Rincon de la Vieja Tubing Tour Summary
This adventure includes going through 3 kilometers of class I, II, and III rapids. you will have several tour guides by your side the entire time for an afternoon full of adventure. This is an adventure you don’t want to miss out on while in Costa Rica. Keep reading to learn more about what this tour includes, how to book and booking options.
| Distance | Duration | Difficulty | Minimum Age | Special Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 kilometers (2.5 miles) of Class I , II and III rapids | From 1 to 1.5 hours | Easy-Moderate | 6 years old | Not suitable for individuals with knee, ankle or mobility issues |
How to Book Rincon de la Vieja Tubing
We have both self-drive tours and tours with transportation available. Select the button for the corresponding tour of your choice.
Self-drive: For a self drive tour, you will drive yourself to the start of the tour (our office). You do not need a 4 wheel drive vehicle for this option all of the roads are paved and easy to drive on.
Tour with Transportation Included: With transportation included, our driver will pick you up at your location, take you to the tour start, wait for you, and bring you back to your accommodation. We can also make a stop along the way for souvenirs or food during the ride.
Self Drive Tour
Tour with Transportation Included
How to Get to Rincon de la Vieja Tubing
White Water River Tubing is located in Curubandé, just a short 20 minute drive from the town of Liberia, on the way to the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park.
The best way to get there is by driving so you can use your Google Maps as your GPS entering “Rincon de la Vieja Tours and Transportation” as your destination.
To get there, you’ll take Highway 1 north from Liberia and turn right off this highway to the town of Curubandé or towards Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
We also provide private transportation services, available from various locations around. Simply click the link below to request a quote for a tour with transportation included.
Group Tour vs Private Tour
Group Tour
A group tour means that you will be going on the tour with other people that you are not traveling with. For group tours there can be up to 20 people per tour group, everyone with different nationalities and cultures, please be respectful and friendly with the group.
When booking this option the tour will be scheduled at a specific time and will start right on time you will also have 1-3 tour guides assigned to the entire group depending on the size to assist everyone along the way.
Private Tour
When booking a private tour this means that you will be in a group with just the people you are traveling with and have a tour guide or guides (depending on the number of people in your group) assigned to assist you along the way and provide individualized assistance and attention. We cannot guarantee that there will be no one else in the river when doing a private tour because rivers cannot be private in Costa Rica. A private tour allows you to go at any pace and have the tour suited to your needs.
This is the recommended option if you want to spend extra time learning about Costa Rica, or need extra assistance on the trail.
Age Considerations for Rincon de la Vieja Tubing
The minimum age for river tubing is 6 years old.
Safety Measures for Kids
We have a variety of safety measures in place to ensure the safety of small children while river tubing.
- Highly trained staff
- Extra tour guides on tours with small children
- Age appropriate equipment
You can read more about what we do to ensure children are always safe when river tubing at the link below.
Rincon de la Vieja Tubing Tour Overview
Arriving at our Office – Parking and Facilities
After arriving at our office you can park in our private and very safe parking lot.
You can use any of the facilities to get ready for your tour and store any valuables in the lockers if you wish just stop by reception and come grab a lock.
- Bathrooms
- Small Lockers
- Changing Rooms
- Showers
- Shoe Washing Stations
- Free and safe parking lot
Checking In
You will then head over to reception to check in. All that you need to check in is the first and last name used on the reservation and the email confirmation you received.
You will then sign the waiver before being introduced to your tour guide. Your tour guide will give you the necessary equipment for your first tour and give you a quick briefing on what to expect for the day.
Items available for sale at reception,
- Costa Rica and American snacks
- Candy and treats
- Drinks (water, electrolyte drinks, soda, tea, energy drinks, beer, etc.)
- Water Shoes
- Waterproof Backpacks
- Hats
Getting to the Start of the Trail
If you book a self drive tour or a tour with transportation you will be driven from our office to the start of the trail in our 4 wheel drive vehicle. You will then walk about 5-10 minutes down the trail to the river where the tubing will begin.
During the Tour
On the tour you will be in your own individual tube and bounce through class I, II and III rapids. The entire tour is 3 kilometers (2.5 miles) and takes about 1-1.5 hours. Depending on the levels of the river and how the rapids are you may or may not have a paddle during the tour.
After the Tour
After returning to our office you can use all of the facilities to change and shower before departing and heading to your next location.
Optional Photo Package for Rincon de la Vieja Tubing
We have a photo package available to get photos of your group in action while on the tour. If you choose to get this package, a tour guide will take photos of your group while you are going through the rapids. This photo package includes about 15 photos per person. The price for this package is per group and varies depending on the number of people you have in your group.
| 1-4 people | 5-6 people | 7-8 people | 9-10 people | 11+ people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30 per group | $40 per group | $50 per group | $60 per group | $70+ (varies based off group size) |
Planning Your Visit to Rincon de la Vieja Tubing
Seasonal Considerations for Rincon de la Vieja Tubing
There is no best time for Rincon de la Vieja Tubing, it is open all year long and is a great experience all year long. Different seasons can offer different experiences for river tubing. While many sources suggest that Costa Rica’s dry season runs from December to April and the rainy season from May to November, this is a common misunderstanding, particularly for the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano area.
Dry Season
In the Rincon de la Vieja region, the actual dry season extends from late November to late August. During this period, expect sunny skies and pleasant weather. During the dry seasons there is less water in the river so the current is not as strong making the swimming sections of the tour easier. There is also very little chance of rain happening during your tour during the dry season. It is also the most popular time to visit Costa Rica so make sure to book tours in advance if you are visiting this time of year. Since it is more popular this time of year you can expect to see more people on the river and larger group tour sizes.
Rainy Season
The true rainy season occurs during September to October, when the area receives its highest rainfall unlike most sources suggest. Rincon de la Vieja tends to stay relatively dry until late August and usually doesn’t get many effects of the rainy season until then other than some light rain in the late afternoon.
This time of year the rivers are higher so the rapids can be a bit bigger at this time. Also it is recommended that you book tours in the morning to avoid the rain since usually there is rain in the afternoon. This time of year there are a lot less tourists in Costa Rica so tour slots do not fill up as fast and you can expect to see a lot less people in the river and smaller group tour sizes.
What to Bring
- Clothes you can wear in the water
- Bathing suit
- Shoes you can hike in and wear in the water (closed toed shoes, water shoes, sandals with straps) NO FLIP FLOPS ALLOWED
- Clothes to change into after the tour
- Shoes to change into after the tour
- Water bottle
- Towels
What is Provided
- Life-jacket
- Helmet
- Tube
- Professional tour guides
- Paddles (when necessary)
- Bathrooms, showers and changing rooms
- Lockers
- Private and secure parking
Tour Guides
Here at Rincon de la Vieja Tubing your safety is a top priority. We put emphasis on safety while still ensuring a fun and exciting experience for everyone. We have a staff of highly trained tour guides with training on first aids and Costa Rica nature and wild life. Our tour guides position themselves in all of the larger rapids to hep you through them. With them by your side you are ensured to have a fun, educational and safe trip while Rincon de la Vieja Tubing.
How to Book Rincon de la Vieja Tubing
Self Drive Tour
For a self drive tour, you will drive yourself to the start of the tour (our office). You do not need a 4 wheel drive vehicle for this option all of the roads are paved and easy to drive on.
Tour with Transportation Included
With transportation included, our driver will pick you up at your location, take you to the tour start, wait for you, and bring you back to your accommodation. We can also make a stop along the way for souvenirs or food during the ride.
Photos
