Costa Rica adventures (Jenny Johnston)
Buenos Dias, San Jose! Greeting our first morning in Costa Rica.
Wake up call on the Pacuare!
After an initial night in San Jose, due to a late flight arrival, we started our journey with a bang! We got up EARLY that first morning in Costa Rica to begin our rafting adventure on the Pacuare River.
The Pacuare is one of the top FIVE commercial rafting rivers in the world, so we felt really fortunate to get to experience it. We rafted Class III & IV rapids...over 70 of them throughout the day! It was simultaneously invigorating, FUN, thrilling, and frightening. Despite occasional flashes of fear that overtook my mind, it was by far MY FAVORITE activity from our trip.
Costa Rica adventures (Jenny Johnston)
We survived the Pacuare! Back at base camp after changing out of our soaked clothes.
Selva Verde - A jungle experience.
After a day of adventure, we were taken to our first "home" of the trip...Selva Verde. This ecolodge is located on a 500 acre reserve, so opportunities to observe wildlife and vegetation abound! We sighted multiple toucans, a giant iguana, and "Jesus Christ" lizards known for being able to run across water. Selva Verde has a suspension bridge over the Sarapiqui River that we swayed down and took in some neat views. Our cabana overlooked the rushing river, and lush green was as far as the eye could see. We were truly deep in the jungle.
The soft roar of the river and the thick canopy overhead gave me a sense of peace. However, when the sun goes down and everything is PITCH BLACK...I mean, darker than any dark I have experienced...it gets a bit interesting. All you hear are the sounds of the surrounding jungle, but you cannot SEE anything anymore. Your headlamp provides enough light to follow the path and catch a glimpse of the lizard scurry across or see the gigantic spider hanging in its web above the walkway. Similar to the Pacuare, extremely fascinating but a bit frightening at the same time. If nothing else, I will be a stronger person after this trip...
Costa Rica adventures (Jenny Johnston)
Starting out on Selva Verde's suspension bridge Costa Rica adventures (Jenny Johnston)
One of the many toucans we sighted. Costa Rica adventures (Jenny Johnston)
Selva Verde lobby. They do an excellent job at making your jungle experience comfortable but still authentic. Costa Rica adventures (Jenny Johnston)
View of the Sarapiqui River from our room balcony.
Just as she did last time we booked with Adventure Life, Franny really listened to what we wanted for our trip and went the extra mile to help us build the perfect itinerary.
Michelle Resnick
2 months ago
What made our Costa Rica experience great was the wonderful places we stayed and transportation to get to our different areas to visit was excellent! The white water rafting and the snorkeling & dolphin watching were really fun!
Michell Murphy
3 months ago
Adventure Life took care of everything! All we had to do was show up when we were supposed to, which made our first trip to Costa Rica largely stress-free and incredibly fun. Our trip reps, Hannah and Mariethony, were helpful and responsive, getting back to us by email usually within a few hours. Our accommodations were all great, and we got incredibly blessed with some absolutely stellar guides and drivers.
Our Jungle & Beach trip was an excellent balance of adventure and rest. We got to try out a lot of different activities, including snorkeling, hiking, white water rafting and kayaking, while also partaking of some rest around the pool or by the ocean. We enjoyed seeing and exploring the beautiful Caribbean side of the country.
Joy Knowles
3 months ago
The company made our adventure trip hassle-free, and a lot of fun! I will definitely be using them again
Carolena F
3 months ago
For our first trip to Costa Rica, Adventure Life designed a tour that meets the interests, ecological and adventure, of our party; but also takes into account our physical limitations sine we are all septuagenarian. We are looking forward to the trip.