Top San Jose Outdoor Activities

Shoot the rapids on the Pacuare River on this day tour from Turrialba. With a guide providing instruction and ensuring your safety, paddle down 18 miles (29 kilometers) of Class III and Class IV rapids through Costa Rica's lush landscape. Stop for guided hikes up waterfalls located in hidden canyons and at a base camp halfway for lunch. Learn about the surrounding ecosystem, flora, and fauna through your guides' commentary.

With its cascading waterfalls and abundant wildlife, the Pacuare River is rightfully famous for its natural beauty. Paddle through the river gorge, navigating 52 Class II-IV rapids as you go, on this 12-hour trip from San Jose. Take in views of the tropical rain forest and wildlife such as sloths, parrots, and toucans as you ride the river (and your adrenaline rush) over the course of the day.

Experience a fun-filled day in the jungle at the Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic eco-reserve. Your multi-pass gives you access to six different activities throughout the beautiful tropical park. Get a bird’s-eye view of the rainforest canopy with an aerial tram ride, encounter native critters at a butterfly and frog garden, cross a hanging bridge, and explore the jungle on a nature hike. Get your adrenaline pumping as you soar through the treetops on ziplines, including one of the longest and fastest in the country.

Prepare to get wet and wild as you tackle the class III and IV rapids of the Sarapiqui River on this half- or full-day white-water rafting adventure from La Virgen. Marvel over the dramatic scenery and lush rainforest of the Sarapiqui canyon as you hurtle downstream, then re-fuel with lunch (full-day tour only) or refreshments by the waterfront. Best of all: the rapids are suitable for all abilities, including complete beginners, and anyone over 14 can give it a go!

Experience a high-flying adventure on a rain forest zipline course near San Jose. Journey from the Costa Rican capital to a private ecotourism reserve, where you’ll soar through the lush jungle canopy and above the rushing Molinete River. Glide across 10 different zipline cables, including the 2,297-foot (700-meter) Adrena-Line, and walk across a hanging bridge. Expert adventure guides will accompany you throughout the day to ensure your safety and help you spot native rain forest critters.

Only 20 minutes from San José Downtown, enjoy the majesty of the Rain Forest at the Carpintera Hills, gliding between trees hanging from steel cables . All along the travel through the forest reserve you will be able to watch sloths, birds and an exuberant flora . You will also be able to enjoy a panoramic view of the Central Valley, Poás Volcano and Irazú Volcano, and the Tres Marías Hills. The Canopy Tour includes 3 acivities: a short hike (15 minutes), 19 platforms, 13 cables, the longest cable has a length of aprox. 1500 ft (500 meters), and 2 rappels (40 & 10 meters).

Feel the thrill of one of Costa Rica's most popular outdoor adventures with a zipline tour from San José. Soar through the rain forest canopy and above the Moliente River on a state-of-the-art zipline system boasting advanced safety features and an easy, controlled braking system. Choose a tour option including lunch and transportation from San José for a hassle-free day flying through the treetops of Costa Rica's famed natural playground.

Explore the natural beauty and protected wildlife of Costa Rica’s Tortuguero National Park with a full-day guided tour from San Jose. Cruise through freshwater rivers on a boat — the only way to access the inner reaches of this beautiful nature reserve. Learn about the park’s incredible biodiversity from your naturalist guide, and visit a green sea turtle nesting site. Take a break from your exploration to savor lunch at the eco-chic Evergreen Lodge surrounded by views of a lush tropical forest.

Test your paddling skills on the roaring Class III rapids of Costa Rica’s Chirripó River with this whitewater rafting adventure. Led by an expert guide, you’ll navigate the exciting twists and turns of the river while surrounded by a beautiful tropical forest. Select a morning or noon departure to suit your schedule. Round-trip hotel transport and lunch at a local restaurant are included.

Discover one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica on this full-day trip from San Jose to Manuel Antonio National Park. After a scenic drive along the Pacific coast, arrive at this protected reserve that features lush tropical rain forest, unspoiled stretches of white sandy beach, and coral reefs teeming with marine life. Relax on the shore or explore the jungle with a guided nature hike, where you have a chance to spot birds, sloths, monkeys, and other resident wildlife.

Appease your appetite for adventure during an exhilarating 3-hour rafting session on the Sarapiqui River from Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui . With an experienced guide, conquer the Class II and III rapids on the river’s most intense section and feel your adrenaline levels surge. During calmer periods, marvel at the abundance of exotic wildlife on the banks of the Sarapiqui River and listen to fascinating commentary from your guide. All rafting equipment and round-trip transportation from Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui is included on this tour.

Zoom through the Costa Rican jungle on a full-day zip-lining tour in San Ramon. The tour is perfect for adrenaline junkies and active families alike. Thanks to provided safety equipment and the watchful eye of your experienced guide, you’re able to sail through the cloud forest with ease. Walk across six hanging bridges, measuring up to 360 feet across (110 meters). Along the way, keep your eyes peeled for hummingbirds, sloths, and monkeys.

Explore three levels of lush Costa Rican rain forest from the floor to the canopy on a guided tour tour of Braulio Carrillo National Park. Learn about local flora and fauna as you walk along nature trails, explore specialty gardens, and glide over treetops in an aerial tram, all narrated by a guide with extensive knowledge about the local ecosystem. Optional upgrade includes pickup and drop-off from your lodging in San Jose and a typical lunch.

Premium activity NOW available from San Jose, Join us today! Are you ready to cross a river riding an ATV, and make your draft at the beach, and feel the adrenaline on your body? Meet the pacific mountain hills, driving up through rivers immerse in the jungle trails, then come down up to a beautiful beach, fun and nature will make your day one to remember. We will stop on the Tarcoles River Bridge to take pictures of huge crocodiles in this emblematic river of Costa Rica, enjoy them in their natural environment. Your A/C transportation will give you the best comfort before arriving at our adventure center. Our professional bilingual guide will instruct you with the safety directions before you start the adventure. Forest trails and a waterfall will be waiting for you. Our certificated tour guides will offer you a professional point of view during the tour. Come and let us know if you like it or not.

Discover the amazing treetop ecosystems of Costa Rica’s rain forest on this aerial tram tour near San Jose. Glide through the lush jungle canopy on a 90-minute gondola ride that offers a bird’s-eye view of beautiful hanging gardens and native wildlife not often seen from the forest floor. Optional lunch and transportation add-ons are available for a stress-free wait to explore Costa Rica’s famous biodiversity right from the capital.

Discover many beautiful attractions of Costa Rica on this Combo Tour from San Jose. Fly over the Rainforest Canopy on a zip lining course and rappel down 50 meters (150 feet). Visit 2 beautiful waterfalls in the Rainforest; admire wildlife of Costa Rica at the exotic birds’ viewing point and the Iguanas Center. Learn about coffee of Costa Rica and taste the delicious local cuisine. Participate of a native tribe presentation. Relax in thermal mineral hot springs pools at the base of Arenal Volcano. Lunch and dinner are included.

The best and most complete day tour in Jacó! Satisfy your desires for total adventure and adrenaline in the tropical forest of Costa Rica. Located very close to the sea, our eco-adventure park opens its doors for an incomparable experience: the 5 in 1 Extreme tour! A perfect combination of all the activities you can find in our private reserve.

Experience a thrilling white-water adventure on a guided rafting trip along the Reventazón River. After a convenient hotel pickup, head to the river’s “El Carmen” area: a 10-mile (16-kilometer) run divided into two sections, one with intense rapids and one with mellow waters and scenic jungle views. Enjoy a picnic lunch on a riverside beach included in the tour price.

Escape from busy San Jose for an action-packed full-day tour in the Jaco Beach region. Stop at the beach, then continue with a zipline tour and ATV tour in the rain forest nearby. You’ll also see crocodiles at the Tarcoles River, and get great views of the Pacific Ocean from the ATV and zipline course. Includes lunch, and all necessary equipment and instruction.

Hacienda Pozo Azul is a Costa Rican Adventure Resort, located in the heart of the Sarapiquí Rainforest. We offer Authentic Lifelong Experiences for those seeking to make the most of their visit to Costa Rica. Located at the Magical and Nature rich area of Sarapiquí, Hacienda Pozo Azul Offers a wide variety of Authentic Experiences for those seeking to make the most of their vacation.

Support sustainable tourism with this eco-adventure to the Cinco Ceibas Rainforest Reserve and Adventure Park. On this full-day trip from San Jose, get an up-close peek at toucans, bats, red-eyed frogs and howler monkeys with a trek across an elevated jungle boardwalk. Create your own adventure with the choice of kayaking down the Rio Cuarto, horseback riding along a river trail or a exploring the reserve in an ox-pulled wagon. A locally sourced lunch, snacks and round-trip transport from San Jose are included.

An all-inclusive tour is an efficient and affordable way to visit Costa Rica’s essential highlights in just a week. Transportation, activities, meals, and lodging are included on your visits to Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Tortuguero Canals, and more. Plus, traveling with a guide means gleaning lots of insight into local culture and history that you might miss traveling alone.

Abundant wildlife sightings set this Pacuare white-water rafting tour apart from similar options. Animals like sloths, toucans, and morpho butterflies are often sighted along the river banks as you navigate challenging rapids with the help of a guide. This tour also offers convenient hotel pickup and drop-off from San Jose, making it an easy way to spend a day enjoying the nature that makes Costa Rica so famous.

Sail away to the tropical paradise of Tortuga Island on this full-day trip from San Jose. Enjoy a cruise across the Gulf of Nicoya to the white sandy beaches and aquamarine waters of this postcard-perfect island. Soak up the sun on the beach, snorkel among tropical fish, or explore the island’s forested trails for a memorable escape. Savor a tasty beachside lunch buffet and relax on the round-trip ride from your San Jose hotel.