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Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket

Badge of Excellence
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
High interest
Booked 5+ times today.
  • 1 to 2 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.5
·
· Lauren_V ·
Apr 2026
This was a great experience and skipping the line on Easter Sunday was well worth it! We got right in and were able to swim at the waterfall. This was great afternoon excursion for our family! We loved this tucked away area of La Fortuna where sloths and monkeys put on a show in the trees overhead!
· Donna_H ·
May 2026
Epic Waterfall adventure. Beautiful waterfall. Also gift shop, restaurant, coffee shop to visit. In addition don't miss butterfly garden. My daughter and I swam also. Had a full day fabulous adventure!

Overview

More than 100,000 visitors flock to La Fortuna Waterfall each year, but this admission ticket to the natural attraction lets you head straight inside Arenal Volcano National Park to see it. After admiring the falls from a distance, hike down a steep path to stand at the base of the mesmerizing 230-foot (70-meter) cascade, where you can feel the power of the Fortuna River and feel its mist spraying into the surrounding jungle.
  • Prebooking your ticket guarantees your entry to this popular attraction
  • No hidden costs: Admission tickets are included
  • Hike down to the base of the falls to swim in the river or simply admire the scenery
  • Explore the area at your own pace with your ticket

What's Included

  • Skip-the-line admission ticket to La Fortuna Waterfall
  • Food and drinks
  • Gratuities
  • Transportation to/from attractions
  • Guide service

Meeting and Pickup

Operating hours

Select your preferred ticket/pass option to see hours.

Departure Point

  • La Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna de San Carlos 21007 Costa Rica

What To Expect

1

La Fortuna Waterfall

Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • Not recommended for participants with heart complaints or high blood pressure
  • Children under 8 years old are free
  • Swimming is permited as long as the weather conditions permit it
  • The last entrance time is 4:00pm
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.5
based on 664 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Refreshing outing

Bree_B, May 2026
This requires 500 steps down and 500 back up. Pack water shoes to wear in River area for swimming. If you don’t like to swim with large fish this is not for you!

Incredible day

Michaela_K, May 2026
Amazing and must-do in La Fortuna. Was worried it would be touristy, but it is for a reason! We took our time down and made it to the waterfall in around 12 mins. We swam in the river and enjoyed the views for 40 mins or so, and then walked back up in 18 mins (with many stops on the stairs!)

Epic Adventure

Donna_H, May 2026
Epic Waterfall adventure. Beautiful waterfall. Also gift shop, restaurant, coffee shop to visit. In addition don't miss butterfly garden. My daughter and I swam also. Had a full day fabulous adventure!

Beautiful

natalie_p, Apr 2026
Great time. There really wasnt a line, because we went so early. Also the food and stuff does not open until later..

Fast and convenient way...

Teresa_B, Apr 2026
Fast and convenient way to get tickets without spending time in line. Waterfall hike was nice and not challenging for us! Enjoyed swimming at the waterfall base.

Amazing waterfall

Nishant_K, Apr 2026
It’s beautiful. I would recommend going to both zone 1 and 2. The water is a little cold but still worth swimming. Better to keep a pair of sandals or swim shoes, it’s rocky near the falls and slippery. Worth the fee.

Amazing

Garion_L, Apr 2026
Beautiful experience!! Those 500 steps were so worth it. It’s not bad at all because I’m very active but many people, including one of my best friends, did kind of struggle coming back up. All in all, amazing experience. We were self guided and we just went and enjoyed the waterfall and took photos. The water is ice cold!

Worth it!!

Nick_H, Apr 2026
One of Earth’s most beautiful sites!! I didn’t see anything before visiting. Was absolutely breathtaking for seeing the waterfall.

Very cool experience and...

Cassandra_K, Apr 2026
Very cool experience and very busy, but that didn’t bother us. My 66 year-old mom and I swam at the base of the waterfall. It’s SUPER cold and the water is powerful. There are lifeguards to ensure no one gets hurt. It was worth the business for the experience.

I wish I had planned to...

Catherine_S, Apr 2026
I wish I had planned to stay longer but I had another tour scheduled. Wear good water shoes (closed toe or sneakers) flip flops would not be ideal.

This was a great...

Lauren_V, Apr 2026
This was a great experience and skipping the line on Easter Sunday was well worth it! We got right in and were able to swim at the waterfall. This was great afternoon excursion for our family! We loved this tucked away area of La Fortuna where sloths and monkeys put on a show in the trees overhead!

A must see. It was...

Jennifer_A, Apr 2026
A must see. It was pouring rain and it was still beautiful. You can swim near the waterfall or downstream a bit for a safer swim with kids.

So fun!

Chantel_M, Mar 2026
This was a fun adventure! Our guide was fantastic! We loved being out in nature and rock jumping and swimming in the river. This is an active excursion. Be prepared to climb and be in the water.

Must visit waterfall!...

Elena_P, Mar 2026
Must visit waterfall! There are guards at the bottom, which made it feel safer and benches to lay your stuff on. Tough climb back up, but worth it!

So much fun water feels...

Marcus_C, Mar 2026
So much fun water feels great and worth the leg shaking walk. The waterfall is much better in person.

Great experience and well worth the 500 steps

robert_l, Mar 2026
Great experience and well worth the 500 steps down (and back up). We paid for fast track, although it was relatively quiet with no queues, and it worked well. The steps are actual staircases ie uniform and not slippy, which is also a plus. Getting into the water is a challenge, having to negotiate wet rocks and boulders, so grippy shoes are a must if you’re going in. The force of the waterfall also creates a strong current. All in all a great full body workout

Get there early

Erin_C, Mar 2026
Beautiful spot. To the left of the falls there’s a nice swimming spot with lots of fish. Get there early to avoid the crowds.

Go see them!

Jeremiah_B, Mar 2026
This was the best chocolate tour ever. Very informative and very informational about all things fruit. I had a blast.

Overrated

Julie_C, Mar 2026
I would say find a location you can get a view of this waterfall without taking all of the stairs down & then back up. A lot of work for very little payoff. The water is extremely cold so it's not like you'd want to stay down there playing in the water all day. But it is a beautiful waterfall.

Worth the steps.

Betty_A, Mar 2026
Don’t let the 500 steps deter you from doing this. It isn’t that bad and you can take at your own pace

Gorgeous but busy

Myriah_B, Feb 2026
Fortuna waterfall is worth the hype, but it was the busiest place we saw during our stay in Fortuna. We went early in the morning too. Got to see the raging waterfall and as we were leaving a security guard pointed out a sloth in a tree

Great animal adventure with an amazing view!

Kelley_C, Feb 2026
Rene, our tour guide was very knowledgeable of the animals, friendly, and funny. We saw a viper snake, spider monkey with baby, howler monkey, lizards, many kinds of birds, and tarantula. The hanging bridges were amazing and even my husband who is afraid of heights made it across. We had yummy pineapple and was visited by a coatimundi. We ended the tour at the Arenal volcano with lovely views. I highly recommend this tour!!

500 steps one way. 15...

Kokyee_L, Feb 2026
500 steps down. 15 mins down 30 mins up. Beautiful waterfall! My friends and I enjoyed the view. It was rainy so we didn’t go in the water. Regardless, we enjoyed it!

Straightforward...

Michael_R, Feb 2026
Straightforward pre-purchasing of a mandatory ticket though there was no line when we went. Waterfall was beautiful but understandably closed for swimming due to heavy rain.

Roaring Good Time in the Roar of the Waterfall

Kevin_O, Feb 2026
This waterfall was so fun to visit! Pulling-up there was a parking lot with buses and a "strip mall" of shops and office, which did not give a good first impression. But, the 500 steps down (then back-up) were beautiful. The roar of the waterfall was fantastic. What a treat to swim in a jungle waterfall. Of note, it was not crowded on our visit. I didn't need advance or "skip the line" tickets, and it was easy to swim in the waterfall's plunge pool. I could imagine it getting busy and being less enjoyable - so plan your timing well. And, finally, visit before they install the planned gondola to the bottom.

Great experience!

Doug_B, Jan 2026
Beautiful waterfall! We enjoyed the hike and views - a bit touristy but fun! Would recommend to others!

It was a beautiful spot....

Kim_V, Dec 2025
It was a beautiful spot. I suggest going right when the park opens as it gets crowded quickly. If you plan to swim make sure you have good water shoes to safely navigate the rocks.

Good Views, About 500...

Surya_D, Dec 2025
Good Views, About 500 Steps to get to the water fall. Has plenty of parking.Lot of people are getting into the water.

Beautiful waterfall!

Jan_N, Dec 2025
It was nice to have an advance ticket although we didn’t need it since it ended up raining that morning.

Great experience, but booking wasn’t necessary in the off-season

Suresh_K, Dec 2025
The experience itself was excellent — the waterfall is truly unique, especially since you can actually swim in it. Booking through Viator worked fine, but since it was the off season there were no lines at the ticket counter anyway, so it didn’t make much of a difference this time. I can see Viator being more valuable during the busy season when crowds are heavier. Overall, a great experience and definitely worth visiting.

From $20.00

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 22 days in advance.

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