La Fortuna nature safari and chocolate tour: Float and taste

Spot wildlife from the water, then grind cacao into chocolate

A half-day tour from La Fortuna combines a two-hour float down the Peñas Blancas River with a hands-on chocolate-making workshop. You board specially designed rafts that get close to the riverbanks to spot howler monkeys, capuchins, sloths, iguanas and birds, then move to a cacao farm where you participate in harvesting, drying and grinding before sampling gourmet chocolate. Hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, life jackets and a professional guide are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Safari float and chocolate tour

• Hotel pick-up in La Fortuna
• Drive to Peñas Blancas River dock
• Put on life jackets with guide
• Two-hour safari float on river
• Spot wildlife along riverbanks
• Learn local history and nature
• Attend Sweet Chocolate Tour
• Participate in cacao harvesting and processing
• Sample gourmet chocolate
• Return to hotel

The experience

The rafts are built low to the water so you can reach the riverbanks where wildlife congregates. Your guide poles you downstream at a pace that lets animals stay calm and visible: howler monkeys in the canopy, white-faced capuchins moving through branches, sloths hanging motionless, coatamundis on the bank. The Peñas Blancas is a gentle float, not a rapid run, and the two-hour drift gives you time to spot Jesus Christ lizards, iguanas, long-nosed bats and owls. Your guide shares the local history and ecology as you move, and the whole experience is designed for all fitness levels, including children from age 8 (younger children can join if accompanied by an adult).

After the river, you head to the chocolate tour where the real hands-on work begins. You participate in the actual steps of cacao production (harvesting the pods, drying the beans, grinding them), and learn the local history of how cacao grows and is processed in Costa Rica. The tour ends with tasting high-quality gourmet chocolate made from what you just helped prepare. Lunch and snacks are included throughout the day, and a vegetarian option is available if you request it when booking.

Hotel pickup and drop-off cover the La Fortuna area, and you'll travel in an air-conditioned vehicle between the dock and the chocolate farm. The whole outing runs about five hours. Wear a bathing suit and water shoes that stay on your feet. You will get wet on the river. The tour operates with a live guide in English or Spanish, and weather can affect the river. Heavy flooding or government closures may result in cancellation with a full refund or alternative offered.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in the La Fortuna area.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• life jacket and use of specially designed raft.
• two-hour float down the Peñas Blancas River.
• hands-on participation in cacao harvesting, drying and grinding.
• gourmet chocolate tasting.
• typical lunch and snacks.
• beverages.
• air-conditioned vehicle transport between sites.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 50 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by Wave Expeditions

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so you can follow the commentary and wildlife insights in your language. Families with children from age 8 and mixed-fitness groups work well here because the river float is gentle and the chocolate workshop is hands-on but not strenuous.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

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 24 h before the start.

What animals am I likely to see on the Peñas Blancas River float?

Howler monkeys, white-faced capuchins, sloths and coatamundis are common sightings, along with iguanas, Jesus Christ lizards, long-nosed bats and owls. The specially designed rafts position you close to the riverbanks where animals feed and rest, and the gentle pace gives them time to stay visible.

Do I need experience to participate in the chocolate-making part?

No experience is needed. You participate in the actual production steps (harvesting, drying and grinding), and learn about cacao history and processing as you work. The tour ends with sampling the gourmet chocolate products made from the beans you handled.

What's included in the price, and what should I bring?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, snacks, beverages, life jacket, air-conditioned transport and a professional guide are all included. Bring a bathing suit, water shoes that stay on your feet, and a change of clothes. You will get wet on the river. Do not bring valuables onto the raft, as the operator is not responsible for items lost or damaged on the water.

What happens if the river is flooded or closed?

If heavy flooding or government river closure occurs after confirmation, the tour may be cancelled and you'll be offered an alternative date or a full refund. The tour is weather-dependent, so check conditions before your booking date.