Are adventure tours right for me?

Thousands of people take part in adventure tours in Costa Rica every day, but they are not for everybody. Different tours have different demands, so it is important to consider this prior to selecting an activity. We recommend consulting with your doctor before booking any adventure activity.

Canopy Zipline

This is an adventure activity that allows you to soar through the canopy of the forest from platform to platform at high speeds. Most zipline tours traverse areas which are high off of the ground, so if you are afraid of heights, you should not participate in a zipline tour.

Canopy Hanging Bridges

This is more of a wildlife observation tour than an adventure activity; however the bridges can be high off of the ground. If you are afraid of heights, this is not a good activity for you.

Rafting Tours

Whitewater rafting on call III or higher rivers is physically demanding and requires teamwork. You will get wet and must listen to the guide when they ask you to do so. If this does not sound like fun to you, you should consider a safari float tour on class I and II (less than rapids).

Kayaking

Kayaking is done on rivers, lakes, ocean or mangroves. You will do a lot of paddling on any of these tours and will have to follow currents and pay close attention to your guide’s instructions.

Tubing

Tubing is usually performed on rivers with fast moving currents. It is imperative to pay attention and listen to guides instructions. You will get wet will usually be controlled by the river currents.

Canyoning and Waterfall Rappelling

Canyoning and Waterfall Rappelling is a popular activity for more adventurous travelers. The activity requires you to rappel down the face of rock walls, free decent from a platform, or rappel down waterfalls via specialized equipment with rope and harness. Canyoning also involves scrambling through the canyon and stream bed, which can be slippery and often more physically demanding than the rappel. This is not as strenuous as it may sound, but you still should be in reasonable physical condition for an adventure activity like this. Do not take part in this tour if you are afraid of heights.

ATV Riding

ATV stands for all terrain vehicle. The point of this tour is to ride a small, uncaged motorized vehicle through a course, forest, stream, mud, dirt road or another off road location. These are powerful vehicles that can have a sensitive throttle. You must follow your guides instructions at all times and never stray from the group.

Horseback Riding

Horseback riding is as it sounds, but keep in mind that you will have to ride the horse for extended periods of time. This can be up to several hours depending on your tour selection. Many tours involve rides along side roads or dirt roads, which can be dusty if it is dry. If this does not sound like fun to you, you should not go horseback riding.

Hiking

There are many hiking options available. Many are performed with the primary purpose of observing wildlife. Other hikes are more strenuous, such as hiking an extinct volcano, accessing a waterfall or even wildlife observation in extreme climates. If you have any doubt about the type of hike you are considering, you should ask for more information prior to signing up for it.