Costa Rica Tropical Adventures — Attraction in El Cairo

Our family of four (kids are 12 and 14) went on this excursion on our first full day in Costa Rica and, wow, what high standards it set for the rest of our trip! I had originally booked the Half Day Naranjo River tour because it didn't seem as intense as the Upper Naranjo (Chorro section) tour; I was a little nervous for my kids, who had only tried family-style white water rafting when they were younger (class 1-2 rapids). However, when we were picked up by Mel, our rafting guide, we were given the option to switch to Chorro (to accompany another group of rafters). Since Mel made the Chorro sound really exciting, and our family loves a thrill, we decided to take the offer. We are so glad we did! Mel picked us up from our hotel right on time; in fact, he had to wait for us as we were a few minutes late. The drive to the river took about 25 minutes. There, we were given a safety briefing, as well as the basic commands of maneuvering the raft. Since each raft can hold 4 people max, my family was split up between two rafts (my daughter and I sat with Mel, and my husband and son sat with Raul). These guys are experienced and know what they are doing. They make sure their customers get the thrill of the rapids - twisting, churning, spinning, splashing... you name it - without compromising safety. The best part was seeing a smile on my teenage daughter's face during the entirety of the ride (and you know how it pains teenagers to smile in front of their parents). During the 2 1/2 hour ride, we had opportunities to get out of our raft and swim/float around. There was a ledge where we could climb up to and jump into the water (highly recommend); and a spot where you can stand as the water pounds your back ("back massage"). When the ride was over, we were offered a refreshing snack of fresh pineapple and juice. On the ride back to the hotel, we got to check out the photos that were taken by the photographer. You can purchase the digital photos if you'd like. We also stopped at a shop where they sold chocolate produced locally. Besides chocolate, you can purchase a variety of herbs and spices, all grown on local grounds. This excursion is by far our favorite one during our vacation in Costa Rica. Thanks to Mel, Damian, Raul, and Stewart, my family had an...

We had an awesome time! Spent 2 nights at the lodge rafted in and out. The guides are all great, fun and at the same time serious about your safety on the raft. They also do all the cooking for you during your stay. There's no variety for picky eaters but the meals were all good and appealed to everyone. They even made accommodations for myself and another celiac. If you have a big appetite I would recommend bringing snacks for yourself.

There is not much to do at the lodge other than hiking if you're there only for one full day, but even that only takes up a few hours. Definitely bring a book or something to entertain yourself with. (No wifi)

The grounds are beautiful and the rooms are nice and clean, though you are in a jungle so tiny bugs do find their way inside. We spotted toucans and howler monkeys from the...

We took a mini combo tour volcano, waterfall and lunch. All was good. Good guide, transport, scenery was great. All entrance prices transport and lunch is included. The guide gave straightforward information about the volcano (which you can probably read on the net) . The waterfall speaks for itself - majestic and where you can swim (although it's a 500 step stairs down and back up) . All the tour companies seem to use a great resturant - a little off the beaten track - great food. You could do it all for yourself with taxis and for a family that could be as much as...