Canyoning down the waterfall

Canyoning in the Lost Canyon, Arenal/La Fortuna

Hike along a hidden rainforest river and rappel down waterfalls on the tropical adventure of a lifetime

Overview

Go waterfall rappelling, also known as canyoning, in the jungle. This activity is one of the most popular adventure sports in Costa Rica. In a canyon in the heart of the rainforest, your guide will provide brief safety instructions and outfit you with a harness. You'll then rappel down the side of three different waterfalls, feeling the mist and spray of the falls as you descend along a wall of rocky cliffs. Finish with a splash into the largest waterfall's pool before drying off for lunch at a Costa Rican restaurant on the banks of the La Fortuna River.

Highlights

  • Rappel down the edge of three waterfalls in the jungle
  • Hike through the rainforest between waterfalls
  • Enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool at the largest waterfall's base
  • Sample Costa Rican cuisine at a popular local restaurant

Know before you go

Duration
4 hours
Recommended for
13 years old & up
Group
Small group
Food & Drink
Lunch Included

What you'll do

The adventure begins with door-to-door pick-up service at your accommodations. Once all participants are onboard, your group will enjoy the 15-minute drive to the forest, where you'll attend a safety demonstration with your adventure guides. Never rappelled? Not to worry — no experience is necessary, and your expert guides make sure everyone is safe throughout the experience.

Once you're outfitted in high-quality canyoning gear, including a harness and a helmet, it's time to try waterfall rappelling. You'll start with a small waterfall, easing your way into learning the ropes. Then it's on to the second largest waterfall of the day, where you'll continue building up your skills. Hike back up through the rainforest to reach your third and final waterfall of the day. This waterfall is sure to get your adrenaline pumping as you rappel down 200 feet (61 meters) of cascades, ending with a splash into the pool below.

After drying off, your group will head to lunch at a Costa Rican restaurant. Your guides will drop you off at your accommodations at the end of the tour.

Start times

  • Daily
    7:30 am, 10:30 am, 1:00 pm

What's included

  • Door-to-door pick-up and drop-off at accommodations
  • Tour guides
  • Lunch 
  • Transport
  • Lockers
  • Safety gear and equipment

Traveler reviews

8 total ratings, 6 with reviews
4.9 out of 5
Feature ratings
Quality of Experience
5.0
Food
4.3
Guides, Drivers and Staff
5.0
Transport
4.6
Charles
Charles B.
Los Angeles, CA | Reviewed on Oct 18, 2023
For a 65-year-old man that is not in the greatest shape did this wonderful excursion and enjoyed every bit of it. It was slightly rough, but I would recommend this excursion to anyone that can handle it. Read more

For a 65-year-old man that is not in the greatest shape did this wonderful excursion and enjoyed every bit of it. It was slightly rough, but I would recommend this excursion to anyone that can handle it.

Tips for future travelers

Go for it just go for it. It’s great.

Quality of Experience
Costa Rica is a wealth of flora and Fana and different types of animals birds species, reptiles, and insects and mammals. You couldn’t ask for a better place to visit with all of that wonderful creation.
Food
All of my drivers were on time
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Their knowledge of the areas that we travel through, and the ability to be bilingual and language, and very amazingly kind
Transport
Well, all of the equipment that was used in my travels were very new and very comfortable
Kelly
Kelly C.
San Mateo, CA | Reviewed on Aug 21, 2023
The activity is super cool and something to brag about. Love the man-made Dam effect, got a really cool video out it. Read more

The activity is super cool and something to brag about. Love the man-made Dam effect, got a really cool video out it.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
S
Sachin S.
Chandler, AZ | Reviewed on Jul 11, 2023
This was amazing !!
We had never done Canyoning - like rappeling - but I'd not done that either.
Everyone in the family loved this activity. I would definitely recommend it to anyone active. Read more

This was amazing !!
We had never done Canyoning - like rappeling - but I'd not done that either.

Everyone in the family loved this activity. I would definitely recommend it to anyone active.

Tips for future travelers

Absolutely, recommend that you have good traction shoes for water activities. I had bought Astral PFD Sandal, and those worked great !!

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Brian
Brian L.
Bel Air North, MD | Reviewed on Apr 21, 2023
Super fun and memorable. Don’t miss it. Read more

Super fun and memorable. Don’t miss it.

Tips for future travelers

Careful, it is slippery walking on wet rocks between ropes.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
C
Caitlin M.
The Woodlands, TX | Reviewed on Dec 08, 2022
Absolutely incredible experience! Would do this over and over! The guides were so great and it was so fun Read more

Absolutely incredible experience! Would do this over and over! The guides were so great and it was so fun

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Albert
Albert C.
Sunnyvale, CA | Reviewed on Jul 29, 2022
It was really fun but a little bit dangerous. The rocks were slippery and if you don't have good balance you can easily trip. The rappelling was not inherently dangerous, but I did tweak my arm coming down one of the waterfalls. Our guide Roy was fun to work with. I didn't realize how wet we would be getting and should have worn different clothes. Read more

It was really fun but a little bit dangerous. The rocks were slippery and if you don't have good balance you can easily trip. The rappelling was not inherently dangerous, but I did tweak my arm coming down one of the waterfalls. Our guide Roy was fun to work with. I didn't realize how wet we would be getting and should have worn different clothes.

Tips for future travelers

Wear clothes as if you're going swimming. Bring water-shoes and good balance.

Quality of Experience
Food
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
It was delayed by 20 minutes or so. Couldn't leave stuff on the bus either.

Itineraries with Canyoning in the Lost Canyon

Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio Self-Drive - 11 Days

This itinerary combines mountain excursions with a bit of a beach holiday and some aquatic adventure. You'll arrive in Liberia, the hub of Costa Rica's Guanacaste Province. From there, drive to Arenal Volcano National Park, where you'll hike to a waterfall, relax in natural hot springs, and raft world-class whitewater. Then it's west to the Monteverde to see the cloud forest canopy via suspension bridges and a zip-line tour. A drive south will take you to Manuel Antonio, a unique destination with a combination of the beach, jungle and national park. After a couple days enjoying the beach and wildlife in Manuel Antonio, you'll return to San Jose for your journey home.

Costa Rica Adventure: Whitewater, Volcanoes & Surfing - 9 Days

This fun 9-day itinerary highlights Costa Rica's amazing natural scenery through a thrilling series of adventurous activities including whitewater rafting, kayaking, zip-lining, and more. Starting in the nation's capital, you'll make your way to rivers, jungles, waterfalls, and cone-shaped volcanoes, culminating on the Pacific coast with time to do some surfing in Tamarindo's famous beaches.

Costa Rica Volcanoes & Pacific Coast Adventure - 12 Days

Combine a beach holiday and jungle adventure in one self-drive vacation. Arrive in Liberia and head to Tenorio National Park, where you'll hike along the electric blue waters of the Río Celeste. Next up is Arenal Volcano National Park, a hotbed of adventure activities. After a waterfall trek and whitewater rafting excursion, drive to Monteverde for a zip-line tour of the cloud forest canopy and a guided wildlife night hike. Finally, it's off to the beaches of Sámara and Tamarindo on the Nicoya Peninsula for surfing and relaxation.

Costa Rica Wildlife Adventure - 11 days

This active 11-day itinerary is designed to appeal to nature lovers and adventure fiends of every stripe. It starts on the southern Pacific coast, in the remote, Corcovado National Park. Here you'll enjoy rugged hikes abounding with wildlife-spotting opportunities. Then it's off to the north where you'll explore the misty cloud forests of Monteverde and fly over the forest canopy.  After a visit to the famed Arenal Volcano, it's time for another hike, this time to the Hule Lagoon, an ancient crater lake like something out of Conan Doyle's "Lost World." Enjoy waterfall rappelling before ending your Costa Rican adventure with a wild rafting trip down the Pacuare River.