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Bucketlist Bri

Bucketlist Bri

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Is the Peñas Blancas Safari Float in La Fortuna Worth It?

Last Updated: March 10, 2023 · Costa Rica

Imagine floating down the Río Peñas Blancas on a wildlife safari tour in Arenal, Costa Rica when you look up and see colorful toucans and howler monkeys playing in the treetops.

A family of three on a wildlife watching tour point up to the trees.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may earn me a small commission should you decide to click through and make a valid purchase (at no extra cost to you). Thanks so much for your support!

Tourist wildlife watching with binoculars on a safari rafting tour.
Two Keel-billed toucans sitting in a tree in La Fortuna, Costa Rica.
Two yellow-throated toucans sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i….

Wouldn’t that be awesome?!

Having done it myself, I can tell you that is indeed very awesome, which is why you shouldn’t miss out on this fun wildlife-watching eco tour when visiting La Fortuna and Arenal.

In this guide, I will detail more about what you can expect on the Peñas Blancas safari float tour on a half-day excursion from La Fortuna/Arenal. 🦋

Table of Contents show
Guide: Peñas Blancas Safari Float in Costa Rica
Overview of the Best Safari Tours in Arenal
Green Vacations Costa Rica
Peñas Blancas Safari Float FAQs
How Much Does the Raft Safari Tour Cost?
When Is the Best Time to Go on the Wildlife Rafting Tour?
What’s Included in the Wildlife Safari Tour?
What to Bring/Wear for the PeñAs Blancas River Tour?

Guide: Peñas Blancas Safari Float in Costa Rica

Three women on a wildlife watching safari tour on the Río Peñas Blancas in Costa Rica.
A Kingfisher exotic bird sitting on small branch in Costa Rica.
A beautiful Kingfisher!

While the wildlife you see on the safari float near Arenal isn’t a guarantee, you are sure to see something! 🦥

That’s because the Peñas Blancas River is incredibly biodiverse and therefore teeming with all kinds of life.

On our safari tour with Raúl from Green Vacations Costa Rica, we got to see these wildlife and bird species, and then some:

  • Osprey eagles
  • Kingfisher birds
  • The Costa Rican tayra (weasel)
  • A sleepy sloth
  • Iguanas
  • Herons, Egrets
  • The Blue Morpho Butterfly
  • And more!

Below is a brief overview of all the guided rafting and wildlife tours you can take from Arenal.

Overview of the Best Safari Tours in Arenal

A female tourist looks up at the trees in Costa Rica to spot wildlife.

A quick search on Viator will show you about a dozen of safari tours on the Peñas Blancas river outside of La Fortuna.

But which ones are worth your time and money? And which ones are appropriate for your travel group and style?

Here is a quick overview of the best safari rafting tours in Arenal.

Read more down below for an insider’s look at our tour provider of choice, Green Vacations.

⭐️ Most 5-star reviews: Canoa Aventura

👧 Best for families: Green Vacations (—who we booked with!)

🛶 Kayak version: Canoa Aventura

Green Vacations Costa Rica

After our experience with Raúl from Green Vacations Costa Rica, I’m convinced there was no one more suitable for our travel party of three (including my mom and sister).

From the get-go, we could tell the day was going to be fun.

Tour guide navigating floatable raft for a wildlife watching tour in Costa Rica.
Pura Vida, Raúl 😎
Howlers monkeys in Costa Rica.
A troop of howler monkeys!

Raúl has a contagious upbeat energy iconic of “Pura Vida” vibes, and you could tell that, even though he floats down that river nearly every day, he was truly excited to introduce and share this experience with us.

If you book with Green Vacations, I am sure you will feel this sense of pura vida, too, even if your guide for the day isn’t Raul.

We spotted tons of birds and notable wildlife during the relaxing 2-hour float.

What I really appreciated was that Raúl took the time to paddle to the shore whenever there were howler monkeys or toucans in the trees so we could take pictures and get a better look.

One of the highlights of our experience was coming across a tayra, or weasel, that was trying to attack an enormous iguana. We must have caught the weasel’s eye because he scurried right down from the branches to get a closer look at us near the shore. 👀

A Costa Rican tayra in the treetops.
A Costa Rican weasel spots us from the treetops
A Costa Rican tayra "weasel" snarling in the treetops.
Zoomed in…
A Costa Rican weasel or tayra in the treetops.
He didn’t look too happy about us disturbing his iguana lunch!

After such an informative and exciting yet relaxing float, we docked our inflatable raft and, finally, after two hours, saw a sloth!

He was sleeping in a tree, but we got pretty close to him! Apparently he had been there all day. 🦥

After gawking at our first wild sloth encounter, we ducked inside an outdoor café at a local farm to feast on homemade treats (the cheese, fried plantain, and banana bread were so delicious). We got to pet the racehorses, too!

A sloth asleep in the tree.
Plates of homemade Costa Rican typical snacks (panela cheese, fried plantain, banana bread).

Ultimately, I think what makes the Peñas Blancas safari float special is that no two experiences are alike, so make sure to go with a watchful eye, and an open mind! 🦅

The takeaway? This tour ended up becoming one of the favorites from our entire week in Costa Rica!

👉 Book your Peñas Blancas Safari Float here

Peñas Blancas Safari Float FAQs

Women wearing life jacket and holding binoculars on wildlife rafting tour in Costa Rica.

How Much Does the Raft Safari Tour Cost?

The average tour price for this experience costs about $65 USD per person.

For our party of three, we paid a total of $199 USD — and it was well worth it! It is still my mom’s favorite memory of our Costa Rica trip.

When Is the Best Time to Go on the Wildlife Rafting Tour?

Most of the outfitters who offer the safari float tours in Arenal have two departure times—at 7 AM or 1 PM (just check in advance).

Since we had the North Fields Coffee/Chocolate Tour in the morning, we ended up booking our Peñas Blancas tour for 1 PM and it worked out perfectly.

The morning tours are typically said to feature more wildlife. That makes sense, I suppose, seeing as it is the quiet early hours.

However, that doesn’t mean you will see less/more wildlife in the morning versus the afternoon or vice versa. So don’t base your decision on that alone.

Tunnel of light on the Peñas Blancas river in Costa Rica
White birds flying in Costa Rica.
Family in raft floating down the Peñas Blancas River in Arenal, Costa Rica.

Instead, think about how you’d like to organize your day in La Fortuna / Arenal.

Consider the weather too; it will be cooler in the mornings than in the afternoon.

Also, consider that this tour is a half-day excursion, so you can expect it to last around four hours including travel time.

What’s Included in the Wildlife Safari Tour?

  • ✅ Transport and pick-up/drop-off
  • ✅ Professional guide
  • ✅ Snacks/drinks
  • ❌ Tips

Most, if not all, tours include pick-up/drop-off at a hotel within the immediate La Fortuna area.

Beyond that, you will need to drive yourself to the meeting point (such was the case for us).

Shuttle/van transport is then provided to reach the Peñas Blancas River and back.

Your driver and raft guide will set up your inflatable raft or separate kayaks. Meanwhile, you can apply sunscreen and eco-friendly mosquito spray (you might need it).

After about a 2-hour lazy float down the river (some light paddling required), you will exit the raft and fuel up at the nearby local farm where snacks and juice are provided. For some tours, beer/alcohol is offered.

The tour concludes with a trip back to your vehicle at the meeting point or your chosen drop-off point!

Tourists on the Green Vacations wildlife safari float tour in La Fortuna/Arenal, Costa Rica.

What to Bring/Wear for the PeñAs Blancas River Tour?

Since you will be out in nature, go prepared! That includes packing a day backpack or dry bag with the essentials:

  • Binoculars
  • Sunscreen
  • Sun hat
  • Insect repellant
  • Water shoes — I wore my Teva sandals (to get in/out of the raft)
  • Camera — I took my SonyA7II with the 24-105mm f/4 lens
  • Reusable water bottle (PS — the water is safe to drink in Costa Rica!)

🌿 Please be conscious of Leave No Trace principles and be mindful of your environmental impact not only on this safari float but wherever your adventures in Costa Rica take you!

I hope you have the most wonderful time as we did on the safari float!

No matter which tour company you choose, I am confident you will leave the country with this experience as one of your favorite memories.

Ready to have this experience?!

➡️ Book your Costa Rica Safari Float here

Please feel free to circle back and let me know how your experience goes in the comments. ☺️

Iguana on a branch in Arenal area, Costa Rica.
Bamboo grove on riverside in Costa Rica.
A beautiful black bird with bright red bottom sits among flora.
A bird from Costa Rica sitting on a branch.

By: Bri · In: Costa Rica

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Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confi Traveling solo in Nepal has awakened in me a confidence & sense of self (at the risk of sounding cliché), of “my essence” and inner Knowing, and where my compassion and passions mingle and thrive. I was reading some of your comments on my recent Reel about solo travel and how I put myself at great risk/in danger. But as I was telling my Tibetan friend, Sonam, tonight (yes, the new one I made last week!), I inform my decisions mostly by 1. Asking myself, “Would this make a good story?” and 2. Listening to my body and emotions. Yes, it’s risky to travel solo, to be a female in a male-dominated culture, to go out after hours with people you just met, etc. But doing that — and all the magic that followed by “allowing” — reminded me exactly of who I am at my core: Curious and open to the world, willing to get uncomfortable for the sake of finding magic and serendipity. Some of you said, “I’m too scared to do this, how do you overcome that fear of personal safety?” And to this I say, I don’t! Fear accompanies me along the journey. Living life is one big risk. It’s uncomfortable to be open, vulnerable, and unsure. But once you accept that and once you begin to let compassion and curiosity guide you rather than your fear, the real magic starts to happen in all areas of life, not just travel. I find these moments most in travel though, when I’m confronted with contrast and am left vulnerable to the world and the kindness of my fellow humans. My Reels are not meant to romanticize or gloss over very real risks/threats in life, but rather to share a real account of what’s possible (adventure, connections, love, etc) when you worry less about societal norms and what’s “safe not safe” “right not right” and allow your over-active fears to take a backseat. 
This is your reminder to trust your inner compass to guide you in writing your epic life story. ✨✨

To sum it up: 

1. Choose a life of adventure 
2. Stay curious
3. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable (otherwise said, seek discomfort)
4. Let love and light flow in and out 
5. Change is the only constant 

#solotravel #nepaltravel #solofemaletraveler #soloadventure #localtravel #trekkingnepal #adventurethatislife
The strength of women 💛 These ladies were lau The strength of women 💛 

These ladies were laughing so sweetly while filling up their water jugs at the Manga Hiti fountain in Patan. I watched them for a while and then plucked up the courage to ask if I could take their photos, which only made them giggle more. 

I've always felt that not being able to communicate in the same language makes for even more interesting encounters. Without words, we have to touch each other's humanity with eyes and gestures, and most of the time it leads to unspoken mutual understanding, acceptance, and love. We three walked away with the biggest smiles on our faces. I yelled out "Dhayabad!" (Thank you!) as they hoisted their jugs up the stairs, laughing all the way. I won't forget this shared moment between us 🙏 

Check stories for the landscape orientation for some of these photos ✨ 

#nepal #nepalnow #nepalphotography #nepaliculture #nepalisbeautiful #natgeoyourshot #patan #kathmanduvalley #lifetimeexperiences #photonepal #nepaltravel
Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swi Did you feel it? Nepal’s ancient wisdom, its swirling spirituality, its raw humanity? ✨🇳🇵❤️

#nepal #visitnepal #nepalnow #travelstories #localtravel #mindfultravel #slowtravel #natgeotravel
When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay When you say “yes” as a solo traveler and stay open to the randomness of life and the kindness of strangers, really wonderful memories can be made. Thank you Lama family and my new Tibetan friends for such a fun and insightful sequence of experiences 🙏 💛

#solotravel #localtravel #nepaltravel #nepaldiaries #nepali #solofemaletravel #kathmandunepal #thamel #tibetanfood #solotraveldiaries
My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 My first week back in the chaos of Kathmandu, 💛 

Being back after 7 long years away has jolted my body, brain, and spirit. At first, I felt overwhelmed with the recurring thought of, "I don't know what to do with myself." It was only when acceptance knocked on my door, and I finally decided to let it in, that things began to shift and flow.
 
In Nepal, particularly Kathmandu, everything around me swarms like a hive. I have nowhere else to go but inside myself. I've discovered through years of slow traveling (and solo travel) that peace awaits me there -- a sense of independence, power, and knowing that is still, comforting, and safe. And I can tap into it whenever I need to.

Chaos and peace reside in all of us, and Nepal has a cosmic, ancient way of reminding you of just that. 

📍 Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur

#nepaltravel #patan #durbarsquare #nepalphotography #slowtravel #nepal #solotravel #lalitpur
They ask, “Why?” I was 29 when I embarked on They ask, “Why?” 

I was 29 when I embarked on the plane on the 21st, and 30 when I disembarked on the 23rd. How fitting. I spent all of my 20s abroad (except for my two final semesters in undergrad), and moved to Nepal when I was 21. 

What better way to say goodbye to my twenties than by returning to the start? I felt the desperate urge to start my 30s this way—alone on a one-way ticket with no concrete plans. I have both feared and longed to come back all these years. You see, I had made a promise to one of my closest Nepali friends that I’d see her again, but the reality is that I no longer can. 

She, along with another dear friend, passed away from cancer a couple of years back. The thought of returning to my old life here without my friends made me, well, incredibly sad. I had thought that, upon landing in Kathmandu—or taking a bite of my first momo—after so long, I’d find myself bursting into tears of both grief and gratitude. But I didn’t. Instead, I found familiarity in the chaos and chaos in the strangeness. 

Just being here—and the decisions and actions it took to get here—has reminded me of the preciousness of this one very short life. And that, by choosing to celebrate mine—at the exciting turn of a decade no less—by coming back to Nepal on a solo trip that would force me into daring discomfort when I could instead retreat to the comforts of family or my partner, is how I want to live it.

Truth is, a couple of months ago the thought of Nepal felt out of reach. It felt risky, unattainable. But the idea itself pushed open, just a crack at first, a door that had been otherwise closed. I could have more easily ignored my “what if?” daydreams—calling them off as too hard, too uncomfortable, or too far-fetched to actually pursue—and kept it shut.
But sometime in mid-July, I decided to look at flights. And I found one (truly, just one) option that could work. And it just so happened that it would fall on my birthday, or rather bridge my birthday. The idea of getting on a plane at 29 and getting off it at 30—back in Nepal—sold me. I fell in love with the story, the adventure, the unknowingness of it all. 

So, yeah. That’s why. Or as I prefer, “Why not?”
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