My husband and I are going to Costa Rica beginning Aug 31- Sept 10. We will be doing the Arenal/ Monteverde areas with many recommendations from the wonderful posts I have been studying. However, on September 4th we will be dropping off his sis & bro-in law at the San Jose airport and will be on our own for the remainder of the time. We would like to do a few days of rafting on the Pacuare River and also get out to the Tortuguero area. I have seen many guides that offer these trips out of San Jose but do any of you know of one that combines the two? We have these 5 days to be adventurous and would not want to waste another one traveling back to San Jose AGAIN. I have emailed The Pacuare Lodge, as they seem to have wonderful accommodations and have had some good reviews. (no response yet, as I have just sent the email) Any recommendations would be very helpful. Thanks so much!

My son and I will be going tommorow for a 10 day trip to CR. The last five days will be Pacuare and Tortuguero. We go with CR Expeditions. After Pacuare, we'll be back to San Jose. I don't know how one can avoid that. CR Expeditions has last minutes deal to Tortuguero that you might be able to take advantage of. I'll let you know how it goes after we're back(Aug 9).

Costa Rica Expeditions does have a lodge in tortuguero and does river rafting trips on the Pacuare. we traveled with them for our first few trips down there. They could easily help with the arrangements for travel between the two.

One option that I have suggested to several people that has worked out is to get dropped off at the end of the rafting trip and have transportation arranged to take you to a lodge for a night on the caribbean side. early next morning you can take a taxi up to Moin and from there take a boat up to Tortuguero. You would still have to spend a night between the two but it wouldn't feel like you were spinning your wheels by having to go back to San jose. Whatever lodge you choose in tortuguero could easily make the transportation arrangements for your Tortuguero travel day, ie; taxi and boat transportation. Your rafting company could make the arrangements to get you from the take out to your Caribbean hotel for the night.

I do know that Rios tropicales has done this for people very easily.

Wow, Suzie2 that is a great idea!! Thanks. It probably sounds obvious to you, but I have been grappeling with this for a few days trying to put together some logic. I called Gaia tours (as recommended by a few on these posts). Phillip is "looking into it." I don't know how I feel about that because he didn't sound like he knew if it is an option or what he was doing for that matter. Oh well. We'll see what he puts together. I like your idea much more, many thanks again.

I know for a fact that it can and has been done so I hope he can work it out for you.

From what I hear about Gaia Link you are in good hands.

Have a great trip. I love the Pacuare!!!!

Suzie2, Your idea sounded great. Unfortunately, Gaia Tours came up with an itinerary that did exactly what I did not want to do. Rios Tropicales email response gave me similar results. I haven't heard anything from the Pacuare Lodge at all. I am willing to book this plan on my own but was wondering if you could recommend a resort on the Caribbean that would be a good choice. Again, thanks for the help. I'm off to email CR Expeditions.

Mawamba Lodge will pick people up along the way for sure. Try contacting them--they will give you a list of restaurants and hotels they pick up at.

How sorry to hear they won't call a taxi for you at the take out. I know for a fact that it has been done. Only thing I can think of is that it is rainy season and maybe the roads aren't as reliable that time of year. Sept is generally one of the least rainy months for the caribbean side though.

We don't always stay in typical tourist places and one place that is quite unusual and interesting is aviarios del caribe. It is a b&b as well as a sloth rescue facility just north of cahuita. Perfect for just a quick visit. Other than that our stays in that area are limited by choice mostly. We don't generally seek out beach destinations although when I am down there alone I do stay in a beach location on the Osa at times.


we did have reservations at selva bananito this past winter but due to the flooding further south we had to change plans. that is how we were planning on getting into Panama. we still have a credit there and hope to get there this winter. Sounds like a great little eco lodge.

I just got back from CR today. The last five days of our 10-day trip were Pacuare and Tortuguero. Here is what I can tell you:

* The Pacuare Rafting(by Rios Tropicales) takes route 10 to the starting point and gets back to SJ via route 32. The Tortuguero (by CR Expeditions) takes route 32 to somewhere around Siquirres before going off to an unpaved road. So, in theory, if you can find a place around Siquirres, it might work. However, it presents an extra burden for a tour company and I'm not surprised that you got no help from them.

* In both trips, people staying in Hotel Bougainvillea(San Jose) got pick up last and drop off first. It will still be a two-hour ride but at least it saves you 15 min to one hour, compared to other locations.

* We were warned of outbreak of mosquito -born disease in the villiage area when we were in Tortuguero. Though we were luck to be able to see green sea turtles laying egg at night, I felt the trip was not as enjoyable because of the mosquito problems.

I'd beter go to sleep as I need to work tomorrow. Feel free to ask any question.