Rincón de la Vieja and Miravalles Waterfall Tours: Read the Alert First
20 tours, typically 120 to 250 EUR for 7 hours, from a trail walk under 60 EUR to a private day above 250 EUR. The volcano was on alert level 3 on 23 August 2026.
Twenty tours go to waterfalls around two volcanoes, Rincón de la Vieja and Miravalles, and the first number to know is not a price. On 23 August 2026 Rincón de la Vieja was on alert level 3 and its summit trail was closed. The tours themselves are mostly waterfall-and-hot-springs days typically at 120 to 250 EUR for 7 hours, with one trail walk under 60 EUR and one rappel down a waterfall in the 60 to 120 EUR band. This page reads the 20 listings one by one: what each day holds, which ones include the park ticket, and what to ask before you pay. Only 329 reviews stand behind the 20 listings, the thinnest evidence of the three Guanacaste pages, so this page leans on what the listings spell out rather than on the stars. The rules of the park and the alert are on the Guanacaste page.
Looking for an easier fall? Llanos de Cortés is 30 steps from a parking lot, and La Leona is a guided river hike that ends in a cave. The Costa Rica page compares the whole country. Prices throughout are the providers' own, in EUR, read on 22 October 2026, and private tours are priced per person like shared seats; none quotes one price for the whole group.
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.
Four Waterfalls Day at Hacienda Guachipelin from Chorreras to Rio Negro with Lunch
Chorreras, Oropendola and Victoria waterfalls plus Rio Negro hot springs in one day, with guides and lunch. Starts at the Hacienda Guachipelin Adventure Center.
Guided Rincon de la Vieja Hike with Oropendola Waterfall Swim, Lunch and Hot Springs
A guided hike in Rincon de la Vieja National Park, a swim at turquoise Oropendola when conditions allow, a Costa Rican lunch and an optional mud treatment.
Half-Day La Victoria Waterfall Canyoning with Hot Springs and Buffet Lunch
Rappel and climb down La Victoria Waterfall, finish with a Tarzan swing, then soak in volcanic hot springs and eat a buffet lunch at Hacienda Guachipelin.
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.
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 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.
Private Rincon de la Vieja Hike and Oropendola Waterfall Swim with Hotel Pickup
A private, guided eight-hour day with hotel pickup, park fees and a typical lunch: the Las Pailas loop, then a swim at the 25-meter Oropendola Waterfall.
Private Transport Oropendola Waterfall, Buffet Lunch and Rio Negro Hot Springs Tour
A private vehicle with guide and driver covers a swim at Oropendola Waterfall, a buffet lunch and Rio Negro hot springs, with WiFi, water and air conditioning.
Private Transport Volcano and Waterfall Combo with Sauna, Mud Bath and Hanging Bridges
Eight hours with private air-conditioned transport, bilingual guides and insurance: a swim stop, Miravalles hike, sauna, mud bath, horses and bridges.
Pure Nature Rincon de la Vieja Hike, Oropendola Waterfall, Lunch and Hot Springs
A local family-run operator guides the park hike, a swim at Oropendola when conditions allow, a Costa Rican lunch and a long soak in the Rio Negro hot springs.
Rincon de la Vieja Horseback Ride to Waterfalls and Blue Pools with Costa Rican Lunch
Ride horses to the Rincon waterfalls and blue pools, then eat a Costa Rican lunch. Meet at El Jardin restaurant near Guardia, with groups of up to 15 travelers.
Rincon Volcano Park Trek, Oropendola Waterfall, Local Lunch and Volcanic Mud Soak
A full day on Rincon de la Vieja: a national park trek past fumaroles and mud pits, a short walk to Oropendola Waterfall, local lunch and a volcanic mud soak.
Sloth Watching, Miravalles Hot Springs, Mud Bath and Waterfall Viewing with Lunch
A local guide leads the sloth and wildlife search, then hanging bridges, a waterfall viewpoint, a mud bath, hot springs and a casado lunch with a fruit drink.
Small Group Rincon de la Vieja Hike with Oropendola Waterfall and Hot Springs Lunch
A nine-hour small-group day with private transport, park and waterfall entrance, a guide, lunch and a swing stop at Oropendola, for up to 10 travelers.
Ratings collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Rincón de la Vieja and Miravalles tours: read the alert first
On 23 August 2026 the press reported that the volcano monitoring agency had Rincón de la Vieja at level 3 on a four-step scale, and that the summit trail had been closed for years and stayed closed. The park normally opens Tuesday to Sunday and tickets are reserved online. That was a date, not a status: we could not read a later bulletin. Half the titles on this page say "volcano hike". The hacienda listing's description names the Las Pailas trail and the park-hike listing offers Pailas or La Cangreja, but most do not say which trail they use. Ask three things: which trail, whether it is open on your date, and whether the national park ticket is in the price.
A title that says volcano hike is a description of the mountain, not of the trail.
| Shape | Listings | Typical price band | Median length | Private |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfall and hot springs, with or without a volcano hike | 12 | 120 to 250 EUR | 7.5 hours | 8 of 12 |
| Hacienda Guachipelín day trips | 3 | 60 to 120 EUR | 5 hours | 0 of 3 |
| The Miravalles side: trail walks and hot springs | 4 | 60 to 120 EUR | 3.5 hours | 2 of 4 |
| A park hike only | 1 | 60 to 120 EUR | 7 hours | Private |
A park day: fumaroles, Oropendola and a bath
The photo shows the part of the day the volcano sells: a path past a field of steaming vents. In the Pure Nature listing, in the 120 to 250 EUR band, the day runs through the park, then to Oropendola Waterfall for a swim "when conditions allow", then lunch and the Río Negro hot springs, with towels, a locker and a mud bath included.
That one is explicit about effort: it asks for a high level of physical fitness. The hacienda combo asks for moderate. A blog puts Oropendola at about 25 m; we found no measurement from the park.
The hacienda day trips
Hacienda Guachipelín runs three listings in the 60 to 120 EUR band and they hold 21% of the page's reviews. The combo, five hours with lunch, walks the Las Pailas trail, drives to Oropendola and ends in hot springs. It meets at the hacienda's adventure center, offers no hotel pickup and lists the park fee as not included. The half day is a different animal: you rappel and climb down La Victoria Waterfall, take a Tarzan swing into the pool, then reach the hot springs and a lunch buffet. The third is a one-day waterfalls expedition in the same band.
That combo is also the most reviewed listing on the page, with 56 reviews, and the lowest rated, at 4.5. Every other listing scores 4.7 or higher.
The Miravalles side
Miravalles is a different volcano, roughly 20 km east of Rincón on the Guanacaste map, and its listings are a different product. The cheapest is a trail walk at under 60 EUR for two hours: about 3 km with a suspension bridge and two falls, entrance and guide only, no shuttle. A sloth visit is an optional extra and is not guaranteed. The listing says it is an hour from Liberia and borders the new Jorge Manuel Dengo National Park, and that Las Hornillas is 2 km away and not included. A sister listing in the 30 to 60 EUR band runs 4.5 hours with viewpoints, a waterfall and the bridge.
The other two are hot-spring days. The four-hour shared day from Pure Nature at 120 to 250 EUR combines sloths, the volcano, hot springs and a hidden waterfall; a private day in the same band adds a horse ride or a tractor ride and a mud bath.
Where the day starts
Four of the five listings we opened ask you to come to them: the hacienda's adventure center, the park reception, the farm at Miravalles. Only the Pure Nature day collects you, from six points between Flamingo, Tamarindo, Coco and Liberia, and that is part of why it costs more than the hacienda combo. Across the 20, 70% list pickup. The hacienda gives its own distance from Liberia as about 25 km. A beach hotel adds a drive in both directions, so ask the pickup time before you compare a 5-hour listing with a 6-hour one.
Hot springs and mud: the second half of the day
Most of the combos end in warm water: the Río Negro springs on the hacienda side, Las Hornillas and a spa on the Miravalles side. The springs are why lunch and towels turn up in the inclusions. None of the listings we opened says how many minutes you get in them, and a few ask for a high fitness level for the hike that comes first. If the soak is what you want, check how long the hike is before it, because that decides when you get there.
What moves the price
Seven hours cost roughly 60 to 250 EUR
Hours barely explain price here. The five listings at seven hours run from roughly 60 to 250 EUR. Many of the 20 sit in the middle of the range, three are far cheaper, and two private days cost more than 250 EUR.
Eleven listings are private, and their median sits in the same 120 to 250 EUR band as the shared one. All 11 are priced per person, like the shared seats. The chart shows no pattern in what private buys.
The best explanation of the spread is inclusions. The Pure Nature day lists the park, lunch, towels, a locker, a mud bath, water and pickup from six points; the hacienda combo lists lunch and hot springs but not the park or any pickup. The park hike says all fees and taxes are in, and offers a Pailas walk of two to three hours or the La Cangreja hike of about four hours, which the listing puts at 130 ft. Compare what is in each price before you compare the prices.
How to choose a Rincón de la Vieja or Miravalles tour
If you have a car and want a waterfall without a crowd, the Miravalles trail, under 60 EUR, is the cheapest on the page. If you want the park, the hot springs and lunch with the ticket and a ride included, the Pure Nature day is the one that spells it out. If you want to get wet doing something, the rappel is the only one. A private volcano-and-waterfall day at roughly 120 to 500 EUR buys a private group and flexibility, and nothing on the listings says what else.
Fifteen operators sell the 20 listings with 329 reviews between them, so read the inclusions, not the stars.
Mistakes people make
They book on a Monday, when the park normally closes. They assume the park ticket is in the price, which the hacienda combo says it is not. They expect to reach a crater. They book "Rincón" when the listing is on the Miravalles side, a different volcano, or the reverse. They expect to swim at every stop, when Oropendola swims only "when conditions allow". And they take a single 5.0 rating at face value, on five reviews.
Questions about Rincón de la Vieja and Miravalles waterfall tours
Can you hike to the Rincón de la Vieja crater?
Not on the evidence we have. On 23 August 2026 the press reported that the summit trail had been closed for years and was still closed. A listing that says volcano hike is likely to use another trail, so ask which one and whether it is open.
Is the park ticket included in a Rincón de la Vieja tour?
It depends on the listing. The hacienda combo lists the national park fee as not included. The Pure Nature day lists the park among its inclusions, and the park hike says all fees and taxes are included. Check the list on yours.
Which day is Rincón de la Vieja closed?
The park normally opens Tuesday to Sunday and closes on Mondays, and tickets are reserved online ahead of time. That was reported on 23 August 2026. Confirm the schedule with SINAC and your operator before you book a day around it.
What is the difference between Rincón de la Vieja and Miravalles tours?
They are different volcanoes. Rincón is a volcano with a national park on its flank, where the Las Pailas trail passes fumaroles and mud pots. Oropendola Waterfall is reached from the Hacienda Guachipelín side, and listings differ on whether the park ticket applies, so ask. Miravalles is about 20 km east on the Guanacaste map, with a trail to two falls and a bridge for under 60 EUR, and hot-spring days around Las Hornillas.
How much does a Rincón de la Vieja waterfall tour cost?
Across 20 listings the range runs from under 60 to more than 250 EUR, typically 120 to 250 EUR. Waterfall-and-hot-springs days sit in the same band, the hacienda day trips at 60 to 120 EUR, and the Miravalles trail walks at 30 to 60 EUR.
Can you swim at Oropendola Waterfall?
The listings that describe it mention a swim in a blue pool, and the Pure Nature listing adds the caveat when conditions allow. We have no rule from the park on swimming, so ask your operator on the day.
Comparing it with the other two Guanacaste falls?
The Guanacaste page sets Llanos de Cortés, La Leona and Rincón side by side, with the distances from Liberia.
Data verified on . 20 Viator listings read 22 Oct 2026, five opened in full. Alert and park schedule from Tico Times, 23 Aug 2026; a later bulletin was not read.