Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Taking the launch from Puerto Viejo to Trinidad, at the confluence of Ríos Sarapiquí and
San Juan, provides a rich opportunity to see crocodiles, sloths, birds, monkeys and iguanas
sunning themselves on the muddy riverbanks or gathering in the trees. This river system is
a historically important gateway from the Caribbean into the heart of Central America, and
it's still off the beaten tourist track, revealing rainforest and ranches, wildlife and old war
zones, deforested pasture land and protected areas.
Ruta Los Heroes
BOAT TOUR
( 2766-5858; 2hr tour per person US$20; 7am-3pm)
The pink building near the dock is a boat-captain cooperative, offering river tours with
ecological and historical emphasis. Make arrangements to leave as early as possible to beat
the heat and see more wildlife. If the office is closed (as it sometimes is in the low season),
you can negotiate directly with the captains you find at the dock. Or, try calling
Oscar
(
8365-3683)
or
Rafael
(
8346-1220)
directly.
Green Rivers
RAFTING, KAYAKING
( 8884-0187, 2766-5274; tours US$50-70)
Operating out of the Posada Andrea Cristina B&B, this is a new outfit run by the ever-ami-
able Kevín Martínez and his wife. They offer a wide variety of rafting and kayaking tours,
from family-friendly floats to adrenaline-pumping, rapid-surfing rides. They also know
their nature, so they do natural-history and bird tours, too.
Aguas Bravas
RAFTING
( 2766-6524;
www.costaricaraftingvacation.com
; Class III-IV US$85, safari float US$65;
9am-5:30pm)
Aguas Bravas no longer maintains an office in the Sarapiquí area, but it does run the river
(book at the Souvenir Río Sarapiquí in town). There are two tours on offer: take a gentle
safari float to spot birds, iguanas, caimans and other wildlife, or sign up to splash through
14km of 'extreme rapids' on the San Miguel section of the river.
Lago Jalapa
HIKING, CANOEING
(
8955-8869, 8973-8488; per person US$20-45)
