Rafting & Canopy Tour Costa Rica: White-Water & Zip-Lines

Ride the Balsa River's rapids, then zip above the canopy.

A combo activity in Costa Rica pairing white-water rafting on the Balsa River with a canopy tour on zip-lines, separated by an organic lunch buffet and farm tour with sugarcane demonstration. The day runs 6 to 8 hours with hotel pickup, a professional guide in English or Spanish, and all safety equipment provided. Canopy and rafting photos are available as optional add-ons.

Step-by-step itinerary

Rafting, lunch, and canopy tour

• White-water rafting on Balsa river
• Enjoy organic lunch with farm tour
• Experience canopy tour with zip-lines

The experience

The Balsa River white-water section is where the morning starts. You'll navigate the rapids with a professional guide managing the boat while you paddle and read the current. The guide handles safety and timing, so you focus on the work itself. Between the two main activities, you break for an organic lunch served buffet-style at a farm, where you'll also see a sugarcane demonstration and walk the grounds. The canopy tour follows, stringing you across the treetops on a series of zip-lines that take you high above the forest floor.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so the logistics of getting to the river and back to your accommodation are handled. You'll wear safety equipment throughout both activities: harnesses for the zip-lines, life jackets and helmets for the raft. A guide in English or Spanish stays with you for the full day, calling out the line and rhythm on the water and managing the canopy transitions. Snacks come with the package alongside the main meal.

The combo format means you're not choosing between two separate days. Both happen in one outing. If you want photos from either activity, those are optional purchases at checkout. The minimum age is 7 years old, and the itinerary suits a range of fitness levels, though the operator notes it's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or significant cardiovascular concerns.

What’s included

• Organic lunch buffet with coffee.
• farm tour and sugarcane demonstration.
• snacks.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• all safety equipment including harnesses, life jackets and helmets.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:30

AgesAdult (7 to 70 years) · Under 7: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Costa Rica Descents

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so pick this combo if you're comfortable following instructions in one of those languages: the guide stays with you through both the rapids and the canopy, calling out timing and managing transitions rather than narrating from a distance.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What's the Balsa River rafting like for someone who's never paddled before?

The Balsa River white-water section is manageable for beginners because the professional guide pilots the boat and gives clear instructions on when to paddle and how to brace. You're doing the physical work, but the guide reads the current and steers, so the focus is on following commands rather than navigating on your own.

How does the canopy tour work if I'm nervous about heights?

The canopy tour uses zip-lines strung between platforms in the treetops, and you're harnessed in with safety equipment the entire time. The guide manages each transition and controls your descent, so you're not managing the mechanics yourself. You're secured and guided through each line.

Can I get photos from the rafting or zip-lining?

Photos from both the Balsa River rafting and the canopy tour are available as optional add-ons you can purchase at checkout, rather than included in the base package.

What's the minimum age, and are there any health restrictions I should know about?

The minimum age is 7 years old. The operator does not recommend this activity for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health, though it is suitable for a range of fitness levels otherwise.