy, incredibly enthusiastic, and knowledgeable. He even pointed out wildlife along the way and let us take turns riding in the front like a bull, which was such a fun touch. He is truly a gem and I highly recommend requesting him if possible. The rafting photos were high quality, beautiful, and definitely worth purchasing.