Does anyone know of a good tour company that will pick you up from Alajuela and take you rafting on the Pacuare?

They all pick up in San Jose as far as I know.

You could easily make arrangements to have a cab take you into San Jose that morning. The Pacuare trips I've gone on rounded us up between 5:30 to 6 a.m. so work with your tour operator to figure out a pickup/drop off spot. Last time we went, we stayed at Clarion Hotel Amon. We were the last to be picked up and the first to be dropped off so it worked well. We got coffee and watched for a van driver to pull up and ask who was going rafting.

The river is in the opposite direction from San Jose as Alajuela is. I really doubt anyone would pick you up out there. I'm sure you'd be on your own to get inot San Jose at a mutually agreed point for the operator to meet you.

We use the Orquideas Inn for a lot of our clients who prefer to stay by the airport. We usually just arrange an early transfer to the Rosti Pollo restaurant near the airport and the Hampton Inn. Rios Tropicales will pick up there. It is only about a 15 minute ride, and the hotel has a reliable taxi driver.

We also just arranged a pick up from Orquideas Inn for a kayaker. He figured that it was too much hassle to carry the kayak and deal with the vehicle change. Rios Tropicales agreed to do the transfer back and forth for an extra $50.00.

Just be prepared for a very early pick up. As Jeff said, the river is in the opposite direction from San Jose. You will be the first one picked up that morning. So figure that you will have to be ready around 5:00 AM.

Hope this helps! Let me know if I can offer any more advice.

Warm Regards,
Pat Hewitt
Travel Professional

Rios Tropicales will pick up from the Orquideas Inn for a reasonable fee. Just need to be up with the monkeys.

Awake with them, that is... they don't make you sit with them.