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
Explore and swim under the Rio Celeste and Llanos de Cortés waterfalls, without the pressure of getting there on your own, with this group activity package. Enjoy a seamless experience that covers your itinerary, optional transportation, park fees, and lunch, meaning you can relax and immerse yourself in the day's activities. Along with the waterfalls, hike through Tenorio Volcano National Park and visit a sloth sanctuary.
- Let someone else handle planning the itinerary
- Feel confident navigating different terrains under your guide's supervision
- Opt for hotel pickup for a seamless start to your day
- Upgrade your experience to be private to suit your preferences
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 1,176 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Deena_M, Sep 2026
The guide Filipe was very knowledgeable and made sure we were all cared for. He was very attentive to our needs and made the tour truly enjoyable. The driver Frank drove us to each location safely.
Christine_B, Jul 2026
Beautiful day at Llanos de Cortes. We swam in the natural pool surrounding the waterfall. Pleasant temperature. Worth a quick swim and some great photos. Saw Howler monkeys in the trees above.
Next we went to the Sloth natural reserve. Saw 3-4 sloths but were treated by one climbing down from his tree to take care of his weekly bathroom run. Also saw lots of other wildlife here.
The lunch was amazing with lots of native Costa Rican foods. Toucans played in the trees right by our dining area.
Finally we made it to Rio Celeste only in time for it to pour. We did successfully make it to the falls but the water lost its blue color due to all the silt from the rain. The falls did have an impressive amount of water pouring down. As the rain finished up, we headed back down and all the wildlife emerged- a family of Coati, a Capuchin monkey, a Motmot, an anole, walking sticks, etc.
We all very much enjoyed the day.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a detailed review! We're delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable day exploring some of Costa Rica's natural wonders.
It sounds like you experienced so many incredible moments!
While we're sorry the rain affected the famous blue color of Río Celeste, we're glad you were still able to enjoy the impressive waterfall and that the wildlife made a memorable appearance afterward. Nature always has its own surprises!
Thank you again for choosing to explore Costa Rica with us. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure soon!
Pura Vida!
Native's Way
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!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that Kevin and Kristian made the tour fun and enjoyable.
We’re also glad you enjoyed the sloth sanctuary and that the guide helped you spot and photograph so many animals. It’s great to hear that you enjoyed the lunch location and the food as well.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and are grateful that you chose Native’s Way for your Costa Rican adventure. We hope to welcome you back again in the future!
Pura Vida,
Native's Way
James_M, Jul 2026
Excellent! Highly recommended. Kevin and Christian were phenomenal guides. The waterfalls, animal experiences, and hikes were enjoyed by all.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
It’s fantastic to hear that you had such an enjoyable experience! We’re especially glad that Kevin and Christian made the adventure memorable with their knowledge and excellent guiding.
We’re happy that everyone in your group enjoyed the waterfalls, wildlife encounters, and hikes. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Kevin and Christian.
Thank you for the excellent recommendation and for choosing Native’s Way. We hope to welcome you back for another Costa Rican adventure!
Pura Vida,
Native's Way
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!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
It sounds like you had a truly spectacular day! We’re thrilled to hear that Miguel and Santos helped make the experience so enjoyable and that you loved the beautiful waterfalls and wildlife encounters.
We’re especially glad that you enjoyed the sloth farm and that the guide there helped you discover so many wonderful animals. The waterfall is certainly a beautiful highlight, and we’re happy you had the chance to experience its incredible blue waters.
We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Miguel, Santos, and the teams at the different locations. Thank you for choosing Native’s Way and for sharing your experience with us!
Pura Vida,
Native's Way
Ebony_V, Jul 2026
Santos was informative and funny. He was kind to everyone. I would recommend him to all my friends and family.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
It’s wonderful to hear that Santos made such a positive impression on you! His knowledge, kindness, and sense of humor are exactly what we hope our guests experience from our guides.
We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Santos. Thank you for recommending him to your friends and family and for choosing Native’s Way for your Costa Rican adventure.
We hope to welcome you back again in the future!
Pura Vida,
Native's Way
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.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re happy to hear that you had such an amazing day exploring Costa Rica’s incredible nature.
We’re especially grateful for your kind words about Harry and Frank. We’ll be sure to share your feedback with them, Harry will be happy to know his knowledge and friendly approach made your experience even more enjoyable, and Frank will appreciate your recognition of his excellent driving.
Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing to explore Costa Rica with us. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in the future!
Pura Vida!
Native's Way
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!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed exploring both the dry and wet forests and were able to experience the incredible natural beauty of Costa Rica.
We truly appreciate your kind words about Harry and Frank. We’ll be sure to share your feedback with them.
Thank you for the 10/10 recommendation! We would love to welcome you back for another unforgettable Costa Rican adventure in the future.
Pura Vida!
Native's Way
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.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! We’re thrilled to hear that you had an awesome time exploring Rio Celeste and that Kevin helped make your day special.
We’re glad you enjoyed the informative conversations, the stops along the way, and the flexibility. We truly appreciate your understanding regarding the coffee and chocolate experience, and we’re happy that the changes did not take away from your overall adventure.
We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Kevin, he’ll be delighted to know he made such a positive impression.
Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back for another Costa Rican adventure soon!
Pura Vida!
Native's Way
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
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We’re so happy to hear that you had such a great experience! Thank you for sharing your feedback with us.
It’s wonderful to know that you enjoyed each part of the trip, from the organic farm to the waterfalls and rainforest hike. We love sharing these natural treasures with our guests and are glad you were able to appreciate the beauty of Costa Rica along the way.
Thank you for choosing to join us, and we hope to welcome you again for another adventure in the future!
Pura Vida!
Native's Way
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!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience!
We're happy to hear that you had so much fun and enjoyed everything the tour has to offer. The waterfalls are truly one of Costa Rica's most spectacular natural attractions, and we're glad they were a highlight of your day.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Costa Rica!
Pura Vida!
Native's Way
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!
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$121.50
per personWas $135.00
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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