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
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 Cortes Cliff Jump, 1-Hour Rio Celeste Hike and Sloth Walk
Swim and cliff jump at hidden Llanos de Cortes, hike about an hour to the blue waterfall, then look for sloths on a short walk with Spring Paradise guides.
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.
Los Campesinos Reserve Waterfalls and 127-Meter Hanging Bridge near Manuel Antonio
A community cooperative's reserve of over 33 hectares with 3 waterfalls, 2 swimming pools and 2 hanging bridges, plus a home-cooked lunch from a wood fire.
Lost Canyon Waterfall Rappelling from La Fortuna with Buffet Lunch and Pickup
Rappel four of the largest waterfalls in Costa Rica's Northern Zone, then swim at El Salto. Groups top out at 10 and an all-you-can-eat buffet is included.
Miramar Zipline Tour at Adventure Park: 18 Cables over 11 Waterfalls, 3.5 Hours
Zipline above 11 waterfalls from Adventure Park and Hotel Vista Golfo in Miramar, with a bilingual guide, all equipment and a swim in a natural waterfall pool.
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.
Mulguri Waterfalls Small-Group Trip near Manuel Antonio with Family Home Lunch
Three waterfalls and four natural pools at the foot of a mountain, about an hour from Manuel Antonio, then a Costa Rican lunch in a local family's house.
Nauyaca Waterfalls Guided Jungle Hike with Swim and Jump Spots, Manuel Antonio
A 40 minute jungle trek to the 80 foot and 160 foot Nauyaca falls with licensed, insured guides who help with climbs and point out optional jump spots.
Nauyaca Waterfalls Small-Group Day Trip with Portalon Falls, Playa Linda and Dominical
Capped at 10 people, this coastal route adds a deserted beach, a jungle waterfall and a surf town to Nauyaca, with a casado lunch at a local restaurant.
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.
Osa Canyoning Adventures Half-Day Canyoning with 8 Waterfall Rappels in Balsar Abajo
Eight waterfall rappels and several smaller cascades to climb down on a half-day canyon descent, with a pre-packed snack on the way. Getting wet is guaranteed.
Paddle 9 Full-Day Waterfall Adventure in Quepos with Farm Lunch, 5 Stops
Five easy-access stops, a farm-to-table lunch and all safety gear included, for families of mixed ages and fitness levels. Guided in English by licensed guides.
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.
Playa Ventanas Beach Caves, Uvita Waterfalls and Portalon: Natural Slide, Cliff Jumps
Walk into two 500 foot beach caves, ride a natural water slide and jump from low or higher cliffs, with a lunch stop in Dominical. It starts in Manuel Antonio.
Pocosol Forest Canyoning and Waterfall Rappelling with Lunch near Arenal
Rappel down waterfalls in the Peñas Blancas River Canyon with ABCCanyoning guides. Safety gear, traditional lunch and hotel transport are all covered.
Private 8-Hour Central Pacific Day Trip: Waterfall Jumps, Beaches and Costa Rican Lunch
Certified guides help with the waterfall jumps, and nobody is pushed. Groups of up to 10 get water, drinks, fruit and a Costa Rican lunch over an 8-hour day.
Ratings collected by Viator and Tripadvisor