Tamarindo: 3 Waterfalls & Cliff Jumping Private Tour with Lunch

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

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Duration8h–10h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Three waterfalls, rope swims and a 90-foot drop — one day, one guide, no crowds

You spend the day moving between three waterfalls — tubing, swimming against a current with a rope, cliff jumping at different heights, and hiking through caves and forest. Lunch is included, as are transport, a guide, water and snacks. The main constraint is footwear: you need proper hiking shoes with thick soles, and the tour will turn you away without them. If you show up ready, you're in for a full day of water and rock without the crowds.

8h–10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore three waterfalls and local lunch

Tube down Rio Blanco river
See two waterfalls and cliff jump
Hike 25 minutes through caves and cliffs
Swim with rope to La Leona waterfall
Enjoy traditional local Casado lunch
Hike 20 minutes to Llanos del Cortés waterfall
Swim and cliff jump in water bowl
Hike to waterfall viewpoint and swim at base

The Experience

You're probably thinking this sounds like every other waterfall tour in Costa Rica, and yeah, that's fair. But this one starts with tubing down a turquoise river called Río Blanco, and it doesn't stop there. After floating past a couple of small falls in a lava-shaped canyon, you get to try cliff jumping off a 45-foot edge into a blue pool — different heights available, so you're not forced into anything you don't want. The whole thing moves at your pace because it's private, just you and your guide.

Then comes the part that actually feels like an adventure. You hike 25 minutes through hard trails, caves, and along cliffs to reach La Leona waterfall, which sits inside a cave. To get there, you have to swim against the river current using a rope — proper Indiana Jones stuff, except it's real and you're doing it. The rocks are slippery, the water moves, and your guide is watching the whole time. This is why closed-toe hiking shoes with thick rubber soles are non-negotiable; Chacos and water shoes won't cut it. The tour won't let you go without them, and honestly, once you're on those submerged rocks, you'll understand why.

Around midday you stop at a local restaurant for a traditional Casado lunch — rice, beans, plantains, salad, a protein. It's the kind of meal locals eat, not tourist food. After that, you hike about 20 minutes through tropical dry forest to reach Llanos de Cortés waterfall, the big one. You get to swim in the pool at its base, hike up to the top for photos, and if you want, cliff jump again. The whole waterfall experience takes a couple of hours, and the 90-foot drop is there if you're ready for it.

Your guide drives you in an air-conditioned vehicle, handles all the logistics, and brings water and snacks throughout the day. The tour runs full-day, which means you're looking at a solid commitment, but you're not arranging transport, timing three separate stops, or figuring out which waterfall is worth the drive. It's all planned, and it's all private.

What’s included

Your day includes private air-conditioned transportation from your hotel, a local guide for the full day, tubing down Río Blanco, access to three waterfall sites (including Llanos de Cortés), a traditional Casado lunch at a local restaurant, bottled water, snacks, and a video recording of your experience.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPets welcomeNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Sweet Costa Rica

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a full-day waterfall adventure without arranging your own transport, timing multiple stops, or sharing your guide with other groups — the private format and fixed itinerary are what make three separate waterfalls, a rope swim, and a 90-foot jump possible in one day.