Ziplining & Horseback Riding from San Jose: Private Canopy Tour

Nine zip lines and a horseback ride through rainforest, all in one day from San Jose

A private zipline canopy tour and horseback riding activity from San Jose combines two adventures in Braulio Carrillo National Park's rainforest, with hotel pickup, a professional naturalist guide, and lunch included. The 10-hour day covers a 90-minute drive each way to the Sarapiquí region, where you'll zip across 9 lines and ride through tropical forest with a local expert before returning to your hotel.

Step-by-step itinerary

Zipline and horseback riding adventure

• Pick up from hotel in San Jose
• Drive 90 minutes to Sarapiqui River
• Cross Braulio Carrillo National Park
• Begin zipline canopy tour with 9 lines
• Cross 900 ft cable over Sarapiqui River canyon
• Horseback ride through tropical forest
• Enjoy lunch at Hacienda Pozo Azul
• Return to hotel

The Experience

The day starts with pickup from your San Jose hotel and a 90-minute drive through Braulio Carrillo National Park, crossing multiple rivers and waterfalls on the way to Hacienda Pozo Azul in the Sarapiquí region. Your professional naturalist guide travels with you the whole way, pointing out the rainforest as you move north toward the Caribbean slope. The park itself spans 50,000 hectares and sits among some of the steepest terrain in Costa Rica, with elevation ranging from the Central Valley up to Barva Volcano.

Once at the operations center, you'll start the zipline canopy tour: 9 lines strung through the forest canopy, with the final cable crossing 900 feet over the Sarapiquí River canyon. The guide sets the pace and handles the technical side; you operate the equipment and move through the treetops at your own speed. After the canopy work, you'll switch to horseback riding through the same tropical forest, accompanied by an expert local rider who knows the terrain and the animals.

Lunch is served at the end of both activities before the drive back to San Jose. The whole experience runs 10 hours door-to-door, so plan the rest of your day around an early morning start and a mid-to-late afternoon return. A guide fluent in English or Spanish stays with you throughout, and children as young as 4 can join, though the activities require moderate physical fitness and are not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or cardiovascular concerns.

What’s included

• Private hotel pickup and return transportation.
• professional naturalist guide fluent in English or Spanish.
• all zipline canopy equipment and safety gear.
• 9 zip lines through the rainforest.
• horseback riding with a local expert guide.
• lunch after both activities.

Good to know

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

Operated by Greenway Nature Day Tours

Is this one for you?Book this when you have a full day free and want both ziplining and rainforest hiking in one trip; the private format lets you control the pace through each activity, and your guide handles all logistics so you move straight from canopy to forest.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

2 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What's included in the price for this ziplining and horseback riding activity from San Jose?

The activity includes private transportation from your hotel, a professional naturalist guide for the full day, all zipline and horseback riding equipment, and lunch after both activities. You pay one price upfront with no hidden transport or activity costs.

How far is the Sarapiquí region from San Jose, and how much time is spent driving?

Sarapiquí is located in the Caribbean region, about 2 hours away from San Jose. You'll spend 90 minutes driving each direction, crossing through Braulio Carrillo National Park, so plan for roughly 3 hours of total travel time plus the activities themselves.

Can children do the ziplining and horseback riding, or is there an age limit?

Children are welcome from age 4 onward. Both activities work for younger riders as long as they have moderate physical fitness and no medical conditions that would make ziplining or horseback riding unsafe.

What happens if I'm not comfortable with heights or the zipline cable over the river?

The guide controls the pace and can adjust how you move through the canopy. The final 900-foot cable crossing the Sarapiquí River canyon is part of the standard route, so if heights are a serious concern, discuss it with the operator before booking to confirm the activity suits you.

Is this tour private, or will I be grouped with other travelers?

This is a fully private tour. You'll have your own guide and transportation, with no other travelers joining your group for the day.

What's the best time of year to do this activity, and does weather affect the ziplines?

The region receives rain year-round, ranging from 2,500 millimeters on the Central Valley slopes to 5,734 millimeters on the Caribbean side. The operator runs the activity in all seasons, but heavy rain can affect conditions — confirm with them before booking if you're traveling during the wettest months.