If you love waterfalls, then you will have to put Catarata del Toro on your list of places to see in Costa Rica.
This stunning waterfall stands at an impressive 270 feet(82 meters) inside an old volcano crater in the rain forest.
Owned and operated by a Costa Rican-Dutch couple, they transformed a little piece of the rain forest into one of Costa Rica’s best waterfall attractions.
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How to Get to Catarata del Toro
It is highly recommend to rent a car as it is the most efficient, fastest and best way to get to the waterfall park.
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How to get to Catarata del Toro from San Jose
Driving – Do You Need a 4×4?
The best route from San Jose is via Sarchi. You can find it on Waze and Google Maps.
The drive from San Jose to Catarata del Toro takes around 2 hours. From San Jose International Airport, it is around 1.5 hours.
You can also go via Zarcero. It takes a little bit longer but you can stop at Zarcero, a charming little local town with topiary gardens and church.
A 4×4 is highly recommended, especially in the rainy season months (May through November).
By bus
You will need to take the bus to Zarcero, there is no direct bus to Bajos del Toro.
Then from Zarcero, you will need to grab a taxi to Bajos del Toro.
The taxi could cost around 15,000 colones (around $26 USD) and takes around 40 minutes. You could check the Uber app to see if there are any available.
Shuttles
There are no shared shuttles to the waterfall park, you must take a private shuttle.
If you’re landing in San Jose International Airport and La Fortuna is your first destination, you can stop at Del Toro waterfall on the way.
You can only do this if you land at the airport in the morning as the park closes at 5 PM. San Jose International Airport to Bajos del Toro is about a 1.5-2 hour drive.
You need about 1.5 hours at the waterfall and then you can drive around 1.5 hours to La Fortuna.
This can be done on your own if you’re renting a car. If not, you have to book a private transfer and request this stop, it can only be booked as a private service.
Contact us to help you to book this private transfer with the stop at Del Toro waterfall.
Location
This waterfall is located in the little town of Bajos del Toro. Catarata del Toro waterfall is 70 kilometers (44 miles) from San Jose and 211 kilometers (131 miles) from Liberia.
Entrance Fee and Hours
The reserve is open Monday to Saturday, 7 AM – 5 PM. It costs $15 USD per adult. Children are $7.50 USD for ages 4-12,
Del Toro Waterfall Trail
When you arrive at the waterfall park, you’ll first see their visitor center which consists of a restaurant, nature trails, hummingbird gardens.
There is a nice viewing spot from the hummingbird garden where you can see the waterfall.
Before going down to the waterfall, I recommend walking through some of their nature trails through the garden.
It’s a very nice walk and not long so you can see some of the various flowers and trees on the property.
Once you’re ready, walk down to the main path to the waterfall. It’s to the right of the visitor center and there are signs you can follow.
Get ready for a steep walk down to the waterfall!
The Waterfall Trail
There are several excellent viewpoints along the trail so don’t skip these. Each one offers a different angle so you can see the spectacular waterfall from all perspectives.
The beginning of the trail is easy but it doesn’t last long. It goes through the nature trail on a dirt path and then you will see the concrete steps going down.
Take your time on the steps because they are steep but they put up rails to help you keep your balance.
Once you get down and the path flattens out to a dirt path, you get the perfect view of the waterfall.
I took a photo of Yeison standing at the bottom, you can see just how tall the waterfall is because he looks tiny!
Carefully climb down the last section (it’s a bit muddy), walk over the rocks on the right hand side and you’ll get to the closest point where Yeison is.
The waterfall looks awe-inspiring from far away, but when you’re that close up, you get a real sense of how impressive this waterfall truly is.
The spray of the water is so strong that if you get close, you’ll get wet!
It was hard for me to get photos when I was standing close since my camera kept getting wet.
Swimming in Catarta del Toro is not allowed or is it possible because it will be too dangerous. Be extremely careful when walking on the rocks because it is super slippery!
Tips for Visiting the Del Toro waterfall in Costa Rica
- Bring plenty of water and sunscreen.
- They don’t recommend people with heart conditions or walking disabilities, pregnant women or senior citizens to go down because of the steps.
- There isn’t a universal trail so it is not handicap friendly. They can stay at the top where the visitor center is and see the waterfall from there.
- If you want to stay in Bajos del Toro Amarillo, we recommend El Silencio Lodge & Spa. Gorgeous hotel on the luxury side in the forest with amazing views. Very close to the waterfall and has excellent bird watching.
- The reserve also has three small standard rooms. Must reserve in advance directly with them.
- If you have time, combine your visit to Del Torow waterfall with Blue Falls. Blue Falls requires a few hours, as it is a hike through the rainforest and rivers to see blue colored waterfalls.
What to Wear
You will need closed toed hiking sandals or sneakers. No flip flops or sandals. will not be good shoes.
Hiking and outdoor clothing is best.
Weather
The weather in Catarata del Toro is much cooler than the rest of Costa Rica due to its elevation, though it experiences the typical tropical dry and rainy seasons.
Tropical dry season is from December through April. Rainy season is from May through November.
The hottest day time temperatures can be in the low 80s° F (27° C) in the hottest month of the year, March. Night time temperatures drop down to 65° F (18° C).
If you visit during rainy season (May – December), bring a rain jacket. The rainiest month is October.
Average day and night time temperatures do not vary greatly from dry to rainy season. However, if it is raining a lot, it can be cooler.
How to Visit Catarata del Toro
You can visit as a day trip from San Jose if you have a car.
To make the most of the day, you can also stop by La Paz waterfall gardens or Poas Volcano National Park.
Here is a 10 day Costa Rica itinerary that includes Bajos del Toro to see Catarata del Toro, Bijagua to see Rio Celeste and Manuel Antonio to see Nauyaca Waterfalls.
If you want to stay in the area, there are only a couple of hotels in the area, one being Blue Morpho Lodge. For a luxury stay, book a room at El Silencio Lodge and Spa.
Read about other waterfalls in Costa Rica here!
Catarata Llanos de Cortes (Guanacaste)
Nauyaca waterfalls (Dominical)
Cascada El Pavon (Uvita)
Los Chorros waterfalls (Grecia)
Catarata Poza Azul (Sarapiqui)
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Holly Freeman says
We are going to go canyoneering in the area either the 31 or 1st of June in 2021. The El Silencio sounds amazing but out of our price range . How can I book the rooms in the reserve? Or can you suggest a place for 4 people under $200 a night? Airbnb is ok as well. We have to be in Jaco on the 4th and would love suggestions for our other 3 days? ( We are traveling from Tortugero ).
Sammi says
You can check the Del Toro’s website, I know they recently re-opened their rooms.
Kaylee says
Hi, we will be travelling from La Fortuna to San Jose the beginning of April. We are renting a sedan and wanted to visit the waterfall on the way. Google maps says to take the 708 to the waterfall and then continue down that road towards Sarchi. Would we be okay on that road in a sedan since it’s dry season or is it too risky?
Sammi says
You can make it in a sedan, but just drive slow because even in April, that area does tend to rain more because it’s high elevation and last time we went, we went via Sarchi and the road is not paved all the way and goes through mountains. My recommendation personally would be to rent a 4wd if you can, especially if you are not used to driving those kinds of roads.
Marlys says
Hi Sammy,
We are driving from an Airbnb in La Fortuna to an Airbnb in Poas on January 31,2020. We have rented a sedan from Adobe through you and we are wondering if it would be possible to stop at Catarata del Toro on our way. I am concerned because we will have all our suitcases with us, also some of the things I read make me wonder if a car is OK. If this stop is possible what route is the best to take.
Sammi says
Hi Marlys, you can stop by del toro waterfall on the way from Fortuna to Poas, I recommend to use Waze as your GPS navigation. The waterfall park has a large parking lot that is right at the entrance of the park, just make sure to put all your things in the trunk and don’t leave valuables visibile in your car.
Sammi says
Hi Alex, I would also visit the Blue Falls of Costa Rica with Catarata del Toro (same owners so you can easily see both), they are stunning waterfalls and definitely worth seeing. Here’s our guide
Alex Goldenshtein says
Hi Sammy
We will arrive at CR on January 2nd and my plan is to drive to Catarata Del Toro, spend the night, hike the falls and continue to La Fortuna. Can you recommend something interesting and quick to see between SJO and the waterfalls? I hate to waste half a day at the hotel…
Alan says
Hello, if I want to stop by the waterfalls on my way to La Fortuna can I still visit while driving a small sedan?
Sammi says
Hi Alan, it will depend on the time of year you’re visiting but it is recommended to go with a high car because the road is unpaved from Sarchi and steep. In rainy season it can get washed out with a lot of potholes.
yoah says
How long did the hike take you guys? 🙂
Sammi says
Not long! Maybe around 30 minutes going slow.
Sandy says
Wwe are currently in Costa Rica and may visit these falls. I just thought I would alert folks to the fact that Poas Volcanoe will not be opening until late June – if then. They have decided it is still too dangerous.
Audra says
Is there a bus to here? Or shuttle? And what are the prices? Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Audra, there is one bus that goes every day except Thursday from Grecia 3 PM and arrives Catarata Del Toro 5 PM. THen to get back, the bus goes from Rio Cuatro 545 AM to Catarata Del Toro 615 AM to Grecia 815 AM. You would need to spend a night since there is only one bus. For shuttles, you would need to book a private shuttle since no shared shuttles go there, I’m not positive how much it is but it’s not cheap. The best way is with a rental car or if you’re coming from San Jose, you can see if any tour companies can take you (usually minimum 2-3 people or they don’t run/it’s very expensive).
Sammi says
They have one bus from Grecia every day except Thursday at 3 PM and then returns to Grecia at 615 AM. Since there is just one bus a day, it is best to stay a night at the reserve or you will need to book a private shuttle/tour or rent a car.