Costa Rica is well-known as a premiere destination for canyoning (or canyoneering). Canyoning is a new adventure sport which involves scrambling through natural obstacles in a canyon and rappelling down waterfalls. This truly is an amazing experience in the rainforest and one you will never forget!
You are probably asking yourself what makes canyoning in Costa Rica so great. The answer is simple. This is a very mountainous country that is covered in rainforest. Over the course of thousands of years, streams and small rivers generated from the rains have cut into the mountains creating hundreds canyons and waterfalls.
The best Costa Rica canyoning tours are located in the Arenal Volcano area, Manuel Antonio area, Monteverde and the South Pacific. Granted there are excellent canyoning opportunities in many locations of Costa Rica, but this article if focused on professionally run operations that are safe for tourists.
Arenal Volcano Canyoneering: There are three operators in the Arenal Volcano area that offer canyoning tours. Each of these are professionally run outfits with high regards for safety standards. Our favorite operator is the La Roca company as the rappels and course are more varied than the others. The course has several different types of rappels, a hanging bridge, a zipline and a Tarzan swing. The course ends at the Rio Arenal Canyon, which is one of the most beautiful and scenic locations in Costa Rica. On each of our tour inspections we have observed wildlife such as monkeys, sloths, and even an owl!
Monteverde Canyoning: There is only one tour operator in Monteverde that offers canyoning, the Finca Modelo Ecologica. This tour is not for the faint at heart as it goes through some fast moving waterfalls and there are some very large rappels. I personally have many years of experience canyoning and this is by far the most challenging (tour) I have been on. When considering this tour, you should also keep in mind that it is cool in Monteverde and the water is cold!
Manuel Antonio Canyoning: There are two operators currently operating canyoneering tours in Manuel Antonio. Our favorite is with Xtreme Adventures. The tour includes a great hike through the rainforest a sokme thrilling rappels. The tour ends with a well-deserved typical Costa Rican style lunch.
South Pacific Canyoneering: The South Pacific coast of Costa Rica is a region of huge rainforest covered mountains, waterfalls and of course, great canyoning. The wilds of this area are well documented for the wildlife, but not recognized for the adventure possibilities. Some of the best canyons in Costa Rica are found in this region, particularly at the Diamante Falls. Our good friends at the Tree of Life are experts in this area and can show you the canyoning experience of a lifetime. They even own a large cave which is ruggedly outfitted for overnight stays.
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