Catarata Río Fortuna
About Catarata Río Fortuna
Get the inside scoop on Catarata Río Fortuna from local experts, travel creators, and tastemakers. Browse genuine trip notes, Catarata Río Fortuna reviews, photos, travel guides, and itineraries from real travelers and plan your trip with confidence.
What people say
Kyla Morris
"The La Fortuna waterfall sits right outside of La Fortuna’s downtown and would be a quick bicycle ride from the main drag. You’ll hike down quite a bit of stairs (480, to be exact!) through a lush rainforest to reach the base of the waterfall, which towers 70 meters (229 feet) overhead.
You can either swim in the jade-colored pool at the base of the waterfall (although word of warning- it is quite strong and not for unconfident swimmers) or in the much calmer, beautiful springs downstream. I can’t imagine a more scenic place to splash around and cool down on a hot day under the Costa Rican sun.
Once you make the trek back up the stairs, there’s an orchid and butterfly garden for you to explore, as well as several viewpoints to take in the waterfall and the surrounding jungle.
Entrance fee and operating hours: La Fortuna Waterfall is open from 7 AM to 5 PM everyday and costs $18 per person. In my opinion, the price is a bit steep, but between the stellar scenery and the fact that the money is reinvested into conservation of the waterfall preserve, I think it’s worth it."
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Clément Duguerre
"Six kilometers (3.7 miles) and ten minutes' drive outside the city center lies La Fortuna Waterfall Park. To get there, you can drive or hire a red cab. From downtown, a one-way cab ride costs about $10 USD.
The entrance fee is $20, and it is open from 7AM to 5PM.
I recommend you going as early as possible, for two reasons. The first one being that it won't be as crowded early in the morning, and the second reason being that there's generally more chances of rain in the afternoon.
Once you have arrived at the waterfall, you can cross the river and continue towards the path. This area will be more calm. The path first continues to a bridge with a nice view of the jungle, then ends higher up, giving you a different view of the waterfall."
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Taylor Blair
Available for hire
"Arguably the most visited waterfall in the whole country, La Fortuna waterfall is a must see while in the area. Dropping 246 feet into a crisp turquoise blue pool, this waterfall is only ~4 miles outside of town which makes for a great half day trip!
You can drive or take a red taxi to the waterfall park. A taxi one way from downtown costs around $15 USD. The entrance fee is $18 USD for adult foreigners and $5 USD for children. Each guest needs to purchase a ticket to the waterfall park.
- Open 7 AM to 5:00 PM
- Over 500 steps down to the waterfall
- You can swim weather permitting
- There are facilities where you can change clothes
- Wear good water shoes
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