El Yunque Rain Forest Nature Walk and Bioluminescent Bay Kayaking Combo Tour
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El Yunque Rain Forest Nature Walk and Bioluminescent Bay Kayaking Combo Tour
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El Yunque Rain Forest Nature Walk and Bioluminescent Bay Kayaking Combo Tour

1 day
By walk
Instant confirmation
About this activity
Your full-day tour starts with pickup in San Juan for the drive to El Yunque Rainforest, the only tropical rain forest in the United States National Forest System and a must-see if you're a nature lover.
Get adventurous, get muddy and off the paved trail! Go on a hike to explore different zones of the rain forest, lesser known to the public, and enjoy beautiful views of the forest, natural pools and Atlantic Ocean during these 4 hours at the Forest. Once we arrive to the skirts of El Yunque we will start with a 25-30 minute journey on a river wading and rock scaling path to the river. Here you will see bamboo trees, rain-forest flowers, and many other beautiful plants and experience various rivers, waterfalls and walk through natural trails. We will make a stop to visit a collecting pool that forms at the base of a small waterfall. Here you will have the opportunity to swim on it’s crystal clear waters, and enjoy the different tones of its deep pools. A glimpse at the first waterfall, great for pictures opportunities!
This portion of the adventure finishes in a pool area, its best kept secret. After a few minutes of hiking and rock climbing to the upper sections (more strenuous and optional), arrive at a natural river where you can swim, swing from a rope to the river, enjoy the natural water slides and small waterfalls.
After the hike, we will stop for lunch at a local restaurant (food cost not included) before joining your guided nighttime bioluminescent bay kayak tour, which takes you into the mystical mangrove channels leading to Laguna Grande. Look into the water to see the glowing
pyrodinium
bahamense, microscopic planktons capable of producing natural light at the touch of your hand or paddle. Admire these amazing organisms up close as you paddle on a 2-person kayak through the mangroves for an estimate of 30-minutes, and learn from your eco-tour guide about this fragile and unique ecosystem. Once reached the lagoon, you will have some time to play with the water (from within the kayak) and receive more information, before we head back to the mangrove channels for another kayaking journey of approximately 30 minutes . Enjoy provided snacks at the end of the kayak tour, before returning to San Juan.
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Included
  • Complimentary pickup and drop-off in selected areas of San Juan (Old San Juan, Condado and Isla Verde locations and touristic zones)
  • All taxes, fees and handling charges
  • Certified Tour Guide
  • Live narration in English
  • Bottled Water, Gatorade and light snacks
  • First aid equipment
  • Entry/Admission - El Yunque Rain Forest
  • Entry/Admission - Bioluminescent Bay
Not included
  • Gratuity for your tour guide is not included, but greatly appreciated.
  • Lunch
  • Additional fee for pick ups outside of San Juan will apply (Dorado, Bayamon, Rio Grande, Fajardo, Humacao)
Additional
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • This is a moderate to strenuous activity.
  • Participants must be physically capable of walking thru rocky, uneven and muddy surfaces without assisatance.
  • Participants must be capable of paddling a two person kayak in a coordinated matter and be able to sit on the same position for about 2 hours.
  • Hiking shoes or tennis with a good grip are required. Bring also water shoes as they will be useful during portions of the tour.
  • Maximum weight for Glass Bottom kayaks is 190 lbs (86 kg). Participants weighting up to 260 lbs need to notify at moment of booking in order to have assigned a regular kayak. Failure to notify correctly may result in person(s) not being able to participate on bio bay tour, no refunds will be issued due to this.
  • Not recommended for pregnant women past their first trimester or for persons with back problems, heart complaints, recent surgeries or injuries or other serious medical conditions.
  • Children must be 7 years or older to participate.
  • We strongly suggest to have a good breakfast before departing on this tour (next opportunity to eat will be around 3:00pm)
  • Due to the strict weight restriction all participants are subject to be weighted prior to arriving to the tour site. No cancellations or refunds will be issued if a person neglects to inform correct weight, and is not able to participate of the tour.
  • Participants cannot be afraid of the dark as you will be kayaking thru pitch black areas during the Bio Bay portion of the tour.
  • You will get wet, it is recommended that you wear bathing suit underneath, bring a towel and extra clothes for after the tour.
  • Transportation available for those staying outside of San Juan for an additional fee; please call the local tour operator for a quote.
  • Estimated tour duration of 12 hours includes driving and lunch time.
Features
Tourism
75%
Cultural
55%
Adrenaline
50%
Aquatic
50%
Reviews
4.6
145
R
Rachel G
4 | 2019-07-09

The morning part of this tour exploring El Yunque was phenomenal! It exceeded our expectations. I am so glad we splurged for this tour instead of trying to navigate El Yunque on our own. María destroyed much of the canopy and the trails are still being rebuilt. It’s muddy and fun and exciting; make sure to wear old clothes! We hiked to a secluded area, did a little rock climbing, and got to swim near a waterfall with rope swings and a natural slide. SO FUN! Fernando was helpful, fun, easy to talk to, and very knowledgeable. We also had help from Mitchell, the local sherpa. I couldn’t have loved El Yunque more! After that, we stopped for lunch at the kiosks at Luquillo Beach. It was nice to explore on our own for a bit. We tried lots of delicious cocktails and visited the calm and beautiful beach. Then came the evening part of our tour. Due to a full tour, we left our morning group and joined a different group for the kayaking portion. I asked our new guide, Christian, when I should change back into my swimsuit for kayaking. He said I wouldn’t need a suit because we would be dry the rest of the night. I was confused but went along with it. When we arrived to the bay, we were one of 5 companies who run these tours. There are SO MANY kayaks in a small space trying to enjoy the same experience. The few minutes when we saw the bioluminescent algae was cool, but the hassle of the whole experience wasn’t worth it for me. It wasn’t relaxing, the tour guides were impatient, and I got soaked (as I thought I would). The biggest problem was the mosquitos. The company (Glass Bottom Kayaks) or tour guide should have reminded us to put on bug spray or wear long sleeves. Kayaking through the mangroves was miserable due to the quantity of mosquito bites. In a 75 minute experience, I received about 50 bites. I am still itchy, even though I’ve been home for a week.

1
12timez12
5 | 2019-07-03

This hike is not for anyone with orthopedic issues! The hike was fairly strenuous, and I work out often and hard. The rainforest and waterfalls are worth it- simply gorgeous. The tour guides were amazing and adorable both haha.

G
Golda H
5 | 2019-07-03

I had an excellent time on this tour! Fernando was our guide and he was an excellent guide. He helped us navigate, pointed out local species, and helped us with some of the rougher terrain, keeping everybody safe. I had fun sliding down the waterfalls and swinging on a ropeswing and some of the views were really beautiful! The kayaking was fun and they had marine biologists to teach and answer questions about the bioluminescence. Kayaking through the water when it was dark was a sight I will not ever forget!

l
lisawitty
5 | 2019-07-03

The whole tour was just amazing! Very good and knowledgeable guides, on time pick up, they made sure everyone was taken care of and safe guidance to sometimes a bit more difficult territory (climbing to the waterslides). And the bio bay... no words to describe it! It was so much more and better than expected! TAKE MOSQUITO REPELLENT! My sister had done the bio bay in La Parguera already which was nowhere near as amazing as Laguna Grande. Can't wait to try Vieques. I would recommend this tour to everyone! Such an amazing experience!!!!! But keep in mind that it is a bit strenuous.

E
ERICA G
5 | 2019-07-03

Our group of 18 throughly enjoyed our tour. It forced us to really work together and communicate, plus we learned a lot about the Puerto Rican culture. We are excited to visit again to explore other areas because of what we learned. Our guides were knowledgeable and very helpful throughout the tour. Safety was their main priority and it was greatly appreciated. We would definitely book this tour again!

J
Justyna S
5 | 2019-03-20

Amazing trip! The guides, Cedric and Frankie were very nice and made the trip fun. Beautiful rainforest and amazing waterfalls. We really enjoyed jumping off the cliffs and waterfall slides. A must do trip while in PR!!!

M
Mariapia C
5 | 2018-09-05

El Yunque Rainforest was amazing!!! Hector was an excellent tour guide. He was hilarious, very smart and knew a lot about Puerto Rican history or Boricua. I learned so much, and I loved how he showed us how to participate in every activity first like the cliff jump and waterfall slide so that we could see it for ourselves before doing it. This tour is not for someone who gets tired easy though, it's a full body workout but a lot of fun. We went hiking, climbing, rope swinging, swimming, and sliding down one several natural waterslides. We ate fresh fruits that he bought locally. He helped us climbing all the rocks. It's not an easy trail but totally worth it. After the hurrican Maria, things are getting back to normal slowly but it's a must to do this activity while you are in Puerto Rico! Best experience ever! The kayaking Bioluminescent Bay was super cool! The tours guys were super funny and super nice. They were singing all the way. There were several restaurants and locals go there so be aware of the timing. We ordered and then we had to wait a lot because we didn't tell the waitress that we have to hurry for our tour. If you go, let them know about your limit time to eat. Amazing!

Anonymous
Anonymous

Fajardo

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