Rio Celeste & Sloth Sanctuary from Tamarindo: Full Day

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/31

Duration8h–10h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Rio Celeste's Blue Waters & a 700-Year-Old Tree in One Day

You hike to Rio Celeste's blue waterfall and swim in the river, visit a 700-year-old tree and a hibiscus labyrinth, stop at a magnetic anomaly, eat lunch at a local restaurant, and spend time at a sloth sanctuary. Private transport, snacks, beers, and a guide are included, and the whole day takes 8–10 hours from Tamarindo pickup to return.

8h–10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Rio Celeste and local attractions

Hike Tenorio Volcano National Park
Visit the Tree of Peace
Swim in Rio Celeste near Katira
Explore Katira Labyrinth
Experience Zona Magnética phenomenon
Lunch at El Barrigón restaurant
Tour the Sloth Sanctuary in Bijagua

The Experience

You're picked up from your hotel in Tamarindo early, and within an hour the rainforest closes in around you. The drive to Tenorio Volcano National Park takes you inland, away from the coast, and the air shifts — cooler, greener, louder with bird calls. Your guide meets you at the park entrance and leads you across wooden bridges into a moderately challenging hike that winds through dense forest until the Rio Celeste waterfall appears. The water really is that blue — it's not a trick of light or a filter. Two mineral-rich rivers converge just upstream, and the result is this impossible turquoise that photographs don't quite capture. You'll stop at the Teñideros, where you can see the color shift happen in real time as the rivers mix, and then you swim in the river itself, which is the part most people remember.

After the hike, the day doesn't slow down. Ten minutes from the park exit, you stop at the Tree of Peace, a 700-year-old giant in Guatuso de Alajuela that stands like a monument to the region's history. It's a quiet moment before things pick up again. Then comes the Katira Labyrinth — the largest one in Costa Rica, built entirely from hibiscus flowers. You've got 30 minutes to walk it, and it's genuinely disorienting in the best way, surrounded by blooming petals and the smell of flowers. It's the kind of stop that feels a bit surreal after the intensity of the waterfall hike, and that's exactly the point. Your guide explains how it's a community creation, which ties into why this tour prioritizes local businesses and attractions that actually support the people who live here.

Lunch happens at El Barrigón in Bijagua, a 30-minute stop where you eat casados — the Costa Rican standard of rice, beans, plantains, and your choice of protein — or ceviche if you want something lighter. The restaurant sits in the countryside, and the food tastes like it was made for people who live there, not tourists passing through. Before the Sloth Sanctuary, there's a two-minute detour to Zona Magnética, a spot where cars seem to roll uphill on their own. It's genuinely strange, and no one quite agrees on why it happens, but you'll see it for yourself. Then you're at the sanctuary in Bijagua, where a guide walks you through the habitat and you watch sloths move at their own pace, see frogs and snakes and lizards, and hear monkeys calling from the canopy. It's not a zoo — it's a working sanctuary, and the difference matters.

Your private vehicle has air conditioning, water, Costa Rican snacks, and beers throughout the day, which means you're not hunting for refreshments between stops. The whole thing runs 8 to 10 hours depending on how long you linger at each spot, and you're back in Tamarindo by late afternoon. If you want to see Rio Celeste without renting a car or piecing together a day on your own, this covers it — plus the waterfall swim, the labyrinth, the sloth sanctuary, and lunch — all in one route.

What’s included

Your day includes private air-conditioned transportation from your Tamarindo hotel, entry to Tenorio Volcano National Park and the Sloth Sanctuary, a knowledgeable guide for the hike and sanctuary visit, a 30-minute lunch at El Barrigón restaurant, water and Costa Rican snacks throughout the vehicle, and beers.
You'll also visit the Tree of Peace, the Katira Labyrinth, and Zona Magnética.
Return transport to your hotel is included.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditions

Operated by Sweet Costa Rica

Is this one for you?This tour is built for travelers who want to see Rio Celeste, swim in it, and visit the Sloth Sanctuary without arranging transport, park tickets, or timing the stops themselves — the fixed itinerary and private vehicle mean you move through the day without logistics getting in the way.