We paddled three rivers, (Pejibaye, Sarapequi, Pacuare) and different sections on those rivers. Our guides with Costa Rica Rios were SO good-all of them Class V paddling experts, and absolutely the best people you ever want to meet. They were fun!
We had a blast-it was worth every penny I scraped and saved to go.
The rivers became progressively more difficult as the week went on, culminating in the Lower Pacuare River Gorge, a 16 mile stretch which I would compare somewhat with the Upper Ocoee. Class III-IV. It almost goes without saying that it was VERY beautiful. There were tropical plants everywhere on the Pacuare. The smoking and steaming Turrialba Volcano towered over the valley & our home base bed and breakfast. We saw monkeys, iguanas, toucans, and many exotic birds, & poison red dart frogs. We hiked & swam in pools at the base of waterfalls. The weather was perfect. The stars at night-fantastic.
I would recommend this trip for those with at least Class III paddling skills, if in a hard boat. There were 16 clients in our group, and besides kayaks, some paddled duckies, a shredder, a Cataraft? and two couples were in tandem canoes.
By the last paddling day in the gorge, the water had become challenging enough that everyone was put into rafts besides a paddler from Idaho named Reed, and myself.
The rivers were rocky, and rock dodging was a lot of the challenge, there were also many "wall shots" every day.
Unfortunately, Susan was injured twice. On the last rapids of the 1st and 3rd day, she hit rocks cracking her cheekbone/black eye/cuts left side of her face, and then forehead/black eye/7 stitches on the right side of her face, respectively. I heard the words "bar fight" used quite a bit. She was an AMAZING trooper, getting back in to paddle. She rafted/shredder the other days. She plans to get a full-face helmet for next year.
I ended up paddling a Dagger GT 7.8. and Susan was in an LL Trigger. They had lots of equipment, everything was provided.
At the end of the week, I signed up for a massage where for $50 the woman rubbed me down deep with oil, beat me with a stick, put hot and cold rocks on me, used a vibrator on my back, popped all my toes, etc. for an hour. It was insanely awesome. I signed up for ANOTHER one in the morning. I need a new skirt but I couldn't help myself!
I HIGHLY recommend this trip. It was well worth $1600, plus $389 for airfare. Other expenses: massage $50, (or $100 in my case) tip for guides $100 (some people paid more), video $100, t-shirt $20. Start saving!
Only thing I didn't like (besides Susan's injuries): the guides do not want you to help do any rescuing, and won't even allow you to bring your rope on the river. They certainly did not need assistance, but it was still weird.
Those 16 clients from all over the United States are now great friends. I love those people. They all want to go back too.
SYOR in Costa Rica Jan. 2013!
