5 of the Best Waterfall Hikes in Costa Rica
Waterfall hikes in Costa Rica are one of the best ways to spend your vacation. While there are several amazing water fall hikes in Costa Rica, here are 5 of the best locations we would recommend for you based on our experience.
The Nauyaca Waterfall Hike
Located in the South Pacific, very close to The Dominical, is this beautiful and peaceful waterfall. It is one of the most beautiful water falls in the whole of Costa Rica and while it lacks the height and power of other water falls, it has a unique feature which makes it special.
The water fall has 2 levels which makes it all the more fun. The water drops from about 180 feet into the first pool which then flows over the second level and drops another 60 feet into the bottom pool. Tourists who have visited this water fall love to dive off the second level into the bottom pool which makes for a very nice swimming area.
Famous for its kind and warm hearted tour guides, the hike to this water fall is very much fun. From the monkeys jumping in the trees to various species of birds singing to you along the trail.
The Rio Celeste Waterfall Hike
Hidden in the cloud forests of the Tenorio National Park in Northern Costa Rica is the bright blue Rio Celeste Waterfall which will blow you away. Some tourists believe that its water is some sort of healing elixir. In reality, the water gets its color from a chemical reaction between volcanic and rainforest minerals.
The entire tour is just about 8 hours, 2 hours each way from La Fortuna, hiking time and about 30 minutes for lunch after the hike. The hike is amazingly beautiful with a little wildlife presence, so expect to see some toucans, taper tracks, etc. There could be Lots of mosquitos so be prepared! Come with some insect repellants.
Unfortunately, swimming is prohibited in the pool area at the moment, but the sheer beauty of the experience on land makes it one of the best water fall hikes in Costa Rica.
El Encanto Waterfall
Another breathtaking waterfall can be found in the Jaco area on the Ocean Ranch Park grounds. There are three ways to experience this lovely destination to it’s fullest extent: The “El Encanto” Waterfall Canopy Zipline Tour, Waterfall Rappel Tour, and the Waterfall Canyon Hike.
Each of the tours at Ocean Ranch Park offers a unique experience around this unforgettable waterfall. The tours are also designed so that people of all activity levels have a way to explore the waterfall. Plus, Ocean Ranch Park has several other tours for any adventurer!
The Montezuma Waterfall Hike
Located outside the small beach town of Montezuma on the top of South Nicoya Peninsula is the wonderful Montezuma Waterfall. There are about 3 waterfalls in this region. Be sure to wear anti slip shoes as the ground can be very slippery. The fall can be as high as 100 feet hence, diving from the top is not advisable at all.
The first waterfall appears quite early into the hike, just about 20 minutes, but the second and third are as impressive as well. The second waterfall has a very nice swimming area for groups while fun-seekers can continue uphill on a more difficult trail at the right side of the waterfall to find another cascade above. There are two other large swimming areas in the rocks and ropes to swing and plunge into the water to add to the fun.
Instead of climbing the difficult trail, you can also get to the upper swimming area through an easier path which starts at the Montezuma Canopy tour, 1 km uphill from Montezuma, on the road to Delicias. The Montezuma tour charges a $4 toll fee for using their bridges and trails.
The Catarata del Toro Water Fall Hike
Catarata del Toro claims to be Costa Rica’s best-kept secret and it delivers. This awesome beauty is located near the small town of Bajos del Toro in the mountain regions north of Costa Rica’s Central Valley. Although this is one of the more difficult hikes to do, the view as the water falls from about 300 feet into a crater more than makes up for the stress.
Like most waterfalls in Costa Rica, Catarata del Toro has a toll fee of about 10 dollars this is majorly for maintaining the access trail and providing basic facilities such as restrooms and parking spaces. After hiking in Jaco for about 20 minutes on a fairly flat terrain, you start to go down quickly. There are 375 steps to the foot of the waterfall. The first set of steps are hard concrete, but they get rougher the farther you go, turning into uneven earthen steps by the end.
You’ll have to tread more carefully at this point as the steps are more slippery. Nevertheless, do not miss the fun in it. So, bring out the cameras and take some shots of this beautiful sight, enjoy one of the best water fall hikes in Costa Rica
WANT MORE?
These may be some of our favorite waterfalls hikes in Costa Rica, but there are several others that we love and would be happy to tell you about if you call us at (US) 949-208-1158, or (Costa Rica) 506-2643-2182, or email us at [email protected]!
