Day Trip from Tamarindo: Hike to the Rio Celeste Waterfall

For my birthday I decided to celebrate my 2 personal year birthday somewhere that closely resonates with my astrological natal placements. A combination of the Air, Earth, and Water elements, the Rio Celeste was the perfect way to spend my 23rd birthday– my first birthday abroad to be exact!

About Tenorio Volcano National Park

The Rio Celeste waterfall is located at the Tenorio Volcano National Park in the north of Costa Rica, and is about 100 miles from the capital San Jose. Gravitating me towards this park were the crystal blue waters in the photos, that can, of course, only be as blue as the sky when it is not raining. The park has rivers, hot springs, and a beautiful waterfall by the name of Rio Celeste!

How I got there

It is difficult to visit Tenorio Volcano National Park from Tamarindo directly, as it is a three hour drive. Prior to my birthday, I checked the many tour companies and hostels in Tamarindo, and most of them surprisingly either did not offer the trip at all or only had available spots that weren’t on my birthday (my birthday was on a Sunday). I found one company, a mom-and-pop type agency ran by an adorable young married couple, who arranged the trip for me for around $150. This is a little (hella fucking) steep, but it was the only tour available on a Sunday and I was going alone. In Costa, 80% of the price of a tour is the cost of transportation– the actual entrance fee to the park was is $12.

There were a group of six of us in the van and we were each picked up at our accommodation, which was nice because Dreamsea Surf Camp is located a bit outside of the main center.

The hike

I’ve never been a hiker, but the hike was marvelous! I’ve always had a thing for jungles ever since I started reblogging photos of rainforests and waterfalls on my manifestation Tumblr blog when I was 16. Along the way you will find ponds and miniature lagoons that are hearted due to something scientific that I don’t understand involving the volcano, but the guide mentioned that some of the chemicals made it a bit unsafe to stay in for long periods of times.

Every single birthday I’ve ever had has been rainy, windy, or super cold and Costa Rica was no exception! It rained on and off, so the hike was super messy and super muddy, but it’s okay because that’s how Mother Nature intended it to be and I am learning to have an equal appreciation for all of the seasons and their weather patterns.

Would I reccomend? Yes!

Costa Rica has everything a nature-lover could ever ask for, regardless of where you are staying. Despite the price (from Tamarindo), I would reccomend visiting the Tenorio Volcano National Park just because I said so believe it’s a must-see in the northern part of Costa Rica!