Nauyaca Waterfall Tour
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Quepos, Costa Rica
- 7 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
If simply looking at waterfalls from afar is too tame for you, join this half-day guided tour to Nauyaca Waterfall. Your friendly guides will show you how and where to climb the waterfall safely, and where to jump from for a refreshing swim. Make new friends on a small-group tour, and learn about the biodiversity of this beautiful area.
- Lunch, snacks, and bottled water are included
- Your safety at the waterfalls is your guides’ priority
- Immerse yourself in the beauty of Nauyaca Waterfalls Nature Park
- Entrance fees to the waterfalls are included
What's Included
- Snacks
- Lunch
- Bottled water
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Entrance fees for the waterfall
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Operating hours.9:00 am
Itinerary
1
Nauyaca Waterfalls
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Stephanie_M
Roberto and Reece made this experience amazing! Experienced tour guides, friendly, funny, and very considerate. Gustavo was oir driver and he did an awesome job as well, we felt very safe during the transport. I even took a nap during the trip home and I can rarely sleep in vehicles because I have anxiety about other people driving. Reece and Roberto took us through a gorgeous rain forest, it rained the entire time we were down in the forest, actually, but it was still a brilliant and breathtaking excursion. They also provided a lot of education and plenty of helpful advice about the Manuel Antonio/Quepos area.
Reviews
5.0
based on 431 reviews
Angelo_M, Apr 2026
Ken and Mike were awesome guides helped me faced my fear climbing and jumping off a waterfall would do it again
Katarzyna_M, Apr 2026
We traveled with 3 adults and 1 teen. Mambo, Alonso, and Matteo were amazing from the jump. They kept everyone engaged on the bus ride, giving insight into the local culture and sights. On our hike to the falls, we were educated on different tree and animal species. Once at the falls each guide made us feel safe, in what can seem to be a hairy situation. We received complete instructions on what to expect and how to handle the situation. We were guided up the falls by Mambo, who made sure your guide was always in the right spot and helped give you that extra push up. Once up top, Alonso kept his eye on you and put you in the right position till everyone gets up. Then came the jump. Alonso showed us how to jump and him and Matteo were waiting in the water for each of us to jump. Mambo stood by our side with instruction and gave each of us the time we needed to feel comfortable to step off. We are still amazed at this crew and thank them for an amazing adventure. If we knew about Paddle9 beforehand, we would have booked more excursions with them. The lunch was also very good and the fruit snack in the middle of the hike, came at the right moment. Thanks again Gents. Pura Vida!
Vanessa_M, Apr 2026
Such an amazing experience! Gummi, Maya, Ken, Alanso and Reese were incredible!! Worth every penny and the highlight of our trip
Michael_M, Jan 2026
Paddle 9 went out of their way to ensure every person on the tour was able to enjoy the entire excursion. The guys created a family atmosphere, living the Pura Vida life style. Highly recommend this tour.
Ashley_S, Dec 2025
Absolutely loves the experience. Everyone was so kind. Absolutely terrible with remembering names so I can't give direct shout outs but I loved everything. Everyone was very encouraging, happy and kind. You could feel how much they loved doing their jobs. I felt very safe during the waterfall jump, hike, etc., as they gave alot of instructions and led us through things step by step. Also loved the inclusion of the natural face mask from mother earth herself. Highly recommend!
Stephanie_M, Aug 2025
Roberto and Reece made this experience amazing! Experienced tour guides, friendly, funny, and very considerate. Gustavo was oir driver and he did an awesome job as well, we felt very safe during the transport. I even took a nap during the trip home and I can rarely sleep in vehicles because I have anxiety about other people driving. Reece and Roberto took us through a gorgeous rain forest, it rained the entire time we were down in the forest, actually, but it was still a brilliant and breathtaking excursion. They also provided a lot of education and plenty of helpful advice about the Manuel Antonio/Quepos area.
Samantha_O, Aug 2025
What an amazing experience - but what makes the tour really fantastic was our tour guide Alejandro and Mambo - if you can make a request for them you won’t be disappointed. So extremely knowledgeable at what they do, we learned so much and they were very patient with us and always ensured we were safe. This tour was the top one for our trip.
CharityJSmith, Aug 2025
This tour was so fun!!! The guides were very easy going, fun, friendly, and knowledgeable about the area, plants, and waterfalls. I had Alejandro and DK. They told facts about Costa Rica on the drive to the waterfalls. We got yummy welcome juice (starfruit) at the Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park, rode in the back of a truck down to the paths leading to the waterfalls, and saw a sloth on the way! They talked about the plants we passed by. We went to the upper falls and pools first, got some pictures and swam in the pools. We also jumped off the rock into the pool (5 ft jump). They make sure everyone is safe climbing on the rocks and tell you where to put your feet and hands so you don't slip. Next we went down to the lower falls with the bigger 30 ft jump. They demonstrated how to climb up and jump off. Only 2 of the 5 in our group did the 30 ft jump. They had a rope to hold onto while climbing up the face of the waterfall, and told us where to put hands and feet to safely climb up. The jump was so exhilarating! The water was refreshing and relaxing. Afterward we got a yummy Costa Rican lunch before driving back to hotel drop-offs. Definitely recommend this tour.
Christine_S, Jul 2025
Ismael and Ken and the crew were incredible guides for this experience. Their exuberance and love not just for the waterfalls, but for the plants and animals we enountered, was infectious. My kids very very safe and supported making the big jump off the waterfall. A great day all around!
Sheila_B, Mar 2025
We considered driving ourselves to the waterfall (an hour from our hotel in Manuel Antonio) and paying for the entrance fee ourselves. It would have been much cheaper. But it was the last day of our trip and we were tired and didn’t want the stress of driving and parking.
We thought we were paying just for convenience and no stress. Boy were we wrong. As we watched the throngs of people who didn’t get the tour gaze longingly at our group, our guides scaled the rocks THROUGH the waterfall and attached a rope at the top. Then they guided my husband up through the rushing waterfall (words cannot describe how amazing that was, even to watch) up to the 30 foot jump. What an experience. I was not up for that level of adventure, but I did the 5 foot jump in the upper pool, and I did go stand in the waterfall which took my breath away. Literally.
Apparently there are TWO properties that have access to the waterfall, and I believe I would have gone to the other side had we not done this tour. It would have been a much longer walk and access to fewer spots. Our experience was well worth the price difference from doing it yourself.
Our two tour guides, D.K. and Ishmael, were personable and fun. Watching them do backflips off the waterfalls was thrilling.
Also we got to see a sloth closer than any other place in Costa Rica. We actually got a sloth selfie. (It was still an indistinguishable blob but by now we know what to expect.)
There were bamboo hiking poles available for our use which was very nice.
The only thing we would have gotten on our own is maybe a little more time at the river. I did wish for a little more time.
Oh, and lunch was delicious. The blackberry-sour guava smoothies were out of this world, and in all the time we spent here, no other tours had served Arroz con Pollo. I’m a fan.
Werner_A, Feb 2025
A “must see” place if you stay in the neighborhood of Dominican. The organization of the tour and tour guides the make it very enjoyable for you.
Gilles_M, Feb 2025
When I saw all the 5 stars reviews, I was doubting a little bit. Too good to be true? Absolutely not. Our 4 guides (for 11 people) were amazing. We got fresh ananas at the first waterfall in huge quantity, we got to climb the second waterfall thanks to their help and a rope they set especially for us. All the other people there were kinda jealous ;) amazing say, I highly recommend it!
Y_Y, Dec 2024
These guys are fantastic!!
We were a family of four including a 15 year old boy and an 11 year old girl, and all of us had so much fun. My son and I did the 25 foot jump and they made us very comfortable doing so while my wife and daughter were chilling and watching us.
Ken, Damien, Elian and Gustavo were awesome and a good team to support the group from little kids and older ones.
The lunch was also so delicious!
Zero complaints!
Trust these guys! Anyone, regardless of age/physical level, can have a great time with these guys.
Fareed_K, Oct 2024
I didn't add any photos because I don't want to spoil the experience for those who haven't seen the falls yet.
This was hands down one of the best tours we've ever done in Costa Rica- and we've done alot. I was super impressed by the knowledge, safety and fun dynamics of the tour guides. Gumi (our driver), Cory and DK were absolutely the best! This tour can turn your Costa Rica trip into a vacation of a lifetime!
We really enjoyed the other people on the tour as well.
I cannot stress how fun the tour guides are. We did the most incredible things with them!
It is a bit of a hike... I'd take water/ waterproof hiking shoes and maybe a long sleeve water shirt next time.
Again- amazing!!!
Rochelle_B, Jul 2024
This was our worst experience in Costa Rica and i would discourage anyone from going on this tour. It was like being with annoyed camp counselors whose main job is to say ok wrap it up, no you can’t do that, and no that’s dangerous. Our group feels like they actually took away from the waterfall experience it would have been much better to explore on our own than them telling us what to do the whole time. The purpose to get a guide is to be able to do more safely not less. They didn’t prepare us and told us to leave towels behind and put clay on our face which was cool but it was then in all the pictures. I felt like I was on a bad field trip. They did things like jump and slide off rocks but wouldn’t let us do it. They didn’t add to the experience of being there in fact they just took a cool place and made it bad. The description is a 40 minute hike and waterfall jump but we got neither experience. They blamed the weather and safety but I never would have done the tour without the key part nor did i want a wagon ride. The guys were immature and inappropriate. My daughter was holding on carefully and fell and they didn’t have first aid. She’s fine but there was zero benefit to them being there other than to pay someone to yell at us. The one guy wrote his name on my back in clay very embarassing in front of my children and inappropriate. We wanted adventure and I truly truly would never have booked it if they had been honest about what it was. Please save your money. It said snacks and water provided. It was fruit two hours into the tour. I totally understand there are things we couldn’t do due to conditions but they didn’t explain it or try to give us a good experience. Deceptive and not fun. I have reached out to a manager
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Hello Rochelle, thank you for taking the time and giving us your opinion about your day. I do want to take this time to apologize that you did not get the experience you believed you should have.
I want to address a couple of contradictions in your review and explain our reasoning for certain decisions during the tour. You mentioned, “The purpose of having a guide is to be able to do more safely, not less.” I couldn't agree more with that statement. However, it seems there was a misunderstanding regarding our guides' decisions not to let you jump. They made these decisions based on their observation of the weather, water level and other contributing factors to ensure your safety. The guides determined that it was unsafe to allow guests to jump that day.
For some insight, we go to this waterfall almost everday of the year, we see everything from very little water flowing down the face of the waterfall to water rushing so fast it is literly shooting 20 feet straight out off of the ledge of the waterfall. Both examples are on opposite ends of the spectrum of what we see, so when conditions are like this, it is easy for our guides to determine if it is safe or not, and when the waterfall is extreme, it is easy for the guest to see the inherent danger. Was the waterfall visibly extreme on the day you went, no. But water was much higher than normal, which means it was more powerful and rushing faster than normal. I understand you might not be aware of some of the nuances we were considering, such as the extremely rainy weather that we have been experiencing for the past few weeks, resulting in softer ground, landslides, uprooted trees, and debris that come down the river and waterfall. While I wouldn't expect you to be aware of these conditions, please rest assured that we are fully aware of the environment that we are taking our clients in, and are making our decisions accordingly.
I would also like to address your comment about your daughter slipping. Our guides immediately checked on her and confirmed with her that she was alright. Since there was no visible injury or blood, they did not use the first aid kit, but it was available if needed
I found your comment, “It said snacks and water provided. It was fruit,” particularly amusing. Fruit is indeed a snack, and a healthy one at that. Also for context for readers of this, we bring plenty of water for our guests. Another amusing point you mentioned was about having clay on your face in the pictures. The clay is not permanent and can be easily washed off with water, so having a clay-free picture was entirely possible. Statements like this make it feel like no matter what we did, we were going to fail in your eyes.
You mentioned the 40-minute hike not being long enough when it is actually longer than 40 minutes. It breaks down as follows: 25 minutes from the tractor to the waterfall, 10 minutes to upper fall, 10 minutes back to trail head, and then another 25 minutes back to the tractor.
However, I agree with you on one point. The Guide should never have written his name in clay on you. I personally do not think there was malicious intent to this, but I am on your side on this one. The guides have been notified and instructed never to do something like this again.
To wrap things up, we have and will continue to train our guides to be overly safe when it comes to our guests. In fact, in most of our reviews, our safety standards and how high we prioritize them are almost always mentioned. I will take a billion 1-star reviews before I ever have a company that skimps on safety or puts our client's lives in danger. You may not appreciate the decisions that we made that day in terms of safety with your friends and family or the combined 20 years of guiding experience you had on tour that day, but I know a lot of guests do and recognize that they are in good hands while being navigated through the jungles of Costa Rica.
Pura Vida
Shana_P, May 2024
We had so much fun with the guys from Paddle 9. They were all very nice and fun. The told us lot of history on our drives and entertained us with amazing jumps from the waterfalls. I would highly recommend their company for tours!
Jason_D, Feb 2024
This excursion is a must if your visiting Manuel Antonio/Quepos. Our excellent and experienced guides Ismael Damion and Tyler, gave a detailed and informative tour throughout. The falls are amazing sight and you had a good amount of time there to enjoy this beautiful location. On our return a lovely lunch was served 😋 The trial to and from the fall's does require a good amount of physical fitness. Highly recommended trip 👍
Nancy_B, Feb 2022
Paddle 9’s Andres, Adrian, and Tommy were the absolute best! So attentive, knowledgeable, and fun to be with. The trail is extensive but absolutely beautiful and the waterfall is magnificent! Everything from pick up to smoothies and lunch were perfect. This tour is a must especially if you can get Andres, Adrian & Tommy!
Lauren_M, Jul 2021
Literally the best thing I did during my week in CR. Absolutely amazing experience. Alvaro and Andres were my tour guides and they were the best. I adored the energy they bought. Alvaro was so knowledgeable about everything and captured some amazing photos while we explored. Couldn’t recommend enough, so much fun
Lisa_R, May 2021
This was hands down the best experience I’ve ever had. The crew was amazing. The service impeccable. The walk along the country side, educating us on the environment was great and the experience at the waterfall was absolutely breathtaking and a lot of fun!!
Thank you for an amazing experience. Especially to Alvaro. You are the best. Your dedication to giving us a wonderful experience was very much appreciated.
Ilona_S, Dec 2020
Corry was our guide and was fantastic! He was extremely enthusiastic, very invested in our safety, and was very informative of the area. The fruit and lunch included in the trip were delicious.
Andres_P, Aug 2024
La experiencia con Paddle 9 supero nuestras expectativas. Nos buscaron en nuestro hotel a la hora exacta y desde el 1er minuto se noto la alta calidad del servicio que ofrecen. Durante el trayecto hacia las cascadas compartieron varios datos curiosos de la region y de Costa Rica, lo que hizo el viaje mas interesante.
Nuestros guias, Alejandro y "DK", y el conductor "Macho", fueron 100% profesionales, proactivos, muy amables y siempre tenian esa vibra de "Pura Vida" que tanto caracteriza a los ticos.
Si van a estas cascadas, asegurense de hacerlo con esta compania.
Muchas gracias, muchachos!
Luis_D, Dec 2023
Los baños en las pozas, el almuerzo un poco juntito, los saltos mas accesibles al otro lado del rio. Guías muy Amables
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Nauyaca Waterfall Tour
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