La Paz Waterfall Gardens tour: 5 waterfalls & wildlife

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/27

Duration7h

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Five waterfalls and a rainforest full of animals, all in one morning and afternoon

A 7-hour guided tour of La Paz Waterfall Gardens from San Jose takes you through rainforest trails to five waterfalls and a wildlife sanctuary holding over 100 species. Hotel pickup, a professional guide in English or Spanish, park entry and a buffet lunch with 35+ options are all included; children from age 3 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Depart from San Jose hotel
Travel to La Paz Waterfall Gardens
Explore wildlife sanctuary
Observe hummingbirds in aviary
Walk cloud forest trails
Visit five highest waterfalls
Enjoy views of La Paz Falls
Return to San Jose

The Experience

The tour starts with pickup at your San Jose hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle. The drive takes you into the Central Valley's cloud forest, where the landscape shifts as you climb toward La Paz. Once you arrive at the gardens, the guide leads you onto trails that connect five major waterfalls, each one dropping through jungle canopy. The highest and most dramatic is La Paz Falls itself—the centerpiece of the sanctuary and the reason the whole place exists.

Wildlife appears throughout the walk. More than 25 species of hummingbirds live in the aviary section, and you'll move through it slowly enough to watch them hover and feed. The rainforest trails are home to marmoset monkeys, two-toed sloths, cougars and toucans, though sightings depend on the time of day and the animals' own schedules. The guide points out what to listen for and where to look, turning the walk into something more than just following a path. Bring a camera—the waterfalls against the jungle backdrop and the animals in their habitat are the shots people actually use.

Lunch happens midway through the day at the gardens' buffet, which runs to over 35 dishes. It's a break from walking and a chance to sit with the landscape in view. After eating, the second half of the tour covers the remaining trails and waterfalls, so the day builds from wildlife and hummingbirds into the full waterfall experience. The whole thing takes 7 hours from pickup to return.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and return in an air-conditioned vehicle.
park entry and priority access to facilities.
a professional guide in English or Spanish.
a buffet lunch with over 35 options.
trails through the cloud forest and to all five waterfalls.
access to the wildlife sanctuary and hummingbird aviary.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Summer Travel Costa Rica

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want a guide timing the day around wildlife viewing patterns and a midday meal break; pick self-guided entry if you prefer exploring the gardens and trails at your own pace.