A breathtaking hike with a unique waterfall! We saw lots of wildlife there and took beautiful pictures. In the rainy season it’s not crowded at all. Unfortunately I got stung by a bee there, but the staff was very helpful and kind and offered to treat it. Keep in mind that you need an online-reservation before you can enter, which you can do right in front of the park but I would recommend to do it before that, especially if you travel during high season.

Overall a great experience. The entry fee was $12 per person if I remember correctly. The park consists of approximately 3km out and 3km back trail. There are several important stops such as the waterfall which requires that you decend several hundred steps (then climb back to resume the trail) which is worth the view. When you get to the bottom of the stairs, you realize it was worthy the effort. Towards the end of the trail, there is a point where two separate bodies of water mix to create the blue color the river is known for. During our walk, we saw a bunch of wildlife including birds, wild turkeys, and a pit viper snake. Overall 5-stars. I would definitely visit this place again.

The official parking lot at the bottom of the hill is operated by the Red Cross and much easier than trying to park on the side of the road (the road is narrow and we saw two cars that had been hit). The shuttle can be slow. Unfortunately the bridge was closed when we were there but we had an enjoyable walk non the less. Animals can be hard to spot due to the dense forest but easy to hear. The trails can be very muddy so be prepared.

The main attraction of this national park is the famous waterfall. At times it's a beautiful bright blue color. During periods of heavy rainfall, the water turns muddy and is no longer blue. That's the condition it was in when I visited, but the sheer power and size of the waterfall was impressive to observe, even if the color wasn't perfect. As many of the other reviews state, the hike to the waterfall is relatively short, but the terrain is challenging. Expect many rocks, lots of mud, and slippery terrain. This is a national park, and the fact that you're in a rainforest needs to be respected. We went with a guide, and they explained very clearly that there are vipers and other venomous snakes present, poisonous frogs, and wild monkeys that can attack in packs of 10+ if you have food they want. You really do need to be careful, as we encountered a baby viper and a pack of monkeys during the hike, just like the guides predicted. This is not a bad thing. In fact, it speaks to how well the habitat is maintained. I heard some guides and locals talking about how this waterfall is in the top 3 most visited sites in Costa Rica, and the sheer number of tourists visiting it is now overwhelming. 5 years ago, it was a much quieter park. Something to note if you visited a whole ago and expect it to be similar now - it is far more crowded.

Visited a few days ago and it was an amazing experience. The whole round trip hike took my husband and I about 2.5hrs. It was well worth it for the views we got. There’s plenty of parking and there’s also a restaurant and local people selling fruits and coconut juice. I will say, the bathrooms were a little jank, but nothing too bad. There are many stairs to get to the waterfall, but there are lots of spots you can stop at along the way to take a breather. One of the locals there told us that the water doesn’t look as blue when it rains, so def try to go on day there’s no rain on the forecast. Although it was hot, you can’t feel it very much on the hike since you’re covered by all the foliage. I recommend going to the end of the hike so you can see the bubbling spots and the end where the two different colored rivers meet. You can’t go in the water like you’re able to at Arenal waterfall, however there is a pot outside of the park at you’re allowed to go into the beautiful blue water, search Tenorio free pool.

What a beautiful park. This is the best bang for your buck when it comes to the park admission fee. The trail is well maintained and fairly easy to walk. There are some steep sections on the way that may be hard depending on the shape you are in. The way back is downhill. We didn't see any wildlife, unfortunately, and regret not hiring a guide. This is a must-see. You are not allowed to go in the beautiful water, but at about 1 km down the road, you will cross a small bridge. That's the spot where you can go for a dip. During rain or just after a rainfall, it would be a muddy trail, and likely, the water would be too polluted to render its natural beauty. Don't miss this trail. PS: we rented a scooter and rode from La Fortuna. Thankfully, we had clear skies, and everything was dry. I'm an experienced rider, so it wasn't too bad on the scooter. However, it was very uncomfortable for my wife in the back. The experience was priceless, though.

Make sure you go early. Rio Celeste is a must see but to get there you hike in about 1km then walk down a hundred or so stairs. After seeing the waterfall you can walk another 2km into the park which is definitely worth doing. You will eventually come to the end of the trail where the rivers mix and will then have to walk the 3km back out along the same trail. It gets very very busy by 10am.

Such an amazing area with Rio Celeste. We saw lots of birds, snacks, the Costa Rican raccoon, monkeys, and the cool waterfall. The hike is moderately challenging with a steep incline on the way in. There are about 200 steps down to the platform for the waterfalls. You can't swim there. There mosquitoes. So, where bug spray and long pants and shirt.

Rio Celeste is a must see… If there hasn’t been much rain. Too much rain dulls the beautiful blue colors of this river. The paths are well maintained but you should be in good physical condition to manage the steep paths. I highly suggest bringing a walking stick or two. A guide is not necessary, but you will see more wildlife if you hire one.

It was a long wait to get into the park after arriving around 9am. There was no shade and got quite hot standing in the sun. They only let so many people in at a time, which is nice for the hike not to get too crowded. The hike was pretty strenuous and parts were slippery. Didn’t see the volcano top, but the waterfall and rivers were a beautiful sight to see. We saw quite a bit of wildlife while on the tour too.

Beautiful park. If you are visiting the rio celeste waterfall, make sure you know to make a left at the split in the hike to see the waterfall. Also note that the water may not be blue in the rainy season. Note that catarata means waterfall.

Definitely worth the hike! And you must go all the way to the end to see the mixing of two waters. The waterfall is of course amazing but seeing two rivers mix like that was special. We were lucky because there were no rain before so to the water so very blue! Where your hiking shoes and be prepared to climb some stairs!

So worth the drive out to this place! We didn't end up going with a guided tour but we didn't end up needing one! Even though it was a cloudy day and had rained heavily for a few days the waterfall was still beyond gorgeous! Not as blue as the photos during the winter but still worth it none the less. WEAR GOOD SHOES! A portion of the path is paved but the many never ending steps down the the water fall are large and slippery. It is worth it to continue on with the hike to the end as well! You get to see where two rivers meet and where some natural minerals have created a almost middle line between both coloring rivers. Hike the whole thing if you go! You won't regret it!

Lovely experience. A true wonder. We did the whole hike and everything was perfect. We hiked it without a guide and glad we did it that way. We spent as much time as we wanted in each spot. Wear hiking shoes, poles were very helpful. Have a pan go for drizzle or rain. Go early am. Make reservations in advance. Number of people on the trail is very well controlled. 10 out of 10 experience!

Great place, well worth visiting. We were worried we need to come early to make it, but didn't have to rush as much, there were still people coming in early afternoon. Hike to the waterfall and back is about 1.5h, has maybe around 100 stairs too. The longer hike version is worth it too, in the end you can see 2 rivers meet, very cool. Took us a little less than 3h total

Great hike! However, during raining season the rivers is not blue. You must be in great shape. Stairs are a challenge. Thanksgiving week, 2023.

Fun hikes, I saw people of all ages walking the trails. It’s located in the cloud forest. The waterfall and the blue waters are so special, the locals tell the story that when God was painting the sky, he dipped the paint brush in this waters and that’s how the river got its color 💙🙂. There’s a lot to see… animals, birds, nature, the union of two rivers where the blue color waters are born. There are some restaurants and stores outside the National park to get a refreshing natural juice after the hikes and also you can book other activities to do around there.

Beautiful national park. Hiked out to the waterfall. Well worth a visit if you have time during your visit to Costa Rica.

Nice little hike, lots of stairs to the waterfall. Had a rough night losing my lunch which made it challenging and wasn't able to finish the entire hike. Bummer but I got an excuse to come back. Very slippery in areas recommend wearing boots.

we went in December and Just missed the rain as it started right after we hiked out! Perfect timing. I heard if it rains before you go, the water may be brown, but luckily for us it was very blue. The hike to the fall was beautiful. The funny thing is (and now I am learning its like this everywhere where instagram has made famous) is that there was a line to get down the stairs to the fall because everyone was getting their picture taken. But overall it was a nice day. Just remember to book you pass to enter BEFORE you get there online! It was a hassle to do once we got there because we did not do it ahead of time.

Rio Celeste is very nice. Everyone in our family enjoyed the beautiful colours. There was lots of parking. Make sure you book tickets online before you go because there’s no cell or wifi service there.

Amazing hike. Be sure to go to the end. In a remote location. For travelers seeking to visit rio Celeste this is the best way to search for the entrance. We also visited the swimming hole which is easily accessed on the road in.

Rule number 1, get there when the park opens to avoid crowds. Trail is well marked. I would rate the entire trail as a 6/10 difficulty wise based on physical condition. 2 1/2 to 4 hours is enough time to see the entire trail. Paid 11 dollars to enter, a tour guide is not needed unless you want more in depth information. Plenty of information boards around the site and I don't believe you will too many animals because of the trail traffic. I only spotted a couple who were moving fast. It was 1 hour or so from Nuevo Arenal. 4wd is highly recommended if driving yourself but not needed. No need to be an uber goober, I survived wearing a shirt, shorts, tennis shoes, bug bracelet and having 1 bottle of water.

My personal favorite national park in Costa Rica. The blue water is stunning. The trail is gorgeous. It continues beyond the waterfall and you can see how the blue is created. Worth the driving!

Great experience on top of Costa Rica Volcanos in a rain forest with wild life, hiking, cold water hiking. Crazy crazy views and a wind at the volcano top that knocked me down. Coming down was so hard and no one around because there winds closed the trails. I would do it again

Really beautiful National park. The prettiest waterfall we saw in Costa Rica. You can choose whether you want to do a shorter trail just to the waterfall, or a longer one to see where the two rivers meet. We were short on time and only saw the waterfall and even just that alone was so worth it. Definitely stop by if you’re in Costa Rica.

If you have a car, drive yourself! No guide needed! We paid $27 for 2 people. I do recommend going early. We got there a little after 8am. Probably less than 20 people in the park. By the time we headed back to the exit, we saw a lot more people. Probably wouldn’t be as much trying to get pictures at the Rio Celeste waterfall with all the people around. The whole hike took us 3 hours. That’s us fairly moving slowly and taking a lot of breaks. A lot of people passed us. We’re not hikers, but we did it! I think the hardest part was getting back up the stairs from Rio Celeste Waterfall. Didn’t see much wildlife because we were focused on looking at the path. Haha we did see a snake though who’s apparently poisonous! At the end of the trail, you’ll see where the brown meets the blue.

The reviews for this amazing waterfall were so confusing. The booking process as well. But the trail and waterfalls were absolutely amazing. We saw an eyelash viper along the trail. Probably the most beautiful waterfall I’ve seen. Doable with a 4 and 8 year old if you just want to see the falls. I’ve been around a lot of CR and believe me you don’t have want to miss this if you have the chance! Pura Vida!

The park is so amazing, many things to see, especially the river and its blue color which comes from minerals - together with the green plants it is unforgettable experience. The way to the waterfall is quite bumpy - you need to have strong legs but it is definitely worth to visit!

Very nice place. The walk takes around three hours. If you want to take beautiful pictures, go there early in the morning or in the afternoon. Contrast and colors are better. Beware! Google navigation will not take you there