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La Fortuna: Balsa River Rafting & Local Lunch with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (921 reviews) 97% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/17

Duration6h

GroupUp to 99

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Raft wild Balsa River rapids spot monkeys eat local lunch

You’ll paddle through lively class II & III rapids on the Balsa River with a local guide, float past jungle where monkeys and birds call overhead, snack on fresh fruit mid-river, and share a Costa Rican lunch with volcano views. Expect laughter, splashes, maybe a nervous moment or two — but mostly just pure fun in good company.

Step-by-step itinerary

Use bathroom and changing rooms
Drive through La Fortuna town
See La Fortuna park and church
Drive by El Salto Waterfall
Enjoy organic buffet lunch
Raft class II and III rapids
Stop to swim in calm water
Spot wildlife along the river
Learn about local plants and chocolate

The Experience

We were already halfway into our helmets when José, our guide, grinned and asked if anyone had ever fallen out before. I laughed — nervously — because the Balsa River looked both playful and a bit wild under the morning clouds. The van ride from La Fortuna was short but bumpy, passing that bright blue church and the sleepy park where old men played chess. I kept looking out for sloths in the trees but only spotted an iguana sunbathing on a fence post. Guess you can’t force these things.

The first splash hit colder than I expected — not freezing, just enough to wake me up. The class II and III rapids tossed us around, but honestly, between paddling and shouting over the water (and laughing when my friend nearly lost her paddle), it felt like we’d been doing this forever. José yelled “pura vida!” every time we cleared a rapid. At one point he pointed out a howler monkey in the canopy; its call was so much deeper than I thought it’d be, almost like thunder far away.

There were calm stretches too, where we floated and some folks jumped in for a swim. The river smelled earthy and green — hard to explain unless you’ve been there. We stopped for fresh fruit on a gravel bank; pineapple so sweet it made my teeth ache. Later, at lunch (buffet-style, upstairs with Arenal Volcano peeking through mist), someone tried to say “gracias” with a mouthful of plantain and nearly choked — everyone cracked up, even one of the kitchen ladies watching from behind the counter.

I still think about that view from the restaurant window: rain just starting to tap on the glass, steam curling off rice on my plate. If you’re looking for white water rafting near La Fortuna that’s fun but not terrifying (and comes with stories you’ll want to tell later), this is probably it.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off from La Fortuna, all rafting equipment with guidance from experienced locals on class II & III rapids of Balsa River, stops for fresh organic fruit along the way, plus a buffet-style Costa Rican lunch served at a restaurant overlooking Arenal Volcano before heading back home.

Good to know

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

Operated by Costa Rica Descents