Rio Celeste Hiking, Sloth Sanctuary & Llanos de Cortes Waterfall Tour
Recommended by 90% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Tamarindo, Costa Rica
- 12 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Embark on a full-day adventure to discover Costa Rica's natural wonders–Rio Celeste, Llanos de Cortes waterfalls, and a sloth sanctuary. Begin by swimming and relaxing at the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall in Bagaces, then hike through Tenorio Volcano National Park to witness the mesmerizing Rio Celeste Waterfall. Conclude your immersive experience with a visit to an organic farm and sloth and frog sanctuary, observing diverse wildlife and tropical flora.
- Swim and relax at the stunning Llanos de Cortes Waterfall in Bagaces
- Hike through Tenorio Park to see the magical Rio Celeste waterfall
- Spot sloths, frogs, and more on a guided walk through an organic farm
- Enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch in the lush Bijagua countryside
What's Included
- National park fees
- Lunch
- Driver/guide
- Professional bilingual guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
- Round Trip Transport from Andaz, Planet Hollywood, Fours Seasons, Waldorf Astoria, Catalinas$70.00 per booking
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.
Itinerary
Your day of waterfall-swimming, hiking, and wildlife starts with pickup at selected locations in northwest Costa Rica. For travelers with their own transport, a self-drive option saves time in transit—simply meet the group at Llanos de Cortez Waterfall or Tenorio Volcano National Park.
The first stop is Llanos de Cortez Waterfall, where have you’ll an hour to swim and enjoy the scenic spot. Then, take a moderate 2-hour hike at Tenorio Volcano National Park, following the brilliant blue Celeste River and pausing for the second swimming opportunity of the day.
Next, head to a sloth and frog sanctuary on an organic farm; an included guided walk showcases the property’s diverse plants and animals. Enjoy a provided farm lunch featuring super-fresh Costa Rican flavors, then finish the day with return transfer to your pickup location.
The first stop is Llanos de Cortez Waterfall, where have you’ll an hour to swim and enjoy the scenic spot. Then, take a moderate 2-hour hike at Tenorio Volcano National Park, following the brilliant blue Celeste River and pausing for the second swimming opportunity of the day.
Next, head to a sloth and frog sanctuary on an organic farm; an included guided walk showcases the property’s diverse plants and animals. Enjoy a provided farm lunch featuring super-fresh Costa Rican flavors, then finish the day with return transfer to your pickup location.
1
Cataratas Llanos de Cortes
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Rio Celeste
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
3
Jungle Life Costa Rica - Rainforest Tours
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
4
Bijagua de Upala
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Tamarindo Beach (Pass By)
Native's Way (Pass By)
Playa Langosta (Pass By)
Playa Conchal (Pass By)
Playa Matapalo (Pass By)
Tamarindo (Pass By)
Playas del Coco (Pass By)
Playa Panama (Pass By)
Playa Flamingo (Pass By)
Playa Hermosa (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- If your hotel is not listed, contact us for quoting
- Due to a new requirement issued by the Ministry of Tourism and the National Park Systems of Costa Rica, we need each person to send us the following information: Full Name on Passport, Passport number, Passport issuing country. You must carry a picture of your passport with you on your tour!
- 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
Catherine_M
This tour was an absolute highlight of my time in Costa Rica! From start to finish, the experience was seamless, thanks to the incredible organization and expertise of our driver, Diego, and our guide, Kevin. Both were exceptionally knowledgeable, sharing fascinating insights about the local flora, fauna, and culture throughout the day. Their friendly and approachable demeanor made the entire group feel comfortable and engaged.
The celestial beauty of La Celeste waterfall truly lives up to its name – the vibrant turquoise waters were breathtaking. Having the opportunity to witness such a natural wonder was an unforgettable experience. Following that, the fantastic local lunch provided was a delicious taste of authentic Costa Rican cuisine. It was a perfect way to refuel and appreciate the local flavors.
However, the true gem of the tour was the sloth sanctuary. Getting up close (at a respectful distance, of course!) to these gentle creatures was a dream come true. Kevin's deep understanding of sloth behavior and conservation efforts made the visit both educational and heartwarming. It was evident how much the sanctuary cares for these animals.
I wholeheartedly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Costa Rica. Diego's safe and efficient driving and Kevin's engaging guidance created a truly memorable and enriching day. Don't miss out on this fantastic combination of natural beauty, delicious food, and incredible wildlife encounters!
Reviews
4.6
based on 1,128 reviews
Kelly_F, Apr 2026
This tour was the perfect way to experience the beauty of Costa Rica in one unforgettable day! 💦🌈 From hiking to the stunning turquoise waters of Rio Celeste, to swimming at the beautiful Llanos de Cortes Waterfall, every stop was incredible.
🦥 The absolute highlight was the Sloth Sanctuary. The guide there was amazing and made the experience unforgettable — seeing so much wildlife up close (especially the sloths!) was truly special. Their knowledge and ability to spot animals brought everything to life!
If you want breathtaking scenery, wildlife encounters, and an all‑around fantastic day, this tour is a must‑do. 🌺✨
Monica_K, Apr 2026
The first park is the sloth sanctuary. Didn’t know that. Park guide was amazing!! Very knowledgeable and patient.
Yassine_N, Apr 2026
Julio Cesar was funny and a super guide.
He made sure everyone was feeling comfortable and having a good time
During the tour, we spotted toucans, a baby viper, frog, sloth and (from far away) a white head monkey
Also, lunch was tasty
Kara_T, Apr 2026
Daphne was a wonderful guide. We had a lovely time. Highly recommend if you’re in Costa Rica! Transport from Tamarindo was pleasant.
Caitlin, Apr 2026
This was a great way to experience multiple stops in Costa Rica, shuttle was comfortable, guides were great, and lunch was authentic and tasty. There was a breakfast stop. The only word of caution is that this can be a very long excursion. We left Playa Grande at 5:45am and got back at 8:00pm.
Kaylene_C, Apr 2026
We saw so many animals! Our guide was very knowledgeable. Our family had a great time and we would recommend this to anyone
Stefanie_D, Apr 2026
I went on this tour with Miguel as our driver and his partner we picked up and I cannot remember his name and feel terrible because they were both absolutely amazing. He was early for pick up and waiting for us outside Riu resort. The trip was perfect for me as a single mom with my almost 9 year old. The hiking was perfect for him. The swimming was amazing. It really prepared us for any possible scenario in the description of this tour. I 1000% recommend this tour. I would do it again and recommend to family and friends. It was a perfect day. We did this in early April. The conditions were absolutely perfect. The group we were paired with were also amazing. 4 young girls from Canada, a mom and her boys from NJ and her one son’s girlfriend. I had such a great time.
Heather_C, Apr 2026
Our guides Armand and Daffney were amazing. They took the time to chat about local subjects, from cattle breeds to vehicles for the local market.
Delanie_D, Mar 2026
Our tour guides were very knowledgeable and did an excellent job to show us the Costa Rican wildlife especially on the sloth tour! Our guide for the Rio Celeste waterfall was exceptional as well! Highly recommend this tour!
Victoria_J, Mar 2026
The tour was amazing and the guide JC was so much help! He was especially so patient with my mum and on top of safety.
annie_g, Mar 2026
The waterfalls are beautiful and the sloth sanctuary was so alive with wildlife! We were so fortunate to see active sloths, beautiful birds, squirrels and frogs. And the guides were so enthusiastic!! You could tell they LOVED what they did!
Pooja_M, Mar 2026
It was a great tour! Highly recommended if one would like to cover key spots in one day and not worry about planning a lot!
Jon_H, Mar 2026
What a wonderful way to see some great gems of Costa Rica. We started very early but it was all worth it. Our guide Flilipe and driver Diego were fantastic and all 3 places on the tour were beautiful. Unforgettable experience!
Andrea_S, Mar 2026
Philippe and our Driver were wonderful. The waterfalls Rio, Celeste, the lunch we had listening to cicadas and watching tucans was pretty memorable. The sloth sanctuary was pretty kick ass too. Every guide was helpful and kind. Would highly recommend.
Aidan_N, Feb 2026
We had an great time hiking through the rainforest and seeing the beautiful scenery! The guides were knowledgeable and made the experience enjoyable. We were able to see butterflies, sloths, monkeys, pit vipers, and various birds at the animal sanctuary. The hike was not very challenging, but the stairs to get to the waterfall were a bit difficult. The beautiful waterfall at the end was so worth it! We would highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants to see waterfalls and the amazing animals of Costa Rica!
Neil_S, Feb 2026
The first item I need to share is prepare to spend much time driving in the van (12 hrs total; 8 hrs driving & 4 hrs site visits). This is no fault of the tour group or guides; both Santos (guide) an Mambo (driver) were kind, safe, efficient, polite and informative. It is due to the sheer distance, two-lane roadways and much traffic.
If that doesn't bother you then I'd say go for the exposure & experience. Immerse yourself in a swimmable waterfall pool, hike and visit another beautiful & enormous waterfall, enjoy a traditional lunch and stroll through the sloth sanctuary in search of a wide variety of animals, if viewable. It's a full day of travel but if you just stay at a resort and swim in the ocean/pool you're not really seeing the other side of Costa Rica.
Rajika_T, Feb 2026
We had a terrific experience with our young kids, ages 4 ad 7. The pick up from hotel made it easy. Our guide Dafne was super informative and talked to us during the ride. It rained during the Rio Celeste waterfall hike half way into the hike. We should have brought ponchos. We had no idea it would rain when this is the dry season and there was not a drop of rain by Papagayo peninsula. The nature walk was amazing. We had a great guide along with Dafne who really took the time to point out sloths and other animals. The lunch stop was also awesome because of the location. We were able to spot many different birds including toucans!
Michelle_A, Feb 2026
The tour was great— very organized and the guides were super friendly and knowledgeable. I would recommend to others.
Loren_S, Feb 2026
It’s absolutely beautiful and it saves you from that tedious and long exhausting drive. You can’t go wrong
Haley_A, Feb 2026
Each destination was very rushed, especially the last one. Lunch was very bland. I dont feel the value was there for what was charged.
Cathy_N, Feb 2026
Lots of driving. The tour was great. Too bad it was difficult to see the blue waterfalls. Not much space on the stairs and there was quite the lineup. This was caused by some woman hogging the spotlight with her boyfriend taking many photos.
Great way to see the central part of Costa Rica
Bogdan_W, Jan 2026
Celeste is must see Waterfall. Our guide Julio from Native Way was great. Knowledgeable, caring, attentive to our needs, funny. Trip and hike was worth every penny and effort.
Irina_D, Jan 2026
Great experience- swimming in a waterfall was magical and refreshing; hiking a rainforest is amazing, and of course, seeing tropical animals , sloths .
We had a great guide Santos and driver Michael. Samson told us about geology of Costa Roca, he is very friendly and helpful. Strongly recommend this tour
Brent_H, Jan 2026
Santos was not a very good guide. Not informative or helpful. We left the tour at lunch and missed the sanctuary because of boredom. Did not tell us we would wait in line for an hour to see the Rio Celeste waterfall, only to get a picture. Didn’t allow us any time to absorb the waterfall itself!
Andrea_H, Jan 2026
This tour was so much fun and definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Rio Celeste was absolutely beautiful. Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole experience easy and enjoyable.
The sloth sanctuary was a really cool stop. We got to see sloths up close and learn more about them, which was super interesting and memorable.
Highly recommend this tour if you want to see some amazing nature and wildlife in one day!
Kelly_S, Jan 2026
Daphne was amazing. Trip was amazing. She made the trip fantastic. They went out of the there way to may sure we had a great time. We saw sloths. The hike was great. The waterfall was beautiful.
April_G, Jan 2026
Swimming at the waterfall was the best part! The lunch was delicious. The animal tour guides were very knowledgeable but that part of the tour felt a little rushed. Overall, would recommend.
David_A, Dec 2025
Was cool to swim under the falls. The Cortez falls were beautiful. Hector, our guide, was always pointing out cool stuff in the rainforest. Saw all the wildlife you want to see when you come to Costa Rica....sloth, toucan, frogs, eyelash viper, howler monkeys. Lunch was great. Left from tamarindo, so was 3 hr drive there and back.
Megan_S, Dec 2025
This is a wonderful full day trip! The hike at the end was absolutely challenging. My husband went and enjoyed it. My daughter’s and I stayed in the van and took a nap!
Camryn_W, Dec 2025
Truly enjoyed this excursion! The nature, scenery and parks are absolutely beautiful. Hector and Alberto are knowledgeable and very professional. Highly recommend.
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