Sarapiqui & Pacuare

Venturing slightly off the beaten track to Sarapiqui and Pacuare you are rewarded by pristine nature and fewer crowds. Hikes into the rainforest showcase the rich flora and fauna with your expert guide on hand to offer invaluable insights. There are thrills to be had whilst zip-lining, canyoning and whitewater river rafting. And who can resist the chance to sample freshly made chocolate?

• Rainforest & wildlife: Guided hikes in reserves such as Braulio Carillo allow you to penetrate the rainforest, see the varied vegetation and come face to face with monkeys, ocelots, tapirs and more, while an early morning bird-watching walk is the best start your day and a night walk spotting frogs, bats and other nocturnal creatures is the perfect way to round it off.
• Rafting & other thrills: Pacuare is the best place in Costa Rica for river rafting with grade III and IV rapids as the river flows through deep canyons are past tropical forest. Rio Sarapiqui may have fewer thrills but rafting here is still plenty of fun. Canyoning, a mix of abseiling, rope swings and cable slides, is a Pacuare speciality while in Sarapiqui you can fly through the forest canopy along a series of ziplines.
• Chocolate: Tirimbina is Sarapiqui offers one of Costa Rica’s best chocolate tours, informative and fun as you learn about the history of this much-prized commodity and taste it in various stages of production during a chocolate-making demonstration. At the end, of course, you have the chance to sample some of the different types of chocolate created on site.