La Fortuna waterfall in half a day
I lived in Costa Rica 17 years, only 2 hours away from some of the most amazing places the country has to offer, and yet, I never visited them while I was living there! La Fortuna waterfall – the name is actually Rio Fortuna waterfall – is one of those places.
The thing is, social media has come to change the way we perceive our surroundings, and on the positive side, it makes us aware of places we had no idea existed, and promotes a feeling of wanting to visit what we see in the pictures, or videos. I have to admit this waterfall was one of those places to me.
Plan your trip to La Fortuna Waterfall
On my last visit to Costa Rica I chose to go to San Carlos – a town in Alajuela – where the waterfall is located. I was staying in that same province, but not that close to the area. This is honestly a simple day trip that anyone can plan on a Sunday. So here is my itinerary:
MORNING
8:30 AM – We left the house!
8:45 AM – Breakfast time! We stopped at a restaurant called “La Casona del Maiz” in the entrance to La Garita – coming from The Interamerican highway. Here, you will find several options for having a typical Costa Rican breakfast, and this restaurant in particular did not disappoint! They also sell delicious local snacks to get you going on your way to La Fortuna.
9:30 AM – Get your GPS ready and head to La Fortuna waterfall!
11:00 AM – A quick stop to drone a bit and take some shots of a lake in the entrance to San Carlos.
11:45 AM – We arrived to the complex where the waterfall is. This waterfall is different from most of others in the country because is managed privately and thus, services such as restrooms, showers, souvenir store and a restaurant are provided.
AFTERNOON
12:00 PM – We started our walk down to the waterfall. Have in mind you will have to go down approx. 530 steps in order to get to the river. In my experience it was an easy walk down, but my legs would not stop shaking for 10 minutes or so. In any case, feel free to stop at any time, there are even rest stops with great views where you can relax and maybe take a few pictures of the forest before going any further.
12:30 PM – This place is beautiful! You will truly love it. Not many people were visiting the day that we went, I learned why 2 hours after we arrived – rain. But in any case, I was truly amazed by the views and the powerful sound of the water hitting down its 70m fall. There is a platform right in front of the waterfall where you can take your photos and videos or simply marvel at the beauty of the place.
12:35 PM – We decided to get into the water, there is no point on going down there and not doing this! OK, water is super cold close to the waterfall, but after some minutes your body gets used to it. There will be a security guard before you enter to the river advising you on safety tips, please listen to him, safety comes first!
2:15 PM – Unfortunately it started to rain, so we decided to leave to La Fortuna town to have lunch! Our way up was way different than simply going down the stairs… This climbing part was tough, especially with the rain! So we had to make a stop, thankfully with the company of a monkey who seemed to be laughing at us!
2:40 PM – We found a little place close to one of the corners of La Plaza of La Fortuna. It was delicious and I can totally recommend even if all you want is coffee! The place is called Rain Forest cafe and serves good casados, natural juices, coffee and desserts!
3:30 PM – Go seat in the park and enjoy the view of the Arenal volcano.
04:30 PM – Back to Alajuela
MY LITTLE TIPS
- You can leave your belongings in a rock in the middle of the river or right at the entrance, but honestly I recommend taking as little as you can, I do not want to sound paranoid, but it is always good to avoid any risk, you never know who else is visiting and what their plans might be, plus you’ll be less stressed when you don’t have to think about your stuff falling into the water or getting robbed!
- DO NOT GO BELOW THE WATERFALL! Never! It is dangerous and people have died by doing that.
- If you are going to eat, please don’t throw anything to the water, I know this may sound obvious, but some people find it normal to throw garbage into the river – NO!
- If you have time try to stop in one of the rest areas to spot wildlife, it is very easy to catch a monkey haling or watching a butterfly passing you by.
- As park may get very crowded, don’t wait til the last minute to leave if you plan to use the showers, if not, it may take you a little while to get out!
- Take closed shoes you can use inside the water. There are a lot of rocks and it gets very slippery, shoes will get you comfortable and help you move inside the water.
- If you can’t take the cold, then head down to the lower part of the river (carefully) and you will find warmer water and great views as well!
- Disconnect! Enjoy the peace of the place, swim, have a great time!
MORE INFORMATION
This is the main website of the park – always comes handy for planning.
- Rates:
- Foreigns $15
- Nationals or residents (with ID) $8
- National Students $4 (Must show student card)
- Admission for children 0-8 years is free.
- Hours:
- Daily from 07:00 AM – 05:00 PM
- Map:
This was my very first experience in a Costa Rican waterfall. I can tell you it just left me wanting to visit more. This country has a ton of waterfalls to choose from, so I’m already planning my next trip to one. If you decide to go I hope you have as much fun as I had, and you also leave with the feeling of wanting to come back.
