La Paz Waterfall Gardens tour: Waterfalls and wildlife

Five waterfalls and ten animal exhibits in one morning hike through Costa Rica's cloud forest

La Paz Waterfall Gardens tour from San Jose includes hotel pickup, a professional guide in English or Spanish, buffet lunch and skip-the-line entry to the country's most visited private ecological attraction. You walk a moderate 3-kilometer paved trail through cloud forest at 1,200 to 1,500 meters elevation to reach the base of La Paz Waterfall, stopping at ten animal exhibits along the way: butterfly garden with laboratory, aviary of 40 bird species, monkey enclosures, hummingbird garden with 26 documented species, serpentarium, and big cats including jaguar and puma. The tour runs 8 to 9 hours total and suits families with children, as infants can ride in a stroller and all areas are wheelchair accessible.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Wildlife

• Meet guide at hotel lobby
• Transfer to La Paz Waterfall Gardens
• Visit ten animal exhibitions
• Hike 3 km paved trail to waterfall base
• Explore biodiversity and wildlife
• Take photographs of natural scenery

The experience

Your guide meets you at your hotel lobby and drives you by air-conditioned minivan to La Paz Waterfall Gardens, arriving with skip-the-line entry already arranged. The gardens sit in the Central Valley's cloud forest zone between 1,200 and 1,500 meters elevation, where the air cools noticeably and moisture hangs thick enough that ferns and bromeliads grow on tree trunks. You begin with ten animal exhibitions spread through the grounds before the main hike: a butterfly garden with its own laboratory, an aviary holding 40 bird species, enclosures for titi monkeys, capuchin monkeys and spider monkeys, a 2-toed sloth area, a serpentarium, and separate habitats for jaguar, puma, ocelot and tigrillo. The hummingbird garden opens in the mornings and afternoons for hand-feeding, and the same goes for the toucans in the palm of your hand if you want that moment.

The main event is the 3-kilometer paved trail down to La Paz Waterfall itself, a moderate-intensity hike that takes you through rain forest and cloud forest canopy. The trail descends to the base of the waterfall, where the volume of water and the sound shift everything: the spray cools the air and the roar fills the space. The path is paved and manageable for most fitness levels, though the elevation and the length mean it is not a stroll. Along the way you pass through sections where the forest closes in overhead and sections where the canopy opens to sky. Orchids, heliconias and ferns line the route. The waterfall itself is the payoff: a single massive drop into a pool, surrounded by green walls of vegetation.

Lunch is a buffet served at the gardens, included in the tour price, with a vegetarian option available if you request it when booking. Bottled water comes with the day. The whole experience (pickup, the animal exhibits, the hike, lunch and the drive back to your hotel) takes 8 to 9 hours, so you leave early and return mid-afternoon. The minivan is air-conditioned, the guide speaks English or Spanish, and all areas of the gardens and the trail are wheelchair accessible, with strollers and specialized infant seats available if you are traveling with small children.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned minivan.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• skip-the-line entry to all ten animal exhibits and the La Paz Waterfall trail.
• buffet lunch with vegetarian option available.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• all taxes, fees and handling charges.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (11 to 65 years) · Senior (66 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Destiny Travel Costa Rica

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guided route through five waterfalls and multiple animal exhibits in one morning, with a guide who sets the pace and handles timing so you move through the gardens as a cohesive itinerary rather than navigating stops on your own.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3).

How many waterfalls do you actually see on the La Paz Waterfall Gardens tour?

The tour reaches the base of La Paz Waterfall itself, the main attraction. The description mentions five waterfalls across the gardens, though the 3-kilometer paved trail focuses on reaching La Paz Waterfall as the centerpiece of the hike.

Can you hand-feed the animals at La Paz Waterfall Gardens?

Yes, the hummingbird garden offers hand-feeding in the mornings and afternoons, and you can feed toucans in the palm of your hand as well. Both experiences are part of the tour included in your entry.

What is the hike like to reach La Paz Waterfall?

The hike is a moderate-intensity 3-kilometer walk on a paved trail through cloud forest and rain forest. It descends through the gardens to the base of the waterfall, taking you through sections where the canopy closes overhead and sections where it opens. The elevation ranges from 1,200 to 1,500 meters, and the trail is paved and wheelchair accessible.

Does the tour include lunch and how much time do you spend at the gardens?

Lunch is a buffet included in the tour price, with a vegetarian option available if you request it at booking. The entire tour runs 8 to 9 hours from hotel pickup to drop-off, so you spend most of the day at the gardens and on the trail.

What animals will you see at La Paz Waterfall Gardens?

The gardens hold more than 100 species across ten animal exhibits: butterflies, 40 bird species in the aviary, titi monkeys, capuchin monkeys, spider monkeys, 2-toed sloths, toucans, hummingbirds (26 documented species), frogs, snakes, and big cats including jaguar, puma, ocelot and tigrillo. You also see displays of orchids, heliconias and bromeliads throughout the grounds.