Jungle Hike to Hidden Waterfall in Puerto Viejo
Description
From the beach to the tropical rainforest. It's only a short walk from Playa Negra and you’ll begin diving into the rainforest. First crossing an old cacao farm. Then you’ll pass three humble huts of indigenous families. One hour in you'll be in the depth of the forest. This jungle has species of plants and shrubs with healing properties. A wide variety of palms and giant trees over 250 years old. About 2 hours in you’ll be approaching a great surprise. Descend to the KEKOLDI river. Following it until we encounter an imposing 45 meters high waterfall. Enjoy swimming and appreciating the tropical jungle at this secret and remote place. After enjoying this magical, it’s time to head back to the start. You should know we will be walking in the jungle, so you might get some mud on your shoes. And if it's raining we will still get mud so don't let a rainy day stop us. Total distance is 10km. For some people the hick could be a challenge.
Tour Options
Itinerary
You will be hiking in Kekoldi indigenous territory and see a few houses and learn about their culture and how they live.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
Reviews(20)
Amazing kayak tour! The area is beautiful and peaceful, and you get to see a ton of nature up close. The guides were super friendly, professional, and really made the experience special. If you’re in Puerto Viejo, don’t miss this tour. Totally worth it!
I did not actually go on the hike so I cant review that experience. It was raining when I got to the meeting place and Esteban the guide was there as promised.Together we decided that it wasn’t the best day for this hike. He offered another day or a refund. Since it was my last day in the area I decided it better to try again next year. . I promptly received a message from Trip Advisor that my refund was being processed. Great service and nice people. Will definitely use them again
Activity cancelled 25 minutes before the start by email. Although I was refunded, I found the cancellation (without cause) very late. I couldn't find any activity for the same day. Frustrant.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Due to the rain, we had no choice but to cancel the activity for safety reasons. We made multiple attempts to reach you, but unfortunately, the call was not successful. We understand your frustration and truly regret the situation.
5 Stars!! Great hike with a nice nugget at the end! Our guide, Esteban, was amazing! He was very knowledgeable and appeared to really enjoy sharing his knowledge of local history and of the jungle! He gave us all the time we wanted to look at things that he would point out for us and for us to talk and ask questions. Really cool guy! I recommend this for any nature lover or spiritual person.! The waterfall is a special place.! However, it is difficult terrain.! If you have any serious health/physical issues.. I would recommend finding something less strenuous.!
Loved our hike to the waterfall. It was during rainy period- so much mud. Definitely challenging, but Esteban was patient and our group was physically fit and small so we moved well together. He paid attention to all the animals and plants and shared with us!
Beautiful area with a great guide. The trail was pretty muddy the day we went bit it was totally worth it. Leaned a lot and saw a bunch of different things in the jungle.
The trail was very slippery. We expected that. We are in better than average shape and I felt like if I stopped to take a picture I had to run to keep the guide in view. We learned next to nothing about the people or plants of this unique land. It was like a very rushed slosh through a spectacular rainforest backtracking several times and bushwhacking around a bull with sharp horns. Did he want to maul us? Who knows but the guide thought so. (That part was actually exciting ) I would have loved to see the waterfall! Perhaps there’s another way in? The guide said the marked trail was ‘unmarked’ by the people of whose land this is because they are in dispute……. The guide was personable and tried his best to find the falls, leaving us several times to scout ahead. ( which was good, we could catch our breath) My recommendation is: don’t go if you are expecting what the tour company is offering but definitely go if you want a good scramble through mucky trails in a peaceful place. We were at nearly 10k of going down several wrong trails before turning around without finding the falls. Total trip nearly 14k.
Rob was a great guide. He was super knowledgeable and very interesting to talk to. Even though it poured on us, he helped make it an amazing experience. We had a great time!
Amazing experience, the first guide with all the knowledge of the area and the hike, super recommended! I'll do it again!
We are an adventurous couple, who loves to experience many different elements of the places we travel to. This hike allowed us to experience the incredible depth and diversity of the jungle and its inhabitants. Our guide Esteban has an incredible depth of knowledgeable and at the same time is relaxed, easygoing, and enjoyable to hike with. He was able to answer every little random question we both had about plants, animals, and history along our hike as well as inform, teach, and entertain us. This Journey will require you to hike through the jungle, if it has been raining, this will mean a lot of mud. Prepare for that, especially your footwear, and it’s worth every step. The jungle foliage, frogs, birds, insects, monkeys, and sense of adventure is life giving. The waterfall is epic and muy bonito. We swam in the incredible warm deep waters at its base and soaked up the vibrant energy of the falling waters. Esteban was very respectful in giving us privacy as we shared this experience as a couple. If we lived in Costa Rica I could see Esteban being a great hiking and adventure buddy. You cannot hike in this part of the jungle without the permission of the indigenous people who live there. This right of passage was earned by Esteban, he shares it with you. I can see with his depth of knowledge and respectful and calm nature why he was able to earn this right. I was also pleasantly surprised it was just us and Esteban, as he limits the tour to small intimate groups. Prepare with good footwear for hiking, mud, and some water. Bring lots of drinking water and snacks. A swim suit for jumping in at the falls. Clear the day for the hike. Enjoy this incredible adventure, memory, and Costa Rican experience.
