Pura Vida Adventures
Pura Vida Adventures
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About
Pura Vida Adventures offers guided services in Brevard North Carolina. We offer rock climbing guides, mountain adventures, Art Loeb Shuttles, guided waterfall tours, mountain biking, guided paddling, kayaking, whitewater rafting, adventure racing camps, family mountain adventures near brevard and asheville north carolina, camping, hiking, canyoneering. If you love being outdoors come have an adventure with us, North Carolina has amazing landscapes such as Dupont State Forest, Mountain Bridge, Pisgah National forest, Nantahala National Forest, Gorges State Park. Brevard is only a short distance from Asheville NC, Hendersonville, Bent Creek, Greenville, Gastonia, Mountain Home, Flat Rock, Chimmney Rock, Canton, Panther Town, Lake Toxaway, Biltmore Estate, Blue Ridge Parkway
Pisgah Forest, North Carolina
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2022
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Pura Vida Adventures
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(20 reviews)
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
140 reviews
Excellent
129
Very good
5
Average
2
Poor
2
Terrible
2
Jason H
1 contribution
Nov 2022
Super, easy, friendly shuttle from Davidson River Campground to Camp Daniel Boone for my solo thru hike of the Art Loeb Trail this past weekend. I really enjoyed the ride and chatting with Joe about the area and the trail. And I appreciated him reminding me that I could text him for a pickup if I needed to bail out midway. Luckily, I didn’t have to take him up on that offer, but it was a comfort knowing that that was a viable option (especially when I woke up after my first night to 17 degrees, howling winds, and everything that wasn’t in my sleeping bag with me frozen solid!). I highly recommend the Art Loeb Trail if you’re up for a challenging, rewarding 3- or 4-day thru hike, and I highly recommend using Pura Vida Adventures to shuttle you between trailheads and get your adventure off to a great start.
Written November 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kassie H
2 contributions
Mar 2022
LOVED our day with Pura Vida! Daniel and Joe were both super helpful and knowledgeable. My husband and I did a combo rappelling day with Cove Creek and Gauntlet Canyon. The views were gorgeous, and Daniel and Joe let us go at our own pace and took plenty of pictures for us at places with stunning backdrops. The canyoneering itself was fantastic. We had done a similar trip before out west, but it was a totally different atmosphere and we both especially loved going down the waterfall. Just to highlight the guys' thoughtfulness: We chose to pay extra for the optional lunch, and Joe brought us not only the sandwiches and chips, but individual ziploc baggies of fresh vegetables he had cut up in case we wanted to fully deck out our sandwiches. We'll definitely go back, and we're even thinking of doing a two-day course now!
Written March 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kurt O
2 contributions
Nov 2022 • Friends
We used Joe at Pura Vida for a shuttle service hiking the Art Loeb trail and he was amazing. Very friendly and flexible with schedule. We asked for an extraction at a different day and time because we got caught in very bad wind/rain and he not only was able to do it, he hiked a mile up the trail in 40 mph wind/rain to meet us on our way to the pick up spot. I’d highly recommend using Pura Vida.
Written November 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
vindri g
1 contribution
Jul 2021
My family of four, including two teenagers, did the combo rapelling trip with Daniel. We had a full day of adventure and challenge. It was extremely enjoyable and rewarding. Three people in my family have never done any type of rapelling or mountain climbing, but with the training that Daniel provided and the constant guidance, everyone felt safe and improved their skills and confidence as the day wore on.
Daniel was such an excellent guide! His knowledge of his sport and of the area we were hiking in made the trip even more enjoyable. We learned so much about the plants, rocks and the people/history of the area. Daniel never seemed tired even though we had a really long day. Our day started around 9:30 and we wrapped up by 6pm. We took our time and didn’t feel rushed at all.
Right up until the end Daniel was still pointing out cool plants and telling us about their medicinal properties. This was something that my family really enjoyed. We felt very safe on both rapels and enjoyed having such a competent and friendly guide to spend the day with. I highly recommend this company if you’re looking for outdoor adventure! Worth the money!
Daniel was such an excellent guide! His knowledge of his sport and of the area we were hiking in made the trip even more enjoyable. We learned so much about the plants, rocks and the people/history of the area. Daniel never seemed tired even though we had a really long day. Our day started around 9:30 and we wrapped up by 6pm. We took our time and didn’t feel rushed at all.
Right up until the end Daniel was still pointing out cool plants and telling us about their medicinal properties. This was something that my family really enjoyed. We felt very safe on both rapels and enjoyed having such a competent and friendly guide to spend the day with. I highly recommend this company if you’re looking for outdoor adventure! Worth the money!
Written July 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
powell1214
Georgia14 contributions
Jul 2021
My husband and I loved our entire day with Daniel at Pura Vida! We started with the Gauntlet hike and rappel, ate the filling lunch they provided for an additional cost, and then did the Cove Creek waterfall rappel and canyoneering. It was a full day of fun, challenging activity, and we're not spring chickens (57 and 64 yrs old), though we have done a good deal of hiking and some rappelling! Our guide, Daniel, was so patient and encouraging and professional. Joe, the owner of the company, joined us on the Gauntlet rappel because we were with another group on this part of the trip. He was great as well! We would love to go back as a family with our adult kids.
Here's what I appreciated:
1. Very exciting and challenging adventure!
2. Knowledgeable, professional guides. (American Canyoneering Association certified company--this is a mark of high quality in this field.)
3. Guides were very aware of our skill level and made sure we were comfortable with all the tasks.
4. Encouraging guides! (Lots of verbal coaching and encouragement during the rappel.)
5. Obvious commitment to safety!
6. Only company we would use in this area.
Here's what I appreciated:
1. Very exciting and challenging adventure!
2. Knowledgeable, professional guides. (American Canyoneering Association certified company--this is a mark of high quality in this field.)
3. Guides were very aware of our skill level and made sure we were comfortable with all the tasks.
4. Encouraging guides! (Lots of verbal coaching and encouragement during the rappel.)
5. Obvious commitment to safety!
6. Only company we would use in this area.
Written July 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joseph J
1 contribution
Jun 2022
My wife, 15-year old son, and I opted for the guided mountain bike tour thru Dupont State Forest. While my review is very positive overall, I will start with the one negative. The website says "This trip is ... ideal for beginners. The trip consists of wider trails and gradual downhills with very little climbing." I found this to be quite misleading, as there were a ton of steep uphills and (very fun) narrow trails. My wife, who is in decent physical shape, couldn't handle many of the uphills and had to walk her bike several times. Also, the trip was 2 1/2 hours (with occasional breaks), which I would argue is not ideal for beginners. My wife was beyond exhausted by the end and I was getting to that point as well. So I would say that this trip is ideal for those with some previous mountain biking experience who can handle sustained uphill climbs and 2 1/2 hours of biking.
Aside from that, the trip was fantastic! Our guide, Daniel, has to be the nicest guy I've ever met. He's extremely knowledgeable about nature and the park, sharing tons of interesting tidbits with us along the way. He was very patient as well, as he had to wait on my wife so much. He kept a smile on his face the entire time and showed a tremendous amount of compassion, which made a huge difference. We got to see 2 waterfalls, 2 lakes, and a ton of beautiful scenery. A wonderful experience for 2 out of 3 of us.
Aside from that, the trip was fantastic! Our guide, Daniel, has to be the nicest guy I've ever met. He's extremely knowledgeable about nature and the park, sharing tons of interesting tidbits with us along the way. He was very patient as well, as he had to wait on my wife so much. He kept a smile on his face the entire time and showed a tremendous amount of compassion, which made a huge difference. We got to see 2 waterfalls, 2 lakes, and a ton of beautiful scenery. A wonderful experience for 2 out of 3 of us.
Written July 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Denise H
17 contributions
Mar 2021 • Couples
When we booked our tour we didn't know the area so we thought a guided hike would be best since we came from out of state and didn't know the area. Then we went on a couple long hikes ourselves and thought our money spent on a guided hike would be wasted. We could not have been more wrong. Daniel was friendly, knowledgeable, and took us places we never would have found on our own. He picked up immediately that my husband liked challenges and adventures, and that I loved botanicals. He pointed out many flowers and plants and their medicinal uses. He talked when we wanted him to but also gave us time to just quietly enjoy the beautiful falls We thoroughly enjoyed every single minute.
Written March 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bshura73
Durham, NC11 contributions
Sep 2020
I booked an Art Loeb Shuttle with Pura Vida Adventures. Joe arrived a bit early to the pickup location and was able to get me an early start on the trail. He is friendly and knowledgable about the trail and gave me some tips about other attactions in the area. He was also flexible in changing my original booking date in order to avoid some bad weather. He took precautions against COVID-19, including the use of masks for both of us, keeping the windows down during the trip, and providing sanitizing wipes. This was the beginning of a great backpacking trip!
Written October 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
44cc14
Raleigh, Canada4 contributions
May 2021
We used the Art Loeb shuttle and it was fantastic - great communication and super easy. Daniel also went out of his way to go back to the van in the evening and search it after we realized one of us left a cell phone in there, and we were able to collect the phone within an hour of letting him know it was missing. He went above and beyond!
Written May 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Caroline B
Jacksonville, FL8 contributions
Jul 2020
We had an incredible experience with Joe from Pura Vida Adventures! My boys (9 and 11-years-old) were ready to go rock climbing "for real" for the first time. Due to COVID-19, we weren't sure if we were going to make the trip, and it was a bit last minute. Joe wore a face shield and took care to let me know where the more secluded areas were. He was extremely supportive of the boys as they learned to climb outside of a rock climbing gym... pushing them just the right amount for growth and confidence. Joe was flexible and picked up on little details that would also help make the experience easier for me as a mom ensuring the kids were following climbing precautions, COVID precautions, and treating the environment we were visiting with care and respect. You can tell he loves to see families come back year and year, and watch the participants progress. Joe also helped with carrying gear that I couldn't due to a medical condition. Bravo to a job well done during a difficult time! The boys say "awesome sauce" when they refer to their climbing adventure.
Written July 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.