Mambo Combo Canyoning and Rafting near the Arenal Volcano

BLUF: We had a super fun time, it was well organized, and a good value. They don't provide a ton of detail upfront, so I'll provide it here: -You will first be shuttled to their building with lockers, toilets, and showers. This is where you collect the canyoning gear and lock up your personal items. -You are then shuttled to the starting point where you first have a how-to and safety overview. It's quick, but enough. I will say that some of their harnesses are very worn and should be replaced soon. I recommend checking yours and asking for a different one if you are not comfortable with it. -You then start the canyoning. It goes very quickly as they are running a smooth operation. We felt safe the entire time. You are deep within a canyon that is a special place to be with really cool scenery. -You will get WET (and stay wet). Chacos were the right call for footwear for us. We had a nice day but I could see how it could be a bit chilly under different conditions. -There's 4 or 5 canyoning points that are also zipline-like. -After this part you go back to the lockers and are provided with towels. -Those who are doing the rafting with be transported to the next location which is about a 40 minute ride with a delicious breakfast burrito for fuel. -Note: the rafting is run by a separate company -You'll be geared up at the rafting HQ and given a quick safety overview -The rafting is a BLAST and the river is WILD! not for the faint of heart. Again, you will get soaking wet. Guaranteed. -The guide does much of the steering and tells you what to do the entire time. We felt safe -The river is gorgeous and we saw many iguanas and sloths in the trees during calmer sections -There is a small beach area about half way through that you get a break and a fruit snack -After rafting you go back to the canyoning tour operator's office for a yummy full meal. Bring a change of clothes for this part!

Once you get there, your day will be set and will be taken care of. Be prepared to be exhausted after :), but it's definitely worth it. We start the day rappelling down waterfalls and walking through these canyons, be prepped for the hike back up the stairs. What goes down must come back up ;). Hop on a bus and get ready for a wild ride with snacks halfway through. I suggest switching sides of the raft at that point.

The day started with canyoning, which was amazing, and only got better. All of the guides were very focused on safety, and clearly explained everything. The rappelling was a blast, along with the Costa Rica shower that we got to experience, definitely refreshing. For rafting, our guide was Andy and we were lucky to have him. He had an amazing sense of humor (watch out for those crocodiles!) and got us all safely down the river without one of us falling out. Our boat laughed our butts off down the river, and I think we all wish we could have kept on going. Thank you for a wonderful day!