Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio

Tourist attraction · Upala ·

Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio

Tourist attraction · Upala ·

Vivid blue river and waterfalls, volcanic landscape, wildlife viewing

Information

Katira centro, Provincia de Alajuela, Guatuso, 21504, Costa Rica Get directions

@travelleisure

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"Located in northern Costa Rica, this volcanic park is less crowded than coastal parks and features Rio Celeste, known for its vivid blue color caused by a reaction of volcanic chemicals in the water. The dramatic blue river and surrounding waterfalls make the area feel magical, and nearby lodging options include jungle hotels such as the Hideaway Rio Celeste." - Andrea Romano Andrea Romano Andrea Romano is a writer and editor in New York City. For the last eight years, she has been a lifestyle journalist for Mashable, Brit+Co, Reviewed, Bustle, and Travel + Leisure. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/most-relaxing-peaceful-destinations-worldwide

Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio

@afar

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"Nature has blessed Costa Rica in its gorgeous landscapes,fertilefields, and a thousand other bucolic miracles. Río Celeste, for example, is like no other river in the world. This stream gets its sky-blue color from rocksalong its bottomthat are rich in silicon, oxygen, and aluminum, and when the sun strikesthe murmuring waters, the color is sublime. Be sure to visit El Teñidero, the spot where two tributaries merge. Upstream from the nexus, the waters of both are clear, but when they meet at El Teñidero, their chemistry combines tomake a very unusual hue. A one-mile hike leads to a pristine lagoon in similar shades and an overlookabove the bluest waterfall you ever saw. By Travesías"

The Best Things to Do in Costa Rica

Photo courtesy of Río Celeste Park

Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio

Daniel

Google

Nice park. We decided to get a guide at the entrance. He was perfect! Would recommend to get one. Saw some snakes and other animals we wouldn’t have seen. Park large. Come early as the line for seeing the cascades / waterfall will be extremely long (waiting 1 hour and more). We got here at 8am which was perfect, also considering the 3-4 hour tour and the temperatures.

Evan R.

Google

This place was pretty cool. They offer tours that will take you to the waterfall to take pictures. My wife and I saw plenty of people doing this, but we just went by ourselves. The trail is very well maintained and clear. Although, the elevation is extremely intense both ways. Wear proper footwear as it is steep, wet, and slippery. We saw the tourists in slides and bathing suits...it didn't seem like swimming was something you could do there. Also, we saw a few people slipping and falling onto their butts due to wearing improper footwear. It took a little under 2 hours for us to complete the full trail using trekking poles and moving quickly. The blue river is really neat, but the views from altitude were the coolest parts for us. We saw a family of Capuchin Monkeys. If you drive your car here (totally recommend) there is a parking lot for $6 next to the park entrance. The entrance fee was about $12 per person and you have to pay online. You can't bring any food into the park. Overall, this was worth it, and a great workout. Don't bring grandma.

Mike

Google

Great park. We got the last timed entry at 1pm, since we were driving up from the beach. It worked out nicely. The waterfall was beautiful. We headed there first and there was a bit of a line to get photos where the steps end now but not too bad. We continued to Tenideros, which was well worth the hike to see where the rivers join and blue water starts. On the way out, there was no one on the waterfall steps, so we got some more photos and footage.

Fanuel M.

Google

Great trek to see the water fall. A rather easy trail (with occasional semi-steep inclines) to get to the steps down to the waterfall. Expect a long line to get to the steps then another line down the steps. It’s all worth it as it allows you to spend more time under the canopy of the rain forest and be at one with nature by listening to the sounds and looking around. Why rush it?

Margaret D.

Google

Beautiful waterfall, and our tour guide was informative and so much fun. The hike is a little rugged and there are a lot of steps to the waterfall. Be aware that the steps were washed out some time ago so you cant actually get to the waterfall. Pics can be taken from the staircase. Also, the line to go down the stairs to take pics gets VERY backed up and long. So plan an early arrival or be prepared to wait for a while.

Fred G.

Google

Had a great 2 hour hike here. Great scenery, lots of wildlife, had a great view of a sloth. Of course it poured briefly but we had our rain gear. Great experience. The only issue we had was booking online, it took us several times before it worked.

Daniela A.

Google

Beatiful national park 🩵 the colour of Rio Celeste is spectacular! We could not go down to the waterfall (i guess because of the weather), but still it was a nice trip. We saw some people wearing shoes like going to the city mall, please wear at least sneakers for your safety, it is not a paved path like in manuel antonio.

Akhil J.

Google

An incredible hike through lush rainforest leading to the stunning blue waters of Río Celeste. The trail is well maintained but can be muddy, so good shoes are a must. The waterfall and river views are absolutely worth the effort, making this a highlight of Costa Rica. One of my favorite hikes in Costa Rica.