The Rio Pacuare is a very special river! I feel so grateful to have spent two days rafting down it and sleeping next to it. Not everyday do you get to be a part of such remote and stunning nature. The rapids were wild and SO much fun. Tarzan swing is no joke and very memorable! The lodge was truly first class and someplace I could have enjoyed much longer than one night- waking up surrounded by trees and the sounds of the river and birdsong was like a dream. The guides were super skilled, really fun to get along with and took care to make sure we were all happy and looked after at all times. Will keep these memories so fondly and think anyone who chooses this trip w POC would feel just as lucky. Special thanks to Max and Chenay!
Seeing how everything operated, I’d absolutely recommend this company for any of their offerings.
(barely took photos as I was just living the pura vida life, but they actually have someone take pics on the water for those who want it!)
We were given a great tour of the river and this property by the owner. Didn’t stay here but would love to in the future. The property is gorgeous and the owner is very knowledgeable and super friendly.
Amazing trip! Arturo, Julio, Diego, and Kenny were great guides/chefs/bartenders/baristas !!
The river is tons of fun and the guides make sure you are safe the entire time.
The resort has amazing views and great home cooked food.
This was hands down one of the BEST trips I've ever been on. Every single aspect of this tour operator exceeded my expectations, from the guides to the accommodations to the food and to the river itself. We had SO much fun, and made SO many great memories. I literally cannot recommend this highly enough!!
We hiked the Camino de Costa Rica over 14 days with support provided by Pacuare Outdoor Center. The trip was a great experience, thanks entirely to our guides and support staff who accompanied us on the hike. They were knowledgeable, friendly, fun to be with. The rafting trip on the Pacuare River, and the two ecolodges operated by the Pacuare Outdoor Center were highlights of the trip. I would recommend Pacuare Outdoor Center without reservations.
What an amazing 4-Day Ultimate adventure my sister and I just had with POC. Once again POC's guides were the best!! Fun, personable, skilled, and very safety conscious! Thanks Arturo, Diego, Rafa, Kenneth,Chene and Jorge!!! Thanks to everyone who helped make this experience so special. I am very grateful to Tom, Matt and POC for providing this beautiful, unique opportunity to experience this part of Costa Rica and the wonderful people.
Yikes! This review apparently didn’t get posted a year ago, in Feb 2024... after an amazing adventure with my friend Terry. 🤔 Just saw it now in 2025 when I planned to post another positive review!!
We did an 8 day adventure tour with POC, which exceeded all my expectations. We were at POC for 2 nights. All the guides from POC were amazing. Very skilled at what they did, shared so much knowledge about the area, and made safety their priority. Rafa was our main guide for 8 days and worked hard to make our experience special, Max was referred to as the best guide on the river and we definitely felt safe going through class 4 rapids. Chene was always there to rescue us in his kayak if we needed it, and Johan made our waterfall rappelling fun and safe, and we’re we’re glad Julian (sp?) was along to take photos for us. Walter was a wonderful guide us on the river paddle boarding trip. AND they were amazing cooks in the outdoor kitchen for all our meals! Can’t say enough positive attributes about these guides!
We had a magical time rafting the Pacuare river and staying at the lodge!! Everything was perfect! Luis was our captain. He was a lot of fun and taught us about the area. Arturo took photos and led our way down the river🤗. All the crew and extra’s treated us well. We will definitely do this again when we return to Costa Rica! Thank you so much Kim, Steve, Bill, and Danette
If you're looking for an authentic, local, curated Costa Rica adventure, stop looking. Pacuare Outdoor Center is locally owned and operated and features local guides and communities with customized activities to create a unique and unforgettable Costa Rica adventure experience.
Pacuare Outdoor Center partnered with Endless Summer Paddle Company (with whom we've enjoyed local stateside SUP tours) to customize a 7 day adventure truly like no other. The entire experience was arranged for us; all we had to do was show up at the airport prepared for adventures. Our itinerary included active elements such as canyoning down waterfalls, stand up paddle boarding, white water rafting, ziplining, and hiking, as well as cultural experiences including dinner and dancing with a local community, fruit stand sampling, lots of delicious local cuisine, and cacao-tasting with a tour of Nortico Cacao Farm guided by the owner himself. We stayed in so many beautiful places, including Turrialba Vista with stunning views of the lake, Rio Vista Lodge (rafted in and out, and no electricity which offered the opportunity to truly unplug), and several local eco-friendly hotels including Hotel Shawandha, where we rose with the howler monkeys and the sunrise.
Although the adventures were utterly amazing, the people truly made our trip unforgettable. Tom and Ana are such gracious hosts. Maritza is hands down, the best cook, and was so thoughtful as to ensure there were not only vegan options, but made it a point at each meal to prepare a unique vegan dish that was especially delicious. Our main guide, Rafa, clearly loves his country and took every opportunity to introduce us to the culture, the people, and the unique features of Costa Rica. Vivi organized the trip and ensured special requests were considered and accommodated when possible. Eddie and Pablo, our drivers, expertly navigated the challenging roads, keeping us safe and on time. Our adventure guides, David, Daniel, Tavo, Andres, and Diego maintained the balance between professionalism and fun, double checking that our equipment was secure and functioning while also appreciating opportunities for humor and levity.
Our Costa Rica vacation was truly epic - we returned home with so many wonderful memories, photos, and connections, and Pacuare Outdoor Center played a huge role in making this an experience we'll never forget.
I'm a guy who can be a bit prone to anxiety - especially when stepping out of my comfort zone. But this is the exact reason to push boundaries and expand comfort zones. I can't think of a better company to do that with than Pacuare Outdoor Center. Booking an adventure trip with them through a local company (Endless Summer Paddle Company in Louisville - also amazing!), my wife and I, along with a great group of people, arrived in Costa Rica for our first time. From the beginning, we were well taken care of. Our amazing guide for the trip (tuanis Rafa), along with one of our drivers, met us at the airport. From that point on, no matter what adventure we were doing, we were always in the care of experienced, kind, and fun-loving staff. If you are expecting 5-star, ritzy, big city accommodations, then this isn't the type of experience for you (although I'm sure they could hook you up). The locations owned and operated by Pacuare OC are 5-star adventure accommodations. This means rustic locations with amazing views, occasionally off-grid, but always with clean facilities, tasteful decor, amazing landscaping (both natural and kept) extremely comfortable and clean beds, and always surrounded by the beauty of Costa Rica. Unlike other companies that can try to insulate you from their staff and the people around you, Pacuare OC immerses you in the lives of both their staff and the people around them. They are proud of their country and their people - rightfully so! Rappelling down waterfalls, tours of local companies, white water rafting, zip-lining, Tarzan swings, hikes, paddle-boarding, cultural immersion; they do it all, and do it well!
I want to shout out the staff and contractors that played such a crucial role in making this an adventure of a life-time:
Rafa
Tom, Anna
Matt, Ross
David
Daniel
Tavo
Andres/Chepa
Pablo
Diego
Maritza
Eddie
Pablo
Pura vida mae!
I had fantastic trip pack rafting in Costa Rica with Pacuare Outdoor Center & 4 Corners River Sport. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Everyone was very encouraging and I was able to increase my skills with their help and support! The rivers are beautiful but the people made the trip very special. I’m ready to go again🥰
Beautifully situated looking down on the Pacuare river the facility is clean and in the middle if nowhere. The service was outstanding and food delicious. I'd go back if for nothing more than to relax on the big deck.
Everything about this place is worth a 5-star review.The lodges are modest, but new and clean. They also have, in my opinion, the best view on Rio Pacuare!
A special shoutout to Kenneth, Arturo, and Fernando, who went above and beyond to make the trip exceptional. They were extremely hospitable, attentive, and cooked delicious food. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure combined with moments of peace and quiet.
Nous avons passé deux jours géniaux, notre guide Kenneth était parfait. L'hôtel niché dans la forêt avec vue sur la rivière est juste magique, dormir avec le son si particulier de cette forêt la nuit est une expérience inoubliable. Les repas étaient très bien. Un excellent souvenir pour nous.
Secluded & paradisiacal place with surprisingly good comfort. The owner Jason did an amazing job creating this beautiful place on his family’s land. In the garden there was a cayman, turtles, a sloth, green iguanas, howler monkeys and many birds. The toast for breakfast was a welcome change for the usual CR rice & bean breakfast :-) The boat ride along the river & lagunes was beautiful.
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