Rafting · About 4 hours
Chorro Rafting Tour Class IV-V
Class IV–V on the upper Naranjo: a narrow jungle canyon, rapids back to back, and the guides you want next to you when it gets serious.
Rafting · About 4 hours
Class IV–V on the upper Naranjo: a narrow jungle canyon, rapids back to back, and the guides you want next to you when it gets serious.
This is the one people call the best rafting they've ever done. Some of them had run Class V before. Some had never sat in a raft.
El Chorro is the upper Naranjo, about 45 minutes from Manuel Antonio, where the river squeezes into a rock canyon and drops fast. The rapids come one after another: tight turns around huge boulders, steep drops, chutes with names like Dragon's Tail and Stacy's Lament, and the big one, El Chorro itself. At some point somebody in your raft will look downstream and say, "We're running that?" Yes.
Between rapids, look up. Canyon walls, waterfalls coming down the rock, jungle hanging over both sides. It doesn't look real.
The guides are the reason to do this with us. Leo, who owns H2O, was the first to run this section of the river commercially, since 2004. His staff knows the line through every rapid, and a safety boat with extra guides goes ahead of you on every trip. Nobody here argues with the river.
Halfway down we stop on the bank for fresh pico de gallo, pineapple and something cold to drink, with time for a swim. After that the river eases off, and you finally breathe, float, and look around.
People who want the real thing.
You don't need experience. Plenty of first-timers have run El Chorro with us. They walk in nervous and come out grinning. You do need to be reasonably fit, ready to paddle hard for a minute at a time, and comfortable in the water.
Minimum age is 14.
If this sounds like too much, it probably is, and that's fine. Look at the Naranjo (Class III–IV) or the Savegre (Class II–III).
93% of 751 ratings are five stars. Share of written reviews that mention each subject. TripAdvisor and Google, read in October 2026.
Go by the youngest person. The Savegre Safari Tour is from age 4. The Savegre Rafting Tour and the Naranjo Tubing Tour are from 6. The Naranjo Rafting Tour and the Savegre Jungle Tubing Tour are from 12. The Chorro Rafting Tour is from 14.
No. Every trip is run for first-timers too, and plenty of first-timers have run even El Chorro with us. On El Chorro you do need to be reasonably fit, ready to paddle hard for a minute at a time, and comfortable in the water.
No. You should be comfortable in the water wearing a life jacket.
A swimsuit or quick-dry shorts, shoes that strap on and can get wet, sunscreen, a towel and a full change of clothes. Flip-flops do not stay on in a river.
Naranjo Tubing takes about 2 hours. The Chorro Rafting, Savegre Safari and Savegre Jungle Tubing tours take about 4 hours, the Naranjo Rafting Tour 4 to 5 hours, and the Savegre Rafting Tour about 6 hours. Morning trips on the Chorro and Naranjo finish in Quepos near noon.
Morning pickups are around 8 am. Afternoon pickups are around 12:30 or 1 pm. The exact time depends on the rain and the river, and we confirm it when you book.
If you are pregnant, please do not join a river trip. If you have a health problem, tell us before the trip, when you book.
Private is your group only, with pickup at your hotel in Manuel Antonio or Quepos.
Small Group costs less per person, and you share the trip with other guests. It needs a minimum of three or four people, depending on the trip.
Just Rafting is for guests with their own car. There is no transport: you meet us at the river. It needs four people and is offered on El Chorro and the Naranjo.
El Chorro runs December 15 to April 30, depending on water levels. The Naranjo rafting trip runs May 1 to December 14. The Savegre trips and Naranjo Tubing run all year.
The rivers depend on the rain. If the water level or the weather makes a trip unsafe, we may change the route or the time, or move you to another river or date.
If high water cancels your trip, you choose: another river, another date, or a 50% refund.
The Savegre Rafting Tour includes lunch, and so does the private Savegre Jungle Tubing Tour. Morning trips on the Chorro and Naranjo Rafting Tours finish in Quepos near noon, a great time to go explore the local restaurants.
Yes, at extra cost, from Herradura, Jacó, Playa Hermosa, Esterillos, Dominical and Uvita. Ask us when you book.
A 50% deposit confirms your trip and the rest is paid on the day.
Cancel at least 24 hours before. For 8 people or more it is 72 hours. From December 22 to January 3, in Holy Week and in Thanksgiving week it is 7 days. There is no refund for no-shows.
Yes. Every guest signs it before the trip. You can sign it on your phone before you arrive, on the Release form page (linked at the bottom of every page).
A photographer comes along on the rafting trips. Photos are optional and cost extra.
Where we meet
On Private and Small Group trips we pick you up at your hotel or rental in Manuel Antonio or Quepos. Small Groups on the Naranjo Tubing meet at the H2O office.
Mountain village above the Naranjo, about 40 minutes from Manuel Antonio
For: Just Rafting on the Chorro Rafting Tour, and the Rainforest Hiking and Waterfalls day
Open map*2027 prices per person, plus 13% tax. The lowest price of each trip: Just Rafting where offered (you meet us at the river), otherwise Small Group.
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