Volcano Hike, Waterfall Swim & Hot Springs Combo on Rincon de la Vieja





Description
A full day tour exploring the flora, fauna and natural wonders of Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park. The day consists of a moderate 2-hour hike where you will see wildlife and volcanic activity. Next we will visit the Oropendola Waterfall where you can swim and play in the water. After the waterfall, it is time to eat a typical Costa Rican lunch following a trip to relax at the hot springs and enjoy a volcanic mud bath.
Tour Options
Itinerary
National Park Hike With our bilingual naturalist guide, you'll walk 3.5-km (2 miles) in Las Pailas circular path through the tropical forest to enjoy the best views of the volcano, incredible nature, volcanic activity, and wildlife. The park is home to more than 300 species of birds, and many other animals, such as armadillos, bays, iguanas, coatis and white-faced monkeys, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, toucans, turkeys, and much more. You will stop to view the volcanic activity including bubbling mud pots, fumaroles, and a mini crater. The Las Pailas sector spectacularly shows the power of the Rincon de la Vieja volcano, the most active and largest volcano in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Steam and sulfur come from natural fumaroles of the yellow and rusty soil. Witness clay pails in various shades of brown with boiling volcanic water, fine gray volcanic mud bubbles and explosions in large pails. This volcano is like no other in Costa Rica.
After the hike, take a short walk off the beaten path to Oropendola Waterfall just outside of the park, where you can jump in and swim in the blue lagoon.
Hot Springs & Volcanic Mud Bath After lunch you will driven to the Hot Springs. Surrounded by tropical dry forest, the Río Negro (Black River) Hot Springs feature ten pools with thermal waters heated naturally by the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano.The soothing mineral waters are crystal clear and all natural. Relax and enjoy luxuriating in our healing waters. You can also try our volcanic mud “bath”, where you smooth volcanic clay mud on your body!
6:40 AM
6 am - 7:45 am
6:30 AM
6:30 AM
6:30 am
7:00 am RIU Guanacaste/Palace
7:30 am
7:40 am
7:20 am
7:00 AM RIU Hotels
6:15 am
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Self Drive Meeting Point -Meet your guide at the Adventure Park @ 9:00 AM - your maps link will be sent upon confirmation. We pick up from hotels, condos and private residences in the following areas:' -Hacienda Pinilla/JW Marriott: 6:00 AM -Langosta/Tamarindo: 6:30 AM -Conchal (W/Westin, Reserva Conchal), Brasilitos: 6:45 AM -Playa Grande, Flamingo, Potrero: 6:30 AM -Catalinas: 6:15 AM ($70 extra per booking, not per customer) -RIU Hotels Main Security Gate, Not the Lobby: 6:45 AM -Playas del Cocos: 7:20 AM -Playa Hermosa & Panama (Occ/Sects Papagayo, Villas Sol, Condovac, Mangroove): 7:30 AM -Liberia Peri Supermarket: 8:30 AM -Andaz, Four Seasons, Planet Hollywood: 7:20 AM ($70 extra per booking, not per customer) -Waldorf Astoria: 7:30 AM ($70 extra per booking, not per customer)
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Use "Special Requirements" field upon checkout to advise dietary information
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required, if you are a solo traveler please contact us
- If you do not need transportation, please meet us at the entrance of the National Park at 9:00 am.
- If your hotel is not listed, contact us for quoting
- Due to a new requirement issued by the Ministry of Tourism and the National Park Systems of Costa Rica, we need each person to send us the following information: Full Name on Passport, Passport number, Passport issuing country. You must carry a picture of your passport with you on your tour!
Reviews(768)
Be sure to bring a snack and a towel. They provide a towel for the hot springs, but not the waterfall in between. You will need an electrolyte drink and a snack after the hike. The hike is about 2 hours and involves a lot of steps. Due to the rain we didn't get to see much wildlife, but still worth it. My legs were jelly after the hike and then you have to do more steps and walking to get to the waterfall and hot springs. You have a chance to change into your swim suit after the hike. I'm an overweight asthmatic and another lady had leg and vertigo issues, but we were both able to do it all. It's strenous, but doable.
Our visit to Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja was one of the most memorable excursions of our entire Costa Rica trip. This national park is the perfect blend of adventure, nature, and raw volcanic beauty — the kind of place that reminds you why Costa Rica is known for its incredible landscapes. The park offers a variety of trails, each showcasing something different: bubbling mud pots, steaming fumaroles, volcanic craters, waterfalls, hanging bridges, and lush tropical forest. Walking through the park feels like stepping into a living science documentary. You can literally see and hear the geothermal activity around you, which makes the experience both exciting and surreal. One of the highlights is how diverse the scenery is. Within a single hike, you move from dry forest to volcanic terrain to vibrant greenery. The wildlife is another bonus — we spotted birds, butterflies, and even a few curious monkeys along the way. Everything feels untouched and authentic. What makes Rincón de la Vieja a must‑visit is the balance of adventure and accessibility. Whether you’re into hiking, photography, nature, or just exploring something unique, this park delivers. It’s an excursion that gives you a deeper appreciation for Costa Rica’s natural wonders and volcanic power. If you’re planning your trip, make sure this national park is on your list — it’s absolutely worth the time and the trek.
Daphne was a wonderful and friendly tour guide. My only complaint is that I could have spent more time at each stop, especially the hot springs. It was a very full day but the best one of our whole trip! Just like the advertisement, it was an awesome adventure!
This is a wonderful multi-faceted adventure that really showcases many of the beautiful features and cultural aspects of Costa Rica! You definitely need to be aware that the hiking aspect would be considered moderate - not easy - but SO very worth it! From volcanic steam pots (fumeroles), boiling ground water pools and boiling mud pools to beautiful roaring waterfalls, hanging bridges through dramatic forests - a delicious authentic Costa Rican lunch buffet - and ending up with a refreshing visit to volcanic mineral hot springs to soak up the healing powers (mud bath too if you like)! Our guide, Daphne, was outstanding - very knowledgeable, courteous and patient with our group. (Our driver, Mambo, was great too). Highly recommend this for a very full day of really getting to see it “all” in Costa Rica!!
We had a great time! Daphnne was an awesome tour guide and was so good with all our kids. Her and Mambo our driver made sure we had everything we needed and they were so wonderful teaching us all about Costa Rica!
Daphne is an amazing guide. Very knowledgeable and passionate about her country. The tour felt a little rushed would be my only complaint. Would’ve loved more time in the thermal springs. I definitely recommend Native’s Way. I ended up using them for all my tours while in a Costa Rica.
I was traveling by myself and felt completely safe and well taken care of from start to finish. The pickup process was easy and on time. I really loved that the group was small because it gave everyone a chance to chat and get to know each other. Our tour guide, Kevin Piña, was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to answer all of my questions. Our driver, Felipe, was also very kind and made the entire experience even more enjoyable. The locations we visited were absolutely perfect. Nothing felt overcrowded or overly touristy, and one of the highlights was getting to swim at a waterfall completely to ourselves! I look forward to touring with them again in the future. Highly recommend!
Bring a towel and mosquito repellent (important!!). The dinner is very good and complete, but rather late, so have lunch beforehand or bring snacks :) The hike is very easy, we ascend little, and there are plenty of interesting viewpoints! Otherwise, the guide and the driver are very nice!
Great time! We had a group of 10 including three young kids. The hike was fun, but a challenge with the kids. The waterfall and hot springs were awesome experiences. We would do it again!
10/10 ! This tour has it all! We hiked through the volcano and saw spider monkeys and a viper. The waterfall was so beautiful and refreshing and the hot springs were relaxing. Daffney our guide was so smart and thorough. This is a great family tour.



