Have you really visited Costa Rica if you haven’t been to the captivating Rio Celeste waterfall? This iconic place perfectly represents everything that Costa Rica is : lush jungles, Costa Rica ancient ruins, charming blue waterfalls and insane wildlife. Here’s everything you should know for a perfect Rio Celeste waterfall tour!
The Rio Celeste waterfall is known for her crazy turquoise blue water, whatever the weather, in the middle of a green jungle.
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 actually located inside a huge national park called the Tenorio Volcano National Park. Yes, you’ll be walking on an active volcano and even see a waterfall on it. Mind blowing, right?
Enough talking, let’s get into all the precious information you’ll need to have a great visit at Rio Celeste waterfall.
Where is Rio Celeste in Costa Rica?
So… you’ve seen pictures of this unreal blue waterfall everywhere, but you’re not sure if it’s on the road of your Costa Rica itinerary. So, where is Rio Celeste waterfall in Costa Rica? It is part of the Tenorio Volcano national park.
You can go book a full-day Rio Celeste tour from La Fortuna, or go there with your rental car. Rio Celeste waterfall location is at the north of La Fortuna, west of the Guanacaste national park and south of Upala.
To make it simpler, it’s in the very north of Costa Rica, between the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, and not too far from Nicaragua.
To find the accurate Rio Celeste waterfall address, you just need to follow the signs to Parqueo del Parque Nacional Tenorio until the parking lot.
What is Tenorio Volcano National Park?
The Guanacaste Volcanic Mountain Range includes Tenorion one, Tenorio two and Cerro Montezuma. The highest peak is Tenorio One and rises to 1916 meters. The volcano is considered to be dormant but you can see a lot of signs of activity during your visit, such as fumaroles, hot springs and gas releases.
✔️ Good to know: there are plenty of hot springs in Costa Rica, and swimming in their water can be beneficial for your heatlh.
Tenorio is also home to a wild forest with lots of different plant species and animals. Even if you are unlikely to spot one as they hide, there are tapirs, jaguars, pumas, and many different species of birds.
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! Here are your different options.
Directions to Rio Celeste waterfall
If you rented your own car, you can easily drive yourself to the Rio Celeste waterfall parking, where the hike starts. Just put “Parqueo del Parque Nacional Tenorio” on your gps or follow the signs to this place.
La Fortuna to Rio Celeste waterfall
Most people visit Rio Celeste waterfall as part of the Arenal Volcano tour in La Fortuna. So you’re very likely to start your day trip from La Fortuna. The drive itself is about one hour and a half and goes on a new paved road through small villages.
Head east of La Fortuna on the road 142, turn left onto road 4 and follow the signs to Upala until seeing signs to the Tenorio volcano national park.
Liberia to Rio Celeste waterfall
You want to go visit the Rio Celeste waterfall right after arriving at the Liberia airport? As you should, and we got you covered as well. The drive is only a one hour and fifteen minute drive.
You’ll need to drive on the InterAmericana highway 1 for about 25 miles, and then take the road 6 until Bijagua for another 20 miles. Finally, you’ll drive towards the national park for about 25 minutes before getting there.
Rio Celeste waterfall entrance
When arriving at Rio Celeste waterfall Guanacaste, be aware that you have to pay 2000 colones to the guard of the parking. Then, the Rio Celeste waterfall entrance fee is $12 USD for adults and $5 USD for children between 2 and 12 years old. You’ll need to pay with a credit card.
Plan your visit according to the opening hours of the Tenorio Volcano national park, and check their Facebook page for any rare but possible closings. The Rio Celeste waterfall hours are 8am to 4pm. They accept the last entrance at 2pm, but to make the most of your visit, you should arrive before 1pm at the latest.
Visiting Rio Celeste with a Guide
If you don’t have your own car, your only option is to go with a Rio Celeste tour! This way, you’ll be driven from your hotel to the entrance of the national park, and you’ll have a guide showing you all the good places.
For a day trip to Rio Celeste waterfall from La Fortuna, this Viator Tour is perfect. Your driver will come pick you up at your hotel at 8am, stop at a cafe halfway through to let you buy something for breakfast and arrive at the Tenorio Volcano national park parking at around 10am.
Then, you’ll get to visit all the wonderful places that are displayed in this article. Your guide will tell you more about the history, fauna and flora of Rio Celeste waterfall & Tenorio Volcano.
You won’t miss one single cool spot and have lunch in a cool restaurant. It lasts around 8 hours, costs $87 USD and includes the round trip, guide, Rio Celeste national park and waterfall entrance fee and lunch.
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 Costa Rica on a budget. But only if you already have a car. Many places in Costa Rica aren’t truly worth visiting without a guide, but that’s not the case of Rio Celeste.
The starting point of the trail is the parking and the different parts of the hike to Rio Celeste waterfall are really well indicated. However, following a guide is very convenient because they will tell you everything about the place and spot animals. The Viator Tour includes a full day of hiking, an hotel pickup, drop-off and a typical lunch.
Rio Celeste waterfall Costa Rica : best things to do
The Tenorio Volcano National Park is huge and there are many places to explore in the area. To make sure you see all the good spots, here is a Rio Celeste waterfall map and each spot explained one by one after the picture.
Rio Celeste waterfall hike
Lucky you, the famous Rio Celeste blue waterfall is the first spot on the trail! To get there, you’ll need to walk around 30 minutes. It starts on a paved path, then you’ll have to cross one or two small waterfalls and walk on a muddy path.
When getting closer to the waterfall, you’ll go down a charming wooden staircase and hear how powerful the waterfall is just by the sound of it. And all of a sudden, the dreamy blue waterfall of your costa rican dreams will make its first appearance. There are many good viewpoints on your way down and you’ll get your perfect picture without a doubt.
Tenorio Viewpoint
Between the Rio Celeste and the Laguna Azul, which is a 25 minute walk, you can stop at a beautiful open viewpoint of the jungle seen a bit from above. You’ll be able to see the summits of Tenorio Uno, Tenorio Dos and Cerro Montezuma.
Laguna Azul
The second spot that you should check out is Laguna Azul. After walking up the stairs at Rio Celeste, take the only other path from the main platform. It’s a natural pool in the middle of the national park. Its turquoise blue is due to the diffusion of gray clay particles.
Borbollones
You may or may not have noticed the sulfur smell in some parts of the national park, but yes ; you’re walking on an active volcano! Locals calle this spot the “geysir” because the volcano creates big eddies in the river. It looks so calm and when you pay attention, you’ll see the water trembling in some areas.
Teñideros
The last spot that you absolutely must see in Tenorio Volcano National Park is the Tenideros. This is the meeting point of two different rivers. They don’t have the same natural properties as one carries particles from the volcano and the other one has a really low PH.
This phenomenon is formed by the mixing of Rio Buenavista and Quebrada Agria. The particles, which are increased in size by the pH change in the mixing point, remain in suspension. When the mineral particles are in suspension, they catch more sunlight which explains the insane blue color and the variation.
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.
How long is the hike to Rio Celeste waterfall?
The Rio Celeste waterfall hike length can be divided in two parts. First, you’ll need to walk 1.5 km, around 30 minutes, to get to the main platform where paths part. Then, consider that going down the stairs to Rio Celeste, taking pictures and going back up will take you around 30 minutes as well. In total, if you’re not visiting the rest of Tenorio Volcano National Park, the full hike will take you one hour and a half.
If you’d like to visit the rest of Tenorio Volcano National Park, which we highly recommend, head to Laguna Azul. It’ll take you about 25 minutes from the main platform. Borbollones is 5 minutes from there, and Tenideros is not far behind. From the farthest place, you’ll need 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. So, you might wonder what to wear for a Rio Celeste hike? Junkie shoes or boots, and the most important thing of all : a raincoat.
There are people selling plastic raincoats at the entrance of the park so you should bring yours. Don’t carry a huge backpack as well because there are lots of ups and downs and it’ll slow you down and make you feel too hot. So : raincoat, shoes that you’re not afraid to waiste, a bottle of water and your phone or camera.
Rio Celeste waterfall swimming
That is the question that everyone asks : can you swim at Rio Celeste? Unfortunately, it is completely forbidden. The hydraulics and depth of the pool make it very dangerous and some people died. However, there’s a cool spot to swim 20 minutes from the Rio Celeste waterfall.
To access the swimming spot, put “Bugai Rio Celeste Food and nature” in your GPS. You can eat there and then go for a swim by the path at the right of the restaurant. However, be careful if you have a rental car because the road to get to the restaurant from Rio Celeste is full of stones!
Rio Celeste waterfall hotels
There’s accommodation for every kind of traveler and budget in this area of Costa Rica. Whether you’re more into hostels, hotels or resorts, here are three great options. The first two ones are located in La Fortuna while the last one is closer to Rio Celeste.
It’s really easy to book a tour to Rio Celeste or just drive yourself there from La Fortuna. It’s like the biggest town that you can find in the area so many travelers stay there as a homebase to visit the north of Costa Rica.
🌴 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!
Selina La Fortuna
We highly recommend the hostel Selina in La Fortuna, especially if you’re travelling on a budget. There are many Selina hostels in Costa Rica but we’ve heard this one is the best. The hippie vibe there is very nice, the decoration is awesome and you’ll meet loads of international travelers.
There’s a restaurant and bar there where you can have breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a nice drink. Selina also offers lots of activities like a welcoming drink next to a bonfire, movie nights, yoga classes… Some are free and some others ain’t. One bed in an 8-bed dorm was $15 USD per night in high season (August) but you can also rent a private room or a teepee!
San Bosco Inn
San Bosco Inn is a hotel with a swimming pool located in the center of La Fortuna, just five minutes away from Selina. There, you can get a private room with a double bed and simple bed for $45 USD. If you’re travelling with one or two friends, or a child, it’s ideal.
The breakfast is included in the price of the room, just like an access to the hot springs of the Volcano Lodge hotel. It’s like a huge complex of flats, pools and jacuzzi, with very hot water.
However, be aware that it’s 7 kilometers from this hotel so you’ll need a car or uber drive (around $3 to $7 USD) to get there. It’s very worth it though!
Rio Celeste Hideaway
Rio Celeste Hideaway is the most well located hotel to visit Rio Celeste, but also the most expensive. You can treat yourself for a night at this resort in the middle of lush tropical rainforest for $198 USD per night. This place is ideal to relax and enjoy its perfect location to do activities nearby. You can and even spot some wild animals if you’re lucky.
Rio Celeste or La Fortuna waterfall
The Rio Celeste waterfall in Tenorio Volcano National Park and La Fortuna waterfall in Arenal Volcano National Park are very different.
Rio Celeste is known for its incredibly blue water and for the great nature attractions of the national park. However, you can’t swim in it. We would recommend it for scenic views!
La Fortuna waterfall on the other side is quite impressive as it has a very long drop among a lush greenery. The good side is you can swim right under the waterfall or in the river that flows from it. We would recommend it for swimming and taking nice pictures.
🏞️ So, are you ready to book that tour of a lifetime to see the wonderful Rio Celeste Waterfall now? Here’s the best value for money full day tour to Rio Celeste from La Fortuna.
We hope this Rio Celeste guide has helped you take the leap of adding 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.
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