Vacation for us is defined as a relaxing, comfortable time where the only decision to be made is what paddling gear to bring along for the day! We have developed trip itineraries for you to include some of the best runs in Costa Rica and Ecuador. With itineraries ranging from Class II-III to Class IV there is a trip for every level paddler. The price of the trip includes all of your food, lodging, transportation, and guide service. All you need to do grab your gear and hop on a plan.
A sample Class III trip in Costa Rica itinerary would include:
Class III whitewater makes up your six days of paddling-including runs that range from continuous creeks to fun, big water. The rivers in Costa Rica tend to be remote, often winding through miles of lush rainforest. All our runs are day trips. Put-ins and takeouts are never far from our base, making for easy shuttles to and from the river.
Our trips are based out of hotel lodging for each night of the trip and our meals are served off the menu. So that we can experience as much of the culture and country as possible, we visit a variety of "hang-outs" to see some of the sights and enjoy local refreshments after a good day on the river.
Trip leaders are an important part of the group dynamics. We always use two trip leaders with a maximum group size of seven. We feel that our role with the group is to expedite the logistics of the trip and to provide you with a backup on unfamiliar rivers and specific rapids.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: You arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica on Saturday evening. A representative of ENDLESS RIVER ADVENTURES meets the group at the airport. After clearing customs and checking into the hotel, you can relax and get acquainted with others on the trip.
Days 2-7: Daylight comes early in Costa Rica, and the group is up and off to the river before most people could struggle through rush hour traffic at home. Sunday morning we outfit boats and then depart for a typical "Gallo Pinto" breakfast and our first river. It’s hard to believe that less than twenty-four hours after departing from your hometown, you’re paddling one of the beautiful runs in Costa Rica!
Each day we paddle a new river or repeat a favorite run, based on the following rivers:
The Rio Pejibaye/Reventazon: A perfect warm-up run  described as a small creek run with intimate character. Winding through a canopied forest with a wide variety of breathtaking flora and fauna, the Pejibaye is a crystal-clear, pool-drop run, making it ideally suited to practice eddy-hopping and technical maneuvering.
The Upper Reventazon, Tucurrique Section: The Reventazon is Costa Rica’s classic big river. Putting in at Tucurrique, this Class III section of the Upper Reventazon is similar to the Ocoee River in Tennessee, giving the group an opportunity to paddle bigger and faster whitewater. Great surfing waves abound throughout this section. Your backdrop to this section is extensive sugar cane and macadamia fields.
The Rio Pacuare: An unforgettable day! This beautiful Class III-IV river winds its way through sixteen miles of verdant tropical rain forest and passes through several spectacular canyons. Both shorelines are studded with spectacular waterfalls, and the rain forest is alive with hundreds of types of birds. Many times we have looked to shore only to see a huge iguana sunning itself on a rock! We plan on portaging the Class IV rapids, giving you the opportunity to study the big ones! Undoubtedly one of the jewels of whitewater paddling, the Pacuare has a tenuous future due to the threat of a proposed dam on the river.
After some great paddling days in the mountains, we pack up and head to the foothills of the northwest for a totally different venue. This move allows us to take in more great runs and experience a different part of the country.
The Lower Sarapiqui: The clear, warm Class III whitewater of the Sarapiqui is a highlight of the trip. This section of river is a boulder-garden style run that encourages technical moves. This is such a favorite that we often repeat this run twice.
The San Lorenzo: Often used as a grand finale to a great week of paddling! This is a beautiful creek run that we often keep for the last day because it is an impressionable river to finish up on. It is continuous, fast whitewater that will make you appreciate the skills you have honed over the last five days.
The Rio Balsa: Continuous wave trains, fun stern squirt spots, and beautiful scenery. This is recent addition to our itinerary of rivers and we know you will like it!
Day 7: After a final run, the group heads back to San Jose for some last-minute shopping and a final evening together in Costa Rica.
Day 8: On Saturday morning you depart for the airport for your flight home or on a grand adventure touring Costa Rica on your own.
Paddling experience:
It is important that you choose a trip that is suitable for your skill level. Paddling in Costa Rica will add variables not found on "backyard runs" you are used to at home. Costa Rican rivers are often remote, and access off the river can be limited to impossible.
This paddling adventure is perfect for boaters who are comfortable on Class III rivers such as: the Ocoee, the Shoshone Section of the Colorado; the Lower Section of the Roaring Fork; Section III of the Chattooga; the South Fork of the American; Brown’s Canyon of the Arkansas; or the Deerfield River. Boaters on this trip should come with a confident whitewater roll. This trip will provide both a challenge to a Class III paddler and an opportunity to improve your skills on warm-water rivers with some of the most renowned kayak instructors in the U.S.
Costa Rica is a verdant jungle country with average rainfall of over three hundred inches a year. The rivers are all rain dependent or rain influenced. Extreme weather or water conditions or other situations do occur and may alter the trip itinerary. We supply a flexible itinerary that leaves room for changes and new opportunities. Please understand that this is part of the experience and fun of adventure travel! Paddlers who are concerned with this type of arrangement are encouraged to speak with us ahead of time.
The group size for your trip is small: a maximum of seven people with two guides. We will make every effort to match paddling skills in your group. We give a guarantee to the group as a whole that if a paddler is not up to the minimum requirements for paddling the runs on the itinerary, we reserve the right to set up alternative plans off the river for him/her. Such a decision would be made by the trip leaders.
About the Logistics:
Our trips are based out of hotel lodging for each night of the trip. Rooms are booked double occupancy. If you would like to request a single room, we would be happy to set it up for you, but there would be an additional expense. Locations are determined by the itinerary of the group. The hotels we use offer relaxing, comfortable, full-service accommodations that are perfect to return to after a day of paddling. So that we can experience as much of the culture and country as possible, we visit a variety of "hang-outs" to see some of the sights and enjoy local refreshments after each good day on the river.
We enjoy our meals in restaurants, ordering off the menu. The meals consist of delicious Costa Rican dishes, an abundance of fresh fruits, and a host of delicacies native to this tropical paradise.
Your Trip Leaders:
Trip leaders are an important part of the group dynamics. We always use two trip leaders with a maximum group size of seven. Averaging the experience of your group of guides together, you are looking at an average of seven years of guiding time specifically on the rivers of Costa Rica. Our experience outside the United States also includes guiding trips in Ecuador, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Bhutan and Panama.
We feel that our role with the group is to expedite the logistics of the trip and to provide you with a backup on unfamiliar rivers and specific rapids. In the words of a repeat (going on four times!) guest/friend, "Friendly help, camaraderie, and a long-standing future relationship is the chemistry that makes a trip with Endless River Adventures a bonding experience between trip leaders and paddling clientele". We are there to share your experiences on and off the river.
Custom Trips:
Custom trips are suggested for a group that is interested in paddling together. In setting up a custom trip, your group is responsible for a minimum/maximum number of seven paddlers in the group. Custom itineraries can be arranged to fit special requests. If you are interested in chartering a week, you may choose any one of the available weeks, regardless of the published level of the trip.
In addition to the following itinerary, our web site can also be accessed for information, updates and news. Through the Southern Connections section of our web site, you can read trip reports from our Costa Rica and Ecuador trips. You participation in this great week of boating will help add to another great trip report!
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price includes; lodging, food, transportation, and Guide Service. Does not include airfare, souvenirs, or drinks.
Also see tour packages in:
Central America and Caribbean
Costa Rica
Ecuador
Canoeing/Kayaking/Rafting
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