Day Trip from Your Hotel in Quepos: Nauyaca Waterfalls
Day Trip From Your Hotel in Quepos: Nauyaca Waterfalls
If you are spending some time in the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area of Costa Rica, the Nauyaca waterfalls warrant a visit. This striking set of waterfalls is such a distinct natural wonder and contrasts beautifully with the saltwater beaches of the area. The Nauyaca Waterfalls are your freshwater glory to explore and are just a quick drive or bus ride away from Hotels in Quepos.
How to Get to Nauyaca Waterfalls
There are a couple of ways to get to the Nauyaca waterfalls, but what to expect once you arrive at the ticket office to purchase your ticket can be a bit confusing. We are here to help clarify that for you. Unless you are doing the horseback riding tour or the 4x4 tour (you can refer to
www.nauyacawaterfallscostarica.com for pricing) you will need to be prepared for a bit of a trek.
By Car:
If you are going by car, it will be an easy drive south along Route 34 towards Dominical, and from there another 15 minutes. You can put the Nauyaca Waterfalls into Waze or Google Maps to help direct you the remainder of the way. You will need to stop at the ticket office to buy your ticket (around $10 USD), and then can continue on to the parking lot. From the parking lot, you will still have a 4-kilometer hike to the falls, and it usually takes around 50 minutes to an hour. Beware, this is not for the faint of heart, especially in Costa Rican heat - it consists of a lot of up and down. Come prepared with lunch and lots of water, though, and the hike will be enjoyable and picturesque.
What to do at the falls
The first waterfall you will see when you arrive is not for swimming. You can spend some time taking photos and videos of this first one (although the photos do it very little justice!) or just enjoying the beauty of it all.
When you go down to the second waterfall, this is where you can relax and swim. The swim is rejuvenating, and the water is so clear that you can see fish swimming in it. Many people - daredevils if you will - climb up the falls and jump off them into the pool below. I would recommend wearing water shoes if you plan to try this.
We spent 2 hours at the falls, as this was the amount of time we were given with the 4x4 tour we took, and it was the perfect amount of time. We were able to swim, take photos, have a snack, and enjoy the majestic views.
Writer’s Tips:
Water shoes are a great thing to bring to the falls if you have them. It will be much more comfortable to explore the area with the second waterfall if you are wearing these. It will also be a lot safer, as the rocks you need to walk on can get slippery.
While the Nauyaca waterfalls make for a great day trip, you can also combine a trip to the falls with some time in Dominical. If you are hiking, this will take up more time. If you do the horseback or 4x4 tour though, you may very well have some energy left to spend in Dominical before heading back to Quepos/Manuel Antonio. The beach and main strip in Dominical can be explored within a couple of hours.- If you're in need of a Hotel in Quepos, check out Villas.Jacquelina, an eco-friendly treehouse style boutique Hotel that fits any budget.
- If you are want more helpful information about Quepos and Manuel Antonio, visit our Manuel Antonio Travel Guide.
By Bus and Taxi:
To get to Nauyaca from Quepos/Manuel Antonio, look to take a bus that goes to San Isidro de General or Pérez Zeledón. When you buy your ticket, confirm with the cashier that the bus will stop and let you off at the Nauyaca Waterfall tour office. There are typically 3 buses that go from Quepos to Pérez Zeledón. There should be a 7am, an 8am, and an 11am but it's always best to check at the bus station in advance. The bus ticket should cost around 1,200CRC and will take around 2 hours. This bus will drop you off at the Tour office where you buy your tickets for the waterfall.
From the tour office, you will have the option to buy a ticket that includes a 4x4 tractor ride to the falls. If you opt out of the tractor ride, be prepared for a solid hike. The first 2km of your hike will take you from the tour office to the parking area. Then, from the parking area to the fall is another 4km of hiking.
When I went, I purchased the 4x4 option. While I was happy with the 4x4 option we opted for, the walk/hike is the economical, not to mention eco-friendly, choice. As long as you can make the parking lot your starting point, you can expect a fairly intense, hilly 4 km hike each way. However, the waterfalls are a cool and invigorating reward after the hike; much more refreshing than the ocean!
Keep in mind that the last bus back to Quepos/Manuel Antonio will pass the Nauyaca tour office at 4:20pm
