Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna
5
Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna
By Red Lava Tourist Service Center
About
Explore with the safety and knowledge of a guide on this hiking trip through Tenorio Volcano National Park. In addition to navigating, your guide points out plants and animals often missed by visitors and ensures you have plenty of time to snap photos along the way. After a swim in the Rio Celeste, enjoy a well-deserved lunch and relax on the way back to La Fortuna (round-trip hotel transport included).
from per adult
€85.58
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-65, max of 15 per group
Duration: 8h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English, Spanish
Features animals
Highlights
- Explore secluded natural landscapes without getting lost
- Free time to swim in Rio Celeste’s natural pools
- Post-hike lunch of traditional Costa Rican food included
- Convenient round-trip transport from La Fortuna hotels
- Lunch in local restaurant
- Professional guide
- Pickup and drop-off from hotels in La Fortuna area
- Entry/Admission - Rio Celeste
What's not included- Dinner
- Departure details
- Traveller pickup is offered.
- Please contact us for have an exact pick up time in your hotel If you have a Airbnb we need a reference point for the pick up (Restaurant o supermarket close to the place) If your hotel or Airbnb is not in the pick up area you need come to our office in la Fortuna bus terminal at the time of the tour
- Calle 468, C. 468, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, Costa Rica La Fortuna Bus terminal, Street 468
- Hotel pickup is offered. View the hotel list on our checkout page to see if yours is included among the pickup points.
Return details- Returns to original departure point
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 18265P3- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Vegetarian option is available
- 4-hour medium-tough hike is involved
- Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- How much is Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna?
- Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna price starts from €83.11. Discover and book Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna on Tripadvisor
- What is the Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna cancellation policy?
- Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna cancellation policy: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Discover and book Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna on Tripadvisor
- Which company provides Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna?
- Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna is hosted by Red Lava Tourist Service Center. Read reviews, discover additonal experiences or contact Red Lava Tourist Service Center on Tripadvisor. Discover and book Full-Day Rio Celeste Tour From La Fortuna on Tripadvisor
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 18265P3
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Similar experiences
Itinerary
- You'll start atCalle 468Or, you can also get picked upSee departure details
- 1Rio CelesteStop: 4 hours - Admission includedYou'll then engage in a 4-hour hike that is a bit tough for some but the end result is definitely worth it. After your 4-hour hike you'll get to the Rio Celeste (Blue River). The blue color you'll see is the result of a chemical reaction between two merging rivers containing different volcanic minerals. It's a very rare phenomenon which creates a fairy-tale-like beauty. You'll get to see a waterfall, a lookout point that's great for taking pictures and you'll also get to see the place where the river changes colors.Read more
- You'll return to the starting point
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About the operator
Red Lava Tourist Service Center
1,608
Costa Rica
Joined in April 2010
#21 of 241 Tours & Activities in La Fortuna de San Carlos
- Mira M00Full day adventureWe had a great time. Full packed day of adventures. The hot springs was a great way to finish the tour off! Carlos did a great job at leading the tour
- B9021JMpeters00Highly RecommendThe value you get from tour is amazing! We spent a whole day seeing La Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal Volcano, and got to experience some hot springs at the end with lunch included. Our hotel was pretty far from the tour location but the owner took the time to personally shuttle us back and forth so we could experience the tour! Our tour guide Chris MQ was extremely knowledgable about the history of the town as well as the wildlife and vegetation! Overall all of the tour guides created a fun atmosphere and I would highly recommend this tour to anyone!
- marierX5664ND00Lovely dayIn one day we saw the most beautiful things in La Fortuna. All thanks to our wonderful guide Emanuel!!!! The lunch was also very great. We had a lovely day! Definitely recommend.
- 830winters00Worth every penny! Bring water shoes :)Our Tour Guide Chris M.Q. was AMAZING! He took the extra time to make sure we had everything we needed, and created a safe and pleasurable experience for our entire group. He was so knowledgeable about the land, wildlife, and plant-life - it was easy to see that he truly is one with his environment. He takes great pride in his work, and is all around a genuine, caring person. I would recommend him as a tour guide 1000 times over, as there is simply no one better. The views were spectacular, and it was an unforgettable day that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. Also be sure to bring your water shoes since the swim at the waterfall can be rough on your feet!
- Blake G00Great Day on the Volcano with a great guide, Errol!It was an awesome day! You really get to see the beauty that Costa Rica has to offer. We started with a tractor ride out into the forest. Next there was a hike down to La Fortuna waterfall. What a sight! Along the way, our guide Errol, offered to take pictures in scenic spots. When you get to the waterfall, you get time to wade in the water and climb up to the waterfall and swim around it as well. After the hike out, we had FRESH pineapple that was sensational! Next we went and had a presentation from native Costa Ricans to learn about their culture. It was very entertaining and informative. Next we had a great lunch and had a chance to visit a butterfly garden. After lunch, we had another hike up the volcano with great scenery. Again, Errol, was such a great tour guide. He was so knowledgeable about the plants, animals and history of the volcano. If you have the chance to be in his group, he is my pick! We ended the day soaking in the hot springs and relaxing after a full day. It was a great day and I couldn't recommend this tour enough!!
- 238alexusl00Definitely a must do!Franklin, our guide, was the absolute best! He was hilarious and so informative! The tours themselves had amazing views and overall were so enjoyable. It was a lovely time and I'm looking forward to coming again!
- noreenjoy00Recommend! Kudos to Cha Cha, Carlos, and Aerol!!Red lava rocks tour guide was amazing. We got so much done for a good price! You start off with the La fortuna waterfall (recommend bringing slippers or water shoes as it is rocky once you go towards the water), then did a hike to the volcano and ended with the hot springs which was beautiful. Cha cha, our driver was effficient and smooth. Carlos and Aerol were our two tour guides and were very knowledgeable and friendly! They knew so much about the animals, plants, and history. They even had us sample fruits that they found in the tree and took pictures for us of hard to reach places for special frogs we found. Definitely recommend.
- Ricardo_Campanas00All you could ask for.My wife and I took this tour yesterday and it was the complete package. Bud was a little late but when you make several stops to pick up a bud load of folks what can you expect. It was a full day and you were exhausted by the end but finishing in the hot springs was fantastic. Swimming in La Fortuna waterfalls after 500 steps down was exhilarating and beautiful. Lunch was very good typical Tico meal of fish and rice and beans. Then off to lava fields on Arenal Volcano. Once again strenuous climb but incredible view of the volcanoes and valley’s. The guides Carlos, Errold and Kathleen were extremely knowledgeable and courteous. Always looking out for the customers and tons of flora and fauna knowledge. Loved it!!!
- bubbakin00A bunch of fun activities in the La Fortuna area with good guidesEverything was super friendly and chill. The guides (Errol and Carlos) were very accommodating and knowledgeable. It's a tour that includes a bunch of stops and it was all done in a professional and no-rush manner. I highly recommend the tour. As for tips, bring a towel and bring water shoes.
- B3501MNtiffanyr00Went on several different tours with Red Lava and enjoyed all of them.We did 4 different tours with Red Lava and enjoyed every single one. All of our tour guides were great. We went with Kathleen to hike the volcano and she was very knowledgeable and was able to spot so many different animals and wildlife. Santiago was also great. We went to Rio Celeste with him and he was so energetic and fun. Overall we had an incredible time in La fortunate and red lava was a big reason why.
- 403masham00Amazing experienceThis tour was amazing! Definitely a workout, but well balanced with breaks and activities. We had Marcos as our tour guide and he was great! Super funny and informative. For those who are a bit scared of bugs like me, don’t worry, it wasn’t too bad. Definitely would recommend this tour 100x over!
- Leo_Kingston00Four awesome experiences, best value, awesome tour guide, and a hard physical workoutOn time pick from our hotel, hike to waterfall with animals, birds and plant sighting, cultural exchang with indegenious natives, scenic hike to volcanic hills and end the day with thermal hot springs dip. Our guide Enrik provides in perfect English fact-filled, timely and relevant info on flora, fauna, climate, topography, and more. He is passionate about protecting his environment and is highly educated and knowledgeable. The hike is NOT for the unfit. The trails are marked but elevation changes going down and coming up are physically challenging. Imagine climbing 90 minutes on a Stairmaster in 85 degrees and 90% humidity. But a great workout and thouroufhly enjoyable. Best experience was swimming in the cold river at the majestic waterfall.
- hagoph39200Pura Vida in La FortunaAn incredible journey. Thank you very much to our tour guide Emmanuel who really did the extra mile to make our experience feel like it was the best. Trust me when I say that it’s not necessarily easy to see animals in the forest but his passion and dedication helped us find a couple. Other than the animals, you really have breathtaking views of the volcano (if weather permits). Again loved how Emmanuel really explained about the difference of rain forest vs cloud forest as well as the history behind the volcanos in the area. Finally, for me on top of the list was the visit of La Fortuna waterfall. A must if you are in the area. As for the hot springs, it was a nice touch at the end to conclude our journey is some hot water but to be honest, it was nothing too impressive.
- FarAway4424400Amazing views and experienced tour guidesOur guides, Carlos and Carlos, looked for every opportunity to share the wildlife with us! We were able to see a sloth, vipers, and carniverous worms because they were familiar with the animals’ dwellings. It was such an educational, as well as adventurous, trek to the volcano and waterfall. We had a filling and delicious lunch midday. The final destination to the hot springs was a nice finish to a great day. Was probably the best tour of our trip!
- Beautyboozebonvoyage00Santiago and Marcus 10/10 amazingRed Lava truly outdid themselves with Santiago, Marcus and Cayelene. These awesome tour guides helped us navigate three key landmarks of La Fortuna with style and grace. First, the La Fortuna Waterfall its a 380 step uneven climb to the bottom. Yes you need hiking boots! The waterfall is simply stunning. The freshwater fish in the bottom are beautiful to look at. Save your energy! Its a humid hike back to the the top. Second, you traverse to the Maleku village to learn about an indigenous tribe of Costa Rica. Third, lunch. Its delicious. Next, you continue to the Arenal Volcano, where you will hike to the 1968 lava field. It poured. Wear appropriate clothing. Finally, you finish the day with your tour guides with cocktails in the hot springs. You need to be physically fit. Bring everything they tell you to bring and have a great time.
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5.0
140 reviews
Excellent
134
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JayG623
56 contributions
Had an amazing trip with Red Lava Tours! Our guide, Max, was brilliant! Very knowledgeable with the terrain and was not only providing insightful information while at Rio Celeste, but giving us back stories on different places during the trip there and back. Our tour bus driver Gil made the trip safe. The lunch was amazing at a local soda restaurant serving typical but incredibly delicious costs Rican cuisine. All in all, highly recommended!
Written 18 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Darrell C
3 contributions
We had a wonderful time on this tour. We have resilient 10-year old boys and they kept up with the tour guide quite well. I would say the hike was moderate because of the varied, wet terrain. Lunch was delicious and the swimming hole was fun. I would recommend this tour to everyone including families with children 9 and older.
Written 4 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Spring1967
Long Island, NY22 contributions
5 STAR Day! Our family of 4 did the private Rio Celeste hike with Christian as our guide and Christian delivered an incredible day! He kept us well paced, never rushed, made us feel like we had all the time in the world and catered to our photographer family needs patiently. He knew some family members had “wish lists” for wildlife viewing and he was committed to making it happen. Christian charmed us with his enthusiasm, positivity, expansive knowledge of the area, and made us feel like his closest friends. We take a lot of tours and Christian stands out as one of favorite guides. William was our driver and kept us safe the entire day. A great day!
Written 16 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jared J
Palm Springs, CA2 contributions
Day was packed full of adventure. Met lots of great people. Our Tour Guide Isaac was very entertaining and informative. He even changed the weather from rainy to sunny so we could see the volcano clearly. Must-do activity for Costa Rica travellers!
Written 12 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary Q
8 contributions
Jun 2023 • Couples
A really enjoyable and informative tour with our amazing guide Santiago! We were picked up from our hotel and saw lots of different wildlife up close on the way to Rio Celeste - each time we were able to get out of the van and Santiago ensured everyone saw the animals/ insects, as well as the 5th biggest tree in Costa Rica! The hike to the waterfall in Rio Celeste was very manageable terrain, and everyone was able to walk at their own pace. There are approx 350 steps down to the waterfall itself then, but it is well worth it. Thankfully the water was lovely and blue for us when we were there at about 10.30am. However earlier that morning the water was brown because of the heavy rain the night before. Because I had hurt my ankle the day before, I opted to walk back from the waterfall myself the way that we came as this was relatively level ground. My partner carried on the hike with the rest of the group though for about 1 hour more and this was more challenging terrain - they saw the hanging bridges and a blue lagoon. After visiting the national park, we were allowed to go swimming in the gorgeous blue river nearby and enjoyed some pineapple while people dried off. We enjoyed a delicious traditional lunch around 2pm in a small Soda - they also had really nice juices there. We were dropped back to our hotel around 4pm. Overall a really enjoyable day & again, many thanks to our guide Santiago and our driver.
Written 16 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
denisekellynelson
Regina, Canada9 contributions
Santiago, tour guide for Red Lava Tours, was fun to be with. He was very knowledgeable about nature be it flora, fauna, or geology, and did an excellent Howler Monkey impression. He was also quite friendly and it was obvious that he has a good relationship with many guides. Santiago went out of his way to locate wildlife and provide an engaging experience. Clients were told stories and given various medicinal plants to taste, some better than others! We appreciated the brief time at the river to swim and have a snack of delicious pineapple. Our lunch was at an intimate small soda where we had choice of meat to compliment our meal. We appreciated Santiago taking photos of us at different points throughout the Rio Celeste hike. We will have memories to cherish. We also want to thank Diego at Red Lava storefront who gave us information…
Written 7 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alexis B
3 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
I️ booked all of my tours with Red Lava and this was by far my favorite one! The guide Santiago was super friendly, he made sure we saw as much wildlife as we could, he doubled as a photographer and he paced the medium tough hike at a slow rate for some of our beginner hikers! After seeing the beautiful waterfall we went to a Soda and that was the highlight of the trip. The food- so tender, so filling and the environment was so calming. 10/10 would do again. I️ will admit the commute there gets brutal the last 45 minutes. The potholes left me with car sickness (no fault of the driver, solely the infrastructure! We loved the driver ChaCha)
Written 9 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melani N
3 contributions
We absolutely loved the experience. Our tour guide was amazing. He was so knowledgeable. We also got to eat at an amazing local soda with the yummiest authentic food which we also enjoyed. Sadly, the weather was raining so we felt like it wasn’t worth it as you don’t see the views of the volcano or the blue water, but we don’t regret the experience and the people we met the forest is absolutely beautiful
Written 12 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ann T
6 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
After the hotel pick up, we stop partway to the park for some local coffee, bathroom break, and occasional stops if the guide spots any cool wildlife. He brought a telescope, which made it 1000x easier to help us see wildlife and take pictures. We highly recommend this experience for active people, as the hike is not easy on the knees with plenty of steep stairs. Bring lots of water! After the hike into the park, you descend stairs to reach the waterfall and need to go back up. This is the toughest part of the day. Then you continue the hike and down more steps to reach the area where to blue volcanic mineral water touches the fresh water. The hike is not a loop and you need to backtrack to the parking lot. They'll give time for bathroom breaks before driving to another part of the waterfall stream that is accessible for swimmers. There are some slippery rocks to climb down and this is where you'll have time to enjoy the waterfall.
Written 15 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LC C
3 contributions
Mar 2023
We did this tour with Santiago and we were not disappointed! He did an incredible job! It was super rainy in the morning and he did his best to prioritize seeing the beautiful blue Rio Celeste! He provided great information and always made sure we were getting beautiful photos to remember this tour. Most importantly, he was incredibly kind, he offered to help people who were struggling with the terrain. I would definitely recommend this tour and Santiago was an incredible guide!
Written 25 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi! My friend and I are looking to book this tour for Sunday June 12th, we were wondering how likely it is that it is a full group (is the minimum met)? We would love to go on this tour and would be so disappointed if it were to be canceled if the minimum is not met.
Can you pick me up up from Nuevo Arenal Lake Lodge / Tinajas Arenal, Nuevo Arenal, 50807, Costa Rica?
Vittoria G
51 contributions
Esque se puede nadar en las cataratas ?? O hay sitio en la caminata (hiking) para nadar o banos thermales ?
E L
San Diego, CA6 contributions
Hello~is this hike suitable for a 8, 10 & 12 year old? Also, will the tour still run if there are thunderstorms? Thank you.
Regina B
9 contributions
How much of real hiking is involved in this tour? And how long is it?
How hard is hiking hill-wise?
Thanks
Sarah M
Kentucky202 contributions
The trail is well traveled with a small part of it paved and it has stairs. So you won’t be scurrying over rocks.
The day we went there was a lot of people so don’t expect to have the place to yourself!
On our tour we did an in and out hike and it was maybe three miles total. And the hills weren’t bad just take your time and bring water. When you reach the falls there are probably 150 to 200 stairs you have to go down and then come back up.
Christie T
Sorrento, Italy9 contributions
What is the duration of this tour?
Giselle P
Miami, FL37 contributions
About 8a-4p or 9a-5p roughly
drimbrogno
Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina1 contribution
tengo 86 años con buen estado de salud habitualmente hago caminatas de 2hs y practico tai chi y chi qum Podre hacerla?
GerardoHuitron
Queretaro City, Mexico39 contributions
Hola, si tienes buen estado de salid y haces senderismo claro que puedes hacerla!, solo cuida también la altura, porque es montaña y por la presión arterial.