Our family of four (kids are 12 and 14) went on this excursion on our first full day in Costa Rica and, wow, what high standards it set for the rest of our trip!
I had originally booked the Half Day Naranjo River tour because it didn’t seem as intense as the Upper Naranjo (Chorro section) tour; I was a little nervous for my kids, who had only tried family-style white water rafting when they were younger (class 1-2 rapids). However, when we were picked up by Mel, our rafting guide, we were given the option to switch to Chorro (to accompany another group of rafters). Since Mel made the Chorro sound really exciting, and our family loves a thrill, we decided to take the offer. We are so glad we did!
Mel picked us up from our hotel right on time; in fact, he had to wait for us as we were a few minutes late. The drive to the river took about 25 minutes. There, we were given a safety briefing, as well as the basic commands of maneuvering the raft. Since each raft can hold 4 people max, my family was split up between two rafts (my daughter and I sat with Mel, and my husband and son sat with Raul).
These guys are experienced and know what they are doing. They make sure their customers get the thrill of the rapids – twisting, churning, spinning, splashing… you name it – without compromising safety. The best part was seeing a smile on my teenage daughter’s face during the entirety of the ride (and you know how it pains teenagers to smile in front of their parents).
During the 2 1/2 hour ride, we had opportunities to get out of our raft and swim/float around. There was a ledge where we could climb up to and jump into the water (highly recommend); and a spot where you can stand as the water pounds your back (“back massage”).
When the ride was over, we were offered a refreshing snack of fresh pineapple and juice.
On the ride back to the hotel, we got to check out the photos that were taken by the photographer. You can purchase the digital photos if you’d like. We also stopped at a shop where they sold chocolate produced locally. Besides chocolate, you can purchase a variety of herbs and spices, all grown on local grounds.
This excursion is by far our favorite one during our vacation in Costa Rica. Thanks to Mel, Damian, Raul, and Stewart, my family had an unforgettable adventure. – via 
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