Rio Celeste Waterfall & Sloth Watching Tour from San Jose

Hike to Rio Celeste's turquoise waterfall and spot sloths in the canopy above

A full-day guided tour from San Jose to Tenorio Volcano National Park combines a hike through forest trails to Rio Celeste Waterfall with sloth watching in the surrounding canopy. The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, breakfast, lunch, park entry and transport in an air-conditioned vehicle, with a live guide speaking English, Spanish or French. Children from age one are welcome. Infants can use specialized seats or sit on an adult's lap.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Rio Celeste Waterfall and Hike

• Travel from San Jose to Tenorio Volcano
• Walk trails in Tenorio Volcano National Park
• View Celeste River and Waterfall

The experience

You're picked up from your San Jose hotel in the morning and driven north toward Alajuela province in an air-conditioned vehicle. Breakfast and coffee or tea are served before you reach Tenorio Volcano National Park. Once there, you walk the park's trails through the forest canopy, where sloths often hang in the branches overhead. The guide knows where to look and will point them out as you pass. The hike leads to Rio Celeste Waterfall, where the river runs in shades of turquoise created by minerals in the water.

The trails through the park take up most of the morning and early afternoon. You'll move at a moderate pace, so a reasonable level of fitness helps. The terrain is forest floor with some elevation change. Lunch is provided partway through the day. The guide speaks your choice of English, Spanish or French throughout, narrating the forest, the wildlife and the geology as you walk. Alcoholic drinks are available to purchase if you want them with lunch.

The full day runs eight hours from pickup to drop-off, giving you time to see both the waterfall and the surrounding forest where sloths live. You return to San Jose in the late afternoon. This tour suits travelers arriving in the Central Valley with a free day who want to see one of Costa Rica's most famous waterfalls without arranging their own transport or navigating to the park alone.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in San Jose.
• breakfast.
• coffee and tea.
• lunch.
• national park entry ticket.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• live guide in English, Spanish or French.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 to 55 years) · Senior (56 and older) · Youth (11 to 17 years) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by AyE Tours Travel Costa Rica

Is this one for you?The guide speaks your choice of English, Spanish or French throughout the day, so you follow the commentary comfortably even if you don't speak Spanish fluently. This works well for travelers who want the waterfall and wildlife without managing transport or hiking alone.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 17 years); Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (1 to 3 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Rio Celeste Waterfall like when you get there?

Rio Celeste is a waterfall inside Tenorio Volcano National Park where the river runs turquoise because of minerals in the water. You reach it by hiking the park's forest trails, and the waterfall is the destination of that hike.

Will I actually see sloths on this tour?

Sloth watching is part of the tour itinerary, and the guide knows the forest canopy where sloths hang. They are there, though sightings depend on the time of day and the animals' movement. The guide will point them out when they spot them during the hike.

How much walking is involved in eight hours?

Most of the eight hours is spent hiking the trails through Tenorio Volcano National Park to reach Rio Celeste Waterfall. The pace is moderate, and you'll need at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The terrain includes forest floor and some elevation change.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in San Jose, breakfast, coffee or tea, lunch, the national park entry ticket, the guided hike, and transport in an air-conditioned vehicle are all included. Alcoholic drinks are available to purchase separately.

Can I bring my infant on this tour?

Yes, children from age one are welcome. Infants can sit on an adult's lap or use a specialized infant seat if you need one. Let the operator know when you book.