Rio Celeste, Sloth Sanctuary & Coffee Tour from Guanacaste

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.98 (102 reviews) 98% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/11

Duration10h–11h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · FR +1

PickupAt your hotel

Blue river trails, sloths in the trees, coffee aroma and rain whispers

You’ll hike through lush rainforest to see Rio Celeste’s surreal blue waterfall, share a local lunch with new friends, spot wild sloths lounging in treetops at a private sanctuary, and catch glimpses of toucans and frogs along easy trails. With hotel pickup included and a guide who brings Costa Rica alive, you’ll leave with muddy shoes—and probably a story or two stuck in your head.

10h–11h

Step-by-step itinerary

Rio Celeste Waterfall and Wildlife Tour

Hotel pickup in Guanacaste
Hike Tenorio Volcano National Park
View Rio Celeste Waterfall
Lunch at rustic Costa Rican restaurant
Visit sloth sanctuary and wildlife trails
See Llanos del Cortez Waterfall

The Experience

“If you’re lucky, the water looks like paint today,” our guide Marco grinned as we stepped out of the minivan at Tenorio. He was right — I’d never seen a color like that before. The air was thick and earthy after last night’s rain, and my shoes squished a bit with every step (should’ve packed the extra socks). We followed Marco into the rainforest, listening for birds but mostly just hearing our own breath and the rush of Rio Celeste somewhere ahead. When we finally reached the waterfall, it was loud enough to drown out everything else. I leaned over the railing and got misted right in the face — not glamorous, but honestly felt good after that hike.

Lunch came next at a roadside spot that smelled like wood smoke and cilantro. The gallo pinto tasted better than anything I’d had all week — maybe because I’d earned it? Or maybe just because everyone at our table was swapping stories about slipping on the trail or spotting blue morpho butterflies. There was this older couple from Canada who kept asking Marco about every bird call. He answered patiently, even when he didn’t know (which wasn’t often). I tried to ask for more salsa in Spanish; Li laughed when I butchered it. That’s how you learn, I guess.

The sloth sanctuary was quieter than I expected. We shuffled along gravel paths under heavy leaves while Marco pointed up: “Look — see her?” It took me a full minute to spot the first sloth, curled like a fuzzy comma above us. There were toucans too, impossibly bright against all that green. At one point we stopped just to watch leaf-cutter ants hauling bits of jungle across our path. It’s weird what sticks with you — not just waterfalls or animals, but these small pauses where time slows down and you realize how far from home you are. On the way back, everyone fell asleep except me; I kept thinking about that blue water under the clouds.

What’s included

Your day includes comfortable round-trip transport with hotel pickup and drop-off by air-conditioned minivan or SUV.
all entry fees.
guided rainforest hikes to Rio Celeste waterfall.
time at a private wildlife sanctuary to see sloths.
water and drinks (beer or Powerade).
plus a traditional Costa Rican lunch—with options for vegetarian or special diets if you let them know ahead of time—before heading back in the evening.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by 506 Transfers & Tours