- A 4x4 ride through rustic back roads, mountains and villages to the private put-in
- A full safety briefing with your professional guides
- 3 hours and 20+ rapids on the Tenorio
- Birds, monkeys and tropical wildlife along the canyon banks
- Cascabel Falls — a thrilling 12-foot waterfall drop, the river’s most extreme rapid
- Riverbank snacks and a traditional Costa Rican lunch to finish
Whitewater · Tenorio River
White Water Rafting on the Tenorio River
Class III and IV whitewater — around 22 rapids across 12 kilometers, finishing with the 12-foot plunge over Cascabel Falls. Your own raft, your own certified river guide.
Read-and-run Class III with a few Class IV punches — and the Cascabel Falls drop
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Quick answer
White water rafting on the Tenorio River is a 3-hour private run through Class III–IV whitewater — about 22 rapids over 12 km, finishing with the 12-foot drop over Cascabel Falls. You get your own raft and certified bilingual river guide, private transport from the Guanacaste coast and a typical lunch — from $600 per private group of 2, taxes included.
3 hoursClass III–IVCascabel FallsLunch included
Last verified September 2026 by Miller Contreras, naturalist guide
Location
Tenorio River
Duration
3 hours
Group
Private raft
Level
Class III–IV
Guide
Certified river guide
Highlight
Cascabel Falls
Whitewater · Tenorio River
White Water Rafting on the Tenorio River
We run you down the Tenorio River through Class III and IV whitewater — around 22 rapids across a 12-kilometer stretch, broken up by calm pools where you catch your breath and take in the rainforest. Between rapids you’ll spot tropical birds, monkeys and iguanas along the banks. The finale is the one everyone remembers: a 12-foot plunge over Cascabel Falls — the drop into open air, then the roar of the water pounding the riverbed below. The day wraps with a hike out to our 4x4 and a typical Costa Rican lunch. Run by the local team that guides it — the certified river pros in the boat, your Guanadreams host waiting at the take-out.
Private Raft Experience
From $600 per private group of 2
Includes your own raft with a certified bilingual river guide, private transportation, all safety gear, and a typical Costa Rican lunch
Taxes included · $300 per person · Minimum 2 guests
Hotel pickup from Tamarindo, Las Catalinas, Reserva Conchal, the Riu resorts at Playa Matapalo, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Playa Panamá, Liberia & the Papagayo Peninsula.
The raft, your guide and your transportation are exclusively yours. The river itself is shared — you will see other rafts along the run. Want the river to yourselves? Ask us for a private-river quote.
This isn’t a shared seat sold by the head. It’s your own raft and your own river guide, door-to-door from the coast, priced as a private day for your group.
Make it yours
✓
Add-on experiences
Enhance your private day with these optional experiences — each one fully private and tailored to your group. Tap an add-on to build your day; we confirm the exact quote by group size on WhatsApp.
✓Sloth & Wildlife
Spot sloths, monkeys and tropical birds with a naturalist.
+ $100 per personExplore the tour →Tenorio River rafting + Cascabel Falls — private raft, certified river guide, transport & lunch included.
Photos from the Tenorio River
What the day looks like
Drag to explore — the rapids, the calm pools, and the Cascabel Falls drop.
Into the Rapids
Class III–IV
Paddle Together
Through the Canyon
Cascabel Falls
Big Water
Rapid Run
Between the Rocks
Over the Falls
Book direct with the operator
We run these tours ourselves
- We run these tours ourselves. No middleman, no reseller.
- Private from two people — no minimum group to fill, no strangers in your van.
- The price you see is the price you pay: taxes and door-to-door pickup included.
What you’ll experience
On the river
The Run, From Our Side of It
The put-in is on the upper Tenorio, in the Cañas canton. From there the river carries you down toward the Guanacaste lowlands between walls of gallery forest. The first rapids come quick, then ease into a pool, then pick up again — that's the rhythm of the run: read-and-run Class III with a few Class IV punches, twenty-something rapids across about 12 kilometers. Your river guide calls every line and every paddle command; you listen and dig in.
It builds to Cascabel Falls: a 12-foot drop, the raft tipping into open air and landing in the churn below — the most extreme rapid on the river, and the photo everyone wants. From there it's a short paddle to the take-out, a hike up to the 4x4, and a typical Costa Rican lunch to close the day.
Who Runs Your Raft — and How We Keep It Safe
We'll be honest about how a rafting day works, because that's the whole point. On the water, your Guanadreams naturalist host does not ride in the raft — the river is run by a certified river guide trained specifically for whitewater: swift-water rescue, first aid, years on this river. Putting an untrained person in your boat just to say we came along would only be one more body to look after; the professionals are the ones who keep you safe. So the river pros run the river, and your host meets you again at the take-out.
These guides aren't weekend hobbyists. In Costa Rica, river guides are certified to IRF (International Rafting Federation) standards — the most recognized whitewater qualification in the world — backed by the Costa Rica Tourism Board, with CPR, first aid and swift-water rescue, and a safety kayaker on the water with you. Think closer to river paramedics than tour guides. And this is the country for it: Costa Rica has hosted the World Rafting Championship, and its rivers are run by some of the best in the sport.
What never changes is the private part: the raft is yours. Your group, your own river guide — never mixed in with strangers. There are other rafts on the river, each with their own guide, but yours is yours alone.
Is This Trip for You?
We'll tell you straight, because the river isn't the place to find out it wasn't your thing. It's real Class III–IV water: come ready to paddle and to get soaked. You don't need experience — your guide teaches you everything on the bank before you push off — but you should be comfortable in the water and reasonably fit. It's a great day for adventurous first-timers, families and seasoned rafters alike, ages 8 to 80. If someone in your group is on the fence, tell us before you book and we'll be honest about whether the day fits.
When is the best time to raft the Tenorio?
There's no bad season on the Tenorio — just two different days. The green season, June through November, brings the biggest water and the most adrenaline: fuller rapids, a wilder ride. The dry months, December to May, run gentler — still a great day on the river, and honestly the better pick if you'd rather not max out the thrill. Tell us when you're coming and the kind of ride you want, and we'll set expectations honestly.
Wildlife along the river
Your guide is a naturalist, and the river gives him something to work with. The put-in is on the upper Tenorio, in the Cañas canton; from there the river carries you down toward the Guanacaste lowlands, between walls of gallery forest — the ribbon of trees that follows the water. This is howler and spider monkey country, iguanas hold the sunlit branches over the current, and herons lift off ahead of the raft. Keel-billed toucans show up now and then as well, though they are not residents of this stretch: they come down from the Tenorio rainforest along the riverbank, using the corridor of trees as a road. If there is something you especially hope to see, tell your guide before you get on the water.
Experience preview
VIDEO PROVIDED BY GUANADREAMS CR LOCAL GUIDES
Good to know
What should you know before you book?
- Duration: about 3 hours on the river
- Level: Class III–IV — intermediate, no experience needed
- Includes: certified guides, all equipment, admission, snacks, lunch, 4x4 transport
- About 1.5 hours from the Papagayo Peninsula
What’s included
In your private day
Included
- Private raft with a certified bilingual river guide
- Round-trip private door-to-door transport (4x4)
- All safety gear (helmet, life vest, paddle)
- Full safety briefing
- Towels
- A fresh fruit & drinks stop
- Typical Costa Rican lunch
- Taxes
Not included
- Gratuities (optional)
- Personal purchases
- Optional add-ons
Frequently asked
Tenorio rafting questions
Your raft is exclusively yours — just your group and your own certified river guide, with private door-to-door transport (minimum 2 guests). The river itself is shared: other rafts run the same stretch and you’ll see them along the way. Want the river reserved just for your group? Tell us and we’ll quote a private-river departure separately.
It’s real Class III–IV water — about 20-plus rapids across 12 km, finishing with the 12-foot Cascabel Falls drop. No experience needed; your guide teaches you on the bank first. You should be comfortable in the water and reasonably fit. Great for adventurous first-timers, families and seasoned rafters alike, ages 8 to 80.
Your Guanadreams naturalist host doesn’t ride in the raft; the boat is run by a certified river guide trained for whitewater. In Costa Rica, river guides are certified to IRF (International Rafting Federation) standards, backed by the Costa Rica Tourism Board, with CPR, first aid and swift-water rescue, and a safety kayaker on the water with you — closer to river paramedics than tour guides. Costa Rica has even hosted the World Rafting Championship; this is the country for it.
Round-trip private transport with pickup from your hotel or Airbnb in the area, all gear (helmet, life vest, paddle), your certified bilingual river guide, towels, a fresh fruit & drinks stop, and a typical Costa Rican lunch.
Swimwear or clothes that can get wet, water shoes or strapped sandals (no flip-flops), sunscreen, sunglasses with a strap, a waterproof camera, and a dry change of clothes.
About 3 hours on the river, with morning and early-afternoon departures. It runs year-round — rain or shine, you’re getting wet either way.
Same rivers, opposite pace. Pick rafting if you’re here for adrenaline: Class III–IV whitewater, about 20 rapids and the Cascabel Falls drop, best for anyone reasonably fit and comfortable in the water. Pick the calm Corobící & Tenorio safari float if you’d rather drift and watch wildlife — Class I–II, your guide rows the whole way, and it’s gentle enough for small kids, grandparents and every mobility level. They’re the same water at two speeds, so plenty of guests do both across a trip — one wild morning, one slow one. Not sure which fits your group? Tell us and we’ll point you to the right one, or help you build a trip with both.
Twenty-four hours before your tour begins, counted from the start time and not the day. Cancel before that and you get a full refund.
Our private Tenorio River rafting experience starts at $600 per private group of 2 — $300 per person, taxes included, minimum 2 guests. That covers your own raft with a certified bilingual river guide, private door-to-door transport, all safety gear, and a typical Costa Rican lunch. Hotel pickup is included from Tamarindo, Las Catalinas, Reserva Conchal, the Riu resorts at Playa Matapalo, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Playa Panamá, Liberia, and across the Guanacaste coast from the Papagayo Peninsula to Hacienda Pinilla — tell us where you’re staying and we’ll confirm your pickup.
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★★★★★ 5.0
White water rafting was superb — Miller was by far the funniest tour guide I’ve ever come across, he made that experience that much better.
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By the Guanadreams team, led by Miller Contreras — naturalist guide, born and raised in Guanacaste.