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Tenorio Volcano National Park

Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica: Our most recommended tours and activities

From La Fortuna: Rio Celeste Full-Day Tour

1. From La Fortuna: Rio Celeste Full-Day Tour

Start your full-day tour with a scenic drive from La Fortuna to the Tenorio Volcano National Park. Head out on a 4-hour hike that will take some effort but is definitely worth it. At the end of the hike you’ll have reached the Rio Celeste. The river’s blue color is the result of a chemical reaction between 2 merging rivers having different volcanic minerals. This rare phenomenon creates a fairy tale-like beauty. Visit a waterfall and a lookout point for great views and see the place where the river changes color. Your guide will point out local wildlife on this adventure as well. After your hike, enjoy a delicious lunch before the drive back to La Fortuna.

La Fortuna Town: Rio Celeste and Tenorio National Park Tour

2. La Fortuna Town: Rio Celeste and Tenorio National Park Tour

Following your pickup from your hotel in La Fortuna Downtown, you will venture to the heart of the Tenorio Volcano. Once having arrived there, you will discover the mystery of the minerals that produce the reaction that causes the river to turn a marvelous light-blue color. You will explore right where the Buena Vista River and Roble River merge, with both rivers originating from the volcano. The colors of these rivers is caused by the different concentrations of minerals. The natural chemicals mix and cause a reaction between the sulfur from the volcano and calcium carbonate from the rain, creating one of the most beautiful attractions in Costa Rica. Later on in your tour, you will be taken to a breathtaking waterfall called the “Bride’s Veil”, which is the highlight of your adventure. You will then be taken to the Tenorio Volcano viewpoint, thermos mineral hot springs, and volcanic mud ponds. At the conclusion of your geothermal experience, you will be returned back to your point of origin in La Fortuna Town.

Rio Celeste: Tubing Tour with Snacks and Drinks

3. Rio Celeste: Tubing Tour with Snacks and Drinks

Expereince the rush of spilling over the rapids of the turquoise Celeste River on this tubing tour in Katira. Spot colorful birds, monkeys, and frogs as you float safely along with the provided safety helmet and life vest. Refuel with some delicious fruit and drinks that are included in the tour.  Meet your guide and get set up with your well-maintained tubing gear. Set off down the river through dense jungle over the blue water. Keep an eye out for local birds like toucans, bear-necked umbrella birds, woodpeckers, and hummingbirds.  Awaken your inner adrenaline junkie as you glide over rapids on this family-friendly adventure. Relax and get some incredible photos of this area that is just outside the Tenorio National Park. 

Katira: Adventure Tubing and Zipline Tour in Rio Celeste

4. Katira: Adventure Tubing and Zipline Tour in Rio Celeste

The best combo tour in Costa Rica, fantastic zip line adventure in Rio Celeste, the only adventure of its kind in the area. It is a special tour, with 7 lines and from the heights you can observe the majestic river, fauna such as birds, sloths and endemic trees of Costa Rica, our guided tour is incredible, fun together with our famous tubing tour, an adventure through the river with rapids, adrenaline, pools of water for swimming. It is an adventure that you cannot miss when you visit Costa Rica.

Katira: Adventure Zipline Tour in Rio Celeste

5. Katira: Adventure Zipline Tour in Rio Celeste

The best combo tour in Costa Rica, fantastic zip line adventure in Rio Celeste, the only adventure of its kind in the area. It is a special tour, with 7 lines and from the heights you can observe the majestic river, fauna such as birds, sloths and endemic trees of Costa Rica. The best combo tour in Costa Rica, fantastic zip line adventure in Rio Celeste, the only adventure of its kind in the area. It is a special tour, with 7 lines and from the heights you can observe the majestic river, fauna such as birds, sloths and endemic trees of Costa Rica

Monteverde: Sky Walk, Sky Tram & Sky Trek Ziplining Tour

6. Monteverde: Sky Walk, Sky Tram & Sky Trek Ziplining Tour

Explore Monteverde in a new way by getting a new perspective on the forest through the Sky Walk, SKy Tram, and the Sky Trek system of zip lines to admire the forest from the air. Spot different flora and fauna from the air, and admire the cloud forest, Arenal Volcano, Miravelles, and Orosi Volcanoes. Begin the tour with the Sky Walk guided tour, which combines trails and suspension bridges of varying lengths and heights above the canopy of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Enjoy the flora and fauna of the area while being immersed in the forest's canopy, and learn from a guide specializing in the forest. Next, enjoy the Sky Tram portion of the tour, and have the opportunity to ride through the forest with short stops to observe the forest's biodiversity, and spot Arenal, Tenorio, Miravilles, and Orosi Volcanoes, and admire the Nicoya Gulf and Guanacaste Plain if the weather permits. For the final portion of the tour, enjoy the Sky Trek system of zip lines, which combined cover over 2.5 miles of distance through the forest. Enjoy a unique experience of adventure and adrenaline with speeds up to 40 miles per hour and distances ranging up to 2500 feet and heights of 524 feet. Absorb the views from five different observation towers over the cloud forest's treetops offering a panoramic view of the surroundings. Try the Sky Trek Vertigo drop, perfect for anyone looking for an adrenaline-filled activity.

Tamarindo: Celeste River and Llanos de Cortez Waterfall

7. Tamarindo: Celeste River and Llanos de Cortez Waterfall

Embark on an adventure and discover sloths, beautiful waterfalls, and a true bluewater river. Start off with a hike through Tenorio Volcano National Park and discover the rainforest in a 2 hour easy to moderate hike.  Marvel at the Celeste River, one of the most popular rivers in Costa Rica, well known around the world by its particular natural color from light blue to turquoise.  In addition to the stunning beauty of the water, the river also has several thermal hot springs and boiling mud pots. Plumes of volcanic gases are expelled and in some places give the appearance of boiling water. Visit a 98-foot waterfall and take in the stunning atmosphere.  After your swim, a small hike leads you to the place where sloths are at a very low height in their natural environment, as well as toucans and red-eyed leaf frogs.  Enjoy a country-style Costa Rican lunch with salad, rice, beans, and options for meat, chicken, or fish. On your way to one of Costa Rica's most beautiful waterfalls, the Llanos de Cortez waterfalls with a 65-foot height and 49-foot width drop into a tranquil pond with a white sandy beach, that's perfect for swimming and sunbathing.

Río Celeste National Park Hike

8. Río Celeste National Park Hike

Once we arrive to the Río Celeste National Park, you may use the facilities to get ready and look at the information booth provided by the Río Celeste National Park. We will then begin a hike through the dense, lush, tropical rainforest that surrounds the Río Celeste National Park. The hike is approximately 3-miles long and considered intermediate. You and your naturalist guide go at your own pace and you'll learn interesting things about the rainforest along the way. We then arrive to "Los Teñíderos" where two rivers come together to form the celestial, turquoise blue water color that gives the waterfall its name "Celeste." We'll return, walking back through the Rio Celeste National Park to the "Ollas" -- or mud baths -- and take a moment to relax in the natural hot springs. For the grand finale, we then walk-on further to see the spectacular Río Celeste waterfall - the perfect place to take photos. We finish off with a delicious lunch at a local restaurant and then head back to La Fortuna. Please note: the Río Celeste waterfall may lose its blue color during rainstorms. Our policy is to advise clients the day of the tour if it is raining in the area and offer the tour for the following day, should clients want to postpone or change to a different tour. No refunds for inclement weather.

La Fortuna: Rio Celeste Hike

9. La Fortuna: Rio Celeste Hike

After being collected from your accommodation in La Fortuna, you will make your way to Rio Celeste. Rio Celeste is located in one of the most beautiful areas of Costa Rica, and on a clear day, it is possible to receive spectacular views. Upon arrival to the park you will set off on a 7-kilometer hike, which passes by the River Celeste Waterfall, the Tenorio Lookout, the Blue Lagoon (a great place for taking pictures), and Borbollones (little geisers), before you finally arrive to Teñideros.  In this area, mother nature magically mixes the water of two crystal clear streams, changing the water's color to a beautiful bright, light blue (hence the name Rio Celeste, or "Light-Blue River"). After visiting the most beautiful places of this park there is a tough hike back to the park entrance, where you will have a delicious, well-deserved lunch waiting for you.

Rio Celeste Hike & Sloths Wild Life

10. Rio Celeste Hike & Sloths Wild Life

Hike through the tropical rain forest and discover many picture-perfect sights along the way. Visit “Los Teñideros”, see the volcano's furnace vents, the magnificent Rio Celeste waterfall, and 2 species of sloths at the Sloth Sanctuary. Once at Tenorio Volcano National Park, your guide will give a short introduction, and then the hike starts going through the tropical rain forest, where fauna and flora are plentiful. During the hike, visit “Los Teñideros”, where two streams of crystalline water come together and form the astonishing blue color that gives the river its name. Come by the volcano’s furnace vents that expel gases of extremely high temperatures, and get the chance to take a dip in the natural hot springs. See the spectacular Rio Celeste waterfall. Head to the Sloths Sanctuary, where you will see 2 different species of sloths and wildlife in their natural habitat. The final reward will be an exquisite traditional meal at the end of your journey.

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What people are saying about Tenorio Volcano National Park, Costa Rica

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 33 reviews

The Rio Celeste Waterfall Tour was the best tour I ever had in Costa Rica. I'm usually disappointed and over charged, but this tour was exceptional. Before we even arrived we stopped for Tucans, Acaris, Sloths, Caimens etc. The hike was easy and the Park bucolic. Santiago, our guide was superb. Knowledgeable and entertaining. He was a character, great personality, fun Even the lunch was good. I would highly recommend this tour to everyone. Alan Marcillet

The driver picked us up directly from our hotel, which made it very easy for us. Rio Celeste is definitely worth the trip. The waterfall was stunning and the entire wildlife reserve is immensely beautiful as well (protected under UNESCO). Our guide was very friendly and we learnt a lot about the wildlife and the local area from him. He brought his camera with him, so he could show us wild animals from up close with its extra zoom.

The group really enjoyed the trip and the guide, Chris, started out helping a wayward Sloth next to the Volcano Lodge. The ride was king but we stopped to see more sloths and monkeys. The walk to see the blue water was wet but fine and our guide made sure we saw it before it turned brown due to rain. After more views and a swim in the river before a wonderful lunch at a small place. Very worth the time spent!

Outstanding tour. Bring rain gear and binoculars and a bottle of water. Wear good shoes but you Dont need special hiking boots. A good pair of walking shoes will be fine.

This tour was really awesome, we loved everything we saw and did! I can only recommend it!