Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float, Arenal/La Fortuna

4.7 (27 reviews)
Float down the Río Peñas Blancas to spot monkeys, sloths, iguanas, and waterbirds with your naturalist guide.

Overview

Float slowly down the wildlife-rich Río Peñas Blancas and experience the tranquility of the rainforest on a family-friendly rafting trip. It's the perfect opportunity to observe the region's diverse wildlife like monkeys, sloths, iguanas, turtles, and alligators, as well as birdlife like herons, cormorants, American darters, and passerines. Your naturalist guide will point out various flora and fauna, from towering trees to rare reptiles, as you make your way downstream on this relaxed but adventurous excursion.

Highlights

  • Float down the Río Peñas Blancas on a raft
  • Spot monkeys and sloths in the trees along the riverbanks
  • Look for a rare lizard capable of walking on water
  • See a wide range of flora and fauna while enjoying a relaxing boat ride

Know before you go

Duration
4 hours
Recommended for
4 years old & up
Group
Small group, 15 people or less
Food & Drink
Snacks and water bottles included.

What you'll do

Your day starts with a pick-up at your hotel and a transfer to the launching point on the Río Peñas Blancas. Here you'll be greeted by your naturalist guide, get outfitted with life vests, and listen to a brief safety overview. Then it's time to hop into a four-person or six-person raft and cast off, beginning your relaxed but fun floating trip down the river. Your buoyant raft is designed not to disrupt the river's delicate ecosystem, and you'll have to paddle only rarely along the journey—the river will do most of the work!

Keep your eyes on the shores and the forest canopy, where your guide might help you spot monkeys, sloths, iguanas, turtles, caimans, and a wide variety of birds, including herons, cormorants, American darters, and passerines. With some luck, you might catch a glimpse of the rare basilisk lizard, capable of walking on water. Your guide will also point out fascinating vegetation, like the ficus and kapok trees that lean across the river to form shaded tunnels. At the end of your scenic four-hour journey, you'll disembark at the docking area, where your driver will be waiting to transfer you back to your hotel.

Start times

  • Daily
    8:00 am, 2:00 pm

What's included

  • Round-trip transportation
  • Naturalist guide
  • Life vests
  • Snacks and bottled water
  • Entrance fees

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Travelers often mention

Summarized by AI based on kimkim traveler reviews

Wildlife sightings

Many reviewers enjoyed the opportunity to see a variety of animals such as sloths, monkeys, iguanas, birds, and more during the river float. Some, however, noted that weather conditions impacted the number of animals they saw. (18 mentions)

Jen
“We saw so many animals, sloths, monkeys, iguanas, lizards, fish, and birds.”  — Jen M.
T
“Saw some Cayman, Howler Monkeys, a tree porcupine and many birds.”  — Therese B.
M
“We saw iguanas, bats, owls, monkeys, and TONS of different birds.”  — Michael H.
Knowledgeable guides

Multiple reviews highlighted the guides as knowledgeable and helpful in pointing out and providing information about wildlife and other sights along the river. (11 mentions)

Wanda
“He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, pointing out things along the way I never would've seen.”  — Wanda H.
C
“Ceaser, our guide and paddle boat operator was so engrossed in helping us appreciate the experience and uniqueness and history of the area.”  — Chakrapani S.
A
“our guide was brilliant, knowledgeable, full of humour and chat thank you Martin.”  — Anna L.
Special experiences

Unique experiences such as the guide's humorous pineapple cutting demonstration and unplanned events like rescuing stranded kayakers added memorable moments to the tour. (7 mentions)

T
“After the tour, we were surprised with a snack, some moonshine and then followed up with an education about chocolate farming.”  — Therese B.
A
“Our activity was made some what more exciting by an unplanned rescue of a couple of stranded kayakers (both were rescued, unharmed and laughed about their experience).”  — Anna L.
M
“One highlight was definitely when the guide managed to get the howler monkeys to start calling back to him.”  — Michael H.
Relaxing experience

The overall experience of floating down the river was described as relaxing and peaceful by many travelers. (6 mentions)

Jen
“It was fun, relaxing, and we learned so much.”  — Jen M.
Wanda
“At the end of the very relaxing float he took me to an eco farm for snacks made entirely from ingredients from the farm.”  — Wanda H.
Cheri
“It was relaxing going down the river and spotting the wildlife, but adventurous enough not to be boring.”  — Cheri A.

Traveler reviews

27 total ratings, 23 with reviews
4.7
Feature ratings
Quality of Experience
4.8
Guides, Drivers and Staff
4.8
Transport
4.9
jim
jim r.
Flagami, FL | Reviewed on Nov 06, 2024
Nice float and our raft guide was excellent. Read more

Nice float and our raft guide was excellent.

Tips for future travelers

The bus ride was fun to and from, we brought a bag and left it in the bus (with the driver) while rafting. Very well produced adventure.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Jen
Jen M.
Mequon, WI | Reviewed on May 03, 2024
We loved the river float. We saw so many animals, sloths, monkeys, iguanas, lizards, fish, and birds. Our kids loved paddling the rafts and even had a chance to take a cold dip in the river. The river float was a perfect first adventure in Costa Rica. It was fun, relaxing, and we learned so much. Read more

We loved the river float. We saw so many animals, sloths, monkeys, iguanas, lizards, fish, and birds. Our kids loved paddling the rafts and even had a chance to take a cold dip in the river. The river float was a perfect first adventure in Costa Rica. It was fun, relaxing, and we learned so much.

Tips for future travelers

No need for bug spray.

Quality of Experience
The experience really was wonderful! Seeing animals in their natural habitat that we would only otherwise see in a zoo was a really great experience.
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The guides and driver were friendly and knowledgeable. And they truly love what they do!
Transport
The transport was great. The air conditioned van was really nice.
Catherine
Catherine H.
Harrison, NJ | Reviewed on Apr 21, 2024
Wonderful guides, beautiful relaxed float on the river. Great snacks at the end. Read more

Wonderful guides, beautiful relaxed float on the river. Great snacks at the end.

Tips for future travelers

Small waterproof bag for a phone would be helpful.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Knew the animals and plants so answered all our questions. Generally informed regarding the ecology of the area.
Transport
Picked us up on time
Milan
Milan Š.
Czechia | Reviewed on Mar 30, 2024
It was interesting experience, but due to rainy weather we didn't enjoy it as much as we could in case of good weather - but as our guide said - this is a rain forest and rain is good for nature :-)
Because of weather, I also think we have not seen so many animals as we could see under different weather conditions.
At the end of the tour there is half an hour session about the chocolate production with chocolate tasting. Since we have been visiting chocolate plantation already with really...
Read more

It was interesting experience, but due to rainy weather we didn't enjoy it as much as we could in case of good weather - but as our guide said - this is a rain forest and rain is good for nature :-)
Because of weather, I also think we have not seen so many animals as we could see under different weather conditions.
At the end of the tour there is half an hour session about the chocolate production with chocolate tasting. Since we have been visiting chocolate plantation already with really dedicated guided tour including tasting, this half an hour could not compete with proper chocolate tour, which we highly recommend.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Margaret
Margaret C.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Mar 22, 2024
SOOOO much fun! I cant even being to count the number of animals we saw. Read more

SOOOO much fun! I cant even being to count the number of animals we saw.

Tips for future travelers

Sunscreen!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Nikki
Nikki S.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Mar 03, 2024

Too long on the raft; overall too long.

T
Therese B.
Greenacres City, FL | Reviewed on Jan 14, 2024
My husband and I did the Safari Float on the Penas Blancas River. It was a rainy day, but still enjoyed the trip. Saw some Cayman, Howler Monkeys, a tree porcupine and many birds. Be prepared to paddle, not just float! After the tour, we were surprised with a snack, some moonshine and then followed up with an education about chocolate farming. Enjoyed it! Read more

My husband and I did the Safari Float on the Penas Blancas River. It was a rainy day, but still enjoyed the trip. Saw some Cayman, Howler Monkeys, a tree porcupine and many birds. Be prepared to paddle, not just float! After the tour, we were surprised with a snack, some moonshine and then followed up with an education about chocolate farming. Enjoyed it!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
G
Guillermo T.
West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA | Reviewed on Jul 17, 2023
Very relaxing, saw lots of wild life. Mariano and Diego were great. A surprise snack was lovely.
Would recommend especially if you don't want to do rapids but want to be on the water.
Read more

Very relaxing, saw lots of wild life. Mariano and Diego were great. A surprise snack was lovely.
Would recommend especially if you don't want to do rapids but want to be on the water.

Tips for future travelers

Make sure you take water shoes of some time.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Wanda
Wanda H.
Lake Elsinore, CA | Reviewed on May 28, 2023
I was pleasantly surprised to be the only one on the raft with the guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, pointing out things along the way I never would've seen. He also went into detail about these sights. At the end of the very relaxing float he took me to an eco farm for snacks made entirely from ingredients from the farm. Read more

I was pleasantly surprised to be the only one on the raft with the guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, pointing out things along the way I never would've seen. He also went into detail about these sights. At the end of the very relaxing float he took me to an eco farm for snacks made entirely from ingredients from the farm.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
C
Chakrapani S.
Manhattan, NY | Reviewed on May 18, 2023
Ceaser, our guide and paddle boat operator was so engrossed in helping us appreciate the experience and uniqueness and history of the area. Helped us spot many wonderful wild life Read more

Ceaser, our guide and paddle boat operator was so engrossed in helping us appreciate the experience and uniqueness and history of the area. Helped us spot many wonderful wild life

Quality of Experience
Calming experience to close out our trip
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport

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Itineraries with Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float