Things to do on the Peñas Blancas river

The Peñas Blancas river safari float is a slow, guided raft drift along a tributary near the Arenal-Tempisque conservation area, built for spotting birds, sloths, iguanas and the odd caiman from the water rather than for adrenaline. There are no rapids: this is a family-friendly wildlife float, not sport rafting, and it should never be sold as one.

5 hours on the water, cost around 45 to 75 USD per person depending on operator and pickup point, and are usually combined with lunch or a second activity to fill a half-day. Morning departures see more birdlife before the heat sets in. If you want whitewater and technical rapids instead, that is the separate Balsa river trip, not this one.