The trail is well-maintained and easy to walk. If you visit during a rainy time, we highly recommend renting the rubber boots they offer you at the entrance. If its just some rain, the trail will remain open, but it gets super muddy. We ended up visiting Heliconias Rainforest Lodge and hiked their hanging bridges trails. So, in conclusion, the blue water is actually not bright blue at all. At the moment, it is prohibited to swim in Rio Celeste, at least in the national park's controlled area, near the confluence and waterfall. It is a bit pricey, but all meals are included. Hidden in Tenorio Volcano National Park, Rio Celeste, and the waterfall was for long Costa Rica's best-kept secret. There are hundreds of shuttle routes available all over the country, and they are very affordable. It was a spontaneous decision to move here, but it was the best decision! But besides that, this is the perfect place to enjoy a jungle hike where you have the chance to see plenty of wildlife in one of Costa Ricas best national parks. The trick is you cant pick any car on their website. You walk all the way to the end, turn around and walk back the same trail. Drive carefully on the narrow and curvy road, especially in rainy season since sections are concrete and can get very slippery. Your email address will not be published. Daytime highs typically range from the low to . If youre really dying to cool off in the waster, there is a free public entrance by the nearby bridge where you can take a nice dip in the cool water after your hike. There arent any near the entrance to Rio Celeste and the waterfall. The Rio Celeste Free Pool is the most easily accessible place to swim in Rio Celeste and it is free. Costa Rica is one of the few countries in the region with drinkable water, so it is enough to travel only with a reusable water bottle. We took a quick aerial video of the river. Additionally, there are many big rocks and tree roots you have to walk on as its a natural path. 10 Best Tamarindo Tours and Excursions You NEED to Check Out!
A Guide to Rio Celeste in Costa Rica LAIDBACK TRIP Its a straightforward linear trail with plenty of signage. If you are traveling from the Liberia Airport, Playa Hermosa, Playas del Coco, or Rincon de la Vieja; youcan easily make a day trip here. It is mostly dirt but goes from concrete to dirt a few times and through one suspension bridge. FIND OUT HOW TO GET UP TO 10% OFF YOUR CAR RENTAL IN COSTA RICA! Rio Celeste and Rio Celeste Waterfall are both located within the gorgeous Tenorio Volcano National Park in the Guanacaste province in the Northern part of Costa Rica. The rest of the trail is entirely made of dirt. Well worth it, at least for us. We just went to the lodge and bought tickets. The last 300 meters or so of the trail are not to be missed. Most of these are located in Bijagua de Upala. Make sure to take it slow and enjoy your time! Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel. . They will ask you to put them in your car if they find them. Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld. This is another reason to visit Rio Celeste and also why hiking in Tenorio National Park is among the best things in Costa Rica. The tour will pick you up from your hotel or rental property in a variety of destinations in Guanacaste (check the tour pick-up points for details) with Tamarindo being the most common starting point. Pre-purchase tickets are not possible, and the park is first-come, first-serve. We are talking about some of the bluest and majestic water that you can find anywhere in the world. Rio Celeste in Costa Rica is a bright blue river with a waterfall located in Tenorio Volcano National Park. It is no longer possible to walk the loop in the park, so you have to walk the same way back to the parking lot, and it is also no longer possible to swim within the park because of over-tourism and not respecting the rules, so visiting Rio Celeste is a half-day thing. You Costa Rica is a paradise vacation destination, but unfortunately, that does not mean that travel plans will always go perfectly smoothly. If you would like to rent a car we have a 10% discount for you from our favorite rental car company Adobe. * The first section of the trail from the entrance to the waterfall is on a very nice and flat trail. From Bijagua, it is approximately 11 kilometers one way (it depends on where you are staying in the village), and the path leads on the asphalted road, mostly uphill when heading to the park and downhill when walking back. The second bridge goes over the blue river and it is absolutely gorgeous. It's not necessary to rent a 4WD vehicle. This is the coolest part of the hike, seeing where the color starts. As you walk down, you get glimpses of bright blue through the trees. None of them had GPS or Waze so I downloaded an offline Google map for them with directions to Tenorio Volcano National Park. Since they limit the number of visitors per day, expect crowds if you are visiting during December through April, as that is the busiest time of year. Rio Celeste's tropical rainforest contributes to its often hot and humid climate. Only a couple of meters away from Laguna Azul, you will start smelling sulfur. Valid until JUNIO 30, 2020. Any insight into how likely it is we will get in if we drive ourselves, in the end of December? If youre SUPER lucky, you may see a tapir as there are some that wander in and out of the national park. Have never seen Uber in this area (worth taking a quick look though). . So get inspired and enjoy a stress-free visit to Rio Celeste. Also, sturdy trail runners are recommended as the trail can get muddy very quickly. I think your main focus here is probably on seeing the bright blue color of the water. After youre done looking at the waterfall, head back up to continue on the rest of the trail.
Ro Celeste Full-Day Tour: Is It Worth It? Tours include roundtrip transportation, bilingual guide, lunch, national park fee and refreshments. There will be locals wearing yellow vests waving flags, trying to get you to park in their lot. This brings me to my next point. The Legend An exciting legend gave the Rio its name (Rio Celeste means 'light blue river'). Unfortunately, the trail is not a loop so you will have to go back the same way you came in. How you choose to get around Costa Rica is one of the biggest decisions youll make when planning your holiday here! Tenorio National Park deserves more than a few hours, but if you plan on visiting only Rio Celeste, the good news is that you can make it during the morning, although it's definitely better to stay longer and not rush. The hotbeds or "borbollones": They are fissures and cracks that leak, high temperature, volcanic gases / fumes own of the . However, Costa Rica is open for travel. There are bathrooms which we recommend to use before going in the park since there arent facilities inside.
Rio Celeste Waterfall and Other Mysteries of Tenorio Volcano On the other side, there is a small area past the trees to the right where you can get some photos of people on the bridge. It really depends on when you are visiting the national park. It is essential to mention that Rio Celeste has unworldly blue water only when it does not rain. The park is named after the active Volcan Tenorio, in the northern highlands. There is a billboard in Spanish and English that explains exactly where the blue color comes from. Visitors are welcome to enjoy the self-guided hike to the falls, where plenty of signage guides them. Home Things to do 15 Things To Know Before Visiting Rio Celeste (Rio Celeste Waterfall). There is a large parking lot across from the hiking trail with parking attendants collecting the parking fee. The cost is $51.29 USD per person. Honestly, we have saved so much money using Bookaway! If you are staying up near Rio Celeste you will have no problem finding the park entrance by just inputting Rio Celeste into your GPS unit. The total number of visitors throughout the day is 1200. The road to the entrance of Tenorio Volcano National Park (Rio Celeste) is paved. Filed Under: Activities and tours Costa Rica. However, if it is just the normal on/off rains, do not worry as it can turn back to blue quickly. Rio Celeste Hiking, Sloth Sanctuary & Llanos de Cortes Waterfall Tour, read more about the study in this scientific journal, Google Maps link to the free parking area, Coronavirus in Costa Rica Restrictions and Regulations, Costa Rica Travel Insurance: Everything to Know Before Purchasing, Costa Rica Map: Detailed Description of All Areas. Entrance Fees. The Rio Celeste trail hike is rated moderate. Posada Rural Ro Celeste ($) For those on a budget, you cant pass up this cute hotel. La Laguna Azul: Small pool of intense color.You are not allowed to enter the water as they have a high concentration of natural chemicals. Located within Tenorio Volcano National Park, Rio Celeste (Celeste River) and the waterfall are famous for their bright blue water color. They are really strict about this and actually lock up the pay station at 2pm. We prefer to park at the parking lot right at the entrance (left side in the photo above). Shuttles are specifically for tourists and often include pick up and drop off at your selected hotels and airports. 15 Things To Know Before Visiting Rio Celeste (Rio Celeste Waterfall), Located within Tenorio Volcano National Park, Click here for directions to the car park, the best hotels in Tamarindo for all budgets and vacation styles, La Fortuna, be sure to check out the best hot springs, all safety considerations have been taken into consideration, 15 BEST Tours in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, 10 BEST Places to go Scuba Diving in Costa Rica, 10 BEST Tours and Places to go Kayaking in Costa Rica. Rio Celeste Waterfall is a stunning jungle waterfall with bright blue water plummeting into a pristine jungle pool below the thick jungle canopy. Can visit on your own. Guide to Rincon de La Vieja Volcanic National Park, Llanos de Cortez Waterfall Visitors Guide. The cost to enter Rio Celeste costs $12 USD per person and you can only pay by credit card/debit card at the entrance. Basic Stats: - Full day tour starts from Arenal area. . Sarah McArthur is the co-founder of Costa Rica Vibes with her husband, Thomas. Rio Celeste Costa Rica is part of the larger Tenorio Volcano National Park and is celebrated for its beautiful blue water. To switch it up a little bit and add some more adventure to your trip to Rio Celeste, take this two-hour tour that allows you to explore the rainforest on horseback. There is even a designated parking spot on the side of the road near the swimming hole. I personally like to put the restaurant outside the ticket office. It looks like a very inviting swimming spot, but it is unfortunately not allowed. Rio Celeste is a river located in the Tenorio Volcano National Park in Costa Rica with attractions that include a famous waterfall, hiking trails, and geothermal pools. Rio Celeste is inside Tenorio Volcano National Park in the Alajuela and Guanacaste province. Here we've put together the best alternatives on how to get to Rio Celeste.
Rio Celeste in Costa Rica: A Bright Blue River Experience Super helpful as I'm planning a trip here with family in the next couple weeks. And that's not all Tenorio offers its fans. The beginning of the trail is concrete surrounded by a verdant primary and secondary rain forest. Tenorio Volcano National Park is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The road is well paved, the views are incredible, and usually there are hardly any other cars driving here. We . This platform has a nice view of the jungle and there is a billboard with some information of the rainforest and area.
Guide To Rio Celeste Waterfall Hike - piscoandbier However, there are plenty of other great places to eat in the vicinity that I think are worth driving to. As of February 2022, the parking was $4 cash only. Unfortunately the Rio Celeste trail is not handicap friendly nor is it stroller friendly. We book rental cars on the Discover Cars website as we have had good experiences with them in the past. Rio Celeste is a great place that offers many hiking trails. Every room here has amazing views of the Tenorio volcano. They compare all the offers and prices of shuttle companies in Costa Rica so you get the best price! Plus, how often can you swim in a bright blue river? Pro planning tip: If you are driving from La Fortuna Guanacaste (like Tamarindo/Playas del Coco), you can stop by Rio Celeste on your way.
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