128Canopy Blog

Around the same time that Scuba Diving pioneer Bill Beard was paving the road for his underwater-marine industry, a handful of contemporary North Americans and Costa Ricans were also contributing to the tourism scene with their own projects.

Following in the steps of water-based adventures, California native Michael Kaye was setting the grounds for one of Costa Rica’s most popular activities: White Water Rafting.  Mr. Kaye immediately saw the potential of Costa Rica’s rivers and excellent topography and opened the first White Water Rafting Company in Costa Rica.  Costa Rica Expeditions opened its doors in 1978 and is still considered one of Costa Rica’s top white water rafting and tour operators.

Many other White Water Rafting companies soon followed in Michael Kaye’s footsteps taking advantage of Costa Rica’s convenient river system and rainforest environment that was guaranteed to be an immediate success among North American and European tourists.

The most popular rivers for rafting are the Pacuare and Reventazon Rivers that offer great Class II-IV rafting which makes it incredibly convenient for all ages and difficulty levels.  Currently, a couple of other rivers such as the Sarapiqui and Tenorio Rivers have gradually gained popularity among white water rafters.

The Pacuare River is today considered one of the top 5 rivers in the world for white water rafting and has hosted a number of National and International White Water Tournaments over the past years.

Costa Rica Expedition’s success has also spilled over to the Eco-Tourism industry.  Kaye’s company currently owns hotels in Monteverde, Tortuguero and Corcovado which are very popular destinations for nature-inclined tourists.  Kaye’s hard work and vision has been recognized by distinguished international companies and organizations such as Conde Naste and Travel + Leisure.