Waterfalls in Guanacaste: Llanos de Cortés, La Leona and Rincón de la Vieja
60 tours across three very different falls, from under 60 to more than 250 EUR. Typical prices run from the 60 to 120 EUR band for a guided river hike to the 120 to 250 EUR band for a day with sloths and coffee.
Guanacaste has three waterfalls that sell, and they share little beyond the province. The cheapest guided way to see one is a three-hour river hike to La Leona, typically in the 60 to 120 EUR band. The dearest is a six-hour day of Llanos de Cortés, sloths and a chocolate farm, in the 120 to 250 EUR band. Between them sits a volcano park, Rincón de la Vieja, with a waterfall, hot springs and lunch, in the same band. This page covers waterfalls in Guanacaste as a place: who runs each one, which rules apply, when the water and the weather cooperate, and which base puts you closest. The 60 tours are read one by one on the three pages linked below, and every price here is a band around the median of the 20 listings read for that fall on 22 October 2026.
The fall pages read the tours one at a time. This page answers the questions that come before them: where to sleep, which month, and which of the three suits a family, a hiker or a hot-spring day. Looking for Río Celeste? It lies inside Volcán Tenorio National Park, about 1.5 hours from Liberia airport, and has its own page. The Costa Rica page sets the whole country side by side, so the national comparison is not repeated here. If you only have one day in the province, start with the three fall pages linked below, and book the one whose operator says plainly what the day includes.
Choose a destination in Guanacaste
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Llanos de Cortés Waterfall Tours
Llanos de Cortés tours compared: 20 listings from under 120 to more than 250 EUR, 6 hours at the median, lunch in 95%.
20 experiences -
La Leona Waterfall Hikes
La Leona waterfall hikes compared: 20 listings from under 60 to more than 250 EUR, with the plain 3-hour hike at 30 to 60 EUR.
20 experiences -
Rincón de la Vieja & Miravalles Waterfalls
Rincón de la Vieja and Miravalles waterfall tours compared: 20 listings from under 60 to more than 250 EUR, 7 hours at the median.
20 experiences
Waterfalls Travel Experiences in Guanacaste
La Leona Waterfall Small-Group Hike with Hotel Transport and Lunch
Small-group La Leona hike with round trip hotel transport, a Costa Rican lunch, bottled water and WiFi on board. Needs at least 4 adults; intermediate trail.
Las Hornillas Hot Springs and Mud Bath with Horse or Tractor Ride and Waterfall Hike
Hot springs, a mud bath, a horse or tractor ride and a waterfall hike, with hotel pickup from Flamingo to Papagayo, lunch and a minimum of four adults.
Las Pailas Trail, Oropendola Waterfall and Hot Springs Combo from Hacienda Guachipelin
Five hours from the Hacienda Guachipelin Adventure Center: Las Pailas trail, an Oropendola swim, Rio Negro mud baths and a buffet lunch, for up to 30.
Lifetime Travel CR: Llanos de Cortez Swim and Las Hornillas Walkable Crater with Mud Baths
Walk inside a live volcanic crater at Las Hornillas, then soak in mud and hot springs after a swim at Llanos de Cortez. Transport, lunch and fees are included.
Llanos de Cortés Swim, Rainforest Sloths, Coffee and Chocolate, and Río Celeste Stop
Hotel pick-up from Papagayo, air-conditioned transport and a bilingual guide for a six-hour trip of waterfall swimming, wildlife spotting and coffee tasting.
Llanos del Cortés Hidden Pool Swim, Donde Pipe Buffet Lunch and Liberia White City Walk
A buffet lunch at Donde Pipe, a guided walk through Liberia and two swims, one in a hidden forest pool and one beneath the Llanos del Cortés waterfall.
Llanos del Cortés Premium Waterfall Visit: A 65-Foot Cascade in Guanacaste
A visit to Llanos del Cortés, a waterfall about 65 feet high and 49 feet wide, where thin streams run over mossy rock with forest birds and monkeys around.
Llanos del Cortés Swim, Sloths, Frogs and Hands-On Coffee and Chocolate in Guanacaste
Make your own coffee and chocolate, eat a casado lunch and swim at Llanos del Cortés. Rain in September and October can close the pool to swimmers there.
Llanos del Cortés Swim, Tenorio Coffee Farm, Chocolate Tasting and Bijagua Sloth Walk
Swim at Llanos del Cortés, tour a Tenorio coffee plantation, taste handmade chocolate and search the Bijagua rainforest for sloths, frogs and snakes.
Llanos del Cortés Waterfall, Bijagua Sloths and Miravalles Volcano Hot Springs Mud Day
Swim at Llanos del Cortés, look for sloths near Bijagua, eat a casado and finish in the hot springs and volcanic mud of Miravalles Volcano in one day.
Llanos del Cortez Waterfall, Tropical Forest Wildlife and Volcanic Mud Exfoliation Tour
A day tour in three stops: the Llanos del Cortez waterfall, a rainforest with sloths, toucans, frogs and tapirs, and a volcano with mud and hot springs.
Miravalles Viewpoints Trail with Suspension Bridge and Hidden Waterfall near Bagaces
Nine kilometers of trails on Miravalles volcano with a suspension bridge, three viewpoints, canyons and a hidden waterfall, one hour from Liberia Airport.
Miravalles Volcano and Las Hornillas Combo with Waterfalls, Hot Springs and Mud Baths
A scenic drive to Miravalles volcano, waterfall hikes with naturalist guides, geysers at Las Hornillas by horse or carriage, then hot springs and mud baths.
Oropendola Waterfall, Rio Negro Hot Springs and Mud Bath Day from Selected Hotels
A seven-hour day with a trilingual guide in English, French or Spanish, pickup from selected hotels, a volcanic mud bath and a typical Costa Rican buffet.
Pailas Trail or La Cangreja Waterfall Hike in Rincon de la Vieja National Park
Pick a two to three hour Pailas loop past fumaroles and mud pools, or a four-hour, 6.2-mile hike to La Cangreja Waterfall. The guide waits at park reception.
Private Bijagua Rainforest Reserve, Llanos del Cortés and Corobicí River Safari Float
A private guide leads a Bijagua reserve walk for sloths and frogs, a calm Class I-II river float for birds and monkeys, and a swim at Llanos del Cortés.
Private Bijagua Sloth Walk and Llanos del Cortez Tiered Waterfalls near Bagaces
A private visit to Llanos del Cortez near Bagaces and the Bijagua trails around Tenorio Volcano National Park, home to monkeys, toucans and sloths in the wild.
Private Full-Day Curubande Tubing, Cliff Jump, La Leona and Llanos de Cortes
Private day with a casado lunch, snacks and a video: river tubing, cliff jumps, the La Leona cave swim and Llanos de Cortes falls. Closed-toe shoes required.
Private Heliconias Lodge Hanging Bridges, Spring Paradise Reserve and Llanos del Cortés
A private guide leads guests across the hanging bridges at Heliconias Lodge in Bijagua, then through a protected reserve to Llanos del Cortés waterfall.
Private La Leona Waterfall Hike for Two or More from Curubande
Private La Leona hike for groups of two or more, with a local guide, dry bag, fresh fruit snack and life vest if needed. Guiding in English, French or Spanish.
Private La Leona Waterfall Tour with Hotel Transportation, Lunch and Water
Private trip to La Leona from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle with WiFi, lunch and bottled water, driving straight to the falls. Up to 10 travelers.
Private Llanos de Cortez, Miravalles Hanging Bridges, Hot Springs and Mud Baths Tour
A private guide, hiking and hanging bridges, hot springs and mud baths in the Miravalles Volcano area, starting at the Llanos de Cortez waterfall swim.
Private Oropendola Waterfall and Rio Negro Hot Springs Tour from Hacienda Guachipelin
Starts at the Hacienda Guachipelin adventure desk: two flat 10-minute walks, a Costa Rican buffet and both entrance fees covered, guided in English or Spanish.
Private Pailas Loop Hike and Oropendola Waterfall Day from Avellanas and Junquillal
A private 10 to 11 hour day from Avellanas and Junquillal: a 2.5-hour scenic drive, the 2-mile Pailas loop, a canyon walk to Oropendola and a traditional lunch.
Ratings collected by Viator and Tripadvisor