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
Finca Los Solis Hike near Jaco: 10 Waterfalls and 8 Natural Pools, 2.5 to 3 Hours
A guided hike through Finca Los Solis that opens with sugar cane juice, crosses rivers and ropes, and leaves time to swim or jump in eight natural pools.
Fortuna River Waterfall Reserve Hike from La Fortuna with Hotel Pickup and Fruit Snack
A short ride from the La Fortuna hotel starts a three-hour hike down 500 steps to a swimming pool at the base, with a fresh fruit snack waiting at the top.
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.
Full-Day ATV Ride from Jaco: Waterfalls, Tulin River Lunch and a Pacific Beach Run
A full day on an ATV with a bilingual guide: Cascada del Zorro, ridgeline views, lunch by the Tulin River and a 2 km beach run along the Pacific Ocean.
Full-Day La Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal Lava Fields and Relax Termalitas Hot Springs
Lunch, a cocktail and hot spring entrance are all part of one long day linking the waterfall, butterfly atriums and a lava rock viewpoint over Arenal.
Full Day: Llanos del Cortés, Miravalles Horseback Ride, ThermoMania Springs, Coffee
Horseback riding on Miravalles Volcano, ThermoMania hot springs and volcanic mud, a butterfly trail and the Llanos del Cortés waterfall, 6 am pick-up in Coco.
Garabitours Hidden Canyon Hike near Jaco: Waterfalls, Cliff Jumping and Farm Stops
Hike a hidden canyon with waterfalls and pools for swimming or cliff jumping, passing banana, cocoa and sugar cane. Meets 10 minutes from Jaco town by car.
Gravity Falls Waterfall Jumping and Canyoning Tour, Small Group from La Fortuna
Leap off waterfalls and cliffs on a six-hour canyon trip limited to 10 guests. Lunch, tropical fruit and equipment are covered, and the minimum age is 16.
Gravity Falls Waterfall Jumping and River Rafting Extreme Combo, La Fortuna
Jump and rappel waterfalls, then raft a class three river in a single six-hour day. Guides, snacks and local food are included for high-fitness travelers.
Guided 4-Hour Jaco Waterfall Hike from Jaco Walk with Trailhead Transfer
Meet in front of Taco Bar at Jaco Walk, ride to the trail head and hike into the forest above Jaco Beach to a waterfall. Bookings need 2 to 15 travelers.
Guided Jaco Rainforest Hike to 10 Waterfalls with Cliff Jumping and Waterfall Climbing
A moderate guided hike to 10 waterfalls near Jaco, with swimming, cliff jumping and waterfall climbing, plus bottled water, fresh fruit and a snack at the end.
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.
Hacienda Ebano Double Waterfall Hike by 4x4 Safari Truck, Jade Waterfall Swim and Lunch
Ride a 4x4 safari truck up the mountains, hike a rainforest trail to two waterfalls and swim in the Jade Waterfall before a banana-leaf lunch by the river.
Half-Day 4x4 Jungle Safari from Jaco: Pura Vida Falls and Lunch at Paz del Campo
Half-day 4x4 safari with a bilingual guide from the Adventure Tours Costa Rica office in Jaco: a swim at Pura Vida waterfall and an included Costa Rican lunch.
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.
Horseback, 180-Foot El Encanto Rappel and Zipline Day at Ocean Ranch Park, Jaco
Ride to El Encanto on horseback, rappel its 180-foot face with professional guides, then zip over 2,000 feet of cable to the rancho in an 850-acre valley.
Horseback Ride on Trails Away from Roads to La Fortuna Waterfall, Entrance Included
Riders stay off the roads on this four-hour trail to the waterfall, with a certified guide, helmet, round-trip transport from select hotels and entry covered.
Horseback Ride to La Fortuna Waterfall with Hanging Bridge and Maleku Village Stop
Riders cross a hanging bridge on the way down to the 65-meter falls, swim at the base and stop at the Maleku Indigenous Village before riding back to base.
Horseback Ride to the 180-Foot El Encanto Waterfall at Ocean Ranch Park, Jaco
Horseback through jungle shade and a river valley to a 180-foot waterfall, with white-faced monkeys, toucans and macaws along the trail. Park setting near Jaco.
Horseback Riding Tour to Bijagual Waterfall near Jaco, Meeting at the Falls
Horseback riding to Bijagual Waterfall, among the highest in Costa Rica. Riders meet at the falls, 1 km from Jardine Pura Vida in Bijagual, near Carara.
Jaco ATV Tour to Two Jungle Waterfalls: Cascada del Zorro and Pura Vida Falls
Ride your own ATV above Jaco to Cascada del Zorro and Pura Vida Falls, with an optional 15-foot jump. Drivers need to be 16+ with a valid driver's license.
La Fortuna Canyoning with Tree and Hanging Bridge Rappels, Waterfall and Lunch
Five rappels covering 100 meters, from a tree, a hanging bridge and a waterfall, then lunch and a car ride through the cloud forest. Hotel pickup is included.
La Fortuna Waterfall and AirTime Zipline Canopy Tour with Lunch at El Perezoso
Zipline gear, waterfall entry and a lunch at Restaurante El Perezoso are bundled into one four-hour outing with views of Arenal Volcano and Cerro Chato.
La Fortuna Waterfall and Maleku Village Half-Day with Tractor Ride and Hanging Bridge
A tractor ride, a short rainforest walk over a hanging bridge, a swim below the 70-meter waterfall and a visit to the Maleku village fit into one half-day.
Ratings collected by Viator, Tripadvisor and Civitatis