PACUARE 2-DAY TRIP

Description

Details

We have daily departures from San José, the Caribbean Coast and the Arenal Volcano, giving you the choice to start and finish at the place of your convenience. Half way between these locations is our Exploration Center, a private base for our river trips and our Tortuguero Expeditions.

RIO PACUARE 2-DAY EXPEDITION

RATE: $239.00 USD
•Difficulty: Class III – IV
•Distance: 36 Km /22 miles
•Number of rapids: 49
•Approximate river time: 7 Hours
•Minimun age: 12 years

DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION	San Jose, Puerto Viejo or Arenal with option to change destination.
DEPARTURE TIME	6:00 – 6:30 am, Pick- Ups in San José and Southern Caribbean Coast. In Arenal Pick-Ups start earlier, approximately  5:20 – 5:40 a.m.
RETURN TIME	3:00 – 5:00 pm, In Route “Exploration Center” – San José, Southern Caribbean Coast and Arenal Volcano Area
INCLUDED	2 breakfast 2 lunches 1 dinner 1 night at Pacuare River Lodge 2 days of rafting with hikes Transportation to/from San Jose, Puerto Viejo or La Fortuna town (hotels outside La Fortuna have extra cost)
WHAT TO BRING?	Swimming suit on, light shoes that will stay on, long sleeve shirt or rash guard , water bottle, change of light clothes, sunscreen and insect repellent, binoculars, wind breaker, flash light and personal toiletries.

 

Our overnight Pacuare Adventure is a Paddle and Hike expedition. Not only will we raft a variety of exciting rapids, but we will also hike to pristine waterfalls, fun swimming holes and primary jungles. This package includes at least one hike a day, based on your athletic and adventure desires.

Please note that different companies run the same stretch of river for one, two and three day trips. In order to give you better value for both your time and money, we use an upper “put in” for our overnight trips, giving you an extra 6.5 kilometers (4 extra miles) upstream. This makes your first day on the river 100% longer, in addition to running twice as many rapids.

The first day we will run 13kms (8 miles) of continuous class III whitewater for a total of 14 rapids. Then we will arrive at Pacuare River Lodge shortly past noon, on time for lunch. Afternoon activities include various optional hikes, fishing in the river, or relaxing in a hammock.

Pacuare River Lodge has a deep sense of the wilderness. Located right next to the river in the middle of a primary forest it offers you safari style facilities, with large comfortable walk-in tents permanently set on spacious wooden platforms. Gardens are very well taken care of, perfectly blending with their surroundings. Modern toilets and showers are also available for your use

The main building provides perfect “hanging out” space and an excellent view of the river. Here we will have our late afternoon Happy hour and Dinner. The kitchen is well stocked with china, wine glasses and all of the necessary utensils to provide you with a great dining experience.

The second day begins with a hot, freshly brewed cup of Costa Rica’s famous coffee. After a hearty breakfast is served and we pack our gear, our river descent continues.

All of the class IV rapids are on this day, so now it is time to truely test the skills you learned on the previous day. The second day is significantly longer on the river, with 23kms (14 miles) to travel and about 30 rapids. Two stops are made, one for a nice exploratory hike and another one to have lunch on the river.

We finish in Siquirres, at our own private Exploration Center, where you can take a shower, change and enjoy the gardens and terrace while having a beer or two and reflecting with your new friends about the great adventure you just shared.

Itinerary

First Day

Morning: Pick Ups in San José, Southern Caribbean and Arenal Volcano and breakfast at the Exploration Center.

9:15 – 10:00 am In route Exploration Center to River Put In

10:00 – 10:45 am Preparation for Descent: Safety orientation-paddle practice

10:45 – 1:45 pm River Descent including a hike

1:45 – 3:30 pm Arrival at Pacuare River Lodge to enjoy a delicious lunch

3:30 – 5:30 pm Guided hike or free time

7:30pm Dinner

2

Second Day

7:30 am Breakfast

9:30 – 2:30 pm River Descent including lunch and a hike

2:30 – 3:30 pm Arrival at Exploration Center to shower and change clothes

3:30 – 5:30 pm In route Exploration Center– San José, Southern Caribbean Coast and Arenal Volcano

River Menu

Meals
For us at Exploradores Outdoors excellence in our service is key. Therefore we strive to offer you meal combining quality, quantity, cleanliness and good presentation.

River Menu 

Three extra meals will be served at our Pacuare River Lodge

First Day:

Breakfast: Breakfast takes place in our Exploration Center located at the Rio Pacuare. It includes:

• Fruit salad (banana, pineapple and papaya)
• Yogurt (strawberry and tropical fruits) Granola
• Scrambled eggs
• Gallo Pinto
• Toast, butter and jelly
• Sour cream
• Hot drinks: coffee, tea and milk
• Fruit Juice

Lunch:

• Hot flour tortillas to prepare burritos
• Fresh green salad with lettuce, heart of palm, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and red peppers
• Hot jalapeno peppers
• Sour cream
• Fried mashed beans
• Ground spicy beef
• Chips and salsa
• Pineapple
• Iced tea
• River cheese cake (cookies, cream cheese y guava jelly)

Dinner:

• Grilled Chicken
• Mushroom sauce
• Garlic sea bass
• Rice
• Boiled Vegetables (broccoli, carrot and zucchini)

Drinks: Red Wine, Bottled water

Dessert:  Banana Flambé

 Second day:

Breakfast:

• Fruit salad with fresh yogurt and granola
• Pancakes
• Ranchero Eggs
• Toast with cream cheese, butter and Jelly (Guava and strawberry)
• Hot Drinks: Coffee – Tea
• Cool Drinks: Fruit Juice

Lunch:
Our lunch is buffet style in one of the beautiful beaches in the river. The boats turn in tables and our guides in chefs. Table cloths, trays, tweezers, and gloves are some of the utensils we use to prepare the food. Lunch consists on:

• Hot flour tortillas to prepare wraps
• Whole wheat bread to prepare sandwiches
• Fresh green salad with lettuce, heart of palm, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, jalapeños and pimentos
• Monteverde cheese
• Chicken ham
• Chips and salsa
• Lemonade or iced tea
• Pineapple
• River cheese cake  (guava jelly and cream cheese on a biscuit)

Accommodations

Welcome to the Pacuare River Lodge!  This one-of-a-kind lodge sits amid exotic primary rainforest, indigenous reserves and isolated valleys.

Along a hillside overlooking Costa Rica’s most famous white water river, the Pacuare River, the 13 cabins are spaced at a comfortable distance from each other; allowing breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding pristine jungles. Each cabin features handcrafted, custom-made teak furnishings and includes a king or two twin size beds. It is an authentic Wilderness Lodge with great comfort and location.

The principle lodge is a refreshing open-air design, allowing a 360 degree view of the surrounding jungle landscape. A 14-person bar, grand kitchen and relaxing lounge complete the setting. Full shower and bathroom facilities, with nearby hiking trails, riverside beaches, and wildlife viewing create a lasting impression of nature, beauty, quality and adventure.

The staff at the Lodge will be your very own river guides, who will turn into great chefs and entertainers, providing you with great service and a true unforgettable experience.