Costa Rica – Top 3 Adrenaline Activities

The Hayes and Jarvis experts give their top 3 activities to get the blood pumping

4 mins

Some trips away revolve around a beach or swimming pool with your only concern being when that empty glass will get topped up. Others however, are somewhat more extreme than that. Costa Rica provides plenty of adrenaline if you know where to look.

This stunning, diverse country in Central America has something to offer every kind of traveller, but the biggest rewards are reserved for the intrepid. Costa Rica has some rugged coastlines that are off the beaten track and well worth exploring, but the most fun is to be had in the rainforests, and that means above the trees, inside the canopy or on the rivers.

Zip lining

One of the joys of Costa Rica is the risk and reward it offers. For example, to see a hummingbird in the wild you may have to enter the habitat of the less-loved tarantula. Likewise, you will not get to see the full scale of the lush, active rainforests unless you go up. And up High. Wherever you stay in Costa Rica it will not be far from a forest location offering you the chance to see things from a bird’s point of view.

Zip lining might not be for the faint-hearted, but the initial apprehension will soon give way to wonderment as you take in the vastness of the forest below, filled with the rush of adrenaline that comes from being suspended above the forest canopy hurtling towards your next landing platform.

Perhaps the best place in Costa Rica to zip line is Monteverde. The forest has wires set up at a wide range of heights and lengths, which culminates with a kilometre-long trip that offers views of the entire landscape. Here is your prize for shelving your earlier trepidation; your reward for the risk you have taken.

Hanging bridges

Ever wanted to be suspended in the middle of the rainforest on a hanging bridge? Of course you have. Hanging bridges are for those who would like just a little bit more time to take in the views of the rainforest but don’t want to miss out on the best sights. They are perhaps a notch below the zip wires in the adrenaline stakes, but the joy of the hanging bridges is that you can get personal with the rainforest at your own pace.

While the Costa Rican rainforests are also spectacular from the ground, some 90% of the creatures that live here make the tree canopy their home. As you walk from bridge to bridge, taking in the breathtaking views, the chances are high that you will see some of the country’s magnificent birds, such as white hawks, jacamars and trogons.

There are many locations all over Costa Rica, including Arenal and Monteverde, that have bridges suspended between the gaps in the canopy. Some bridges are at ground level, others are in tree-top, monkey territory while the rest soar above the canopy. From each one the views are unique as well as impressive, and guides are available to help pinpoint the magnificent wildlife that surrounds you.

River tubing and horse riding

Thrills in Costa Rica don’t only have to come from the sky; there are plenty of exciting options back at ground level. A horse riding and river tubing trip is one of the best ways to get closer to the wildlife that resides in the thick of the rainforest, so head over to Rincon de la Vieja National Park to experience this.

On your trip you will embark on an escorted trip through the scenic forest trails. The pace is gentle, which will allow you to see the country’s wildlife – especially birds – up close in another unique way. On the way you’re likely to see howler monkeys and coatis, if they are about.

Once you get to the bottom of La Victoria Waterfall, all notion of peace and calmness will evaporate. You’ll be given your own individual rafting ‘tube’ and the Negro River will do the rest: hurling you down the rapids as you try to catch your breath.

Costa Rica’s adrenaline activities all offer a different thrill experience. It is up to you which ones to try. Just remember: excitement is guaranteed.


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