Rafting Class 2-3 Balsa River

Whitewater and Wildlife Arenal Rafting

PRICE
US$65

White Water Rafting Balsa River Class 2-3 La Fortuna

You won't have to worry about a thing as we take care of all of the logistics for this day of adventure white water rafting in Costa Rica. We'll pick you up from your hotel or rental home and drive about 45 minutes outside of town to our private put-in of the Balsa River. We have our own warehouse, restrooms and changing rooms available for your convenience.

Your professional, certified guide will get you ready to challenge yourself as you paddle down 10 kilometers of fun, rolling rapids! You’ll combine exciting rapids with the chance to admire lush greenery and exotic birds and animals as you descend down this beautiful class 2-3 river. Your eagle-eyed guides will even point out the monkeys, sloths, and toucans along the way!

Enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch at our famous Hunters & Gatherers riverside restaurant with a bountiful buffet of natural, locally-sourced, delicious food after your fun day of adventure. We’ll then drive you back to your hotel in our comfortable, air-conditioned vans with FREE WiFi!

Rio Balsa white water rafting is great to add to your white water rafting vacation and is the perfect rafting tour for first-timers, nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, and people who are simply looking for a fun rafting adventure in Costa Rica! It is known as one of the top family rafting trips in Costa Rica as it is a beautiful river for families with children.

INCLUDES

Transportation to/from your hotel
Bilingual guides
Photographer
Tropical fruit break
Delicious meal

RECOMMENDED AGES

10-65 YEARS

DURATION

5 Hrs

WHAT TO BRING

Clothes to get wet in
Change of clothes
Secure shoes and a big smile!

DEPARTS

9:30am

Minimum People

1 Min

IMPORTANT NOTES

See our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Rafting in Costa Rica

Have a look at our Adventure Waiver if you have questions about our Costa Rica adventure tour policies.

We sell dry bags and Chum sunglass holders, river shoes, and commemorative souvenir Rio Balsa t-shirts at our office and in our EGO Store in case you need any last-minute supplies.

RESERVATION POLICIES

For reasons beyond our control (climate, river levels, etc.), we may change to a more suitable tour with an equal or similar adventure appeal or offer other tour options. We reserve the right to cancel a trip due to unfavorable conditions and will only run a tour according to our company policies. We have the most flexible cancellation policy in the industry: full refund is given if (on rare occasion) no tour is run. Adventure tours involve some inherent risk and physical exertion, so you must be in good physical condition to attempt them. As the pioneering rafting company in Costa Rica's wet & wild Northern Zone, we only have 2 rules: 1) Be Safe! and 2) Have Serious Fun!

NOTE: We have an extra transport charge for hotels outside of our normal pick-up zone.

READ CLIENT COMMENTS

13 Comments

This was my very first time rafting, and it was AWESOME! Initially, I was a bit reserved because I am aware of the dangers of rafting and was unsure about doing it for the first time in a foreign country. Desafio stays true to their motto, "Be safe and have SERIOUS fun". I felt safe the entire time and would definitely book through Desafio again! Our guide was Noel - he made the ride memorable and VERY fun! There was a good mix of class 2-3 rapids as well as moments of calm drifting where we had the chance to see native animals. Overall it was an awesome trip!

Michelle - December 26, 2019 at 4:38 PM

So much fun!! We laughed all day! The entire team was outstanding and we really enjoyed our rafting adventure. After spending one day with your tour company, I was jealous to see anyone leaving our resort in a Desafio van. Great job guys, you really were above and beyond!

Michelle Murphy - February 24, 2019 at 1:34 PM

Susan was absolutely marvelous. It was our 1st white water rafting excursion and her personality and experience made us feel very comfortable. Even though I am not crazy about swimming and water I would do it again.

Eugene Pieracci - February 11, 2019 at 10:40 AM

A really awesome day spent rafting rio bolsa ! Very well organized , prompt , leaders are very friendly and professional . Had a really fun time whilst feeling safe and would recommend this to anyone !!

Peter - December 25, 2018 at 10:51 AM

This tour is outstanding! I have highly recommended it to my friends that are going there in a few months! So much fun, the tour guide was very professional and very skilled at rafting, giving us the exact amount of thrill that he thought we wanted. The stop for fresh fruit was so good - best pineapple ever! And the lunch at the end was very good. Even the pictures were worth buying, which I never like doing on these tours, but this one the pictures were not overly expensive.

Karen - September 17, 2017 at 1:55 AM

Amazing trip from beginning to end! Kendall provided entertaining safety education during the ride to the river; we laughed so much the drive time flew by. We left my husband's water shoes at the hotel and Kuko selflessly offered his sandals. Gustavo was our guide and kept us safe and having fun while explaining our surroundings and sharing info about CR. I chose this company based on reviews and was not let down. Customer service, safety, and fun are clearly of utmost importance to them!

Amanda & Derrik - August 15, 2017 at 8:50 PM

This raft trip was fantastic. Well trained guides who are very customer focused. Best whitewater rafting I've ever done. Sufficient adventure with class 2 and 3 rapids to intimidate but yet seem tame able. Beautiful river and countryside. Desafio seems to be the way to go. When trip ended I saw other companies have to load on buses wet. Desafio has an arrangement where yo go to a facility where you can shower and change before loading bus. Trip included a fruit stop during raft trip and lunch on way back to La Fortuna, and that was good tasting and plentiful. This raft trip is definitely a great value.

Ramon Vallejo - July 17, 2017 at 11:04 PM

This expedition was truly incredible. From the moment we stepped on the bus Jonathan made us feel right at home. His enthusiasm was infectious. He was very knowledgeable of his craft and assured us that we were in for a treat. He led us with his energetic attitude, jokes and high 5's throughout the tour. We had a blast no doubt. This was one of the best excursions during our stay in Costa Rica... Additionally, I would also like to mention that the other guides were just as inviting and helpful. They were: Felipe(cameraman), May, Melvin, and Rafa (driver).

Gabriella F Castro - March 21, 2017 at 9:53 AM

Our family had an incredible time today with Johanny. It may have been raining but it was sunshine in our raft. This is our last family vacation before our son heads off to the Navy and we made some awesome memories. Thanks Johanny for a great ride.

Susan - January 8, 2017 at 7:28 PM

We picked a half day rafting trip,8:30-2:30, for our family of 5. It was awesome! Our 17 year old said it was her favorite adventure in CR. The crew, "Adan", were really enthusiastic and made even the downtime fun. We would highly recommend this trip for first time rafters. It was challenging, but not too scary. Lunch and fruit break were really good too. Thank you Desafio!

Gaye Walter - January 1, 2016 at 12:00 AM

Rafting was awesome. Guides were great. Got up close and personal with a sloth too which was super amazing.

hearn - November 28, 2015 at 12:00 AM

Romel was our guide on the Balsa River Class ii-iii tour. He was amazing! He made us feel very safe, but we also had fun. He is a rafting expert and we would request him if we get the opportunity to raft in Costa Rica again! Pura Vida!

Amanda Dunakin - July 18, 2015 at 12:00 AM

From the beginning of the trip until the very end, we spent our time laughing and having a blast on our rafting adventure! The trip was a first for a couple of us, but our guides were very thorough in their instructions and made the trip a memorable one, from the team Pura Vida "high 5s" to the fast paced rapids.We had wonderful time!! We voted this our top adventure experience during our week in Costa Rica. A special thank you to Hernan, we hope to see you on our next vacation. Mucho Gusto! Kevin, Pam, Erika and Alex Bishop

Kevin, Pam, Erika, and Alex - May 13, 2015 at 12:00 AM