A great vacation begins with a Dream…and a Great Destination!


When deciding between Costa Rica and Ecuador, it is not which one, but which one to visit first! The repeat rate of our trip participants is a reflection of the trips we run, and the countries we use to host our trips.


Costa Rica
Along with some of the most exciting whitewater kayaking anywhere, Costa Rica offers an abundance of fascinating wildlife and flora.

A visitor traveling to Costa Rica will find vast ecosystems to explore — from rain forest to cloud forest to lovely beaches. If you want to go bird watching in the cloud forest at Monte Verde, volcano exploring at Arenal, whitewater rafting down the Pacuare or beach roaming at Manual Antonio, you can do so all in one visit.

There's a civilized aspect to Costa Rica also. No where else will you find a culture that embraces you as a visitor the way Costa Rica does. The people of Costa Rica, affectionately nicknamed "Ticos," are friendly, good-natured and the perfect hosts.

Ecuador
Fend off the mischievous monkeys who like to "help" us unload our van's roof racks; or if you prefer a little more distance, keep your camera between yourself and the many exotic creatures within range of your viewfinder. In this Inca nation, you have the opportunity to experience the towering Andes, climb snow-capped volcanoes, the Amazon jungle, the Galapagos Islands, and the Pacific Coast--all in one amazing country.

"This is a long overdue Thank you note, but I wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate all the work that you did for our trip to Ecuador. I had an amazing time, and I am grateful for the way that you welcomed me into “the family” with such open arms. Thanks for sharing your knowledge of Ecuadorian culture and rivers with me. Hopefully that was the first of many future paddling adventures with you."
-Lorri Eberle, CA


Custom Trips
We can plan a special trip for you and your friends. Choose dates that work best for you and your friends, regardless of the skill level or dates published.
We can do high-end itineraries, or mixed-group itineraries to make everyone happy. Itineraries can include plans for on and off the river groups that include paddlers and non-paddlers alike.  Group size for a custom trip is flexible.

Call us for more information on custom trip itineraries that will work for you!



Which Level Trip Is Best for You
Our trip itineraries are designed to paddle classic runs with fellow-boaters, and to enjoy the culture of a foreign country. You are planning a paddling vacation, so please be sure to choose a trip with which you will be comfortable and enjoy. Paddling in a foreign country adds variables not found on "backyard runs" paddlers are used to back home. Rivers tend to be remote and access off the river can be limited to impossible. Water levels can fluctuate dramatically in rain-forest setting. It is important that you choose a trip that is suitable for your skill level.

In an effort to help paddlers choose a trip that they will find enjoyable, we offer a list of rivers under each skill level that we feel are accurate comparisons:

Class III Trip: This trip is for boaters who are comfortable on rivers such as the Ocoee, Shoshone Section of the Colorado, the Lower Section of the Roaring Fork, Section III of the Chattooga, South Fork of the American, Brown's Canyon of the Arkansas Westwater Canyon of the Colorado, or the Deerfield River. Paddlers on this trip should have confidence rolling in Class III rapids.

Class IV Trip: Boaters should be comfortable catching eddies and making moves on Class IV rivers such as Section IV of the Chattooga, the Upper and Lower Gauley, Upper Yougheghaney, Lower Tuolome, Royal Gorge of the Arkansas or Slaughter House Section of the Roaring Fork. Paddlers on a Class IV trip should have a solid whitewater roll.

Class IV+ Trip: This trip is for paddlers who paddle Class V rapids, but prefer Class IV runs. Paddlers should have and use a roll on both sides. Paddlers should be able to handle running high water runs on Section IV of the Chattooga, Slaughter House, Numbers of the Arkansas, and the North Fork of the Skykomish, and runs such as North Chick Creek, the Cal Salmon, Upper Gauley, and Pine Creek of the Arkansas. On Class IV+ trips, paddlers should be comfortable paddling on new, unfamiliar runs, where boat scouting is more the norm than the exception.