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Costa Rica Canoeing
Costa Rica is indeed a rich country in terms of its rivers, natural
wonders, and wildlife. The Cost Rica River Explorer is an itinerary
designed to allow you to see much of the county, its natural beauty
and its people, through canoeing and kayaking rivers in different
areas that reflect much of the country's diversity. It is the basis
for a variety of trip options and can be easily adapted to fit
different interests including hiking, horseback riding, fishing and
birding.
Wildlife frequently seen on the rivers you are going to paddle on
this trip includes: a large variety of birds, from toucans and jabiru, to anhingas and boat billed herons; morpho and other exotic
butterflies; many lizards and amphibians including caiman, iguanas,
and poison arrow frogs.
Mammals frequently seen include sloths,
coatis, and howler, squirrel, and white faced monkeys. Costa Rica's
wildlife is world famous and while we can't guarantee exactly what
you will see, most people are surprised by how much diversity they
see.
The rivers in Costa Rica are quite varied as are the jungles,
rainforests, valleys, and other terrain through which they flow.
Most of the rivers flow out of the mountains with a steep grade
which moderates as they reach flatter terrain, and most are much
longer than the sections that are usually paddled. There are few
rivers with long, interesting sections that are desirable for
multi-day canoe camping trips, since the upper sections are too
steep and narrow, and further down they become wide and less
interesting. However, this provides the opportunity to paddle a
number of interesting rivers and see more of the country with
different climate and wildlife areas in the process.
Here are few of the many interesting rivers and estuaries that are
suitable for canoeing and kayaking in Costa Rica:
Rio Tres Amigos
The Rio Tres Amigos is one of our most remote rivers traveling
through a little populated area. It has crystal clear water with
overhanging trees and vines that harbor great beauty. It ranges from
class III to Class I depending on the section. River otters are
often spotted here.
Rio Yorkin | Sixaola
The Rio Yorkin and Sixaola form the border with Panama for much of
their lengths on the caribbean side. The Yorkin is a pool and drop
river with regular Class II rapids as it winds it way to the Sixaola.
The Sixaola is a much larger river with few defined rapids but lots
of current. The indiginous Bribri have their villages and homes in
the upper reaches of these rivers. In many places, you determine
which country you visit by selecting which side of the river you
land on.
Rio Penas Blancas
The Penas Blancas is a classic white water river on its upper
sections which moderates to a class I river in the Northern
Lowlands. It has its start in the Monteverde Cloud Forest and
retains its interesting character in the sections we paddle. It
always has sufficient water in the lower sections and features
overhanging trees filled with bromeliads and easily spotted monkeys
Rio Corobici | Tenorio
The Corobici/Tenorio gets much of its flow from hydroelectric and
irrigation releases of water brought down from Lake Arenal. The
upper section of the Corobici River provides nearly continuous Class
I - II white water while the Tenorio river provides an abundance of
birds and other wildlife. The combination of easy white water and
outstanding wildlife makes this a favorite. However, the water is
fast and the strainers frequent, so good paddling skills are
required.
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