Rafting · 4 to 5 hours
Naranjo Rafting Tour Class III-IV
Class III–IV, half an hour from Manuel Antonio: one rapid after another through a jungle canyon, with guides who know every rock in it.
Rafting · 4 to 5 hours
Class III–IV, half an hour from Manuel Antonio: one rapid after another through a jungle canyon, with guides who know every rock in it.
The first rapid comes almost as soon as you push off. Then another. Then another.
That's the Naranjo. It comes down out of the mountains through a tight canyon, with big boulders and rushing water. The rapids are short and sharp: a drop, a hard turn, a wall of water in the face. Then a calm pool, where everybody is grinning and counting heads, and a minute later you go again.
This is real white water, and it's also the river a lot of our guests choose for their first time in a raft. Both are true for the same reason: the guides. They know this river like the back of their hand, they call every drop before you reach it, and a safety kayaker runs ahead of your raft the whole way.
On the walk down to the water, through a small spice farm, your guide will keep stopping: vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cacao. Halfway down the river we pull over for pico de gallo, fresh fruit and something cold to drink.
Then the canyon opens, the water slows down across the flatlands, and you float the last stretch watching for kingfishers and white ibis.
Families with teenagers. First-timers who want real rapids and not a float. People who have rafted before and want a lively half day close to town.
You should be reasonably fit and comfortable in the water. Minimum age is 12.
If you want something gentler, look at the Savegre (Class II–III). If you want something bigger and you're here between December and April, look at El Chorro.
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.
Village on the way up to the Naranjo river
For: Just Rafting on the Naranjo Rafting Tour
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.
Powered by H2O Adventures
