If you’re planning on visiting the enchanting Rio Celeste, Costa Rica then here is everything you need to know about the sky blue river inside Tenorio Volcano National Park.
In this guide, we will help you plan the perfect visit to Rio Celeste.
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Purchasing Park Tickets
Tenorio Volcano National Park entrance fee for adults is $12 USD, $5 USD for children (ages 2-12) plus tax.
Visitors must present the bar code of their park ticket reservation (can be a screenshot on your phone) and their passport (for foreign tourists) or Costa Rican ID to enter. Passport can be a photocopy or photo on the phone of the passport ID page.
Park tickets must be purchased online beforehand on the SINAC website (official government run national park website). They do not sell tickets at the door.
If you did not purchase park tickets beforehand, there is an area with Wifi next to the ticket office so you can buy tickets. However, it is not a guarantee there will be availability, as it’s first come, first serve.
You may not get park tickets at the time you are there either. All the entrances are divided into 40 minutes increment groups. You will have to purchase the next available time slot, so you may have to wait if the time slot when you are there, is full.
Tenorio Volcano National Park
The national park is open every day from 8 AM to 4 PM. First entry at 8 AM, last entry at 1:45 PM. Everyone must exit by 4 PM.
- Single use plastics are not allowed in the national park so bring an insulated reusable water bottle.
- No facilities inside the national park. Only bathroom is outside the office at the entrance.
- No paper maps available.
- No pets allowed in the national park. No strollers allowed.
- ~6 kilometer walk total (~3.7 miles)
Guide for Rio Celeste
You do not need a guide for Rio Celeste or Tenorio Volcano National Park. Visitors can perfectly walk the national park by themselves.
However, if you would like a guide, there are naturalist guides for hire at the entrance.
There may be 2 or 3 hanging out by the national park entrance, offering their services. They charge around $55 USD for a group and then around $10 USD per person for larger groups. Their guiding services are usually for 3 hours. You can negotiate with them prices and times.
Please make sure to ask them for their carnet or Costa Rican guide certification with an ICT number to double check that they are official guides, and not illegal guides.
Why is the River Blue?
The story as told by the locals is that Rio Celeste got its stunning color when God dipped his brush in the river as he was painting the sky.
Scientifically, the color appears when two separate clear water rivers meet and a certain type of mineral coated in silicon, oxygen and aluminum remains suspended in the river.
The size, suspension and reflection of sunlight creates this vivid blue color in the water.
The national park land used to belong to the Maleku people, an indigenous group in Costa Rica and the waterfall and river were sacred places to them.
This park is very busy
Tenorio Volcano National Park is one of the five most visited parks in Costa Rica. Since they limit the number of visitors per day, expect crowds if you are visiting during December through April, as that is the busiest time of year. July is also another busy month.
Another reason why this national park feels crowded is because it’s only one linear trail. The trail is not a loop so everyone has to walk back the same trail you came in.
Weather
Rio Celeste weather is hot and humid being the tropical rainforest. Average daytime temperatures are around low to mid 80s° F (26°-28° C). It is very humid.
Tropical dry season is typically December through April and rainy season is typically May through November.
This area doesn’t strictly follow the dry-rainy tropical seasons and it can rain any time of the year, even in the dry season.
What to Wear to Rio Celeste
- Shoes: No flip flops, no high heels, no open toed sandals. You need to have good sturdy closed toed shoes. Yeison wore his waterproof KEEN hiking shoes. I wore my water repellent On Women Cloudtrax hiking boots.
- Clothing: Shorts are fine but make sure to apply mosquito repellent. Otherwise, light weight water repellent hiking pants are best. Clothes that dry fast and wick away moisture are best due to the humidity.
- Mosquito repellent: We got bit bad in March. I like to use the wipes.
- Gear: Bring waterproof rain gear, especially if you’re bringing camera equipment. We brought a heavy duty poncho, our North Face rain jackets, Aqua Quest waterproof backpacks and a backpack rain cover.
- Hat or visor.
Optional: hiking poles for older folk, especially if you need some help with steps. We saw many seniors using hiking poles or a big walking stick due to the trail having lots of rocks, steps and some mud.
Rio Celeste, Costa Rica hiking difficulty and time
The Rio Celeste trail in Tenorio Volcano National Park is roughly 7 kilometers or 4.34 miles total, it can take you around 3 hours.
The trail to the Rio Celeste waterfall is around 1.8 km or 1.1 miles one way, so around 4 km total (2.5 miles). 1.5 km is on a trail to the waterfall entrance, then it is 253 steep steps down to the waterfall.
The Rio Celeste trail is not terribly long or difficult but for inexperienced hikers, some sections may prove a little challenging. The waterfall steps and the section going to the Laguna Azul with more steps and big rocks are the trickiest parts.
The trail isn’t handicap friendly nor is it stroller friendly.
If you are not in good condition to walk the whole trail, or you have bad knees or ankles, I recommend going to just the Rio Celeste waterfall. The trail to the waterfall takes around 30 minutes and is on a mix of concrete and dirt and the steps have handrails so you can stop and rest.
The first section of the trail from the entrance to the waterfall is on a trail with a mix of concrete and natural paths, crossing one short suspension bridge and a couple of small creeks.
Do you need a guide for Rio Celeste?
No, a guide is not required or necessary for Rio Celeste, you can perfectly visit Rio Celeste on your own. It’s a straightforward linear trail with plenty of signage.
You walk all the way to the end, turn around and walk back the same trail. You cannot get lost in the national park.
The river may not be blue if there is a tropical storm
The river may not blue when it has been storming a lot, usually during October, November, December and January and sometimes February.
However, if it is just the normal on/off rains, do not worry as it turns back to blue quickly. We have seen the blue color every time we have visited Rio Celeste, even during rainy season.
If you’re visiting during the rainier months, we recommend staying a couple nights in Bijagua. You’ll have more opportunities to see the blue river just in case it rains during your visit.
Sometimes, if there has been a terrible tropical storm, the national park may close as the trails may get too muddy.
Check the official Tenorio Volcano National Park Facebook page to see current conditions before your visit.
Swimming is prohibited in the park
Swimming in Rio Celeste is strictly prohibited inside the national park.
However, there is a free public entrance by the bridge 1 kilometer (~.6 mile) past the park entrance. You can walk down to the river and swim in it. It’s one of the best free things to do in Costa Rica.
On Google Maps, it is called “Rio Celeste Danta Free Pool.” There is a dedicated parking spot on the side of the road for this free Rio Celeste swimming hole. Parking 1000 CRC.
There are also some other private properties that also have access to the Rio Celeste river that allow their guests to swim and bathe in it.
We went to Poza Danta Piuri río celeste for lunch and a visit to their own private access to the river.
Visiting Rio Celeste with kids
You can definitely visit Rio Celeste with kids, especially if they have a lot of energy or are outdoorsy.
If you bring your baby, infant or toddler, I highly recommend a baby carrier so that you can have your hands free, in case the trails are muddy. Make sure you have enough stamina to carry them up and down the steps to the waterfall and the rest of the trail.
Strollers are not allowed inside Tenorio Volcano National Park.
How to Get to Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park
The closest town near Rio Celeste is Bijagua de Upala. Rio Celeste is inside Tenorio Volcano National Park in the Alajuela and Guanacaste province.
Rio Celeste is 95 kilometers (59 miles) from Guanacaste Airport, a 1.5 hour drive and 173 kilometers (107 miles) from San Jose International Airport, a 3.5 hour drive.
GPS
If you are renting a car and using Google Maps or Waze, do not type in “Rio Celeste.” This will take you to a wrong place or say no results found.
Enter Parque Nacional Volcan Tenorio, Parque Los Pilones or Parqueo del Parque Nacional Tenorio as your destination. This will take you to the parking lots right outside the Tenorio Volcano National Park.
There is no cell phone signal up near the park with Kolbi so make sure you download Google Maps offline.
Parking
You will know when you’ve reached the park entrance because you will see a lot of signs for parking. There will be locals wearing yellow vests waving flags, trying to get you to park in their lot.
We prefer to park at the parking lot right at the entrance (left side in the photo above). Parking costs 3000 CRC per car and you need to leave the slip of paper in the dash of the car. Pay in Costa Rican colones, local currency.
Even though you’re paying for parking, don’t leave valuables visible in the car. This parking lot is not owned by the national park. These parking lots are just manned by locals who charge for parking, but they will not take any responsibility if something happens to your car or belongings.
There is a “free” parking lot across the street near the mini market, but we recommend to park in the paid ones, just in case.
How to Get to Rio Celeste from La Fortuna
The drive from La Fortuna to Rio Celeste is about 1.5 hours.
Planning tip: If you are driving from La Fortuna – Guanacaste (like Tamarindo/Playas del Coco), you can stop by Rio Celeste on your way.
We recommend to leave La Fortuna around 7 AM to get to the park around 9 AM, hike around 3 hours, have lunch and depart Bijagua by 2 PM to drive 2-3 hours to your final destination in the daylight.
Leaving Luggage in the Car: If you have to leave luggage in the car, we recommend to park in the paid parking lots as close to the office as possible. We have seen a lot of tourists leave their luggage in the car. Put it all in the trunk if you can. If you have an SUV, get a luggage cover from your rental car agency. Take your valuables (passport, phone, credit cards, wallet, ipads, etc.) with you.
*These are our tips but we are not responsible if something happens to your car or belongings as everyone needs to take extreme caution when leaving things in the car in Costa Rica.*
High Clearance Car Highly Recommended
We recommend a 4×4 in the rainy season and in the dry season, a high clearance SUV.
The road to the entrance of Tenorio Volcano National Park (Rio Celeste) is paved. However, from Bijagua, it is a very curvy and narrow road without street lights or raised pavement markers.
Some sections are concrete and can get very slippery when wet. There are also a couple of very small narrow bridges.
Also, the speed limit is not really respected or well displayed here. If someone tailgates you, don’t try to pull over as there are no shoulders. Just go the speed you’re comfortable with.
Get our Costa Rica car rental discount and extra freebies like 2 free drivers, free luggage cover, free prepaid SIM card and more!
Shuttle or Bus
There are no public buses or a local shuttle that go directly to the Tenorio Volcano National Park entrance.
I have never seen Uber in this area. A taxi to the entrance costs around $40 USD, prices may not reflect the current day. You can also ask your hotel to help you call a ride.
Rio Celeste, Costa Rica Map
Here is a map of Tenorio Volcano National Park.
The orange square where it says Puesto Pilon is the entrance to the national park and start of the trail. Entrada a Catarata is where the steps are down to the waterfall.
Catarata is the waterfall. Laguna Azul is the blue lagoon, Mirador is the view point.
Borbollones is the area where the water is hot and bubbly (like a hot spring) and Tenideros is where the the two rivers join together to create the one sky blue river.
Entering the National Park and Facilities
Before you can enter this area, you will go through the security check and ticket check. The park officer asked me for my park ticket which I showed on my phone (he needs to see the barcode and email receipt).
Then he asked me if I had any cigarettes or knives and quickly checked my backpack. They checked for a drone as drones are not allowed in the national park.
They are currently building a new office and a new entrance.
After we passed the first checkpoint, we used the bathrooms and entered the national park to start the hike.
Waterfall Trail (1.5 kilometers or .9 miles to waterfall steps from entrance)
The beginning of the trail is mostly concrete surrounded by a verdant primary and secondary rain forest.
The first part of the trail is to the waterfall, about a 30 minute walk.
There is a very nice Tenorio Volcano National Park sign that makes for a nice photo. There are a couple of water faucets here in case you need to wash off your shoes or wash your hands.
A little after, you’ll cross a suspension bridge. We saw white face monkeys right by here!
After walking through two very small creeks and the rest of the trail, you’ll come to an area with a couple large signs and the stairway arch to the waterfall.
You’ll reach a cross section to go to the waterfall or continue onto the trail.
As you walk down, you get glimpses of bright blue through the trees. It is 150 meters or 490 feet down to the waterfall – there are 253 steps!
There are some great spots on the stairs to take very nice photos of the stairs and waterfall.
Once you reach the bottom, there is a nice viewing platform for photos.
The waterfall greets you at the bottom and it is an incredible sight. I could’ve spent all day at this enthralling waterfall. You can’t help but stare at the bright blue water!
Here is an aerial photo of Rio Celeste waterfall. We took this back in 2016 when drones were allowed. Drones are NOT allowed in the national park anymore.
After you’re done looking at the waterfall, head back up to continue on the rest of the trail.
Mirador (550 meters, .3 miles)
This spot has a nice view of the jungle. There’s nothing else at this view point.
Laguna Azul (Blue Lagoon, 200 meters, .1 miles)
The Laguna Azul, or blue lagoon is the next stop. There are some steeper steps and large rocks going down to the blue lagoon.
You can really see how blue it truly gets at this point!
50 meters past the laguna azul are the bubbling thermal springs.
Borbollones (50 meters, 164 feet past blue lagoon)
Here you can see the boiling water section of the river. You can really smell the sulfur at this point so you can imagine just how hot that water is!
The last 300 meters or so of the trail are not to be missed. You’ll see where the two clear water rivers meet to create the sky blue river.
You may see animals on the trails like pizotes, armadillos and monkeys. If you’re SUPER lucky, you may see a tapir as there are some that wander in and out of the national park occasionally.
Teñideros (last 300-400 meters, about 900-1000 feet)
There are two bridges to cross before you reach Tenideroes. The first goes over the normal river (no blue color).
The second bridge goes over the blue river and it is absolutely gorgeous. On the other side, there is a small area past the trees to the right where you can get some photos of people on the bridge.
Cross the bridge and walk a tiny bit further to see where two different rivers meet to create one blue river.
This is the coolest part of the hike, seeing where the color starts. There is a billboard in Spanish and English that explains exactly where the blue color comes from.
And that’s the end of the trail.
Head back the same way you came and enjoy the rest of the hike.
Outside the park entrance are a couple of good local restaurants. We went to the restaurant right outside, Los Pilones which had good food and smoothies. It was not that expensive either.
We also highly recommend getting some yummy fruit or cold coconut water (pipa fria) at the fruit stand across the street.
They had a good selection of local and tropical fruit and he also cracked open my coconut for me so I can eat the yummy meat inside.
Rio Celeste, Costa Rica Tours
There are one day tours from La Fortuna that cost around $170 USD per adult. Tours from Playas del Coco and Tamarindo cost around $185 USD per adult. Tours include roundtrip transportation, bilingual guide, lunch, national park fee and refreshments.
Click to get a discount off this tour from La Fortuna and here is our Guanacaste day tours discount.
Some tours from Guanacaste go to the Rio Celeste waterfall only, then to a nature reserve in Bijagua to see sloths and animals. Interested in this tour? Contact us and we’ll be happy to assist.
Rio Celeste Hotels
There are a few hotels near Rio Celeste. A beautiful, luxury hotel right by the park entrance is the Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel. This hotel has their own private entrance to a section of the Rio Celeste river.
Read about other waterfalls hikes in Costa Rica!
Catarata del Toro: Amazing 270 foot waterfall in an extinct volcano crater in Bajos del Toro
Catarata Llanos de Cortes: Beautiful waterfall near Liberia, Guanacaste
Blue Falls of Costa Rica: Two small, sky blue colored waterfalls (similar to Rio Celeste) in Bajos del Toro There are Amazon affiliate links in this post.
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Heather says
Thank you for your help with planning my Costa Rican vacation! I’d like to stop at Rio Celeste on my way to La Fortuna from Liberia. This means I’ll have my whole suitcase with me in my car. I’ve been warned about car theft, but it sounds like there might be parking attendants at this location. Do you have any insight or advice?
Sammi says
There are local parking attendants in the parking lots but they are still not an insured parking lot so they won’t take any responsibility if anything happens. I would take all your valuables with you on the hike (passport, wallet, etc.) and then leave luggage in the trunk or under the trunk cover and cover anything you may have, but best not to leave anything visible in the car. Also double check your car doors are locked before walking away, even if you click the button for the electronic lock. Luckily I haven’t really heard of anyone getting their car broken into at this parking lot, since it’s very busy and there are always tourism buses and guides going in and out nearly at all times in the high tourism season but still be smart and use common sense not to leave anything visible in the car, and try to park as close as possible to the office.
Jenny says
What happens if you show up late to your time slot? Will they let you in during the next time slot?
Thank you for your help!
Sammi says
They are strict, especially if you are visiting in high season when tickets are usually sold out. In that case, if it’s sold out/at full capacity, they wont’ let you in so don’t be late. In the off season when there aren’t as many people, they may let you in but it’s up to them.
Stacy Kelley says
If we depart La Fortuna around 8am would we have enough time to visit Rio Celeste and drive down to Samara for our beach house check in before dark? it looks doable, but don’t want to push it.
Sammi says
Yes, the hike can take you around 3 hours, you can grab a quick bite to eat and then it’s about 3 hours. So just make sure you leave Bijagua before 3 PM.
Shailesh Lad says
Thank you so much for taking time to write this blog. It’s extremely helpful and very accurate. It rained a lot when we visited the falls, but we enjoyed it even more. I highly recommend going early in the day to avoid crowds. Pura vida.
Edward Araya says
Hi, I’m debating whether to stay one or two nights in Bijagua or Katira (I found a nice hotel in Katira, but it might be too far?). The main goal is to visit Río Celeste. Thanks for letting me know we can’t actually get in the water – this site has been super helpful!
My parents live in San Ignacio de Acosta, so I’m also trying to figure out what to do between Río Celeste and there. Do you have any recommendations on how long to stay and what else I could see along the way? I usually visit from SJO, but this will be my first time coming from Liberia.
Sammi says
Bijagua is about a 20-30 minute drive from Bijagua so I’d check on Google Maps the distance between your hotel in Katira to the park entrance versus the hotel in Bijagua to the park entrance if you’re looking to be as close as possible
Harshal Padhye says
Unfortunately we didnt get our bookings in order we wanted so we are travelling from Santa Elena/Monteverde to La Fortuna. Can we do Rio Celeste hike on our way if we leave Monteverde around 9 am and get to La Fortuna in the afternoon. Thanks
Sammi says
It is possible, but please remember you need to purchase park tickets in advance on the SINAC website with your time slot. If you don’t make it in your time slot, they won’t let you in, they are quite strict.
Barb says
I use your site every time I come to CR – it’s fantastic! Thank you. I’m planning on stopping at Rio Celeste en route from Liberia to Quepos, but my co-travellers are concerned we won’t make it to Quepos before dark. How accurate is the googlemaps time estimates in your experience? I’m pretty sure the road is good all the way from Liberia to Quepos, so if we leave Liberia at 7am, and we leave Rio Celeste by 11:30, we should be fine since google says 4h 21 mins from Rio Celeste to Quepos. Am I crazy? Sunset isn’t until 17:47 when we’re there in February.
Sammi says
Hi Barb, so if you land at LIR at 7 AM, it’s about 1.5 hours drive to Tenorio VOlcano National Park where the river is. I don’t think customs and immigration will take you too long in February since you land at 7 AM which is not a busy time. You could get to the park by around 9, 930 AM, hike for like 2-3 hours and get lunch afterwards in Bijagua so finish around 12-1 PM, then drive about 4.5 hours to Quepos. You’ll get there right around dark or a bit after dark so if that timing all goes well, then you are correct. It’ll be an extremely long day, especially if you’re coming from a ride eye flight but technically it is possible. And the drive from Bijagua to Quepos is on all paved roads and highways so it’s not a difficult drive, just long. Even if you have to drive the last section of the route in the dark, it is not bad since it’s on a straightfowrad highway (Route 34) from the stretch of Jaco to Quepos. It does get a bit steep and curvy around the section from Tarcoles to Jaco but just go slow and carefully. In February, you won’t have to worry about torrential downpours or storms or rains so that’s good. Definitely download Google Maps to use offline in case you don’t have internet or get a prepaid SIM card to get a local number in case of emergencies.
Just know it’ll be a long day but February is peak of dry season with great weather and if you have to drive the last hour in the dark, it’s not a bad or terrible drive.
Scott says
Hi,
I read that swimming is not allowed in the Rio Celeste, but some companies offer tubing down the river.
Is the 7km hike to the waterfall through the forest in your article in a different arera to where we can also tube down the river ?
Thanks – Coming to CR in January for the first time from Australia
Regards
Scott
Sammi says
You are not allowed to swim in the river inside the national park so companies do the tubing in the part of the river that is outside the national park
Karen Krahn says
Can you suggest who to contact for the tubing tours?
Sammi says
It depends on where you will be doing it from, if you’ll be in Bijagua already and want to do it from there, Onca is one of the main tour operators in Bijagua
Aidee says
Hello! I’m going with people in their mid to late 70s and young kids. If we enter through the waterfall entrance, is it worth following the trail to the main entrance? I don’t want to miss the trail of we have to accommodate for the rest. I’d appreciate your thoughts. Thanks!
Sammi says
The trail is just a straight line in the national park, and there is only one entrance inside. You go in, the first main attraction is the waterfall, then continue the same trail if you want to see the rest of the national park. If not, you just turn around and walk back out on the exact same trail you came in.
Shyla Strain says
Hi! Great info! About how long would it take someone who is a very fit good hiker to do the entire hike (3.5miles). I am interested in doing the whole hike but I would arrive to the park at about 1:00pm or 1:30pm. Not sure if I could do the entire hike & be out by 4pm. What do you think?
Sammi says
Hi Shyla, you can do it within 3 hours for sure, being a fit hiker. It’ll only take longer if you are staying a long time at each viewpoint, taking a ton of photos at every stop or if it is unfortunately extremely muddy/rainy, but last time I went with a group of very active hiker friends and we were out in less than 3 hours, not staying more than 10 minutes at the waterfall observation point and around 5 minutes at each other viewpoint with limited photos (they are very in and out hikers, no dawdling or procrastinating). Last entry is at 2 PM also.
Maggie says
Hello, this website is amazing!! We will visit CR on March. We stay at La Fortuna, and plan to visit Tenorio Volcano National Park/Rio Celeste from La Fortuna as a day trip. We don’t rent a car. Is there Uber available between La Fortuna and Tenorio Volcano National Park/Rio Celeste? If so, around how much one way? Thanks!!
Sammi says
I’d recommend to book a tour, there aren’t really Ubers available from Tenorio Volcano NP. There are some in La Fortuna but going back may pose a problem.
Kay says
Hi Sammi, love your very helpful blogs. I am concerned about going down the stairs to see the waterfall. Do you get a view (even if not a perfect view) of the waterfall from the top without going down the steep stairs, or can you only see it from the bottom?
Sammi says
Unfortunately you cannot see it from the top, however you can get a view of it about halfway down the stairs if you don’t want to walk all the way down.
BC says
Is there a secure parking lot? We are driving from La Fortuna and will have all of our belongs in our rental car.
Also, is the trail flat until the waterfall?
Sammi says
You will find a few large parking lots right in front of and right by the national park entrance. This is not owned by the government, it’s just manned by the locals who own the property there. Just make sure not to leave your valuables in your car so take them with you on the trail.
The trail is relatively flat until the waterfall but down to the waterfall is a lot of steps. The rest of the trail from the waterfall to the last viewpoint has a bit of incline and decline with more natural dirt paths.
Tak says
You said starting from August 1, the Rio Celeste Waterfall is closed on Tuesdays. How come I can order tickets for Tuesdays online?
Sammi says
That was the initial announcement, I guessed they changed it – I just checked the SINAC page and updated it.
Matt says
Do you know if under 2 for foreigners is required to have a ticket? The government website seems to contradict itself.
Sammi says
There isn’t a fee for children under 2 (children rates are 2-12)
Natalia says
Could you pls suggest a tour company for tubing down Rio Celeste, we will be staying in Breakaway Hotel and we would like to do it the day after tomorrow.
Is it better to do it in the morning or afternoon?
\
Thank you
Sammi says
Hi, unfortunately we don’t have any partners for this in Bijagua but maybe check with your hotel as they may work with a local guide in the area. I don’t know where Breakaway Hotel is but we have a partner based in La Fortuna that offers the tubing but only from La Fortuna
Myriam says
We went there in July and it rained all the night. I had read the river becomes braun when it rains but we went in the Park however (we were there for this).
Well… the water under the waterfall was braun. We decided to make the whole trail however (we were there for this 😉 ). And we have been rewarded : suddenly you arrive a place where you see 2 rivers who join : a braun one and you can see that the other one (Rio Celeste) is blue. We continued.
The rest of the trail is along Rio Celeste, which is blue. And when you arrive at the very end of the trail it’s really magic !
When we came back to the waterfall, it was not braun any more, but a kind of green. Still not turquoise, however. It’s just a question of hours after the rain.
So… even if the waterfall is braun, don’t give up and go til the end !
Susan says
The blog is amazing! Thank you so much.
We will be there at the end of July, I was wonder where should I buy the tickets in advance or is just only at the park entrance?
Thanks
Sammi says
You can only purchase tickets to Tenorio Volcano National Park in person at the office.
Isabel says
We are planning a hike to Rio Celeste on Chrismas day, and will be driving from La fortuna.
Is the park open on Christmas day?
Sammi says
Yes the park is open everyday
Charlie says
Sam,
We will be driving from La Fortuna to Tamarindo on April 3rd. We would like to stop by rio celeste on the way to tamarindo. The issue is that we would have our luggage and valuables in the rental car. Is there a safe parking lot that we can use and not get broken in and our luggage stolen?
Thank you in advance for your help!
Sammi says
Hi Charlie, you can check this Rio Celeste guide we have a section about parking for the national park
Colette Houle says
Where abouts are hotsprings that we can go in near this park ? Thanks
Sammi says
There aren’t any close to this park, you will have to go to La Fortuna or Curubande . There are places to swim in the Rio Celeste river though, like the Rio Celeste free swimming hole
Kelly says
Hello, I see that it is 2,000 colones to park. Do you know if they would take USD? Thanks!
Sammi says
Yes but I don’t know what they will charge in USD, so the best is in CRC since they can easily overcharge you in USD if you don’t’ know the exchange rate.
Tom G says
Great advice about getting there at 8:00 am. It was already getting busy and was packed when left at 11:00. The entire path is now open (1/28/2023) all the way to the confluence.
Vit Smith says
Hi Sammi,
I am interested in the Rio Celeste horseback riding tour (by David’s Tours), and also love to visit the Tenorio Volcano National Park on the same day. I will be driving down from La Fortuna in March 2023, leaving at 6am – should arrive at the park around 8am. I plan to visit the park in the morning, then take the horseback riding tour at 2pm.
Reading your post, I would love to check out the waterfall, the lagoon, and hike all the way to Tenidero.
Julie Munn says
We will be travelling from La Fortuna to Rincon national park, in May. Do you think this is doable as a stop off along the way?
Sammi says
Yes
Amanda says
Hello,
We have done the La Cangreja hike at Rincon and loved it. Wondering if you can give any insight in comparing the Rio Celeste hike to La Cangreja hike. Is one easier than the other? More rewarding or beautiful waterfall? Trying to decide which hike to take our visiting friends to. We loved La Cangreja, but are also interested in exploring more.
Sammi says
The Rio Celeste hike goes through the Tenorio Volcano National Park so it is rainforest whereas the Cangreja hike goes through dry topical forest. I definitely recommend to do Rio Celeste!
Ramya says
Hi Sammi,
We are planning a trip to CR and your blog has been a blessing. Thank you. We plan to visit Rio Celeste from La Fortuna on 25th or 26th September. We plan to arrive at the park around noon. Do we need to purchase tickets in advance. If yes, where can we purchase them. Thanks again
Sammi says
Hi Ramya, you can’t purchase tickets in advance, only upon arrival
Ramya Krishnamurthy says
Thank you for your response.
Sammi says
It isn’t 100% paved, most of it is but there is a section where it isn’t, you could get there with a sedan though but be really careful because the road to the park once you start getting into Bijagua has a lot of hills and gets slippery when wet. A higher clearance car would be better than a sedan if you don’t have a 4×4.
Michelle says
Hi, I love your blog Sammi. As a local in Costa Rica, I reference it often. Question, as of today is the road to Rio Celeste from La Fortuna 100% paved? The 4wd is necessary for the rain on those roadways? Thanks for the info.
Diane Cybart says
Does the fee to park have to be paid in CRC or do they also take US Dollars?
Sammi says
You can pay in USD (credit card only, no cash)
Chanell says
Headed back to CR for the 2nd time this May. We are traveling from Liberia to Arenal first. Do you think stopping at Rio Celeste on way to Arenal is within reason and how safe is parking lot? We would have luggage in car. Thanks!
Sammi says
It is possible but the latest entry into the park is at 2 PM so just keep that in mind and May is rainy season, so there is a chance it may be rainy.
Sammi says
This really depends on how well she can walk, because the waterfall is about 30 minutes from the entrance on a very nice straight path BUT to see the actual waterfall, you have to walk down a lot of steep stairs which I don’t know if she can do. She could skip the waterfall and continue onto the trail to see the blue lagoon and rest of the river but that part of the trail turns more “wilderness” (the first part actually has a concrete path), from the waterfall and on, it’s dirt, rocks, tree roots, some steps, etc. so I honestly don’t know how much of the park she will be able to walk and see.
I would recommend to take her to the public access instead so she can see the blue river and swim in it, it’s right off the side of the road. LIkewise, you could check out places like Cabinas Piururi which has their own short walking access to the blue river and they have a picnic table and offer food/drinks
Diana says
Hi guys, I love your Blog. I’ve been reading all your recommendations. Regarding Rio Celeste, we would like to bring my mom (90). I know that the trails are not handicapped accessible. My mom can walk but obviously not for long distances. Is there any part of the park that we can take her to that would be an easy walk for her? Look forward to hearing from you. Diana
Bonnie says
So my family and I (me, my husband, and 4 kids) have a trip planned in late March/early April and we will be staying a few days in La Fortuna and then traveling by rental car to Coco Beach to stay a few more days. I am hoping to be able to stop at Rio Celeste en route, after checking out of our La Fortuna hotel and before arriving in Coco. My question is if it would be safe to leave all our luggage in the trunk of our rental SUV while we hike Rio Celeste, or would it get stolen? We would have all our stuff with us. Also, if we arrive by early afternoon, do we still have a good chance to be able to enter the park, if we arrive before 2pm? Or are all the slots filled usually by that time? Thanks.
Sammi says
Hi Bonnie, I would try to get there as early as you can because end of March/early April is spring break for N.America and it is also Semana Santa here, Tenorio Volcano NP is one of the top 5 national parks in the country and so it is incredibly busy during that time of year so I’d get there like as early as it opens, they can only allow a maximum number of people in the park per day and once that number is reached, they won’t allow any more people in even if it’s well before 2 PM.
Chelsea says
Hello!
We are a family of 4 trying to travel to Costa Rica in January. I am looking at a flight that arrives in Liberia at 11:00 am. Would it be possible to drive to Rio Celeste Hideaway hotel before dark?
We are landing in Liberia and our first stop is Arenal. Does it add a lot of extra time to the drive to go Liberia-Rio Celeste-Arenal versus Liberia-Arenal? My thought was that we would land at Liberia at 11am, drive to a hotel near Rio Celeste and stay the night, visit the waterfall early the next morning, and then drive to Arenal after. Does this sound reasonable?
Sammi says
It gets dark at 6 PM everyday in Costa Rica and the drive between Rio Celeste and La Fortuna (Arenal) is about 2 hours so it is doable.
Derek says
Hello! I’m visiting La Fortuna in January and am planning a visit to Rio Celeste. Do you think we would be able to pair a 6am bird watching hike at Mistico with the trip to Rio Celeste? We will have our own rental.
Sammi says
Depending on how long your birding tour is (maybe a couple of hours?) it’s about a 2 hour drive from La Fortuna to Rio Celeste (maybe a bit more because Mistico is a little further) and you have to enter the Tenorio Volcano National Park before 2 PM.
John says
Hello! We’d like to hike and see the waterfall at Rio Celeste but it looks to be over 2.5 hours to drive there from Tamarindo. Are there any other similar hikes/waterfalls closer to Tamarindo?
Sammi says
unfortunately no, it’ll all require at least around 2 hours driving from Tamarindo, there is another one called La Leona waterfall hike that is a blue river (but it’s really not that similar to Rio Celeste because this one is in a dry forest and the waterfall is different) but it’s about 2 hours from Tamarindo
Johanna says
Hi! Great site. Thank you. Do you know if I can take my dog into the park on either a leash or in a backpack. He is 11 lbs.
Sammi says
Dogs are not allowed in national parks
Tash says
Hi, thanks so much for the great blog post! I was just wondering if there is any way of getting to tenorio via public transport or any way without having a rental car?
Thanks so much!
Sammi says
Unfortunately there isn’t a public bus that goes directly to the national park entrance
Denese Gordon says
We will only be in Rio Celeste area for 2 days 3 nights. What are the not to be missed activities nearby? I was thinking Hiking Rio Celeste & Tenorio National Park, and Sloth and Hanging Bridges. Could I do the tubing with one of the 2 activities above, I am not sure how long the hikes are.
Thank you
Sammi says
Hello, you can check our Bijagua, Costa Rica guide for more ideas.
Sandy OReilly says
Hi We currently have 2 nights booked at Finca Amistad Cacao Lodge for hiking to Rio Celeste, the chocolate making tour and whatever other activities in the area. Then we have 2 nights at Borinque Resort and Spa. Are these two areas much the same and, if so, should we chose between them and stay in one place or maybe stay 3 nights in Bijagua and 1 at Borinque? We were interested in the hot springs/mud bath experience – but the Bijagua area looks like there are lots of different experiences. Your suggestions? We are in CR for 5 weeks so will be covering a lot of ground – all on the Pacific Side.
Sammi says
They’re both super nice and are different since BIjagua doesn’t have hot springs or mud baths
Shea says
Hi,
We are planning a trip for next June (and I have lived on your site, so amazing!) but thinking about making this a side trip the day we travel from La Fortuna area to Monteverde to break up the trip. What are your thoughts?
Sammi says
You could, I would just make sure to leave Fortuna early so you can get to the park early as we do not recommend to drive to Monteverde at night since it’s a very curvy narrow road going up the mountains.
Jennifer says
Hi! Your site is amazing! So helpful! Since I’m unfamiliar with driving times/road conditions I’m trying to figure out if it’s possible/recommended to stop at both Rio Celeste waterfall and Llanos de Cortes on the same day as we drive from our hotel in La Fortuna to our next night in Coco? If that’s not reasonable which one would be a better stop in December?
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi, you could if you are just going to the Rio Celeste waterfall and not doing the whole hike, and I’d recommend to get there as soon as the park arrives because the Cortes waterfall also closes at 3 PM. If you’re doing the whole hike, I’d say you’d be cutting it close just in case you get to the park late or the hike takes longer than a few hours due to the timing.
Alexander Fisher-Wagner says
Hi! Great and informative post!
If I’m staying in Tilaran, and arrive at the parking lot exactly at 7am, how long to hike to the 2nd bridge and back to the lot at moderately fast pace?
My friend has to be back in Tilaran by 10am…
Sammi says
HI Alexander, that would not be possible as the park opens at 8 AM and it’s about a 1.5 hour drive from the park entrance to Tilaran.
Felicia says
Hello! Thank you for the information. I do have a question. How much time should I allow in total with drive time to and from Arenal to Rio Celeste? I wanted to do the Hot Springs after and I’m concerned this is going to take a lot of time. Thanks!
Sammi says
It’s about 2 hours driving one way and then it can take around 3 hours or so for the hike depending on how long you stay at each viewpoint and how the weather is. May take up to 4 if it’s raining because trails get super muddy. If you can leave early and get to the park by early morning, you can be done mid afternoon or so.
Yeraldi says
Hi Sammi I have a question for the rio celeste waterfall where I have to buy the tickets I try the sinac website but is not available, can I buy the tickets at the entrance?
Sammi says
They don’t have an online system to pre purchase tickets, the only way is to get them at the entrance when you arrive at the park
Brian Deslatte says
Your website is super helpful!
Any things of interest between Liberia and Rio Celeste\Tenario ? We’ll be making the drive to visit the park.
Sammi says
You can stop by Catarata Llanos de Cortes!
Abby says
Hi. My family and I are visiting the area in July. Originally we were going to book river tubing out of Arenal but saw the beautiful waters of Rio Celeste and would rather tube there. I am having trouble finsing tubing companies to book directly with as they all seem to be part of larger tour operators with multiple activities. Any suggestion? Thank you.
Sammi says
You can try to contact Bijagua Rainforest Adventures and see if they can arrange the tubing.
Erin says
This is such a great website! Thank you! I wondered if there is anything near Rio Celeste that we could see while we are out there. We are staying in Tamarindo and making the 2+ hour drive to the hike early in the morning. We love nature and hiking and would love to see more jungle and wildlife.
Thanks!
Erin
Sammi says
You can check out the Heliconias Hanging Bridges reserve in Bijagua.
Sue says
So helpful! Do you know if the Park is open on Easter weekend 2021?
Sue
Sammi says
It should be! Usually parks still open on holidays
David Zaldivar says
Hi Sammi!
I’m heading to Costa Rica in November.
How long would you say your day is in Tenorio Volcano National Park? Would you say it’s a whole day thing? I’d have to drive back to either Monteverde or Arenal (not sure where I’ll be staying).
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
David
Sammi says
I would say it’s about 3-4 hours in good conditions (not pouring down rain), last time my friends and I did about 3 hours since it was very good weather and we didn’t stay too long at the viewpoints. I would recommend to go to Arenal since it’s a much easier drive than to Monteverde and in November, we are still at the tailend of rainy season and all those areas have the possibility to rain quite a bit, especially in the evenings and nights and I don’t recommend to drive to Monteverde at night at all, especially in rainy season.
Juli Jones says
Hi Sammi! – All of your posts/info on CR are amazing! I have bookmarked so many. Would you be able to help me offline with some questions about our trip? We are arriving end of Oct, flight gets into Liberia at noon originally planning to head straight to our place in Tulemar but now I think we are going to miss so much! I’m overwhelmed LOL. Would love to see Rio Celeste and maybe stay the night in La Fortuna (??)
Sammi says
Hello Juli, if you’d like to visit Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna, you can check this post which has an itinerary written out for those 2 destinations and a way to see Rio Celeste: 1 week family itinerary for Costa Rica
The only thing is that October is our rainiest month so there is a possibility Rio Celeste will not be blue or if it rains a lot, the park closes.
Hope this helps.
Miranda Cressall Juliao says
How much is the fee to enter the Park and how much is parking?
Sammi says
It is written in the post 🙂 (Parking is 2000 colones per car. The Tenorio Volcano National Park entrance fee for adults is $12, $5 for children)
Kevin says
How safe is the parking here? We would like to stop here on our way from La Fortuna to Plays del Coco. Thus we will have our rental car (SUV) with all of our luggage in it.
No easy way to hide 10 days worth of luggage and also not possible to take on the hike 🙂
Sammi says
It is pretty busy depending on the time of year you are there. It is right in front of the ticket entrance and there are locals who man the parking lot so that is why they charge for parking. But I would avoid like leaving cash, wallets, ipads, credit cards, cameras, etc. out on the dashboard or seats, things like that.
Nicole says
Hi, do I still need to buy the tickets upon arrival? I’m planning on going tomorrow.
Sammi says
Yes you buy park tickets upon arrival
Nicole says
Thanks a lot
Rachel Eitan says
Thanks a lot for your excellent Blog. very informative and helpful.
Len says
Hi, would normal tennis shoes suffice at this time of the year? I will be there in a week.
Sammi says
They should be fine, it might sprinkle here and there.
Dave says
Hello- thank you for your blog! Is there any swimming available in the Rio Celeste area?
Appreciate all you do!
Sammi says
Hello Dave, there is a short section about swimming in Rio Celeste in the post 🙂 (Swimming not allowed in the national park)
Ana says
Hola Chicos!
Thank you for sharing your experiences. Please I need advice, what would you recommend? we will be arriving to San Jose on Saturday 7am, and will have 3 free days and a rented a car . I was wondering what would be better, going to Rio Celeste and Rincón de La Vieja or
visiting Monteverde. By Tuesday noon we have to be at Puerto Viejo de Limon.
Thank you so much!
Ana
Sammi says
Either of those places are very nice, I would probably recommend Monteverde if you like more nature, birding and hiking and you can go ziplining and do some adventure there. The driving distances are all kind of long though like 4 hours from San Jose and Monteverde requires a 4wd.
JT says
Does Piruri Cabinas still allow non-guests to pay an access fee to get to the river? If they do, is it less crowded than the public access point off of the road?
Sammi says
Last time we checked they still did, I’m not sure how crowded it gets but we visited the public point back in July and there was only one family there, I don’t know if a lot of people know about it and many tourists visit Rio celeste on a one day tour or just pass by so on the one day tours, they can’t go to the public point
Ana says
Hola! Thanks for all your advises. I would like to know the best route to take from San jose. And if it clise to Rincon de la Vieja Volcan. Gracias!
Sammi says
From San Jose I’d say the best way is to get onto the Interamericana highway1 and continue onto the way to Liberia but you exit the highway at the Upala exit, a bit past Cañas.
Bea says
Hi! Your blog is very helpful and very good. Thanks for the help! But, I’m planning on going to the Rio Celeste waterfall and my parents will be coming with us. They are 75 years old. They walk slower than us, but they can easily walk. So, I was wondering if you think that they can do the 1,5 km paved walk to the entrance of the waterfall? Is it steep, or just a flat paved trail? Also, if we arrive at 10:30 in the morning at the park (in the first days of January), do you think that we’ll be able to go in the park? Because I read that there’s a maximum of 500 people in the trail at the same time.
Thank you!!
Sammi says
Hi Bea, I think they will be fine going the first part of the trail to the waterfall and then going down and up the steps, they will need to take it slow. Those steps down to the waterfalls does have handrails but no benches or chairs or anywhere to sit if they need to rest, so they will have to hold onto the handrail to take a breather. The first part of the trail to the waterfall is pretty flat and it is on mostly a paved trail (at least a well maintained one).
I would say you are ok at 1030 AM in the morning, usually the tour companies go in around that time, I haven’t actually known anyone who wasn’t allowed to go in the park due to the capacity and it isn’t quite as busy yet as Feb-April but if for some reason it does fill up already, they’ll have you wait until people leave the park since they allow 500 people inside the park at one time and then they’ll let people in as people go out. (Unless they hit their maximum capacity of 1000 people already for the day).
Helen says
Hello! I’m really enjoying reading your posts – they’re very helpful! My boyfriend and I are in Costa Rica in January and trying to fit in as much as possible. We are very much about the wildlife so have split the majority of our time in corcovado/Manuel and places, and so only have time for 2 days in Arenal. We are staying one night at the Observatory Lodge and one night at the Tabacon Resort for the hot springs. Do you think it is worth us getting up early to do the 2 hour drive from Santa Elena to Rio Celeste, get there for 8am and spend a few hours in there, then to have the afternoon at our lodge in Arenal? Or spend the full day in Arenal? I wasn’t planning to do any trips in Arenal as we plan to go to Monteverde cloud forest and Curi Cancha, but it would be great to hear your thoughts! Thanks
Sammi says
It’s a lot of driving but you could do it if you are up for the long drives. We have known people who stop by there from Monteverde – Arenal and vice versa.
Gina says
Hi
Very helpful info about this place. I saw you had your drone out. Did you just bring the drone with you or did you need a special form for this?
Thanks in advanced.
Sammi says
Hi Gina, we took it several years ago but now drones are not permitted in the national park, only if you have a special permit for it.
Gina says
Thank you 🙂 Do you know how to get a special permit for it?
Sammi says
I’m not positive but its very complicated in Costa Rica because now they require the pilot to have a pilots license by taking their certification test and the cost of the license from what I read last time on the news is around $4000 USD. If you’re flying commercial, the license is more from what I have heard and you also need a special commercial license.
But a lot of people do fly their drone “illegally” because that law is not super regulated but I don’t recommend to fly or bring it inside national parks, private reserves, over resorts (some hotels forbid drones like JW Marriott). But you will see people flying them at beaches outside protected areas, waterfalls, etc. The government sector of the national parks (SINAC) is strict about no drones in national parks and refuges.
Gwanaelle says
Hello!
Really nice post, we plan to visit the park in two days and the post is really helpful for us.
We just have one question: is there any hot spring in the area ? On some website, I can read that there is hot springs inside the park but no infos about the price etc.. do you have any ideas ?
Thanks a lot!
Gwanaelle
yeison says
Hello Gwanaelle,
Thank you for reading our blog 🙂
Inside the park, you will see a section called “Borbollones” where the water will be boiling but you can’t in the river (it’s prohibited and very dangerous), maybe the articles you have been reading didn’t clarify that those “hot springs” inside the park were not for “visitor use”.
You will find many options for hotspings if your drive from 1 to 2 hours depending you you want to go, our favorite ones are the ones close to the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano (Guachipellin, Buena Vista, etc), where you can enjoy and relax on the hot springs.
Jeanne says
Hi! We are planning our trip for January of 2020. We are working our way from La Fortuna down to the Pacific coast in a rental car. I’d like to fit Rio Celeste into our plans, if possible.
My question is – on Google maps, it looks as though you could leave La Fortuna and take the road labeled 142, that runs right along the lake, all the way around to the north side of the lake, which puts you basically on the south side of the Tenorio Park.
It seems like that would be a pretty scenic drive, and it looks like it would be fairly easy to find a hotel on the north side of the lake, or to cut up to Bijaqua at that point.
Is there a reason you don’t recommend taking this route?
We do have a time limit, as we’re only there for a week and I want to spend a couple days a Manuel Antonio, too.
Thanks! Love your website! Its incredibly helpful.
Sammi says
There is a route that connects La Fortuna directly to Tenorio Volcano National Park actually, it takes around 2 hours and is much faster than 142. This route is Route 4, we just drove it last month and it is paved and a very nice beautiful road. It takes you straight to the national park entrance.
Robert H says
Question: how safe are the parking lots near the entrance of the Rio Celeste hiking trail?
We are considering making this a stop on our way from La Fortuna to the Riu hotel in Guancanaste but will have all our luggage in our car. We have no time to make this a day trip from La Fortuna, but perhaps we can do this from the Riu hotel?
Sammi says
They have a large parking lot with some “guards” and there are always tour vans and shuttles there. I would just make sure not to leave anything valuable visible in your car and cover your luggage if you have an open trunk. Try to park as close as you can to the office and entrance rather than far away. I don’t believe there are security cameras or anything so it’s still taking a risk but there is a lot of traffic going through that parking lot so make sure to take precautions.
Carol Naville says
We were there in March 2019, had no mud and the trail was empty by entering just before 2!
I would recommend the Hideaway hotel , only minutes away from the park . It was fabulous. Definitely one if the best rooms we ever had anywhere. The lodge is amazing and right in the rain forest !
Julie says
It was very helpful to read that the drive to Rincon is ok in a regular car, and I would love to know if the drive from Liberia to Rio Celeste is also ok in a regular car? Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Julie, yes they have now paved the road from Bijagua to the entrance of the Tenorio Volcano National Park so it is accessible with a normal car.
Jasmine Walker says
This so all so useful thank you so much!
I was wondering if the whole hike is 3 hrs roundtrip, 5 if it’s muddy or is that just one way?
Sammi says
If it’s good weather and dry, it can take you around 3-4 hours depending on how long you stay at each view points and how fast you walk. The first time we went, it took us like 6 hours total because it was SO muddy so it took forever. Our second time we had awesome weather (completely dry) and it took us around 3.5 hours total.
Nicolas says
Just went to Rio Celeste today (02/02/19), see your blog the day before.
From La Fortuna you can cut by Katira, take to the left to « El Pilon ». Make about 6km and turn right (after « La Florida ») and go directly to « El Pilon » and the parking of Rio Celeste. The road is perfect, don’t need a 4×4 and you will save 50km without go to Upala and Bijagua. I made it when we come to Rio Celeste because I was afraid of the road but when we came back to the hotel I try and it was ok!
Matt says
So I could take a sedan that way instead of going around on route 4/6 you think from La Fortuna?
Liliane Kok says
Thank you!
Sammi says
I would recommend Bijagua, (if you have a car), it’s the small town near Rio Celeste and is amazing for nature, wildlife and rural tourism. Conchal to Bijagua is around 2.5 hour drive, Bijagua to Fortuna is around 2-2.5 hour drive so it’s a nice stop in the middle. Here’s our guide to Bijagua: Bijagua Costa Rica And we have a 10% discount with Casitas Tenorio, very nice family run hotel in Bijagua, they have small apartments which will be great for families and the owners who live on site have two children so it’s very family friendly. You can read our review here: Casitas tenorio
Depending on what you want to do/see in Arenal, most people stay around 3 nights.
T G-D says
Hi,
I will be travelling end of january, first of february(10 days) with 2 smalls children (1 and 3). I have booked 3 nights in playa conchal. But I don’t know what to book next before going to arenal volcano (rio perdido hotel is fully booked and rincon de la vieja doesn’t seem to be all that interesting). What do you suggest?
And i was wondering how many days should i stay around arenal volcano?
thank you
Liliane says
Hi!
We will be visiting CR in September, this year. We will travel from Rincon de la Vieja to La Fortuna and I really want to visit Rio Celeste. What would be more convenient? To visit and walk to Rio Celeste from Rincon de la Vieja, on our way to La Fortuna, or make a day trip when we’re in La Fortuna? I already noted your advice to check the weather conditions first (Facebook page). Have I understand correctly that it takes about 3 hours to walk to and from Rio Celeste?
Sammi says
Hi Liliane, the Rio Celeste hike takes around 3 hours, but it depends on weather conditions and how long you stop. Our first time, it took us around 5 hours because it was so muddy and rainy. Our second time, it took us 3 hours. September is one of our rainiest months though so to be on the safe side, I would do it as a day trip from La Fortuna because if it rains too hard that day, they close parts of the national park or the whole trail, so you don’t want to plan it on the day you have no flexibility (your travel day between Rincon and La Fortuna) so you drive all the way there but the weather is bad or it’s closed. You can keep an eye on the weather and see how it is when you are in La Fortuna and try to plan a day trip from there (hopefully you have a few days in La Fortuna). For Rio Celeste in September, you will need to have a bit more flexibility due to weather.
KJ says
After landing in Liberia, we are going to unwind at the Rio Perdido resort for two nights before heading to 2 nights near La Fortuna (followed by 2 nights in Monteverda and 3 in Samara). We are hoping to do the Rio Celeste hike on our travel day from Rio Perdido to La Fortuna. We are traveling early/mid December. Do you have any suggestions for an alternative activity if it is raining that day?
Sammi says
Hi KJ, if it’s raining, I’d just go straight to La Fortuna. Around Nuevo Arenal and the Lake there are some nice view points and cafe/restaurants you can stop by and check out since views on that drive are very nice but if it’s raining, there isn’t much to see to be honest.
Dennis says
Hi,
thanks a lot for the great post. I’ve got one question: I read that NP in Costa Rica are closed on Monday, is that also true for Tenorio or just some others?
Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Dennis, Tenorio is open everyday. There are some national parks like Manuel Antonio that is closed on Mondays.
Dennis says
Hi Sammi,
thanks a lot!
Allie says
Do you have advice on where to check for current weather conditions and park information. My husband and I are coming down September 5-15th and staying in the Arenal area and then Playas Del Coco. We want to make a day trip out there.
Thanks for all your helpful tips. I enjoy reading it as someone from the PNW 🙂
Sammi says
Hi Allie, definiely follow the Parque Nacional Tenorio FB page. They post updates on current conditions and are fairly responsive to Facebook messages so you can shoot them a message to see how the conditions are. And I love using Instagram since you can check location tags and see the pictures people post in real time.
I’m glad the blog has been helpful and hello fellow PNWer! 🙂 Hope you guys have a great time in CR!
Sammi says
Hi Amy, the only shared shuttle from Monteverde to Bijagua is with Quality Transfers, Interbus doesn’t go to Bijagua. Then from Bijagua, you will need to taxi or take a shuttle to the Tenorio Volcano National Park entrance which is the start of the trail. A taxi is around $40 one way and you can ask your hotel to call a taxi. There are a couple of official taxis in town or you can contact Bijagua Rainforest Tours to book a shuttle. Then you can stay a couple nights in Bijagua which is really nice. It’s similar to Monteverde actually (but rain forest instead of cloud forest) but Bijagua is amazing. You can read our guide on it here: Bijagua Costa Rica
If you want something really different, then I’d recommend Rincon de la Vieja or the beach. Rincon de la Vieja is the dry tropical forest so it’ll be quite different to the cloud forests and a little different than the rain forest. There are some fun activities in Rincon de la Vieja like hiking the national park or doing the adventure activities there. You can read more about Rincon here: Rincon de la Vieja National Park
Then for the beach, you’re about 2 hours from the beach from Bijagua and Rincon so that’s an option too. The closest ones are Coco/Hermosa/Panama/Ocotal.
Amy says
We will be in Costa Rica for a little over a week. Most of our time will be spent in the Monteverde area. I have three questions:
1. We will not have car and hope to take a shuttle from Monteverde to Tenorio. (It looks like Interbus does this, is that true?)
2. Once at our hotel, how do we get a taxi to the Rio Celeste trailhead? My other searches seemed to suggest that there weren’t any taxis in the Bijagua area.
3. If we have the time to visit one place in addition to Monteverde, would you suggest Tenorio or something else? I am hoping to visit on additional place with a different feel/look.
Thanks!
Tamar says
We’re thinking about going to Rio Celeste, but wondering where to fit it in. We will be staying 2 nights in Monteverde and then 3 nights in La Fortuna before heading south. Is it closer to head to Rio Celeste from Monteverde and then after hike to go to La Fortuna or do it as a day trip from La Fortuna? What is the drive time from MV? We will have a Bogo rental car. Great blog!!
Sammi says
Hi Tamar, Rio Celeste from both Monteverde and La Fortuna is about 2 hours so it’s the same from either destination. You can definitely fit in Rio Celeste on your travel day, just know you’ll have to drive 2 hours there and then 2 hours to your next stop.
Raph says
This blog is amazing – thank you!
Photog question: did you use a polariser for the photos? I’m considering leaving my big camera behind and use my iPhone.
Sammi says
Hi Raph, glad you like the blog 🙂 I did not have my polarizer that day but I will say that I wish I had my ND filter for the waterfall because the first time we went, it was super sunny and around the middle of the day, I couldn’t get very long exposures (and I didn’t bring my tripod). iPhones will work great though, it’s normally cloudy in that area so unless you want to take long exposures, a camera phone will take nice pictures.
LIzzy says
For the Rio Celeste Tour with Jacamar tour groups, is lunch included in that tour? How is visiting here in April usually ? Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Lizzy, yes lunch is included in the Rio Celeste day tour with Jacamar. April is quite busy since it’s our busiest month in high season as North Americans have spring break, it’s generally our hottest month so weather is nice and hot. Since Rio Celeste is up in the mountains, it can rain during April though, when we first visited in April it rained the first couple days we were there but it was off and on.
Emily Harper says
Hi Yeison and Samantha,
You guys have no idea how important it is for me to prepare for my travels and this blog entry helped me a lot. 🙂 Thank you.
I have been hearing about Rio Celeste from friends and relatives and it got me curious. That is how my Google search led me to this post. Booking a trip real soon!
Sammi says
Hi Emily, I’m glad the post is helpful and that you enjoy Rio Celeste, it is beautiful!
Emily Harper says
Indeed, can’t wait to see for myself! 🙂
Stephanie says
Hi Sammi, My husband and I will be renting a car at Liberia Airport, staying in papagayo. We plan to leave around 7am and go from there to Tenorio/Rio Celeste (arrive around 9am) and then around 11:30/12pm hop back in the car and drive to Miravalles. (Google maps is telling me it’s about an hour and 15 minues from Bijagua to Las Hornillas so I’d think it would be about an hour and a half total from Tenorio.) 1. Is Las Hornillas the correct entrance for Miravalles? 2. Is there a more direct route from Bijagua to Miravalles than rt 6 to rt 1 to 164/165? Thank you! I appreciate your help. Stephanie
Sammi says
I know there is a section called Albergue to Miravalles that goes to the trails and you can go through Upala or back down to the InterAmericana highway.
Sammi says
Hi Sam! The cold fronts are currently still going through the country and it has been raining quite a bit up in the park. I recommend following this facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PNVolcanTenorioACAT/ which is the park’s official facbeook and they post updates on the conditions of the park and status. There were several earthquakes last week that closed the park, it is open again but the color hasn’t been super blue lately due to the hard rains. If the earthquakes come back or if it rains too hard, they will close the park so I recommend following that facebook page to keep up with the park and river status. Hopefully the weather will start drying and clearing up in the next couple weeks and the cold front will pass. It doesn’t take the river too long to turn back to its blue color once the rains stop, but if it is raining continuously, it turns this kind of brown/dark green color.
Sam says
Thank you very much for your help, and that facebook page is extremely helpful I didn’t know about it, I’ll be checking their updates. You’re the best.
Sammi says
You’re very welcome! That FB page is the best for keeping up with park conditions, looks like it’s back to a nice blue color today. Hope you get to see Rio Celeste, it’s spectacular!
Sam says
This post is very informative thank you! Do you think it’s a good idea to go now?
Like next month in February? I know the weather is unpredictable but are the cold fronts the country is going through affecting that area since the river lost its color recently? I’ve heard about a swarm of tremors there too could the park close unexpectedly? Sorry for all the questions you seem to be an expert any advice would be helpful.
milosz says
As I just read the park is temporary closed due to seismic reason and the rives became brown. Hope it will change soon!
Sammi says
Yes! The park was closed a few days ago (it is open now) and the river turned brown for about a day, but it’s back to blue now thankfully!
Joe says
Thank you so much for your informative post!
Is one required to have a guide? Or can I do it alone?
Sammi says
Hi Joe! You’re very welcome, it is not required to have a guide, you can perfectly do a self guided hike at Rio Celeste.
Christina says
Hey there! Thanks for your blog. We just go to the town of Rio Celeste but unfortunately the park is closed due to tremors. Is there anything you can recommend doing that is outside of the park? Thanks in advance!
Sammi says
Hi Christina! You can visit Heliconias Bridges to do a hike and there is the Bijagua waterfall (hike to a small waterfall). Those are right around in Bijagua.
Luke S says
Thank you very much! Your post has made me so excited for this adventure. I would REALLY appreciate your advice on a few questions.
1. We are renting a car in San Jose. Do you have any recommendations of who to rent from and can you please comment on “hidden fees”. I would really like to know the full price. I’ve heard the price can be significantly higher once you get there for insurance and other fees.
2. What time should we plan on leaving La Fortuna for a DAY TRIP to Rio Celeste waterfall? I believe you said it will take about 2 hours. When is a “safe” time to start driving? What time should we leave the park to get drive back to La Fortuna before dark?
3. Does WAZE really work to get us from La Fortuna to Rio Celeste? If so, do you have any recommendations on a cellular plan to purchase for our trip?
4. We are two couples that are considering doing this without a tour guide…can you confirm that is doable?
I really appreciate your feedback as you are clearly an expert of the area. The other couple that we are traveling with are nervous for plan details and I know this info will be very helpful for all of us.
Sammi says
Hi Luke! I’m glad the post was helpful. Here are the answers to your questions.
1. For renting a car, we recommend Adobe Rent a Car who we actually have a partnership with to give our readers up to 20% off the car rental and lots of extra benefits like 2 free extra drivers, free cooler, cell phone, etc. You can check rates here: Costa Rica car rental discount and one of the reasons why we partnered with Adobe because they are 100% transparent and they don’t have any hidden fees or last minute taxes. Some other car rental companies, particularly the large international chains who have an office in CR tend to add these hidden fees and taxes which give the customer a bad experience so that is why we partner with Adobe. They are an excellent company with cars that are less than 2 years old and are 100% transparent, what you see on your reservation is exactly what you will pay.
2. For your day trip from La Fortuna to Rio Celeste, personally for me I would leave by 6-6:30 AM. This is because the river has gotten pretty popular and it can get crowded in the park and I prefer less crowds so the earlier you go, the less people and the park opens at 8 AM. But if you don’t mind crowds or don’t want to wake up early, you can leave around 8 AM. I would give yourself a good 3-4 hours for the entire hike and then another hour for food and getting ready to drive back to La Fortuna. This will get you back to La Fortuna before 6 PM when it gets dark. So I would recommend the very very latest you leave is 8 AM. You’ll get to Rio Celeste let’s say around 10 AM, take 4 hours for the hike so you will get out by 2 PM, you get some food and start driving back to La Fortuna around 3, 3:30 PM. You should get back to La Fortuna right around 530 PM – 6.
3. Waze will take you all the way from La Fortuna to Rio Celeste. When you go to type in your destination, type “Rio Celeste” and you will several pop up. Choose the one that says ONLY Rio Celeste and it was put in by EduardoCarvajal, last updated by juankx. There are a bunch of options but some of them are do not work but that one works. It will take you to the Tenorio Volcano National Park entrance. You’ll know you’re close when you pass a bridge, turn left around a corner and see a large parking lot ahead on the left and the park station on the left. You can buy a pre-paid sim card for your unlocked phone, we recommend using Kolbi as that company has the most service in Costa Rica. I also recommend downloading Waze and opening up the app to download all the languages on Wi-Fi before you leave so you can save time and data.
4. You can definitely do this hike without a tour guide. We did it twice without a guide and a guide isn’t really necessary because the trail is all straight. There are a ton of signs, maps and other people and the park rangers have done an excellent job roping off restricted areas, putting up signs and maps. I actually prefer to do it self guided because then you can spend as much time as you want at all the view points.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Diana Yanez says
I love your blog! It’s been really helpful during my 4 month stay in Costa Rica.
A girlfriend and I want to visit Rio Celeste, Barra Honda, and Cataratas Llanos de Cortes. Is it possible to do this with public transportation?
We’re trying to save money by not renting a car. She arrives in San Jose on Jan 31st and leaves from there on Feb 9. I was hoping to also visit Puerto Viejo at the end of our trip, but it may be better to stay in the Guanacaste region so that we don’t end up traveling the entire time she’s here.
Thank you!!
Sammi says
Hi Diana! There are no public buses that go directly to any of those places unfortunately. For Rio Celeste, the closest you can get to is Bijagua and then you will need to taxi or hitch a ride because it takes about 30 minutes driving so it’s not in walking distance and there is no bus that goes directly to the Tenorio Volcano National Park where the river is. For Barra Honda, there are no buses that go directly to the park entrance either, you can take the bus down to Nicoya but then you will need to get a taxi to the park entrance. And for Llanos de Cortes, there is no bus that stops there right off the InterAmericana highway 1. The closest you can get to is to Liberia and then take a taxi from there. It’s about a 20 minute drive from Liberia to Bagaces where the waterfall is.
You will need to coordinate with the taxi driver when to get picked up because there are no taxis waiting at the national park entrances or you can ask one of the park rangers to call one for you. Unfortunately all three of those destinations are not easy to get without a car and require a taxi for part of it since no buses go directly to the entrances.
I highly recommend staying in Guanacaste because by bus, you need two full days of traveling to get from Guanacaste to Puerto Viejo so you will be wasting a lot of time for such a short trip.
The best way to get around Guanacaste is by renting a car, especially to those destinations. A taxi from Bijagua to Rio Celeste alone is like $40-50 one way. Liberia to Cortes waterfall is also around $40-50 one way so in the end, you will probably be saving money by renting a car and you will have way more freedom to go wherever you guys want to. and for only 9 days, you want to maximize your time, not be waiting around for buses and trying to figure out taxis.
Let us know if you have any questions about renting a car, we do have a partnership with Adobe to give discounts to our readers which you can check prices here: Costa Rica car rental discount
Diana Yanez says
Thank you so much for your quick reply!! Yes, it looks like a car will make the most sense.
Sammi says
Hi Diana! Yes, for those destinations I definitely recommend renting a car or paying money for tours (but in the end, you’ll pay the same price or even more for individual private tours). With a car you can spend more time at the attractions and it’ll be easier to get around Guanacaste, especially for only 9 days. Let us know if you have any questions about renting a car, we’ll be happy to help and get you a discount and all the extra benefits with our Adobe partnership.
Rose says
Hi, We will have our own car, but would like a guide for the hike. Are there licensed guides for hire at the park? If so, would I need to book this ahead of time, or can I just hire when I get there?
Also- what is the general driving time from La Fortuna/Arenal to Rio Celeste?
Thanks,
Sammi says
Hi Rose, there aren’t any guides for hire at the park. If you would like a guide, I recommend contacting Casitas Tenorio B&B in Bijagua, the owner is a couple that lives there and the husband is a guide and can find one for you. You will need to do this ahead of time so they can find a guide and sort out all the details.
The driving time from Arenal to Tenorio Volcano National Park is about 1.5 hours.
Rose says
Will do! Thank you very much!
Sammi says
Hi Rose! I actually talked to the owner of Casitas Tenorio and they recommended a tour company called Bijagua Rainforest Tours run by Marlon Calderon. He has 4 local guides who can do a full tour or just the guide in the park, so contact him and you can get a guide set up for your day at the park. This is the website: https://www.bijaguarainforesttours.com
Melissa says
Hi there,
Are there any local hotels or stores that will watch a car that has luggage in it for a fee? We will be driving from Papagayo to La Fortuna and would love to stop along the way, but I am afraid after all of the posts to leave all of our luggage in the car. If we do a day trip from La Fortuna it will be much longer to go round trip. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Sammi says
Hi Melissa, if you want to stop for lunch or to rest, there are some really nice restaurants on the route. There is the Lake Arenal Brewery in Tilaran that has food and craft beer. There is also the Cafe Y Macademia which has food, coffee and a nice view point. They both have their own parking lots and they are both popular tourist stops. If you mean to stop over night, there are some hotels around Nuevo ARenal or the Lake Arenal Brewery has a hotel which is a good option and then you can bring your luggage in for the night.
Melissa says
Thanks for the response Sammi! I was asking more whether there were any places nearby the entrance to the hike that would watch cars with luggage in them for a fee while we do the hike? We already have our hotel reservations and are staying in Papagayo and then the Springs/La Fortuna, so we cannot spend a night near Rio Celeste.
Sammi says
Hi Melissa, sorry! I thought you were driving from Papagayo to La Fortuna straight, I didn’t realize you meant you wanted to stop by Rio Celeste. The parking lot at the national park is right in front of the ticket office/ranger station and there are always a lot of tour buses there. Additionally there are “guards” so if you have a trunk, you can put all your luggage in there and it should be OK. There really isn’t anything close to the national park entrance and the closest town is Bijagua which is about a 30 minute drive (you will pass it to get to the national park from Guanacaste) so after you finish the hike, you’ll have to drive back to Bijagua and then onto La Fortuna which is in the opposite direction. You can ask any of the hotels you see if they can hold their luggage for you for a fee, most hotels are fine to do that. You can check to see if Piruri Cabinas 1 kilometer from the entrance can hold them for you, it’s a small local family owned cabinas and they have a private entrance to Rio Celeste.
Polly says
Hi,
I am planning a trip to Costa Rica at the end of January and the first leg of my trip is in LaFortuna. I had seen a few pictures of Rio Celeste, but your blog now convinced me that I really want to go there. However, I will have a baby with me on my back. Do you think it’s doable if it hasn’t rained and it’s not muddy?
Sammi says
Hi Polly, I think so. It is just when it’s super muddy that it’s a bit dangerous since its really slippery but when it’s dry, it wasn’t bad to walk on and only took us a couple hours. Just be careful as there are a lot of rocks and roots sticking out and the path does get a bit uneven at some places because of the rocks they laid down before. The bridge and the path down to the waterfall are under renovations right now so it should be done and in very nice shape for January.
Polly says
Perfect. Thanks for the reply. Hopefully it’ll be dry when I go 🙂
Sammi says
You’re welcome! Yes I hope so too, it just gets muddy if it rains in the moment otherwise it’s a very nice trail! 🙂 Enjoy!
Heather says
Hello! My husband and I are planning a trip to Costa Rica for just one week at the beginning of October. Rio Celeste looks amazing! We will be staying in Arenal / La Fortuna area for 3 days and I would like to make a day trip out of Rio Celeste. Are there any horseback tours to get to the waterfall? We love hiking but definitely want to ride horses at some point, so I thought that could be a good time to combine it but can’t find any tours that offer this. Do you know of any?
PS how has the rainy season been this year? We are a little worried about weather, with all the huricanes going on right now.
Sammi says
Hi Heather! The waterfall is inside the national park so there are no horseback riding tours to the waterfall, there are horseback riding tours around the river outside the national park so that is an option. But to get to the waterfall, you need to walk to it but it’s not a long or hard walk.
October is the rainiest month for most of COsta Rica and the rainy season has been particularly strong this year, especially with all the hurricanes. I would definitely put that in mind because if it’s raining really hard when you’re there or for several days in a row, the water may not be as blue and sometimes if it has been raining super crazy hard, the national park may close or close some parts. I would definitely check how the weather is a couple days before you want to go and see how it is.
Sammi says
Hi Hieu! You have to walk the trail in order to go to Tenideros, there isn’t another path there. Some people just go to the waterfall but seeing where the two rivers meet is incredible. From the waterfall to Tenideros is about 2 kilometers
hieu says
hello,
Thank you for the wonderful post. We are so happy to come across your site. We will definitely stop by Tenorio volcano national park on our up coming trip in July 27,17. My question is can we stop by the Rio Celeste waterfall and Tenideros for the blue water without going through all the difficult, muddy hike? How long is the trail from the entrance to the waterfall and Tenideros?
Tony says
How many entrances does the park have? What address should I put in Waze if I drive from La Fortuna?
Thanks.
Sammi says
Just one, look up Tenorio Volcano National Park Rio celeste
Jeanette says
Wow! The color of that water is just unbelievable!! So beautiful!! And that aerial view is just heavenly. Adding this to our “must see” list for when we visit Costa Rica.
Sammi says
Hope you get to see it one day!
Rehlat says
Looks like such a fascinating place, one I would LOVE to visit someday! Useful tips for first time visitors, will be sure to pin this for future travels
Sammi says
Thanks!
Scott Adlhoch says
Rio Celeste one of the most beautiful location on plant earth. And your images are beautiful, Hope by the end of this year I will be there with my friends. Currently we are planning to visit Asia.
Sammi says
Hope you get to see it one day!
Nitin Khanna says
Rio Celeste is amazing. Beautifully described by you. It helps a lot to traveler, useful information.
Thank You!
Sammi says
Thanks for reading! It’s an amazing place
Sammi says
Hi Laura, thanks for reading our blog! Down by Manuel Antonio, there is an amazing waterfall called Nauyaca waterfalls in Dominical. It’s about a 45 minute drive from Manuel Antonio and roughly a 2 hour hike each way. I wrote a post you can read more about it here: Nauyaca waterfalls. You can jump off of that one and swim in the pool.
There is also a waterfall you can swim in near Monteverde, the San Luis waterfall. But it’s super cold up there soo it’s not as fun as it is down by the beach waterfalls since during August/September, it rains quite a bit up in Monteverde and gets pretty cold.
Laura says
This looks amazing! We’re planning our honeymoon to Costa Rica for August/September and hoping to hit La Fortuna/Arenal, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio (some of the most popular areas since we’ve never been before). The La Fortuna waterfall and the Rio Celeste waterfall both look stunning! But I was wondering whether you had any suggestions for waterfalls that have swimming that are in the areas we’re travelling? Just discovered your blog and have been reading a ton of your posts! Love it and thanks so much for creating this kind of resource!!
Nathaly says
Amazing post¡ I’m going with a 2 year old any recommendations¿
Sammi says
Have a great time!
Maria says
We live in Playas del Coco and our son is here to visit us.
Since it’s not raining yet do you think a small car (Hyundai Accent Blue)
is tough enough for this trip?
We want to go there in 2 days!
Thanks.
Sammi says
Hi Maria, since Bijagua is higher in elevation, the weather is different than Coco which is one of the driest places in Costa Rica. It rains in Bijagua fairly often (we visited early last year in April and it poured rain almost our whole trip even though April is generally the hottest month). You could do it in a sedan but you’ll need to go very very slow and it’ll be a bumpy ride. Make sure to be prepared for rain and bring proper clothes.
Sally says
How long does it take to drive to the park from La Fortuna? We have a 4×4 but we are staying in La Fortuna.
Sammi says
It’d take a couple of hours.
Sammi says
Hi Sana, it’s fine if you go by yourself (we did). It’s a straight forward path and there are tons of other people hiking there without guides so it’s not difficult or challenging. You will need to find your own transportation to the park however and it is recommended to get a 4×4 since the road to the park entrance is pretty bumpy.
If you’re renting a car, most of the tours like ziplining you can show up and pay the admission fee which is cheaper than booking with a tour rental company. Unfortunately tours are not cheap in Costa Rica and it adds up if you want to do several. There is a combo adventure tour in Rincon that is awesome and a pretty good value for what you get. We liked the Guachipelin combo tour and Buena vista and they have ziplining, horseback riding, lunch, hot springs and a special activity (white water tubing or water slide) in one day for around $90. We wrote about them here: Hacienda Guachipelin combo adventure tour and Buena Vista combo adventure tour
Sana says
Hi! Loved this post so informative . We are going to costa rica for 7 days and staying in Guanacaste. We see going in March which is dry season. I wanted to know if you think it’s better to go there by ourselves rather than with a tour since tours are very expensive and also I’m thinking they wouldn’t let you check things out at your own pace. We are bloggers and want to take our time taking pics and all that as well.
We will be doing other tours too so trying to see where we can cut cost. What else would you suggest? Thanks fr your help
Sammi says
Hi Peggy, I definitely don’t recommend leaving your items in the car while you’re hiking, even at the national park. Both parks are awesome so it’s hard to say which one to choose… Rincon also offers more adventures tours so if your son wants to do that, I’d say stay at Rincon. There is a great hike in Rincon that we love which also takes you to a waterfall. You can read about it here: Rincon de la Vieja National Park and the adventure tours in Rincon are like this one: Hacienda Guachipelin combo adventure tour
Rio Celeste is incredible but if you don’t have any time to stay a night in the area and you want to do the entire hike, it’s really hard to do it in one day if you’re also planning on driving to Rincon since it’s about 2.5 hours from Tenorio and the entire hike can take up to 5 hours.
Peggy says
We are doubting between Rio Celeste (Volcan Tenorio) or Rincon de La Vieja. We have only time to choose one. We are travelling beginning of July as a couple with a 10 year old boy. Which one would you recommend ? We would be able to pass by from La Fortuna on our way to Rincon de la Vieja but the problem is we have all the luggage in our SUV at that moment and everyone recommends not to hike in the park while all your stuff is in the car. You don’t have any solution for that ? Thanks a lot !!
Rachel says
If driving to Rio Celeste from La Fortuna do you recommend an SUV or could you get by with a car?
Sammi says
It is recommended to have a 4×4!
Jenniffer says
What is the cost to hike and tour by yourself? Is it just the $12? I have seen some say it is 100 but I wasn’t sure if that is with a guide or something
Sammi says
The national park entrance fee is $12 for adult foreigners and that’s just the entrance fee hiking the park by yourself so you’ll have to find your own transportation. If you go on a tour which includes a guide, it is usually around $100.
Leanne says
Would you recommend going with a guide or is one not needed? We will have a car but were thinking we may see more with a guide? Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks!
yeison says
Hi Leanne, it depends if you just want to go to the river or if you want to learn about the area, be able to spot some cool birds, etc. If you just want to hike I will say that I guide is not necessary. Be aware that if it rains very hard in the area the river will not be as blue as you see in this blog.
Christine says
This is exactly the description I was looking for. We are traveling to CR in three weeks and although we have been there 4 times, have never gone to Rio Celeste. Do you think all or part of the hike is manageable with a toddler in a backpack? I can handle strenuous but if it’s hazardous because of slippery mud we will have to rethink it.
Sammi says
Hi Christine, the hike to the waterfall is manageable as that part of the trail isn’t muddy and there are solid steps going down to the waterfall. However, especially now that it’s rainy season, I can imagine the rest of the trail is incredibly more muddy. It was quite slippery for us, and I was holding onto trees and sometimes bending down super low not to slip and fall. But if it hasn’t rained that day or when you are at the park, the trail isn’t that muddy.
We didn’t see any kids when we visited, the youngest we saw were teenagers but I imagine that if you have them in the carrier and you go on a sunny dry day, you can definitely do it. If the trail is super muddy, I wouldn’t highly recommend it.
Karina Sanchez says
Awesome! I’ve been reading about this place for years now. I am thinking of making a trip to Costa Rica at the end of May. Since May is considered a rainy month, do you recommend this trip for May 28th – 30th?
Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Karina, you can definitely go even in rainy season – you may not get great weather but predicting the weather here is impossible. You may get lucky and get a sunny day! It may not be quite as blue if it’s super cloudy and rainy, but it’s still beautiful nonetheless!
Huymungho says
Thank you for letting me know to Rio Celeste . Without sharing this article I have not known a tourist destination so beautiful .
Sammi says
You’re welcome 🙂
Justin says
I want to say THANK YOU!!
We never would have known Rio Celeste existed if it were not for your blog.
Last minute we changed our plans and managed to squeeze in a visit on the way from Monteverde to La Fortuna and it was fantastic. We had perfect weather (sunny, not hot, no rain) and the entire park to ourselves. Pro Tip, get there no later than 2:30 or you go.
Sammi says
HI Justin, I’m glad you got to visit Rio Celeste and that it was great weather! Yes you have to go in the park before 2 PM since it closes at 4.
Katie says
I really wanted to visit Rio Celeste when I was in Costa Rica, but didn’t make it! We were staying in La Fortuna and there were tons of tours to join to the river. Sadly, we were super low on money and weren’t able to shell out the price of a tour! I told myself the next time I visited Costa Rica I would make sure to get to this spot!
Sammi says
Aw that is a bummer! Yeah the tour from la Fortuna is a bit $$ but for those who don’t have transportation or aren’t planning to stay up in the area, it’s worth it. Hope you can make it next time!
John says
It does seem like a wonderful place, especially for outdoors passionate! I loved your pictures and I especially loved the part about the waterfall trail – indeed a magical place!
Sammi says
It is. Thanks John!
Tim and Anne says
Great post and helpful advice. We’re hoping to go soon as each time we are here there seems t be too little time. Loved the aerial view.
Sammi says
Thanks guys! Hope you can make it, but I understand there’s so much to see and do in CR! Enjoy your time here!