The 8 Best River Tubing Tours in Costa Rica

1.La Leona Waterfall Hike and River Tubing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 90 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $90Our pick

Spend 4 to 5 hours near Curubandé hiking through forest and river channels to La Leona Waterfall, then tubing for about 90 minutes. Expect ladders, rock crossings, a rope-assisted cave entry, swimming, and rapids. Guides such as Ronnie, Brandy, Victor, and Diego focus on safety and helping less confident swimmers.

“Ponchino was an amazing tubing and hiking guide! We saw toucans, howler monkeys, and a bat cave during our experience. We would highly recommend this company as all of the guides are very professional and safety is a priority! Thanks Ponchino :)”

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2.Tubing Adventure in the Río Celeste

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $50

Spend about two hours tubing Río Celeste near La Fortuna, with roughly 90 minutes on the river. Guides such as Cristian, Alex, Luis, and Milton lead private groups through rapids, pools, rope swings, and wildlife-rich jungle. Expect swimming, bank jumps, possible sloth and frog sightings, and fresh fruit and water afterward.

“Luis and the team made our experience amazing. We were a family traveling with two teens. Everyone loved the experience. From the beautiful water to the swing to the expert guide. We had a wonderful time and would do it again in a heartbeat!”

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3.Tubing Rio Celeste: The Longest Adventure With Lunch Included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $65

Onca Tours takes you from its Katira meeting point to Rio Celeste for about three hours of active tubing, rainforest scenery, a possible cliff jump, and a typical Costa Rican lunch. Guides such as Anthony keep the group moving and help with river safety. Expect an unpaved access road and a moderate physical workout.

“Wonderful from start to finish. They accommodated our late arrival due to our flight coming in a day late. The guides were exceptional and we all had such a phenomenal time, kid particularly enjoyed jumping into the river off a high side/cliff. Highly recommend. And lunch was great at the end too. So friendly”

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4.Combo White Water Rafting and Tubing in La Fortuna

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90

Start with a 40-minute ride from La Fortuna, then raft through river rapids before switching to white-water tubes. Afterward, enjoy lunch, coffee, an organic farm visit, and a sugarcane demonstration. The $90 tour lasts about 6.5 hours, includes transport and equipment, and suits fit participants age 12 and older.

“What a great time. Everything was well coordinated and great. No complaints besides wishing for more rapids”

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5.Tubing in Rio Celeste

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 59 reviews · from $44Best value

Float and splash through Rio Celeste for about two hours with a certified bilingual guide. Carlos, Alex, Johnny, and other local guides lead small groups through natural pools and volcanic clay, while GoPro cameras capture the ride. Expect safety gear, fruit, water, snacks, parking, bathrooms, and return transport.

“My husband and I are visiting from Australia and the USA & never been tubing on the Rio Celeste river. It was a rainy day but we decided to make an adventure of it. It was a great decision as we were the only ones on the river. Our guy took exRead more”

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6.Rio Celeste Aquatic Tubing Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $55

Float and paddle through Río Celeste near Katira for about two hours, with calm pools, playful rapids, rainforest views, and chances to swim. Guides such as Christian, David, Gérald, and Gordo provide safety help and local conversation. The $55 tour includes equipment, guide service, and a return to the starting point.

“We are elderly. David saw to it that we were taken care of from start to finish of our excursion. He took extra care in getting us into our safety gear and into our tubes. He also set up our "go pro" on my husbands safety helmet. All along he kept asking if we were having a good time because it was most important. We talked back and forth about each other cultures and learned more about Costa Rica. Our ride back to the reception area was fantastic. Had a little Kareoke going. Made us smile. After return, we were directed to the showers for a rinse off and then…”

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7.Arenal Volcano Combination Tour: Zipline, Tubing and Hot Springs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $176

Start with 9 zip lines, 13 platforms, a hanging bridge, and forest views at Go Adventure Arenal Park. Then meet Maleku guides, tube through Arenal River rapids, and relax in hot springs. Guides including Miguel, Jefferson, Arturo, and Tiger are known for patient help, especially with nervous or older participants.

“Amazing experience. We did the zip lining/ rappel and tubing down the rapids plus hot springs at the end. So much fun. We have done zip lining several times in the past and these lines seemed really fast. The tour guides on both experiences were amazing. The tubing in the rapids has been the highlight of our trip so far. My group was my family of six ages, 21, 23, 24, 43, 44 and my mom 67! The compassion that was shown to my mom on the rapids is un heard of. She flipped over (which most of our group did) and one of the tour guides said “(Mama) I’m…”

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8.Hike to La Leone Waterfall / Tubing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $61

Spend 5 to 6 hours near Playa Hermosa hiking through the Rincón de la Vieja area to La Leona Waterfall. Local bilingual guides lead you over rocks, through shallow river sections, and past small caves before the final swim. Tubing adds rapids and drops, while lunch, a life vest, and stops in Liberia are included.

“Our experience hiking to La Leona Waterfall was absolutely unforgettable, a true highlight of our 50th-anniversary celebration! From the moment we met our amazing guide, Noel, we knew we were in for something special. Noel's expertise and enthusiasm truly enhanced every aspect of the adventure. This wasn't just an ordinary hike; it was an exhilarating exploration. We felt the thrill of sliding down a natural rock waterslide and took exhilarating leaps from huge boulders into the refreshing river below. The journey itself was an adventure, as we climbed over and under impressive boulders and navigated fallen trees, adding an element of fun and challenge to the trek. Although parts of…”

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