Río Celeste (“sky-blue river” in English) is one in all Costa Rica’s most stunning locations and undoubtedly price a go to if you happen to’re within the La Fortuna space. Whereas it’s doable to go by yourself, it may be difficult to get to and not using a rental automotive, which I didn’t have.
As an alternative of getting to determine all of the transportation particulars, I opted to go on a full-day tour from La Fortuna. Stick round to search out out: is the Rio Celeste tour price it?
My Expertise
I booked a full-day tour of Río Celeste and Tenorio Volcano Nationwide Park, probably not figuring out what to anticipate. I had heard about Río Celeste and it was undoubtedly on my thoughts after I obtained to La Fortuna, but it surely’s a 90-minute drive from the place I used to be staying, and I hadn’t rented a automotive. A spur-of-the-moment choice led me to e book the tour, particularly after I did the maths on how a lot it could price to get there by myself, factoring within the admission charge to the nationwide park, snacks, and meals.
The $85 price ticket appeared slightly hefty at first, however on the time, I wasn’t precisely certain get to Río Celeste by way of public transportation, and paying a taxi to take me would have been about $50 every approach, in order that was an enormous no for me.
Contemplating that the tour contains transportation, lunch, the doorway charge to the nationwide park, and a naturalist information, I assumed it was definitely worth the value, and so I booked it the day earlier than. The van got here round to choose me up early, round 6am, and I used to be greeted by my information, Carlos.
The drive to Tenorio Volcano Nationwide Park, the place Río Celeste lies, was about 90 minutes however took a bit longer as a result of the information noticed a sloth in a tree on the aspect of the highway. How he was capable of see it from so distant is a thriller to me nonetheless, however I used to be grateful for the cease, as a result of I’m all the time right down to see these little guys munching on leaves approach up within the timber.
As soon as we obtained to the park, the foggy ambiance was a bit daunting. I puzzled aloud if we might be capable to see Río Celeste’s vibrant blue coloration, and our information reassured us that there was time to test it out earlier than the rains got here and made the water murky. I took a deep breath and ready myself for disappointment.
As we hiked by the jungle, testing the completely different vegetation and animals alongside the best way, I used to be getting enthusiastic about our first cease: the Catarata Río Celeste waterfall. As we approached, I might hear the thunderous roar of the hundreds of gallons of water pouring right into a pool beneath.
There are lots of of steps main right down to the waterfall, and the trail was crowded with different guests, however the view on the best way down was spectacular the entire approach. Not like the Fortuna waterfall, you may’t swim on the base of the Río Celeste waterfall, however you may admire its magnificence and namesake blue coloration from a platform close to the bottom.
After climbing again up the steps (and getting a very good exercise within the course of), we continued alongside the path and stopped at numerous factors on the river to get the inside track on the way it will get its blue coloration, in addition to the geothermal exercise beneath it. Two notable stops had been Los Teñideros, the place we noticed the place the river modifications coloration from clear to blue, and Los Borbollones, the place sulfuric bubbles rise to the floor, emitting an eggy scent.
After traversing by the nationwide park (extra on that right here), our information introduced us to a “secret” scorching river only a kilometer away. It was simply starting to rain, so I made a decision to go for a fast soak. It was a blast to take a dip in a scorching river whereas feeling the chilly, misty rain come down.
We then had lunch at a neighborhood soda (a small open-air restaurant), which was filling and scrumptious. The opposite tour members and I had an opportunity to choose our information’s mind, asking all types of questions on Costa Rica’s geography, wildlife, and extra. Moreover having a knack for recognizing wildlife and figuring out the science behind Río Celeste, I discovered that our information had a complete treasure trove of data on the nationwide park and past.
Is the Río Celeste Tour Value It?
As a traveler who didn’t have a rental automotive, the Río Celeste tour was price it for me. Not solely did it take the strain off of making an attempt to get there by way of public transportation, however having a information was unbelievable. There are such a lot of issues you may study concerning the river itself which may in any other case go unnoticed if you happen to go to by yourself. I beloved having the chance to ask questions on it, in addition to the wildlife and flora.
Moreover, the recent river we additionally visited may need flown beneath my radar, as I hadn’t heard about it earlier than. It got here as a nice shock!
In the event you’re questioning if the tour shall be price it for you, there are some things to contemplate. First, transportation. Automobile leases and fuel costs in Costa Rica are fairly costly, so it’s not price it to lease a automotive only for the day, because it’ll find yourself costing across the similar because the tour, only for transportation alone. In the event you’ve already rented a automotive and need to add Río Celeste to your itinerary, go for it with out the tour. You’ll simply be lacking out on having a information except you rent one on the park which is an extra $30-50 on prime of the $12 admission charge.
In case you are touring by way of public transportation by Costa Rica, as I did, this tour is certainly definitely worth the value. Because it contains lunch, the doorway charge, transportation, and a information, it really works out to be about the identical value as if you happen to had been to go by yourself from La Fortuna by way of public transportation. I assumed it was an unbelievable bang for my buck and would do it once more if given the selection.
The one disadvantage of visiting Río Celeste on a tour is that you simply don’t have the liberty to decide on when to go. For the reason that waterfall and different key websites alongside the river can get fairly packed within the late morning and early afternoon, I wasn’t capable of finding some solo time to take pleasure in them. By the point we reached the waterfall, there have been so many individuals there that it was tough to snap a very good picture or simply hang around unbothered. In case you are hoping to get an epic shot of the waterfall or traverse the paths by yourself time, a tour like this one in all probability isn’t for you.
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Río Celeste undoubtedly deserves a spot on any Costa Rica itinerary, because it was one of many highlights of my time there.
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