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Lake at the bottom of a volcanic crater surrounded by rocky walls.

Costa Rica · Poás & Irazú

Adventure from Turrialba

Rafting on the Pacuare and Reventazón, guided Turrialba volcano and the Braulio Carrillo forest.

5 places1 closed or restricted, flagged

  1. Rafting on the Pacuare River1

    Photo: Pigment-Ink, CC BY-SA 4.0

    AdventureOpen

    Rafting on the Pacuare River

    Between Turrialba and Siquirres; operators depart from Turrialba, San José, Puerto Viejo or La Fortuna68.4 km from the centre

    Entry
    $99
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A one-day run through class III-IV rapids in a jungle canyon with waterfalls, the country’s best-known rafting river.

    Source: Exploradores Outdoors – Pacuare 1-day trip · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Exploradores Outdoors sells it at $99 plus VAT with meals and transport; other operators range from about $85 to $140.
    Time needed
    About 3 hours on the river (about 30 km and 38 rapids with Exploradores); a full day with transfers. Minimum age 12 with that operator.

    Nearby: CATIE Botanical Garden (Turrialba) (3.4 km) · Guayabo National Monument (7.3 km)

    Sources: Exploradores Outdoors – Pacuare 1-day trip

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  2. 2

    AdventureOpen

    Rafting on the Reventazón River

    Siquirres area, Limón80.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    From about $89
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Class II-III sections of the Reventazón, gentler than the Pacuare, aimed at beginners and families.

    Source: Tropical Rivers – Reventazón river rafting · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    From about $89 per person with transport, guides, gear and lunch, according to operators (2026).

    Nearby: Barbilla National Park (14.2 km)

    Sources: Tropical Rivers – Reventazón river rafting · Ríos Adventure – Reventazón river rafting

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  3. Turrialba Volcano3

    Photo: Dominic Sherony, CC BY-SA 2.0

    AdventureRestricted access

    Turrialba Volcano

    Santa Cruz de Turrialba, access via Tapojo and Montecalas farm55.1 km from the centre

    Entry
    $13.56
    Hours
    5:00 to 10:00
    Booking
    Required

    The country’s second-highest volcano (3,340 m), active since 2010. The guided hike climbs to a viewpoint over the craters with views, on clear days, of Irazú, Poás and the Caribbean lowlands.

    It reopened in December 2020 after eight years closed by eruptions, but entry is only with an accredited tour guide, via the Montecalas farm route and with protective gear; people with mobility problems are not admitted. It closed from 18 to 26 August 2026 because of rain and can close again for weather or activity.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Volcán Turrialba · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $13.56 for non-residents over 13 (VAT included), paid by card at the booth; the guide is paid separately.
    Hours
    SINAC lists 5:00 to 10:00 in the dry season and 6:00 to 10:00 in the rainy season; an August 2026 press note says 8:00 to 15:30. Confirm when booking.
    Booking
    You must book the guide service (SINAC lists phone 8704-2432). There are no visitor facilities.

    Nearby: Guayabo National Monument (9.5 km) · Irazú Volcano (Craters sector) (10.7 km) · Prusia sector (Irazú) (14.9 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Volcán Turrialba · La República – Volcán Turrialba reabrirá tras ocho años de cierre · Delfino.cr – Guayabo y Volcán Turrialba reanudan atención al público

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  4. 4

    CultureOpen

    Guayabo National Monument

    Santa Teresita, about 19 km north of Turrialba64.5 km from the centre

    Entry
    $5.65
    Hours
    8:00 to 15:30
    Booking
    Not stated

    One of the country’s most important archaeological sites: causeways, mounds, aqueducts and petroglyphs from a pre-Columbian settlement inhabited roughly from 1000 BC to AD 1400, set in forest.

    Source: SINAC – Monumento Nacional Guayabo · 2026 · +2

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $5.65 for non-residents (adults and children 2–12), VAT included, according to SINAC.
    Hours
    Daily 8:00 to 15:30, including public holidays.
    Time needed
    The guided visit with community guides takes about 1 h 30 min.

    Tip: It closed from 17 to 26 August 2026 because of rain: check road conditions in the rainy season.

    Nearby: Rafting on the Pacuare River (7.3 km) · CATIE Botanical Garden (Turrialba) (9.5 km) · Turrialba Volcano (9.5 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Monumento Nacional Guayabo · Wikipedia – Guayabo National Monument · Tico Times – Turrialba Volcano Park and Guayabo reopen

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  5. 5

    NatureOpen

    Braulio Carrillo, Quebrada González sector

    Route 32 San José-Guápiles, past the Zurquí tunnel32.6 km from the centre

    Entry
    $13.56
    Hours
    8:00 to 15:30
    Booking
    Not stated

    A station beside Route 32 with three rainforest trails (Las Palmas, El Ceibo and Botarrama, 1 to 2.5 km) and a lookout over the Río Sucio; a good birding stop on the way to the Caribbean.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $13.56 for non-residents over 13 and $5.65 for children 2–12 (VAT included).
    Hours
    Daily 8:00 to 15:30.

    Tip: It has drinking water, toilets and a lunch area. It fits well into the drive between San José and Puerto Viejo or Tortuguero.

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo

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