The rainforests that surround the river are home to exotic animal species such as jaguars, monkeys, ocelots, and a very large number of birds.

The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad - Costa Rica's state-owned electricity agency - suggested in 1986 the possibility of building a hydroelectric dam on the river.

This plan was finally rejected in 2005 due to concerns about the pollution and other impacts on tourism and the ecology of the river and its surroundings.

This run is approximately 16 miles (26 km) long and contains numerous class II through IV rapids.

This more technical section consists of approximately ten miles of whitewater including multiple class IV and V rapids as well as waterfalls.

The first rafting expedition was in Feb 1981 and the party was composed of Nick Hershenow, Sharon Hester, Jerry Kaufman (all USA) and Rudy Koller (Canada).

The trip was divided into the "Upper and "Lower" sections starting at a bridge crossing and took 5 days to reach the narrow gauge railroad where they flagged a train back to San Jose.

and 1983 Rafael Gallo, a previous employee of Kaye at Costa Rica Expeditions, gathered four rafts and started the company Rios Tropicales.

Aventuras Naturales joined the list of commercial rafting companies on the Pacuare River in the mid-1980s.