If you’re planning on visiting the enchanting Rio Celeste, Costa Rica then here is everything you need to know to plan the perfect visit so that you can see the sky blue river inside the Tenorio Volcano National Park.
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.
In this guide, we will help you plan the perfect visit to Rio Celeste.
What to Know About Rio Celeste to Make Sure You See the Beautiful Blue Color
. **IMPORTANT! As of August 1, 2023, the national park requires all visitors to purchase park tickets online beforehand on the SINAC website. They will not sell tickets at the door.
Quick information first.
- Parking available for a fee. There are several parking lots right outside the park entrance run by locals. Parking fee is 2000 CRC per car. No public bus directly to park entrance.
- No facilities inside the national park. Only bathroom is in the outside park ticket office. Single use plastics are not allowed in the national park so bring a filled reusable water bottle. Highly recommend an insulated one so you can have cold water.
- 4wd not absolutely required.
- No pets allowed in the national park. No strollers allowed.
- National park hours are 8 AM to 4 PM everyday. Last entry at 2 PM. Everyone must exit by 4 PM. On Aug 1, the park will be open Monday to Sundays and open until 4 PM. Last entry at 2 PM, everyone must be out by 4 PM.
- Visitors must present their passport or Costa Rican ID to enter. Passport can be a photocopy or photo on the phone of the passport ID page.
- ~6 kilometer walk total (~3.7 miles)
- No guide required. Can visit on your own.
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.
Weather and What to Wear to Rio Celeste
Rio Celeste weather is hot and humid being the tropical rainforest. Average daytime temperatures are around low to mid 80s F (28 C).
Keep in mind that this area doesn’t strictly follow the dry-rainy tropical seasons and it can rain any time of the year.
- Shoes: No flip flops, no high heels, no open toed sandals. As trails are dirt with tree roots and rocks, you need to have good shoes. I personally love closed toed hiking shoes for Rio Celeste, specifically my KEEN hiking sandals. Yeison wore his waterproof KEEN hiking shoes. Trail running shoes are excellent, especially if they’re waterproof.
- Clothing: You don’t need long hiking pants, shorts will do fine but make sure to apply mosquito repellent. We personally recommend clothes that dry fast and wick away moisture because it is very humid.
- 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.
- Mosquito Repellent
Optional: hiking poles if you have knee/ankle problems to stabilize yourself on the dirt paths and steps.
Rio Celeste, Costa Rica hiking difficulty and time
Rio Celeste hiking level is moderate. The trail is not terribly long or difficult but for inexperienced hikers, some sections may prove a little challenging, particularly the waterfall. There are around 150 or so steep steps to the waterfall. Additionally, there are many big rocks and tree roots you have to walk on as it’s a natural path.
If you are not in good condition to walk at least 3-4 miles through the forest or have bad knees or ankle problems that won’t allow you to walk on uneven surfaces or steps, I recommend going to just the waterfall.
The Trails
*You will see more photos of the trail down below in the post.* The first section of the trail from the entrance to the waterfall is on a very nice and flat trail. It is mostly dirt but goes from concrete to dirt a few times and through one suspension bridge. The walk from the entrance to Rio Celeste Waterfall takes around 30 minutes.
Once you reach the waterfall entrance, there is a set of steep stairs with handrails to go down to the waterfall.
Unfortunately the Rio Celeste trail is not handicap friendly nor is it stroller friendly. The trail is a natural path with tree roots, loose rocks and big rocks.
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.
Some parts of the national park may close depending on the weather
The national park sometimes closes when there is extreme weather. Check the official Tenorio Volcano National Park Facebook page to see current conditions before your visit.
If you visit in the peak of rainy season, the river may not be as blue
Sometimes when the rains are incredibly heavy or there is a tropical storm, the river isn’t blue. This normally occurs during the months of September, October and November. December can be very rainy too.
However, if it is just the normal on/off rains, do not worry as it can turn 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.
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. It’s one of the best free things to do in Costa Rica. On Google Maps, it is called “Rio Celeste Free Pool.” There is a dedicated parking spot on the side of the road for this free Rio Celeste swimming hole.
Visiting Rio Celeste with kids
You can definitely visit Rio Celeste with kids! We saw a ton of families. Teenagers and active kids will love this hike.
If you bring your baby in a baby carrier, make sure you have enough stamina to carry them up and down the steep steps to the waterfall and the rest of the trail. Strollers are not allowed inside Tenorio Volcano National Park.
Location and Directions to Rio Celeste from La Fortuna and Liberia
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 Liberia International Airport, a 1.5 hour drive and 173 kilometers (107 miles) from San Jose International Airport, a 3.5 hour drive.
Directions
How to get to Rio Celeste from Liberia by Driving
If you are renting a car and using Google Maps or Waze, do not just type in “Rio Celeste” as this will lead you to the wrong place or it will say no results found. This is my advice for getting to the park entrance: look for the national park parking lot. I personally like to put the restaurant outside the ticket office.
- Option 1: Enter Parqueo del Parque Nacional Tenorio as your destination. This will take you to the parking lots right outside the Tenorio Volcano National Park.
- Option 2: Enter Soda El Pilón. This is a restaurant right in front of the ticket office next to the main parking lot.
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 ~2000 CRC per car and you need to leave the slip of paper in the dash of the car. Even though you’re paying for parking, don’t leave valuables visible in the car as it’s technically not a secured lot and it is not owned by the national park. Roll up your windows and lock your doors.
How to get to Rio Celeste from La Fortuna
The drive from La Fortuna to Rio Celeste is about 1.5 hours.
Pro planning tip: If you are driving from La Fortuna – Guanacaste (like Tamarindo/Playas del Coco), you can stop by Rio Celeste on your way. Carefully and completely cover all your luggage in the car, park as close as possible to the ticket office and take ALL valuables with you. We recommend to leave La Fortuna early around 7 AM to get to the park around 9 AM, hike around 3 hours, have lunch and depart Bijagua by 2-3 PM to drive 2-2.5 hours to your final destination in the daylight. *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 valuables in the car in Costa Rica.*
You Don’t Need a 4×4 for Rio Celeste
The road to the entrance of Tenorio Volcano National Park (Rio Celeste) is paved. From Bijagua, the drive is around 30 minutes. Drive carefully on the narrow and curvy road, especially in rainy season since sections are concrete and can get very slippery.
Also, the speed limit is not really respected or well displayed here. The locals tend to tailgate and drive fast so if someone is tailgating you, don’t get nervous. Keep going the speed you’re comfortable at and they will pass you on their own accord. Don’t try to pull over as there are no shoulders.
Shuttle or Bus
There are no public buses that go directly to the Tenorio Volcano National Park entrance. You must take a taxi or hitch a ride from Bijagua. Have never seen Uber in this area (worth taking a quick look though). A taxi to the entrance costs around $40 USD. You can also ask your hotel to help you call a ride.
Hours and Fee
The Tenorio Volcano National Park entrance fee for adults is $12 USD, $5 USD for children (ages 2-12) plus tax. Credit/debit card only (Visa/Mastercard) – no cash. **As of August 1, 2023, the national park will require all visitors to purchase park tickets online beforehand on the SINAC website. They no longer sell tickets at the door. Please note we have NO affiliation with SINAC so if you are having trouble on their website, please contact them directly for help.**
Parking is ~2000 colones per car, cash only. Give this to the parking attendant that comes up to you when you park. They will hand you a slip of paper in return, which you must display on your car dash.
Rio Celeste – Tenorio Volcano National Park is open everyday. Hours are 8 AM to 5 PM and the last entry must be before 2 PM. Everyone must exit the park by 4 PM. They will allow a maximum of 500 people in the park at one time, with a maximum of 1000 total people during the day.
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 meet.
Facilities
This is the Tenorio Volcano National Park ticket office. There are bathrooms which we recommend to use before going in the park since there aren’t facilities inside. As you enter the park, the park ranger will check your backpack before entering.
The ranger asked me if I had any cigarettes or knives, quickly checked my backpack and I went on my way.
Waterfall Trail (1.5 kilometers or .9 miles to waterfall steps from entrance)
The beginning of the trail is 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.
A little after, you’ll cross a hanging 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 where you can go down beautifully maintained steps to the waterfall. It is a bit steep so take your time! It is on nice steps with handrails. 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 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!
Rio Celeste, Costa Rica Video
We took a quick aerial video of the river.
Here is an aerial photo of Rio Celeste waterfall.
After you’re done looking at the waterfall, head back up to continue on the rest of the trail. The steps are steep so take your time!
Mirador (550 meters, .3 miles)
This platform has a nice view of the jungle and there is a billboard with some information of the rainforest and area.
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! Make sure to obey the signs. Do not hop the fence, do not swim, do not enter the water.
The last 300 meters or so of the trail are not to be missed. You’ll see the bluest part of the river and where the two rivers meet to create this color.
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.
Tenideros (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! Make sure to take it slow and enjoy your time!
Outside the park entrance are a couple of good local restaurants. We went to the restaurant right outside to the left (Los Pilones) which had good food and smoothies. It was not that expensive either.
Rio Celeste, Costa Rica Tours
There are one day tours from La Fortuna that cost around $145 USD per adult. Tours from Playas del Coco and Tamarindo cost around $165 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.
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.
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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