Waterfalls in Costa Rica: 150 Tours Compared by Region
150 tours across five destinations, from under 30 to more than 250 EUR, typically 120 to 250 EUR. Each fall comes with its source, its gate rules and its best months.
The usual list of waterfalls in Costa Rica ranks them by beauty, which nobody can check. This page ranks them by how you get in. A few have a gate and a ticket, like La Fortuna and Río Celeste. One needs a guide. Several only make sense inside a day tour, and Nauyaca has two entrances that charge very different prices. We read 150 tours across five destinations: the middle half cost roughly 60 to 250 EUR, a typical tour sits in the 120 to 250 EUR band, and the typical day lasts 6 hours. This page sets the falls side by side, with heights and their sources, a map of the bases, a rain calendar for each region and a plain verdict on the falls we do not sell. Each destination has its own page for the detail, and we link to those instead of repeating them. If you read only one table, make it the one that compares the five destinations: it shows what each region sells and what a day there costs.
A note on method. Heights and gate rules below come from park managers, local press or an operator's own page, and each one says which. Where two sources disagree we print both. Tour prices are the provider's listed price on 22 October 2026, per person, private tours included, and ratings are weighted by the number of reviews, so a 5.0 from nine people does not outrank a 4.9 from two thousand. Dates in this page are the dates of the source, never today's. A swimming ban, a closing day or a fee changes more often than a tour price, so check the park's official channel on the day you go, above all for Río Celeste and Rincón de la Vieja, which closed or changed their rules in 2025 and 2026.
Choose a destination in Costa Rica
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La Fortuna & Arenal
La Fortuna waterfall tours compared: 30 listings from under 30 to more than 250 EUR, sorted into volcano and hot-spring days or canyoning, with the gate fee…
30 experiences in 2 destinations -
Nauyaca & Manuel Antonio Waterfall Tours
Nauyaca Waterfall tours and Manuel Antonio waterfall trips compared: 20 listings at roughly 60 to 250 EUR, the two park entrances, and what each day includes.
20 experiences -
Guanacaste
Three waterfalls, three sets of rules: a town-run swim at Llanos de Cortés, a guided river hike to La Leona and a volcano park at Rincón de la Vieja.
60 experiences in 3 destinations -
Rio Celeste Waterfall Hikes
Río Celeste tours from La Fortuna, Guanacaste and San José compared: 20 listings at roughly 60 to 250 EUR, what makes the river blue, and what the park allows.
20 experiences -
Jaco Waterfall Tours
Jaco waterfall tours compared: 20 listings from under 30 to more than 120 EUR across ATV rides, hikes and rappel days, with the ATV deposit and the pickup…
20 experiences
Waterfalls Travel Experiences in Costa Rica
10-Hour Small-Group Waterfall Trek from Jaco Walk to Osa: 5 Falls, 3 Locations
Small group of up to 12 leaves Jaco Walk for the Osa area: five waterfalls in three places, a traditional Costa Rican lunch and a choice to swim or jump in.
3-Hour ATV Ride South of Jaco to a 30-Foot Waterfall and Swimming Pool
Starts at an ATV station 15 minutes south of Jaco, with a 5-minute jungle walk to the falls and a stop at El Tigre lookout. Transport from Jaco on request.
3-Hour Herradura ATV Tour with Waterfalls, a Private Beach and Ocean Views
Three hours on an ATV off the beaten path from Herradura, with waterfalls, a private beach and ocean views. A Visa or Mastercard is needed on the day.
4-Hour ATV Ride to the Private Jaguar Waterfalls, with an El Tigre Lookout Stop
Ride to a private estate with three waterfalls, swim in one, and stop at the El Tigre lookout and restaurant. The ATV station is 15 minutes south of Jaco.
4-Hour Jaco ATV Ride: Swimming Waterfall and Lunch at a Bijagual Tilapia Farm
Half-day ride from the Adventure Tours base in Jaco with a swim at a 30-foot waterfall and a Costa Rican lunch at a Bijagual tilapia farm where kids can fish.
5-Hour Jaco Adventure: ATV, 180-Foot Waterfall Rappel, Zipline and Tractor Ride
ATV ride through the forest to El Encanto waterfall, a 180-foot rappel, then a canopy zipline near Jaco. Directions to the park from the Costanera included.
All-Inclusive Pacific Coast Waterfall Day with Local Guide, Secluded Beach and Casado
A local guide narrates the coast drive, then the day moves from a secluded jungle waterfall to a deserted beach, a surf town and the two-tiered Nauyaca cascade.
Amigos del Rio ADR Waterfall Park: Canyoning and 7 Zip Lines near Quepos
Seven zip lines, a free fall into a waterfall pool and a Tarzan swing, run by Amigos del Rio with bilingual guides, lunch and hotel transport from Quepos.
Arenal 1968 Lava Trail, La Fortuna Waterfall, Vida Campesina Lunch and Hanging Bridges
A lava flow hike, a waterfall swim, lunch at Vida Campesina Farm and 15 hanging bridges at Mistico Park fill a ten-hour day for groups of up to ten travelers.
Arenal 1968 Trail, La Fortuna Waterfall and Mistico Hanging Bridges Small-Group Combo
Small groups start early to stay ahead of the crowds, with a casado lunch between the lava field hike and 16 bridges at Mistico. Hotel pickup is included.
Arenal Rainforest Horseback Ride to La Fortuna Waterfall, Minimum Age 7, Two-Rider Minimum
Hotel pickup, a guide and a helmet come with this ride through the rainforest to the falls. Riders must be 7 or older, and a booking needs at least two people.
Arenal River Canyon Rappelling with Canopy Lines and Lunch at La Roca Bistró
Rappel four canyon walls, cross two canopy lines and finish with a buffet lunch at La Roca Bistró. Showers, towels and transport from La Fortuna included.
Arenal Volcano, Maleku Village and La Fortuna Waterfall Day with Hot Springs Soak
One day covers the 500-step waterfall, a Maleku village visit, lunch, a volcano viewpoint and a hot spring soak, with hotel pickup in Arenal and La Fortuna.
Arenal Volcano or La Fortuna Waterfall with Baldi Hot Springs from Guanacaste
A day trip from Guanacaste where the walk is either the Arenal Volcano or a waterfall, followed by a long soak in the 25 thermal pools at Baldi Hot Springs.
ATV Ride and Rainmaker Park Waterfall Walk near Manuel Antonio, Ranch Meal
Drive your own ATV through palm plantations and rural towns, then walk Rainmaker Park's waterfalls and eat a typical Costa Rican meal at the operator's ranch.
ATV Ride in a Private 850-Acre Park to El Encanto Waterfall and Ocean Views, Jaco
Off-road ATV ride in a private park away from the highway, ending at the rancho with fresh pineapple and juice. El Encanto waterfall is 180 feet high.
Baldi Hot Springs, Arenal Volcano and Fortuna Waterfall Day Trip from San Jose
A day trip out of San Jose that pairs the Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna Waterfall walks with a long soak in the 25 thermal pools at Baldi Hot Springs.
Bijagual Waterfall Walking Tour from Jaco: Forest Trails, Rivers and Pools
Walk forest trails past rivers and pools to Bijagual Waterfall, among the most majestic in Costa Rica. Meet at the falls, 1 km from Jardine Pura Vida.
Bijagua Rainforest Trails, Llanos de Cortés Swim and Family Chocolate and Coffee Farm
A full-day guided trip combining a Llanos de Cortés swim, rainforest trails in Bijagua de Upala, a family chocolate and coffee farm and a Costa Rican lunch.
Corobicí River Safari Float, Llanos de Cortez Hike and Sloth Search with Tico Lunch
Float the Rio Corobici looking for monkeys and birds, hike to Llanos de Cortez and search for sloths and frogs, with a hot Tico lunch and a naturalist guide.
Cuilpilapan Miravalles Hike to Two Waterfalls and Suspension Bridge with Sloth Option
A short 3 km hike on Miravalles volcano with a suspension bridge, a spot where two falls meet and an optional sloth plot, an hour from Liberia Airport.
Dominicalito and Uvita Waterfalls Trip with Rocky Beach and Whale's Tail Sunset Lookout
Two to three waterfalls, a rocky beach, a fruit stand stop and a mountain lookout over the Whale's Tail at sunset, with swimming holes and spots to jump.
Eco Chontales 150-Foot Waterfall Canyon: Cliff Jumps, Waterslide, Blue Clay and Lunch
A 150-foot waterfall, a mini waterslide, jumps of 6 feet or 9 meters and a blue clay spa session, finished with a freshly cooked meal at the river restaurant.
Family-Run Llanos de Cortés Swim, Bijagua Sloth Walk, Coffee and Chocolate Farm with Lunch
A local family company founded in 2008 runs this 6 to 8 hour day with hotel pick-up, admissions, a waterfall swim, a farm visit and a traditional Tico lunch.
Ratings collected by Viator, Tripadvisor and Civitatis
Waterfalls in Costa Rica, sorted by how you visit them
Start with the question that decides the rest of the day: do you need anyone else? For a few falls the answer is no. La Fortuna sells a gate ticket, with a higher rate for foreign adults set by ADIFORT, the association that runs it. You walk down 530 steps and you are done. Río Celeste works the same way, except the ticket is online only: Tenorio stopped selling at the gate on 1 August 2023. Llanos de Cortés belongs to the Bagaces municipality and charged 4,000 colones in cash in March 2026.
A second group cannot sensibly be done alone. La Leona is a guided hike with river crossings, and the canyons around La Fortuna belong to the operators who rappel them. Nauyaca is possible without a tour, but the price depends on the entrance: a blog read in April 2026 lists a small fee at one gate and roughly three times as much at the other. The third group is the combination: the fall as one stop between hot springs, bridges and lunch.
Some of the best-known falls in the country are a ticket and a staircase. Others are an excuse for a day out.
| Waterfall | Region | Height and source | How you get in | Swimming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Río Celeste | Tenorio Volcano National Park | About 30 m, per the park (press, Sept 2025) | Online ticket only; on your own or on a tour | Not allowed inside the park |
| La Fortuna | Arenal area | Over 70 m (ADIFORT, 2025) | Gate ticket and 530 steps; on your own or on a tour | In marked areas, when the weather allows |
| Llanos de Cortés | Bagaces, Guanacaste | About 28 m (a 2026 blog); local estimates 19 to 21 m | Municipal gate, about 30 concrete steps | Yes, in a roped area with lifeguards |
| La Leona | Curubandé, Guanacaste | No figure found | Guided only, about 2 km each way with river crossings | Not confirmed |
| Nauyaca | Near Dominical | Upper fall about 45 m (a blog); one operator says 190 ft | Two entrances with different prices | Calm in the dry season; mud and currents in the green season |
| Catarata del Toro | Bajos del Toro | 82 to 90 m, sources disagree | Private land; paid entry, check the current fee | Not confirmed |
| La Paz Waterfall Gardens | Poás, Alajuela | Main fall about 35 m (110 ft) | Private garden park; paid entry, check the current fee | Not confirmed |
| El Encanto | Jacó | 55 m (180 ft) on operator pages | Rappel with a guide | Not applicable |
Two rules for reading that table. First, never trust a height you cannot trace. Blogs credit Río Celeste with 90 m, while the park's own figure, quoted by the press in September 2025, is about 30 m, and several sites crown a different fall as the tallest in the country. Second, a price without a date is not a price. We could not open the parks authority's own tariff page, so treat every gate fee as a press or blog figure and check before you travel.
Why so many falls sit near volcanoes
Río Celeste drops inside the park of the Tenorio volcano. La Fortuna's falls are a short drive from Arenal. Rincón de la Vieja, home of the Oropendola and La Cangreja falls, became a national park on 23 October 1973 and in August 2026 was on volcanic alert level 3 after 48 eruptions in about a month.
The volcano has been quiet since 2010. It is a view now, not a show, even if some tour copy online still promises lava at night.
What a waterfall trip costs across the country
The chart ranks bundles, not scenery. Jacó and La Fortuna have the lowest medians, both in the 60 to 120 EUR band. In Jacó the median tour lasts only 3 hours and 45% of the listings involve a quad bike. La Fortuna's bar is the widest on the chart, roughly 60 to 250 EUR, because one town sells a walk in the 30 to 60 EUR band and a canyoning day above 250 EUR. Guanacaste tops the chart in the 120 to 250 EUR band, but 57% of its 60 tours are private, and the provider lists those per person like the others, so the private format itself lifts the price.
The median follows the bundle on sale, not the height of the fall.
| Destination | Tours | Typical price band | Middle half | Reviews | Rating | Top operator's share of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guanacaste | 60 | 120 to 250 EUR | 60 to 250 EUR | 4,344 | 4.92 | 25% |
| Río Celeste | 20 | 120 to 250 EUR | 60 to 250 EUR | 3,944 | 4.81 | 30% |
| Nauyaca & Manuel Antonio | 20 | 120 to 250 EUR | 60 to 250 EUR | 6,472 | 4.94 | 33% |
| La Fortuna & Arenal | 30 | 60 to 120 EUR | 60 to 250 EUR | 11,699 | 4.83 | 22% |
| Jacó | 20 | 60 to 120 EUR | 60 to 120 EUR | 3,054 | 4.87 | 46% |
Where the tours start, and how far apart everything is
A local car-rental blog gives the times that matter. La Fortuna town to its waterfall is 10 minutes, to Río Celeste about 1.5 hours, to San José about 3 hours and to Liberia 2.5 to 3. Liberia airport to Río Celeste is also about 1.5 hours, which is why one fall appears on tour pages for two regions. Llanos de Cortés is 36 km and about 35 minutes from Liberia. Nauyaca sits at the opposite end of the country from Río Celeste.
The practical rule: pick two neighboring regions, not three. La Fortuna, Río Celeste and the Liberia side of Guanacaste form a loop that fits a week without a long transfer. Jacó and Nauyaca are the Pacific alternative. Mixing the two means a day on the road for a waterfall you could have seen on the way.
The five pages go deeper. La Fortuna & Arenal has the gate ticket, the hot-spring days and ten canyoning tours. Guanacaste is the largest group, with a municipal fall, a guided river hike and a volcano park under alert. Río Celeste is online tickets, no swimming and a river that changes color. Nauyaca and Manuel Antonio turns on which entrance you use, and Jacó is the cheapest and the most motorized. Where one name holds a third of the reviews, as in Nauyaca (33%) or Jacó (46%), you are choosing an operator more than a tour.
When to go: the rain calendar
Local guides put the dry season at December to April and the green season at May to November. We found no weather-service source, so these months are our reading of operator and press notes, not a forecast.
| Month | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Fortuna & Arenal The gate fall stays open in the green season, but heavy rain closes swimming. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Guanacaste The driest region, with thin falls from December to April. Llanos de Cortés closes for heavy rain from September to November. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Río Celeste Storms turn the river grey-brown, mostly October to January per a 2026 local guide. The park closed on 30 May 2025, reopened in part on 2 June, and closed again on 18 July for heavy rain. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Nauyaca & Manuel Antonio Calm in the dry season. In the green season the trail is muddy and swimming is sometimes closed. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Jacó No season data found for the Jacó valley, so this row applies the general dry-season rule. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Months are editorial judgment from guide blogs and press reports, not weather-service data. Sep and Oct are the wettest on the Pacific side.
The best months are not the same everywhere. The dry season is kinder underfoot, but in Guanacaste it also means thin water. Guide blogs describe green-season days as dry mornings and storms after about 2 pm. If Río Celeste is the reason for your trip, treat the month as a probability and the morning as the real answer: heavy rain turns the river grey-brown for hours before the color returns.
Falls we don't sell, and why that matters
A page about waterfalls in Costa Rica that listed only the ones we have tours for would mislead you. Catarata del Toro in Bajos del Toro is on private land. La Paz Waterfall Gardens near Poás is a garden park, not a hike, sold mostly as a day trip from San José. Montezuma, on the Nicoya Peninsula, is the kind of fall blogs recommend and that we have almost no tours for: when we scanned the providers, the whole peninsula had six listings. For these, go on your own or ask a local guide.
What changed access to the falls
Dates from Wikipedia and local press.
The origins
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1968
Arenal erupts
The eruption of 29 July kills 87 people and buries three villages.
The growth
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2010
Arenal goes quiet
The volcano's last eruption. It has been dormant since.
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2023
Tickets move online
From 1 August, Tenorio and Rincón de la Vieja stop selling at the gate.
Today
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2025
A year of closures at Tenorio
The park closes on 30 May, reopens in part on 2 June, and closes again on 18 July for heavy rain.
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2026
Alert level 3 at Rincón de la Vieja
In August, 48 eruptions in about a month. The crater trail has been closed for years.
How many waterfalls is enough
Three, chosen by effort, not fame. One easy fall with a ticket and a staircase, La Fortuna or Llanos de Cortés. One big day built around a fall, which is where tours earn their money. And one thing with a rope or a quad bike: Arenal canyoning is rated 4.92 in our data. A fourth fall in the same week mostly adds drive time.
Questions about waterfalls in Costa Rica
What is the best waterfall in Costa Rica?
No honest single answer exists, because the falls differ in what you do there. For an easy walk, La Fortuna. For color, Río Celeste, knowing that rain turns it grey-brown and swimming is banned. For a swim with lifeguards, Llanos de Cortés. For a physical day, a guided canyon. Choose by activity, then the month.
Can you swim at Río Celeste?
Not inside Tenorio Volcano National Park. A travel agency FAQ and a 2026 local guide both say swimming is banned there. Some tours advertise a dip in the river; those happen outside the park on private land, so read the itinerary to see which stretch you pay for.
Is La Fortuna Waterfall free?
No. ADIFORT sets a gate fee, higher for foreign adults than for Costa Ricans, and children under 8 enter free. It confirmed the rate in April 2025 and again in February 2026, so check the current tariff before you go. A booking-site ticket under 30 EUR is also sold.
Do I need a tour to see waterfalls in Costa Rica?
For La Fortuna, Río Celeste and Llanos de Cortés, no: each has a gate and a path. A tour earns its price when you have no car. La Leona and the canyons need a guide. Nauyaca is possible alone, but choose the entrance first.
Start where the reviews are
La Fortuna & Arenal has 11,699 reviews at 4.83 and the widest choice of formats, from a guided walk in the 30 to 60 EUR band to a full canyoning day.
Data verified on . Tours, prices and ratings read from 150 listings on 22 October 2026. Heights and gate rules from park managers, local press and operator pages, each cited in the text.