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| Section |
La
Virgen to Chilamate; Chilamate to Peurto Viejo |
|
Location |
Near
Peurto Viejo, northeast of San Jose |
|
Driving Time |
San
Jose—2.5 hours |
|
Difficulty |
Class II-III (La Virgen);
I-II (Chilamate) |
|
Trip Length |
7
miles (11 km) on each section |
|
Trip Options |
Paddle
raft, oar raft; one day |
|
Season |
All
Year |
Rio Sarapiqui’s La
Virgen to Chilamate whitewater trip is one of Costa Rica’s more
popular one-day rafting trips. Its 7-mile (11-km) course—which
winds through lush tropical jungle forests, sugarcane fields and
banana, oil palm, and cacao plantations—has several exciting Class
III rapids. Most memorable are Gringo’s Hole, Confusion, and
Pattie’s Bend.
The lower Sarapiqui trip, beginning at
Chilamate, is comparable in beauty to the exotic Rio Corobici. Its
easy Class I-II water allows guests ample time to enjoy the forested
lowland jungle habitat near the Caribbean. Rio Sarapiqui’s
overhanging forests, draped with epiphytes and orchids, have a rich
variety of birdlife, including toucans, parrots, and oro pendulas. |
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