Arenal Waterfall Canyoning & Rappelling Tours Compared
10 canyoning tours at roughly 60 to 500 EUR, five operators, each with its own canyon or two. Typically 60 to 120 EUR, and the minimum age runs from 5 to 16.
Ten Arenal waterfall canyoning tours, five operators, and one name on four of the ten: Pure Trek Canyoning sells four listings and holds 35% of the 4,573 reviews. Prices run from the 60 to 120 EUR band for a 5-hour rappel and jump to more than 250 EUR for an 8-hour day that adds activities at a hotel and its hot springs, and the typical price is 60 to 120 EUR. Length does not explain the price here: a 3-hour descent and a 5-hour one sit in the same band. What explains it is the canyon, because each operator runs its own, with its own number of rappels, its own age limit and its own idea of what a waterfall is. This page helps you choose between them. For the place and the rest of the area, see the La Fortuna & Arenal page.
Two cautions. Ten listings is a small sample, and four of them have fewer than 40 reviews, so their ratings say little. And the listings contradict each other. The ABC day in the Peñas Blancas canyon says four waterfalls in its description and five rappels in its inclusions, and Pure Trek's two Rainforest Falls listings give the main drop as 35 m in one and 25 m in the other. Where that happens we say so, and we give you the figure to ask the operator about instead of picking one. None of the ten is a private tour, so every price is per person, and the group caps on the listings run from 10 to 25 people per booking.
Arenal River Canyon Rappelling with Canopy Lines and Lunch at La Roca Bistró
Rappel four canyon walls, cross two canopy lines and finish with a buffet lunch at La Roca Bistró. Showers, towels and transport from La Fortuna included.
Gravity Falls Waterfall Jumping and Canyoning Tour, Small Group from La Fortuna
Leap off waterfalls and cliffs on a six-hour canyon trip limited to 10 guests. Lunch, tropical fruit and equipment are covered, and the minimum age is 16.
Gravity Falls Waterfall Jumping and River Rafting Extreme Combo, La Fortuna
Jump and rappel waterfalls, then raft a class three river in a single six-hour day. Guides, snacks and local food are included for high-fitness travelers.
La Fortuna Canyoning with Tree and Hanging Bridge Rappels, Waterfall and Lunch
Five rappels covering 100 meters, from a tree, a hanging bridge and a waterfall, then lunch and a car ride through the cloud forest. Hotel pickup is included.
Lost Canyon Waterfall Rappelling from La Fortuna with Buffet Lunch and Pickup
Rappel four of the largest waterfalls in Costa Rica's Northern Zone, then swim at El Salto. Groups top out at 10 and an all-you-can-eat buffet is included.
Pocosol Forest Canyoning and Waterfall Rappelling with Lunch near Arenal
Rappel down waterfalls in the Peñas Blancas River Canyon with ABCCanyoning guides. Safety gear, traditional lunch and hotel transport are all covered.
Pure Trek Canyoning near La Fortuna: Four Rappels, Monkey Drop and Lunch
Half-day canyoning with Pure Trek, a La Fortuna operator since 2001. Hotel pickup in an air-conditioned van and a lunch at headquarters after the descents.
Pure Trek Rainforest Falls Combo: Waterfall Rappel, Jumps and Lunch, La Fortuna
Seven hours with Pure Trek: a 25-meter waterfall rappel, optional jumps from 1 to 10 meters, swimming, snacks and a Costa Rican lunch at the La Fortuna base.
Pure Trek Waterfall Rappel plus Club Rio Activities and Hot Springs, La Fortuna
Rappel a waterfall at Pure Trek, then pick two Club Rio activities and soak in the hot springs. An eight-hour day with Costa Rican style lunch and a guide.
Rainforest Falls Two-Waterfall Rappel and Jump Tour with Lunch, La Fortuna
Two waterfall rappels of 35 and 15 meters, then rock leaps and optional jumps. Lunch is served back at the base, and all guests must know how to swim.
Ratings collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
How the ten canyoning tours differ
| Listing | Operator | Hours | Price band | What the listing says about the descents | Minimum age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lost Canyon | Desafío | 4 | 60 to 120 EUR | Four waterfalls rappelled, a swim at El Salto, up to 10 people per booking | 10 |
| Gravity Falls waterfall jumping | Desafío | 6 | 120 to 250 EUR | Rappel and jump, small group of up to 10, high fitness | 16 (15 on the operator's page) |
| Extreme combo, Gravity Falls and rafting | Desafío | 6 | 120 to 250 EUR | Gravity Falls plus class 2 to 3 rafting, high fitness | Not stated |
| 4 rappels and monkey drop | Pure Trek | 4 | 60 to 120 EUR | Four rappels, rock climbing and a drop; lunch at the Pure Trek base | 5 |
| Jungle waterfall rappel and jump | Pure Trek | 5 | 60 to 120 EUR | Two rappels of 35 m and 15 m, optional jumps of 1 to 10 m; must know how to swim | Not stated |
| Canyoning and Rainforest Falls combo | Pure Trek | 7 | 120 to 250 EUR | Lists Pure Trek canyoning and 2 rappels at Rainforest Falls; the text describes only the second | Not stated |
| Rainforest falls and volcano hike with hot springs | Pure Trek | 8 | 250 to 500 EUR | One rappel plus two activities at a hotel; the title mentions a hike, the text does not | Not stated |
| Canyoning, rappelling waterfalls in Arenal | ABC Canyoning | 5 | 60 to 120 EUR | Peñas Blancas canyon; four waterfalls in the text, five rappels in the inclusions | Not stated |
| Canyoning and waterfall rappelling from La Fortuna | La Roca Canyoning | 3 | 60 to 120 EUR | Four rappels of 15 to 28 m, optional jumps into three pools, two canopy lines | Not stated |
| Canyoning in waterfalls and zipline | Lands in Love hotel | 5.5 | 60 to 120 EUR | Five descents totaling 100 m: one from a tree, one from a bridge, three in the waterfall | Not stated |
Read the hours column against the price column. Between 3 and 5.5 hours all six listings sit in the same 60 to 120 EUR band, and the clock explains none of it. The 3-hour descent is dearer than the cheapest 5-hour one. The 4-hour Lost Canyon is dearer than the 4-hour Pure Trek. From 6 hours up, three of the four listings add something that is not a waterfall: rafting, a second river, a hotel day. That is where the prices jump to the 120 to 250 EUR band and, for the hotel day, above it.
Each operator runs its own canyon
The listings describe different places. Pure Trek takes you to its own canyon, and to a second site it calls Rainforest Falls, with lockers, showers and bathrooms. By their listings, ABC Canyoning works the Peñas Blancas River canyon and La Roca descends the Arenal River canyon, ending at its own bistro. Desafío runs two sites, the Lost Canyon and Gravity Falls. So choosing an operator is choosing a canyon, and the same words, four waterfalls, cover different drops.
Choosing the operator is choosing the canyon.
What a rappel asks of you
The fitness bar rises with the drop. The Lost Canyon and the zipline-and-canyon listings say all levels are welcome, most of the rest ask for at least a moderate level, and Gravity Falls and the rafting combo ask for a high one. Gravity Falls is also the tallest descent we have a figure for: 42 m (140 ft) on operator pages, with a double safety line and a weight limit of 100 kg (220 lb) on two operators' pages. The listings on this site state no weight limit, so ask.
Shoes matter. Pure Trek asks for shoes that can get wet and have straps, never flip-flops, and La Roca asks for closed shoes or tennis shoes. Harness, helmet and gloves come with the tour; bring swimwear and a change of clothes. Most listings add that canyoning is not recommended with spinal injuries, pregnancy or poor cardiovascular health.
Age and swimming rules change by operator
Do not assume the rules are shared. Of the listings that state a minimum age, one says 5, one 10 and one 16 (15 on that operator's own page), which is the spread between a family trip and an adults-only one. Several state none. Swimming varies too: one Pure Trek listing says you must know how to swim, while Gravity Falls pages from two operators say you do not, because you wear a life jacket. The Lost Canyon ends with a swim at El Salto. A 2026 local blog reports two drownings in 2026 at a free El Salto river spot without lifeguards; we could not confirm it is the same spot the tour uses, so ask the operator where the swim is. On a guided tour you are in the operator's hands, so ask how the day works in the pool section before you pay.
What the clock buys
Each dot is one listing, placed by length and price. The cluster at the lower left, 3 to 5.5 hours in the 60 to 120 EUR band, holds six of the ten listings, including the three with the most reviews. The dots at the upper right are the long days: Pure Trek's two combos and Desafío's two. They are four different products. One adds a second river, one a hotel afternoon, one rafting, and one is simply the hardest canyon.
The median line, in the 60 to 120 EUR band, hides this split. Half of the tours cost less than the median with lunch and pickup, and all of those take 5.5 hours or less.
Beyond the rappel: jumps, rafting and ziplines
Most of the ten add something to the rope. La Roca includes two canopy lines over its canyon. Gravity Falls swaps part of the rappelling for jumps off waterfalls and cliffs, with river tracing, bouldering and a hike along the canyon; its extreme combo adds rafting on a class 2 to 3 river. Pure Trek's Rainforest Falls listings offer optional jumps of 1 to 10 m after the rappels. The Lands in Love listing sells a descent from a tree and one from a hanging bridge, and its fine print offers rafting, a long zipline and bungee at an extra charge. Optional means optional: a jump you skip does not change the rappel count, so check which part you are paying for.
What the price includes, and what it leaves out
All ten listings include lunch and hotel pickup, and the lunches are named: a traditional Costa Rican lunch, a meal at the operator's base, a bistro lunch after the river walk, an all-you-can-eat buffet after the Lost Canyon. Pickup is sometimes limited: Gravity Falls and the rafting combo say select hotels only, and a Pure Trek combo lists pickup outside its zone as an extra. Photos are the usual extra. Pure Trek has a photographer and sells the pictures after the trip, while ABC lists photography as not included. Gratuities are never included, and one listing also leaves out alcoholic drinks. Pure Trek's hotel day adds a hotel and its hot springs, which is why it costs three times the standard day.
What none of the listings tell you
None of the ten says how the day changes in the green season, whether the descents run when the river is high, or how many people share a canyon on a busy morning. We would rather print no calendar than invent one, so this page has none; the rain calendar for the area is on the destination page. Ask the operator three things before you pay: what the river level does to the tour, whether the jumps are optional, and the largest group they take. If you would rather walk to the big fall and skip the rope, the sister page on La Fortuna Waterfall and Arenal Volcano tours reads 20 tours.
Questions about Arenal waterfall canyoning
How old do you have to be to go canyoning near La Fortuna?
It depends on the operator. Of the listings that state a minimum, one says 5 years, one 10 and one 16, and several state none, so ask before you book. Gravity Falls, the most demanding, lists 16 on the booking page and 15 on the operator's own page, and asks for a high level of fitness.
Do I need to know how to swim?
One Pure Trek listing says you must. Gravity Falls pages from two operators say you do not, because you wear a life jacket. The Lost Canyon ends with a swim at El Salto, so ask where the swim is. Ask what the pool sections are like on the day you go.
Is there a weight limit?
Operator pages for Gravity Falls give 100 kg (220 lb). The listings on this site do not state one, so ask the operator before you book, because the harness and the rope set the limit.
What should I wear canyoning in Costa Rica?
Shoes that can get wet and have straps, never flip-flops, according to Pure Trek; La Roca says closed shoes or tennis shoes. Bring swimwear and a change of clothes. The operators supply the harness, helmet and gloves.
How much does canyoning near La Fortuna cost?
Roughly 60 to 500 EUR, typically 60 to 120 EUR. The three listings with the most reviews sit in the 60 to 120 EUR band for 3 to 5 hours, with lunch and pickup. The dearest days add rafting, a second river or a hotel.
Are photos included?
Not usually. Pure Trek has a photographer and sells the pictures after the trip, and ABC lists photography as not included. Budget extra if you want them.
Prefer to stay on the trail?
Twenty tours to the big fall and around the volcano, from a gate ticket under 30 EUR to a private day, with what each admission covers.
Data verified on . Tours, prices and ratings read from 10 listings on 22 October 2026. Descent heights, age and weight limits from the listings and from operator pages.