How To Hike Rio Celeste (Do You Need A Guide & More)

In this guide, we are going to teach you everything you need to know about visiting Rio Celeste Waterfall. An electric blue waterfall in Costa Rica so vibrant that it seems almost fake. But I promise you, it’s completely natural, and just as stunning in real life.

To visit this gorgeous waterfall, you need reservations for Tenorio Volcano National Park. We’ll explain the permits, fees, hiking trails, and the forever-debated question, “do you need a guide?”.

We’ll also cover how to navigate the clunky reservation website, the stingy list of prohibited items, bag searches, and other unexpected hurdles for visiting the park.

So come along to learn all about visiting this stunning natural wonder, and if we think it’s worth the trip.

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Permits & Fees

Visiting Rio Celeste requires admission to Tenorio Volcano National Park.

The price for one-day admission is $12 for foreign adults, $5 for foreign children, and free for children under 2 years old. Plus 13% tax.

It’s VERY important to note that you need to book your tickets in advance online.

At the beginning of the rainy season in May, we were able to book the day before.

But during the busy season from December to April, booking days or weeks ahead is a good idea. Since they only sell a limited number of tickets per day. (1200 people per day)

Booking your tickets on the SINAC website is a bit of a tricky process, and the website doesn’t translate perfectly into English. So at the end of the guide, we’ll walk you through all the steps.

Cell service or Wifi are not necessarily available at the park. So don’t just show up day of expecting to get in.

Admission tickets have timed-entry slots, between 8am and 1:05pm. But, once you’re in, you can stay as long as you like until the park closes at 5pm.

I recommend booking the 8am or earliest available time slot if you can, because you will get to experience the park with fewer people.

Getting Here

The Rio Celeste Waterfall is found within Tenorio Volcano National Park. Or in Spanish, Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio.

Which is located 1.5 hours from Liberia and about 4 hours from San Jose. The two cities with the most popular international airports in Costa Rica.

Most people get here by car, shuttle van, or bus.

Rental cars are a good option for exploring Costa Rica on your own schedule and venturing a little off the beaten path. We took that to the next level by renting an overloading camping rig from Nomad America. You can check out our video all about that experience.

But shuttles and buses are another popular way to reach Rio Celeste, which leaves the driving up to someone else.

The most popular ways to get here are with a rental car, shuttle, or bus. You can book just transportation, or tours that also include guides and possibly stops at other notable destinations as well. Here are some suggested tours listed below.

• Rio Celeste Private Tour Guide (No transportation included)
• Rio Celeste Full Day Guided Tour (Transportation from La Fortuna included)
• Rio Celeste Full Day Guided Tour (Transportation from San Jose included)

Something to be aware of in Costa Rica is that all rental cars require purchase liability insurance. And additionally, a Collision Damage Waiver is also required unless you can prove in writing that you have other coverage. (From like a credit card or travel insurance)

So all that is to say, if you are planning on renting a car in Costa Rica. Be sure that the prices you are shopping include these insurances, otherwise you are in for rude surprise when the cost nearly doubles. We haven’t used them, but Adobe is a great local car rental company, that has transparent pricing and all insurances included in the price you see.

If you are looking for accommodation near the park, Bijagua is the closest small town nearby. But you can find some accommodations even closer.

Parking

If you drive yourself here, don’t just put Rio Celeste into Google Maps because it will take you to the wrong place. Put in Parqueo del Parque Nacional Tenorio.

However, the park doesn’t manage any of its own parking lots. So when you arrive, you will be getting flagged down by people trying to fill their paid lots. They will even look official with reflective vests and everything, but you should ignore them and drive right to the closest lot that isn’t full.

The parking area at Parqueo del Parque Nacional Tenorio costs 3000 Colones (about $6 US dollars). However, there is some free parking right across the street next to a market, which we had no issues with.

Some people might feel more secure with the paid parking, but honestly, I don’t think anyone is really minding your vehicle either way.

And regardless, the same guidelines apply; don’t leave any valuables in your car.

Hiking To Rio Celeste Waterfall

The national park is only accessible on foot. So reaching the waterfall requires hiking.

There’s really only one out-and-back trail in the park, so all visitors are condensed onto this single trail. With this being such a popular national park, there really aren’t many ways for visitors to spread out. Hence, why we recommend going early.

The round-trip hike to the waterfall is 2.8km (1.8 miles) and 122 meters (400 feet) of elevation.

The hardest part of the hike for most people will be the 250 stairs down to the waterfall, or rather, climbing back up said stairs.

I honestly love the views of the waterfalls you get from the stairs. But just know this is a popular photo spot, so it can get pretty jammed up with people lining up to take photos, with other people just trying to pass by in both directions.

Once you reach the very bottom, there is a viewing platform, where you will likely feel some spray from the waterfall.

The waterfall and the entire river for that matter, gets its perceived color from heavy minerals in the water. These minerals are actually mostly white and coat the entire riverbed in a white crust. This reflective riverbed is why the color is so vibrant.

One thing to be aware of is that the river may not be blue after tropical storms. So just something to keep in mind, especially during the rainy season from May to December.

At the top of the stairs, the trail continues to a few other notable sites. To complete the entire hike, it’s about 5.1 kms (3.2 miles). If you have the energy, I think it’s worth the extra hiking.

The first spot is just a viewpoint of the Tenorio Volcano itself. But depending on the clouds, you may or may not be able to see it.

The next site is the Blue Lagoon (Laguna Azul), a serene pool of water that really showcases the intense blue color.

And right around the corner from that is the Bubbling Spring (Los Borbollones).

Then there are a couple of bridges that make excellent photo spots.

And finally, you reach the place where the mineral-rich blue water mixes into Rio Celeste. (El Teñidero)

Do You Need A Guide For Rio Celeste

You have the option of hiring a naturalist guide for your visit to the park. And as far as just getting to the waterfall and exploring the park trails, a guide is definitely not necessary.

But the main benefit of having a guide is that they will show you many more animals that you would almost certainly miss on your own.

Here is our suggested tour, if you want to book a guide for visiting Rio Celeste.

The park is known for having lots of biodiversity. You could see things like sloths, frogs, lizards, birds, and one thing I have always wanted to see is a Tapir.

But since your only way to experience the park is just on a single crowded trail, in our experience, it wasn’t really the best place to encounter wildlife.

We were a little too focused on just getting to the waterfall quickly to be looking for wildlife, and then on the hike back out, the trail was a little too crowded to have much success.

But if seeing wildlife is your goal, we would highly recommend hiring a naturalist guide.

Guides just have such an intimate knowledge of these ecosystems and the plants and animals that inhabit them. And you can ask them questions, and ultimately gain a greater appreciation of what you’re seeing.

And unless you have a really fancy pair of binoculars or a zoom lens, the guides’ visual scopes provide a comfortable way to get amazing views of these animals.

But the rather awkward thing is that even if you don’t hire a guide, it’s hard not to benefit from their skills.

You are sure to come across guide groups who are all gathered and looking at something. So even though you didn’t pay for the guide, you’re not going to not look at what they’re seeing. I mean, it’s just human nature.

The bottom line is that unless you are a skilled naturalist yourself, a good guide will greatly improve your experience!

But if, like us, your budget requires you to pick and choose, I would skip the guide for this park, and instead spend that money on guides in places like Manuel Antonio National Park or Monteverde. Or even many private reserves are better for wildlife spotting than the busier trails in the National Parks.

Prohibited Items

Something the park takes very seriously is the list of prohibited items. And they search everyone’s bags upon entry for compliance.

While I do appreciate their commitment to preserving these parks with strict rules, they can definitely pose a little bit of a surprise or inconvenience to the unprepared.

No single-use plastic of any kind is allowed in the park, which includes plastic water bottles. So bring a reusable water bottle if you have one. We personally love our Lifestraw Go Series when traveling internationally, because it can filter water from some questionable water sources that maybe our guts aren’t used to.

Also, alcohol and tobacco are not permitted. And no pets are allowed in the park.

Also, no drones are allowed. I even tried to bring my drone into the park just because we were on a camping trip, so I had nowhere else to leave it. I pleaded that I wasn’t going to fly it, but understandably, they still made me store it in our car. Which sadly, goes against the practical advice of not leaving valuables in your car. But we had no other choice.

Can You Swim in Rio Celeste?

While you might be tempted to jump into the beautiful river to cool off. Swimming in the park is prohibited.

But fear not, one place near the park that you can swim for free in the river, is called Dante’s Free Pool. There is a larger paid parking lot, but also a couple of free spots just by a pullout across the bridge. Be careful because the river flows quickly, so it’s best for strong swimmers.

Additionally, there are a few locals with river access who you can pay to swim on their property. One place that people seem to really enjoy is called Mirador Rio Celeste.

How To Book Your Reservation Tickets

The only place to get tickets is on the SINAC website, a government site that translates rather poorly into English.

I’m going to walk you through this whole process in this video below, because even though I can read a little Spanish, I still found it a bit challenging.

Is It Worth It To Visit Rio Celeste?

This might depend on your particular interests, but I’m obsessed with anything this color blue. So it was almost never a question that we would visit this site.

However, it is somewhat an out-of-the-way destination from other popular places like La Fortuna, Monteverde, or most beach destinations.

As big hikers and nature lovers, we were very thrilled to see this beautiful sight in person. If it’s your first time experiencing something like this, you will surely be blown away.

But personally, it isn’t our first time seeing water like this, so that may have reduced our amazement just a little bit.

And we personally didn’t see much wildlife, but again, hiring a guide probably would have changed that.

And overall, there’s not too much else to do in the National Park.

So, for just a day trip, it can feel like a lot of travel time to essentially just see one attraction.

But perhaps a way to make it worth the visit is to spend a couple of days around the nearby town of Bijagua. The mountain scenery in the area is just incredible.

And Bijagua is a bit of a hidden gem where you can experience many of the best parts of Costa Rica, but without the massive crowds and development that overwhelm other inland destinations like La Fortuna and Monteverde.

If you are looking for a great place to get some food and drinks after exiting the park, we recommend The Blue River Brewery. Enjoy a well-earned craft beer and some food with the stunning views from their patio.

Where To Stay Near Rio Celeste

You’ll find the biggest town near Rio Celeste is Bijagua. But you can also find accommodation closer to the waterfall itself. If you’re looking for more things to do other than the waterfall, then Bijagua is a great spot to check out.

Here are some suggestions that are within a 3-min drive from the park! Catergorized by budget tiers:

• Posada Río Celeste La Amistad – Great budget option, close by park
• The Edge of the Rainforest Above Rio Celeste – Mid-tier, log-cabin homey stay
• Hideaway Rio Celeste – Luxury option – Spa, pools, hot tub, restaurant on site, etc

And of course to the west of Rio Celeste, you will find the town of Bijagua, which we highly suggest checking out if you have the time! But it’s about a 30 minute drive from the National Park.

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