Costa Rica is a heavenly beautiful country located in Central America. Though small in size Costa Rica is one of the most bio-diverse areas in the planet. Over the last couple of decades tourism in Costa Rica has exploded as visitors discover everything that the country has to offer. Costa Rica is a wonderful place to visit for a relaxing vacation, but the majority of tourists are attracted to Costa Rica’s many adventure activities. Costa Rica is a haven for those that are looking for an adrenaline rush.
One of the most popular adventure tours in Costa Rica is a zip-lining canopy tour. A large portion of Costa Rica is covered in lush tropical forest and the best way to see it is from the treetops. Visitors climb ladders up into the canopy and may cross suspension bridges strung between the trees. Those seeking a thrill will participate in the zip-lining portion of the canopy tour. Zip-lining involves being connected to a cable with a harness and zipping along the length of the cable at a high speed. Zip-lining first became popular in Costa Rica in the 70’s, and the country features some of the longest zip-lines in the world.
Rappelling is an adventurous way to take in the scenic beauty of Costa Rica. Rappelling involves being connected to a rope while going down a rock face. Many of the rappelling tours in Costa Rica involve rappelling down one of the many beautiful waterfalls, making for a very memorable adventure. Rappelling tours are lead by professional guides so even those with no experience can participate in the tour.
Costa Rica offers some of the best rafting in Central America. The country has many navigable rivers ranging from tranquil waterways to those with swirling white rapids. Rafting is an exciting adventure from start to finish and anyone can take a rafting tour. Rafting the Sarapiqui is a beautiful trip that is great for first timers, while rafting the wild Naranjo requires experience rafting. All rafting tours have experienced guides that will teach visitors all of the skills they need to navigate the rapids.
Spelunking may not be a well known word, but is an exciting adventure. Spelunking is the exploration of caves deep below the earth. Costa Rica offers several different spelunking tours in a few different areas of the country. While in the caves and caverns a guide will educate visitors about different geological features.
Many travel publications have named Costa Rica the top destination for adventure and as demand for the activities has raised so have the number of tour companies. Before leaving on a vacation to Costa Rica it is advisable to research the different tour companies to find the best one. Reading reviews from previous customers can give you an idea of how a tour company operates and whether or not they are worth giving your business to. Very popular adventure tours should be booked before leaving on vacation as tours with the best companies tend to fill up fast, especially during the peak tourist season.
Julio Duran is a senior editor of the Costa Rica vacations blog. He is also a surfing and water sports lover.