Arenales River Caving, Waterfall &Tropical Forest Secret Spring
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
A fun and adventurous day hiking, river trekking and floating through caves and beautiful greenish blue pools (optional cliff jumping too). Swim through breathtaking limestone canyons, stunning caves and unique rock formations carved by the passing of the river, surrounded by beautiful, lush tropical forest scenery and a waterfall. An early start (to avoid the crowds) and smaller groups guided by an experienced and Certified Tour Guide provides a safer, more intimate and immersing experience with insightful information of the island.
Later enjoy some authentic delicious puertorrican food at a local restaurant. End your day hiking a short trail to a small hidden natural spring with pristine water, while learning about the local plants and trees. An unforgettable experience for adventurers seeking less touristic favorite local spots.
Tour requires GOOD PHYSICAL FITNESS, balance, flexibility, river trekking skills and BASIC SWIMMING SKILLS. Closed sturdy water/hiking shoes required.
Additional Info
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Vega Baja
Get ready to be amazed, get wet and enjoy some adrenaline almost as soon as this adventure starts. After a few minutes of walking downhill, we will encounter the river where it forms beautiful greenish blue pools and start swimming through a breathtaking small canyon carved by the passing of the river for thousands of years. The rock formations are amazing, unique looking and there will lazily float through the canyon admiring this nature’s gift and later do some river trekking. The more adventurous will have a chance of some optional cliff jumping in areas ranging to 8 to 20 feet and rock boulder to access the upper part of the canyon. Afterwards we will hike through an off the beaten path trail to access some incredible caves where we will swim through them surrounded by stunning flowstone rock formations, bats and a beautiful waterfall. Good physical condition and basic swimming skills are required to complete these activities.
Manati
Lunch stop at a local restaurant which offers a great selection of local and authentic puertorrican cuisine at reasonable prices. (cost not included).
What‘s Included
Bottled water
Life Vests if requested
Air-conditioned vehicle
Parking Fees
Gratuities
Lunch
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Arenales River Caving, Waterfall &Tropical Forest Secret Spring
Pickup included
Reviews
1,687 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
MUST DO
devonn505,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.0010/10 experience! Highly recommend must do when visiting!
An amazing day!
459lissam,Mar 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Yamile is an extraordinary guide - incredibly knowledgeable, warm, and full of energy. Swimming through not one but two caves was unbelievable. The flora, fauna, rocks, waterfalls, and river were stunning. It was strenuous at times, but Yamile showed us exactly how to climb - an exhilarating adventure for three women in their 50s and an 11 year old! Don’t miss this slice of magic when visiting PR!
Definitely must try!
justintV2137VL,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Arenales River Caving, Water falls and tropical forests was a blast! Our tour guide person was Yamile. She was the best, I had a great experience and would definitely recommend this place to others. From the moment I arrived, everything felt smooth and well-organized, and she was very friendly, professional, and genuinely helpful. The quality of the service exceeded my expectations, and it’s clear she takes pride in what she does. She paid attention to the small details, made sure everyone was safe, and answered all of the questions we had about the tour. Overall, it was a very positive experience, and I’ll definitely be coming back in the future.
An unforgettable day with Gabo — truly the highlight of our trip!
melissakK8113BX,Mar 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our tour with Gabo was nothing short of incredible. From the moment we met him, he was warm, friendly, and full of energy. He has that rare gift of making everyone feel instantly comfortable — like you’re exploring with a longtime friend who just happens to know everything about Puerto Rico. Gabo took us to places we never would have found on our own, and somehow managed to time everything so we avoided the crowds. Most of the day, we had the river, the caves, and the surrounding nature entirely to ourselves. It felt like we were getting a true insider’s experience — the kind of hidden, local magic you hope for but rarely find. One thing that really stood out was how thoughtful he was. He even provided a waterproof case for our camera and took photos of us throughout the tour, then airdropped everything to us at the end. How often do you get a tour guide and a personal photographer all in one?! He was knowledgeable, patient, and always made sure we felt safe and welcomed. His love for the island shines through in every story he shares and every spot he chooses. It was the perfect blend of adventure, beauty, and connection. It was honestly the perfect day, and we can’t recommend this experience, or Gabo, highly enough! If you’re coming to Puerto Rico, this is the tour you don’t want to miss.
Arenales river and cave tour
jazminew805,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Puerto Rico as a Local is the tour to book, hands down! Yamile was the best tour guide we have encountered. Really want to experience the geography and culture of Puerto Rico? Look no further, do yourself a favor and book with Yamile! 10/10
AMAZING tour made even more amazing by Yamile, our tour guide!
D4576NEsuzannev,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Yamile was the BEST tour guide we have ever had ... she was PERFECTION! She was incredibly professional, responsive, friendly, helpful, funny and knowledgeable. She picked us up about a half hour away from the destination and drove us in her well kept van. She spoke to us the entire way and got to know us. We began our journey at 7:30 and started the tour at 8 am ... didn't see a single person until we were leaving - it was PERFECT timing - felt like we had the entire place to ourselves. You really need to know how to navigate the terrain - and she knows it like the back of her hand giving us tips along the way of how to easily navigate. To boot, she took pictures & videos of us on her phone/camera the entire way then air dropped them at the end (a total of 156!!!). We would have never gotten such great pictures - she knows what she is doing! She took us on a nature walk and explained the different plants and sounds. It was a nice "wind down" after navigating the river/caves. Finally, we stopped at an authentic Puerto Rican restaurant - she helped us order (it would have been mass confusion if we tried using our "broken Spanish"). Suffice it to say the food was amazing. Yamile truly is amazing and I would highly recommend her - best tour in Puerto Rico!
so fun
U4363RQsophieb,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00sm fun!! so glad we did it. small group ppl were chill nature was beautiful
Amazing Tour
mattbeck22,Mar 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a wonderful experience on this tour with Yamile. It was an amazing place to visit and Yamile was a great tour guide. I would have no hesitation recommending her over all of the other tour guides that we saw there whose tours were too large or did not look like they were enjoying themselves as much as our group. She does a great job of keeping it fun and light, with enough information to help you understand the culture and environment. Our family of 5 had a blast! If we come back to Puerto Rico, I would definitely book her for another tour! 10/10
Excellent in every way
Derek S,Mar 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Yamile was an excellent guide! I can’t recommend this tour enough. There was more swimming than I thought, and the water was cold, but it was just so awesome! Definitely the highlight of my stay in Puerto Rico, and it’s not even close!
Yamile was fun and...
Wengfay H,Mar 23, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Yamile was fun and attentive throughout the experience! She has a lot of experience and insight to share with the group. If you are someone who tends to get cold easily, I recommend dressing warmly (think yoga pants and a long sleeve athletic shirt). Yamile wore athletic leggings and a wetsuit top. Sunlight doesn't really reach the ravine where you will be and the water is chilly. We started the day with a ~1 hour drive to the caves. We parked at a house near the trail entrance where there is a bathroom. At this point only take what can get wet. We drank water, went to the bathroom, and left everything in the van, including water bottles and phones (except for those of us with a waterproof phone pouch). We walked down a quite steep paved road to the trail head and headed down into the ravine/creek. We quickly started walking into the water which was cold but not overbearing at first. We kept walking until the water got too deep at which point we swam. The swimming throughout was never too intense and we stopped a lot to look around and take pictures. We first stopped to go up on a water surface level rock and jump into the water. We then swam under the first cave formation and looked around. Then we climbed up on the rock and got the opportunity to jump into the water. These jumps were pretty high, not everyone did it. The rest of the time we walked in and out of water as we moved along the river way and went into different caves. One cave contained bats that we looked at. There was a ~15 minute swim through one cave in the dark (with a flashlight) to see the other entrance of the cave. We got one more opportunity to jump off an overhanging rock into water below before heading back to the van. The rock climb at the very end before heading out is the most precarious as the path isn't very wide and it felt necessary to hold on to the rock face to avoid falling. There is a rope there but it is not securely attached and you should not depend on it. This part took ~2 hours. Back in the van, we changed into clean and dry shoes but kept our wet clothes on. We got limbers (a type of Popsicle) from the house we parked at for a few dollars before driving off to a very casual restaurant where we ate lunch ($10-20) for ~30 minutes. At the restaurant, most of us changed into dry clothes. The trip ended with an easy hike after a quick drive from the restaurant. The feature of the hike was a beautiful natural spring with striking clear and blue water. Some swam in the spring. We spent about 20 minutes there. We then drove back to San Juan which took about 30 minutes.
From US$125.00
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
Related Experiences
Operated by Puerto Rico as a Local