So, obviously nobody is going to Costa Rica right now (their borders are currently closed to everyone but citizens until June 15th due to Covid-19, but that’s always subject to change!) But if you’re like me, you like to plan ahead! So, if you’re going to Costa Rica eventually and want to know everything you need to know before visiting this gorgeous waterfall, read on!
My mom and I got to go on our annual girl’s trip to Costa Rica this February, thankfully before all this Coronavirus stuff happened. You can check out my full blog post about what we did on this trip here.
Located in the Tenorio Volcano National Park, Rio Celeste means “Light blue river” in Spanish, and rightfully so! This stunning attraction gets its beautiful blue color due to a phenomenon called “Mie scattering” triggered by certain minerals from the Tenorio volcano in the river’s water. Unfortunately, you can’t swim in it, but it is still fascinating!
The entrance fee to hike to Rio Celeste is $12 per adult and $5 for children under the ages of 2-12. It also costs $2 to park. Hours are 8am-4pm, but they stop allowing visitors at 2pm. I also suggest trying to get here fairly early, to avoid crowds and also because I think they limit the amount of people allowed on the trail. You *can* drive here on your own and do the hike on your own; the trail itself is very well marked and easy to follow, so you really don’t need a guide. However, seeing as I was doing this by myself (My mom stayed back at the resort), for the sake of convenience and my safety, I paid a company called Native’s Way in Tamarindo $120 to take me! Keep in mind this tour also included transportation, a guide, lunch, a stop at the Llanos de Cortez waterfall, as well as a stop at an animal/nature sanctuary. To me it was WAY worth it!
They are also pretty strict here, but not in a bad way. Before entering the trail, a ranger will look through your bag to ensure you don’t have any cigarettes (smoking not allowed) or any sort of weapons. Also, make sure you use the park bathrooms before you go, as there won’t be any place during the hike to go!
I’m also going to be honest here…if you’re not in at least somewhat decent shape, this hike is not for you. Out of our group of I believe 17 people, only about half of us actually made it to the waterfall, and maybe only 5 of us kept on the path to see the blue river. I consider myself to be pretty active and even though I did everything, I was still sore and exhausted when we got back! I feel bad for the people that paid the money and didn’t even get to see it, but I also feel as though they should have done their research prior. Just my opinion!
The hike is almost 4 miles round trip (about 6 km) and takes anywhere from 3-5 hours to complete. Not only this, but once you reach the waterfall, you have to go up and down 250 steps to get to the viewing platform! You don’t have to go *all* the way down to actually see it, but I will say the best view is definitely from the bottom! The steps are pretty sturdy and made of concrete (as well as the handrails, even though they are designed to look like wood!), but I would imagine during heavy rains they could be slippery, so be careful.
It is also very important to be careful where you are walking. Obviously, you’re in an area considered the “rainforest”, so it’s often muddy and slippery along the trails. Expect lots of puddles, rocks, roots, and twists/turns and up/down. There’s even a few smalls creeks you may have to walk through or hop over! The trail actually started off as a sidewalk and I thought “Oh, this will be so easy!”. Nope, I was wrong!
And make sure you stay on the path!! Though most creatures are more afraid of you than you are of them, Costa Rica is still home to many different dangerous species, such as jaguars and venomous reptiles. I promise you’re bound to see some cool wildlife while walking on the trail, you don’t need to risk it and venture off of it! We saw a sloth, spiders, lizards, birds, and a cute little green snake! Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see a tapir, but we did find the track of one!
Like I mentioned before, after the waterfall entrance, there’s a path that continues uphill to the right. If you take it, you’ll get to walk along the bright blue river, see a cute little one-man bridge, and see several spots where the water is so hot from the volcano that it’s actually boiling! Be prepared to smell sulfur, though, which is totally normal with areas near a volcano. Personally I don’t have a sensitive nose so it didn’t bother me much (props of being a nurse, I guess!). After you reach the end, simply turn around and walk back the way you came!
After your hike, you’re likely to be hungry! Across the street from the entrance is a little soda (basically a restaurant/snack shop) with great choices. Take a bit to relax and refuel before your next adventure!
I think that’s about all you need to know for your visit to the Rio Celeste! Whether you decide to try to tackle it on your own or decide to book a tour, I hope you love it as much as I did! This was easily one of my top 5 favorite things I did in Costa Rica. If you’re looking for more ideas for when you’re able to go, check out my full blog post on our trip here! And as always, feel free to comment if you have questions! I’m going to post a list of items I recommend taking at the end of this post too, so keep reading for that!
And pssstttt…don’t forget I’m now selling my Lightroom presets! I used the “Rainforest” bundle on almost all of my Costa Rica pics, so click here if you wanna take a peek! 10% off until June 15th if you subscribe to my blog!
ITEMS I RECOMMEND PACKING FOR THE RIO CELESTE
- Binoculars! You never know when you’re going to spot monkeys, a pretty bird or a sloth in the tree tops.
- Hiking/boots tennis shoes! I’m a flip flop kinda girl and you can bet that as soon as we got back into the tour van afterwards, I changed back into sandals, but I’m super thankful I got these hiking boots off Amazon prior to our trip. If not, I probably would’ve broken my ankle at some point!
- Rain jacket. Thankfully it didn’t rain, but at several times it looked like it was about to. Better to be prepared!
- Reusable water bottle. I was really happy to see VERY little trash along the trail! Since it’s such a long hike, I recommend bringing one that can hold enough water. I have this one.
- Backpack. Much more comfortable to carry all your belongings! I have this one. I like how many pockets it has, plus it has a port you can charge your phone through.
- Change of clothes! Just in case you get soaked. Though my backpack was supposedly waterproof, I kept mine wrapped in a Walmart sack just in case.
- Snacks! Especially ones that are easy to eat while walking, as there’s not a whole lot of spots to stop and rest. I typically packed bananas from the resort, granola bars, fruit snacks, peanut butters crackers, etc. for all of our hiking days.
- Battery stick for your phone. Though I didn’t have great service, I used my phone as a camera which drained my battery quite a bit.
- Waterproof case for your phone. Lifeproof is a great option!
- Bug spray. Costa Rican mosquitos are vicious. Trust me on this one. Reapply multiple times throughout the hike!
- Sunscreen! Though you spend the majority of the hike in the shade, there’s a few spots where you’re exposed to sunlight. Any kind will do, just make sure it’s strong!
- Comfortable clothes. Though I’ll admit I would’ve loved to have been able to look cute for a hike, that’s just not optimal. You’re going to get very hot, very sweaty, and very stinky. I recommend either breathable long pants and shirts to protect you from sun and insects, OR shorts and a t-shirt/tank top to help keep you cooler.
- First aid kit. Maybe it’s just the nurse in me, but I always come prepared with things like gauze, ace wraps, Band-Aids, Tylenol, etc. You can never be too prepared!