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
- JW Marriott/Pinilla Pick Up Fee$50.00 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 1,159 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Simone_C, Jul 2026
Kevin and Kristian we're very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable guides who made the tour fun and interesting. It was very well organized, the guide in the sloth sanctuary was very good and discovered lots of animals which he helped us photograph through the binoculars. The lunch location was well selected, the food delicious. Highly recommended!
James_M, Jul 2026
Excellent! Highly recommended. Kevin and Christian were phenomenal guides. The waterfalls, animal experiences, and hikes were enjoyed by all.
Michael_P, Jul 2026
Spectacular day. Miguel was driver and Santos was tour guide. Wonderful sites and staff at facilities were wonderful. beautiful waterfalls. Sloth farm was amazing. Guide was exceptional, saw many wonderful animals .La Leona waterfall was beautiful, color cool blue!
Ebony_V, Jul 2026
Santos was informative and funny. He was kind to everyone. I would recommend him to all my friends and family.
Mishaun_M, Jun 2026
This tour was AMAZING! We saw two waterfalls, hiked through the rain forest and ate at a local restaurant. We saw all types of animals, including sloths! Harry was our tour guide and was very knowledgeable and friendly. Frank was our driver and did an awesome job driving us. We got to stop at a place to buy souvenirs at the end. I highly recommend this tour.
L_W, Jun 2026
Excellent experience in both the dry and wet forests. The beauty of Costa Rica is simply incredible and this excursion gives you a taste of just that. Harry is very knowledgable of the country's history and easily shares his love for it and the work he does. Frank drove and maneuvered that van through the curves of those roads with ease! 10/10 I would do this excursion again!
Shane_P, Jun 2026
It was an awesome experience. They picked us up at our resort. Very informative and interesting conversation to Rio Celeste. The 3rd part of the excursion was to wet and improvise with a coffee & chocolate excursion. No problem.
Kevin helped me change future events. He was very honest with me. Best tour guide ever.
We stopped a few times for restroom breaks.
Highly recommended.
Shirisha_B, Jun 2026
Great trip. Went per schedule. Loved all three parts of the trip including the organic farm where we saw lot of wild flowers , vegetation and animals. Loved the waterfalls and hike thru the rainforest
Maria_V, Jun 2026
So much fun! There’s a lot to see and experience and the waterfalls are gorgeous. There is a lot of walking so be prepared!
Robert_E, Jun 2026
Guides were great and personable, very helpful. The hike to the The waterfall is would characterize as a moderate hike. It was a very well planned day excursion.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your kind review.
We're pleased to know you enjoyed the excursion and that our guides provided friendly and attentive service throughout the day. It's also wonderful to hear that you found the tour to be well planned and appreciated the hike to the waterfall.
We truly appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you again on a future adventure in Costa Rica.
Pura Vida,
Native's Way
Kaleen_B, Jun 2026
We saw Rio Celeste, Llanos de Cortez waterfall and the sloth sanctuary. We also saw an eyelash pit viper, a mutt mutt bird, a toucan, and other animals. We had a fantastic time.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your review! We're so glad you had a fantastic time and were able to experience some of Costa Rica's most beautiful natural attractions. Thanks for joining us!
Sarah_R, May 2026
Great experience! The tour guides did a great job and it was especially nice to have a small group making the day even more authentic.
Sherrell_G, May 2026
The experience was AMAZING! Kevin was our tour guide and he great and knowledgeable! Definitely will tell my clients and friends to come and check you all out on their Trip to Costa Rica
Melissa_R, May 2026
Fantastic day! Miguel was the safest driver we have encountered in Costa Rica. Kevin was a great tour guide. We saw sloths, toucans and frogs on the hike. Highly recommend!!
Kelle_V, May 2026
Pace yourself! This is an all day experience. The hikes are challenging if you're a flat-lander. Walking sticks would be helpful. Have a back up battery pack to charge your phone because you will be taking a lot of pictures! The guides are amazing and the food was delish.
Christopher_s, May 2026
The tour guide was so informative supper friendly ‘ would highly recommend this to anyone traveling to Costa Rica . First time solo traveling will forshure do it again !
Carolyn_P, May 2026
JC made the whole day enjoyable and fun! He had a great personality; kept things moving and made the day lots of fun!
KIMBERLY_A, May 2026
This was a great day. We were staying a bit far and had to drive ourselves but everthing worked out great. The first waterfall is one you can swim in, it is was a very cool experience and the water was great. You are there for about an hour. We saw howler monkeys there- lots of them and iguanas. The second place is the Rio Celeste waterfall. You see some animals on the way there. We saw a sloth, frogs, birds, a lemur, and a snake on the way there. There are quite a few up hills and about 100 stairs to get to the waterfall. Also there is a line once you are there to snap a pretty pic and go back up. Luckily the line lets you catch your breath before having to just turn back around. I wish there was more room to move and a better format for the waterfall views/pics but that is the parks fault and nothing to do with the tour. The water was beautiful. We were told it depends on the weather how blue it is but it was very blue and pretty for us. Our guide was great and was very accommodating to the entire group. The tour group was a good size, not too big where you couldn’t see/hear when we gathered around. After the waterfall, we went to lunch which was after 1. I only say this because we regretted not eating breakfast with all the physical activity. Lunch was good and was served buffet style with quite a few options- even for our picky eater. Lastly, we did the sloth tour. We saw many sloths, one pretty close up, a toucan, lizards, spiders, lots of cool flowers, and did the butterfly garden. Our guide suggested slomo videos with the butterflies. Those turned out pretty cool. After the tour, you have coffee and dessert options, as a part of the tour. For us, this was the end of the day. Since we did the self drive and did not need to go all the way to the beach area for drop offs our tour was 9AM to around 3:30PM. So about 6.5 hours in case you were wondering… when I was researching this tour I wanted to know if it was really going to be 12 hours. A big portion of that is driving time, especially if your staying in the beach areas. All in all this was a great tour where we got to see a lot. Having a guide does help you see animals that you would not notice on your own. One other thing to be aware of is the sloth tour has its own guide. Make sure you bring a tip for them as well. This was something that we saw many not do and I think it was just lack of preparation. Great tour. Would definitely recommend.
John_B, May 2026
It’s a 12 hour day with about six hours of driving but well worth it for the beautiful nature views. The guides were amazing.
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!
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