Have you really visited Costa Rica if you haven’t been to the captivating Rio Celeste waterfall? Famous for its crazy turquoise blue water in the middle of the jungle, this waterfall represents the very essence of the country.
People from all around the world come to Costa Rica for landscapes like the one offered by Rio Celeste, and you should be no exception! It will definitely be part of your Costa Rica 10 Day Itinerary.
The waterfall is located inside the Tenorio Volcano National Park. To see it, you’ll be walking on an active volcano! Pretty crazy, right? Here’s everything you should know for a perfect Rio Celeste waterfall tour!
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Where is Rio Celeste in Costa Rica?
Rio Celeste Waterfall is located in the Tenorio Volcano National Park, in the north of the country. With Liberia and the Guanacaste National Park to the left and La Fortuna to the southeast, Rio Celeste waterfall location is ideal, at a strategic crossroads.
You have two options to get there. First, you can go on a full-day Rio Celeste tour from La Fortuna. It’s the easiest way to get there and get the most of your visit to both the waterfall and the parc. Meals and transportation are included.
If you rented a car in Costa Rica, just follow the signs to Parqueo del Parque Nacional Tenorio. Then it’s an hour’s walk from the parking lot.
What is Tenorio Volcano National Park?
Tenorio Volcano National Park is part of the Guanacaste volcanic mountain range in northern Costa Rica. It’s famous for the Rio Celeste waterfall, of course, but also for the Tenorio volcano. Although it is considered dormant, there are signs of activity everywhere, such as fumaroles, hot springs and gas discharges.
Tenorio is also home to a wild forest with lots of different plant species and animals. There are tapirs, jaguars, pumas, and many different species of birds. They hide well though!
💦 Good to know: there are plenty of natural hot springs in Costa Rica.
Swimming in them can have beneficial effects on physical and mental health!
How to get to Rio Celeste waterfall?
To get to the wonderful Rio Celeste waterfall & Tenorio Volcano hike, you’ll need a car. There’s no public buses going to the entrance of the Tenorio Volcano national park. of It doesn’t mean you need to be the driver though! You have 3 options.
1. Drive to Rio Celeste waterfall from La Fortuna
Most people visit Rio Celeste waterfall as part of the Arenal Volcano tour in La Fortuna. If you’ve rented your own car, you can easily get to the Rio Celeste waterfall parking lot, where the hike begins.
Directions to Rio Celeste waterfall are simple: enter “Parqueo del Parque Nacional Tenorio” on your GPS or follow the signs to this location. East of La Fortuna, on Route 142, turn left onto Route 4 and follow the signs for Upala until you see the signs for Tenorio Volcano National Park.
The journey takes about an hour and a half and is on a new tarmac road through small villages.
2. Drive to Rio Celeste waterfall from Liberia
You want to go visit the Rio Celeste waterfall right after arriving at the Liberia airport? That’s a clever idea because it is only a one hour and 15 minutes drive from the airport.
You’ll need to drive on InterAmericana 1 for about 25 miles, then take Route 6 to Bijagua for another 20 miles. Finally, you’ll drive towards the national park for about 25 minutes before arriving there.
3. Book a tour from La Fortuna to Rio Celeste waterfall
If you don’t have your own car, your only option is to opt for a Rio Celeste tour! You’ll be taken directly from your hotel to the entrance of the national park, and a guide will show you all the good spots.
For a day trip to the Rio Celeste waterfall from La Fortuna, this Viator excursion is perfect. Your driver will pick you up from your hotel at 8 AM. They stop at a cafe halfway along the way so you can buy something for breakfast. You will arrive at the Tenorio Volcano National Park parking lot at around 10 AM.
🚌 Looking for some guidance on the best transportation options in Costa Rica? Here are the best ways to go from La Fortuna to Monteverde, and from the capital San Jose to Monteverde and its cloud forest.
How to visit the Rio Celeste Waterfall?
You can visit the Rio Celeste Waterfall with or without a guide. Both have their pros and cons.
Visiting Rio Celeste with a Guide
When you go on a Rio Celeste waterfall tour, a guide is always included in the pack. It’s very interesting to visit the Tenorio National Park with a guide, because most people that visit it only go the waterfall and miss so many unique places.
If you choose to visit the park with a local guide, like we did, you will learn a lot about the history, fauna and flora of Rio Celeste waterfall & Tenorio Volcano.
Tours also include transportation, a lunch in a very cool local restaurant, and the Rio Celeste national park and waterfall entrance fee. We recommend this amazing Rio Celeste Full-Day Tour From La Fortuna.
Can you hike Rio Celeste without a guide?
Yes, you can visit the Rio Celeste waterfall in Costa Rica without a guide to save some money if you’re travelling on a budget. But only if you already have a car.
Many places like Costa Rica aren’t truly worth visiting without a guide, but that’s not the case of Rio Celeste. Of course, following a guide is very convenient. They tell you everything about the place and spot animals. But not knowing everything doesn’t detract from the beauty of the place.
The trail is easy and the starting point is at the parking lot. The various sections of the hike to Rio Celeste waterfall are well signposted. The hike can definitely be completed without a local guide.
💲 However, you will need to pay the entrance fee and parking yourself. The parking is $4 USD, while the Rio Celeste waterfall entrance fee is $12 USD for adults and $5 USD for children between 2 and 12 years old. You can to pay by card and respect the opening hours, from 8 AM to 4 PM, with a last entrance at 2 PM.
What are the best things to see at the Rio Celeste Waterfall Costa Rica?
Tenorio Volcano National Park is huge and there are many places to explore in the area. To make sure you see all the right places, here’s a Rio Celeste waterfall map, with each location explained.
Rio Celeste blue waterfall
Those who don’t intend to explore the whole park will be pleased to read that the waterfall is the first point on the trail! The Rio Celeste waterfall hike takes about 30 minutes, one way, from the parking lot.
It starts with a paved path, then you have to cross one or two small waterfalls and walk along a muddy path. As you approach the waterfall, you’ll descend a charming wooden staircase and hear the power of the waterfall in the sound alone.
And suddenly, the waterfall of your Costa Rican dreams will make its first appearance. There are plenty of vantage points on the way down, you’re sure to get the perfect shot.
Tenorio Viewpoint
Between the Rio Celeste and Laguna Azul, a 25-minute walk away, you can stop at a magnificent open viewpoint overlooking the jungle from above. You can see the peaks of Tenorio Uno, Tenorio Dos and Cerro Montezuma.
Laguna Azul
The second place to visit is Laguna Azul. After climbing the Rio Celeste stairs, take the only other path from the main platform. This is a natural pool in the middle of the national park. Its turquoise-blue color is due to the diffusion of gray clay particles.
Borbollones
You may have noticed the smell of sulfur in some parts of the national park by now. Yes, you’re walking on an active volcano! And you can precisely see it at Borbollones.
The locals call this place the “geysir” because the volcano creates great whirlpools in the river. The water looks calm, but if you pay attention, you’ll see that it shakes in places.
Teñideros
The final must-see spot in Tenorio Volcano National Park is Tenideros. This is where two different rivers meet. They don’t have the same natural properties, as one carries particles from the volcano and the other has a very low PH.
This phenomenon is due to the mixing of Rio Buenavista and Quebrada Agria. The particles, whose size has been increased by the change in pH at the mixing point, remain in suspension. When the mineral particles are in suspension, they capture more sunlight, which explains the insane blue color and variations.
Arbol de la Paz
On your way back to La Fortuna, around 5 minutes down the road from the Tenorio Park, you can admire something beautiful mother nature created ; a 400 year old Ceiba tree. Its roots and trunk are so impressive. Touch it respectfully for good luck.
On the way back to La Fortuna, about 5 minutes from Parc Tenorio, you can admire a beautiful place created by nature: a 400-year-old Ceiba tree. Its roots and trunk are impressive. Touch it respectfully for good luck.
🗿 If you are into mystical sites and ancient history… You should visit Costa Rica ancient ruins!
How long is the hike to Rio Celeste waterfall?
The Rio Celeste waterfall hike length can be divided into two parts. First, you’ll need to walk 1.5 km, or about 30 minutes, to reach the main platform where the paths split.
Then it’s another 30 minutes or so to descend the stairs to Rio Celeste, take photos and climb back up. All in all, if you don’t visit the rest of Tenorio Volcano National Park, the whole hike will take you an hour and a half.
If you want to visit the rest of Tenorio Volcano National Park, which we highly recommend, head for Laguna Azul. It will take you around 25 minutes from the main platform.
Borbollones is 5 minutes away, and Tenideros is not far behind. From the furthest point, it will take you around 50 minutes to get back to the parking lot.
Rio Celeste waterfall weather
Be aware that the air in Tenorio Volcano National Park is very humid. It can be sunny in La Fortuna and raining a lot in Rio Celeste. The fact that people are selling raincoats at the entrance of the park says it all.
🥾 You might wonder… What to wear for a Rio Celeste hike?
Junkie shoes or boots (I destroyed my favorite shoes there and still think about them), and the most important thing of all: a raincoat. Don’t forget to bring a bottle of water and a snack, even if lunch is planned.
Can you swim at Rio Celeste?
We know that swimming enthusiastics often visit the country. There are very cool scuba diving spots in Costa Rica. Unfortunately, it is totally forbidden to swim at Rio Celeste.
The hydraulics and depth of the pool make it very dangerous, and some people have died in it. However, there’s a nice place to swim just 20 minutes from the Rio Celeste waterfall.
To reach the swimming area, enter “Bugai Rio Celeste Food and Nature” in your GPS. You can eat there and then swim along the path to the right of the restaurant. Be careful, however, if you have a rental car, as the road to the restaurant from Rio Celeste is full of rocks!
🥘 The food at Bugai Rio Celeste Food and Nature is delicious!
Rio Celeste waterfall hotels
In this region of Costa Rica, there’s accommodation for every type of traveler and every budget. Whether you prefer hostels, hotels or resorts, here are three excellent options. The first two are located in La Fortuna, the base for most travellers visiting the north of the country, while the latter is closer to the Rio Celeste.
🌴 The typical hotel in the country is the treehouse. There are many treehouse hotels around Costa Rica, we highly recommend you try this unique experience!
We highly recommend the Selina Hostel in La Fortuna, for its hippie ambience and international travelers… There’s a restaurant and bar on site, a pool, fun activities like welcome drinks, bonfires, movie nights or yoga classes. You can rent private tipis or beds in dormitories.
➡️ Check availability and prices here
✔️ 8,3/10 based on these reviews
San Bosco Inn is a hotel with a pool and view, located in the center of La Fortuna which offers private rooms for a reasonable price. Breakfast is included in the room rate, as is access to the incredible Volcano Lodge hot springs.
➡️ Check availability and prices here
💚 9,1/10 based on these reviews
La Tigra Rainforest Lodge is an incredible set of treehouses perched on wooden poles in the middle of the forest of La Fortuna. We believe the picture speaks for itself: this place is pure magic!
➡️ Check availability and prices here
✔️ 8,9/10 based on these reviews
Rio Celeste or La Fortuna waterfall
So, which waterfall should win the award for the best waterfall in Costa Rica? Those two are very different, but surely the most two famous of the country.
On the one hand, the Rio Celeste is known for its incredibly blue water and the great natural attractions of the national park. However, you can’t swim there. We recommend it for the panoramic views!
On the other side, La Fortuna waterfall is quite impressive, with a very long drop amid lush vegetation. The advantage is that you can swim under the waterfall or in the river that flows from it. We recommend it for swimming and photographing.
Rio Celeste Waterfall: Final Thoughts
🏞️ So, are you ready to book the excursion of a lifetime to see the marvellous Rio Celeste waterfall? Here’s the best-value day trip to Rio Celeste from La Fortuna.
We hope this guide to the Rio Celeste has helped you take the plunge and add this fabulous natural site to your itinerary. If you are still not sure if you should visit the country solo, here are 25 tips you should read before a solo female travel in Costa Rica.
