The Solo Scale:

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La Fortuna in Arenal has no shortage of incredible experiences to enjoy. You could zipline. You could go horseback riding or maybe go enjoy one of the many hot springs. If you’re looking for a relaxing experience that comes with a light side of exercise and a lot of nature, you should join the Peñas Blancas Safari Float.

There are a couple of things to note. The first is good news for anyone who might feel a bit worried about the physical exertion level. You don’t have to be in any kind of physical peak shape to participate as the paddling is more of a fun feature than a requirement.

That said, on days when the temperatures soar, you might be starting in the morning when it’s cool, but it will heat up. Stay hydrated. If you’re going in dry season, you might discover there’s more work to do on your float, simply because of the water level being so low.

Make sure you have sandals or waterproof shoes for the boat. You won’t get soaked. Still, the chances of getting a little wet are still high. The tour departs in the morning, so if you like sleeping in, you may need to introduce some coffee to your morning.

Once you arrive, you’ll meet the “Captain” of your boat, and join them at the launching point in your inflatable. Each boat operates with a maximum of six other people. You sit on the edge, so be cautious in the way you sit or you could tip over. The level of the river is all up to the ecosystem. When I did my river float, the water level was extremely low. That meant a lot of paddling given how many times the raft got stuck in shallow rocks. Still, even with that, it wasn’t too much effort.

Once we began floating, the meditative and peaceful state truly kicked in. On the float, we saw howler monkeys several times, along with a variety of birds (including owls) and lizards. Even with the wildlife, the natural beauty of the trees and the river was well-worth the float and would have been amazing, even without it.

The river float itself took a little under two hours, and by the time we finished, the sun had truly begun to heat up. Our last stop is also a snack point where you get plantains and juice. With luck, you may also get to watch some horse-training taking place. If not, there’s always the dependable bird perches. This is where they put out bananas to attract wild toucans and other birds.

The journey itself was calm, peaceful, and littered with all kinds of wildlife. The staff on the excursion (both on the river and in the pick-up and service after) were kind, thoughtful, and well-versed in their knowledge of all things local. It’s a fun treat to get to know them, and learn more about Arenal in the meantime!

If you’re ready to float down the river, book your excursion here.

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