Las Chorreras Waterfall is a pretty blue waterfall and swimming hole. It’s a lovely spot, but by Costa Rican standards, it’s on the smaller and less wow-y side of things. For this reason, given it’s on private land and you have to pay an entry fee, I’ve heard it said that it’s not worth visiting. However, if you come to Las Chorreras and don’t visit the other turquoise swimming holes nearby, then you’re missing out, and yes, it’s probably not worth it.
However, with five blue water holes that were completely empty, even in the middle of a sunny afternoon in dry season, it becomes a lot more worth your while. Given how busy most swimming spots in Costa Rica’s peak season are, we could not believe we didn’t see another soul at any of the ones at Las Chorreras.
Here’s what to expect and why we think Las Chorreras Waterfall is worth a visit.
Visiting Las Chorreras Waterfall
The entry fee
Normally I leave all the logistical things to the end of the post, but given there’s quite a lot of misinformation online, I thought I better clear up the actual cost of visiting Las Chorreras Waterfall.
I’d seen a lot of reviews where people first visit nearby Rincon de la Vieja National Park, which has its own entry fee (USD $17) and then think they can visit Las Chorreras using the national park ticket. They are then asked for a further USD $17 and think the fee is therefore USD $34, which is hefty, even by Costa Rican standards.
However, you don’t need a national park ticket to visit the waterfall, so the real fee is only USD $17. Whilst it’s not cheap, it’s pretty standard for Costa Rica.
The other way you can visit Las Chorreras Waterfall is by staying at the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin, who own the land. It’s then free, along with various other spots including Oropendola Waterfall, Rio Negro hot springs, La Victoria Waterfall and several other swimming holes.
This is what we chose to do, as we wanted to visit all the spots, and therefore it was a lot cheaper for us to book a night at the hotel. I’ll go into more detail on what the hotel is like at the end of this post.
The walk to Las Chorreras Waterfall
The stats
Distance: 3.6km return to the falls, 6km return including all 5 pools
Elevation gain: 175m
Difficulty: Easy
In terms of where to start the trail, you can either park in the lay-by opposite the trailhead, or park at the hotel’s car park. If you park at the lay-by, you don’t have to walk for 300m (each way) along the road, so that’s what I’d recommend.
The trail is signposted and you’ll head straight onto a well graded gravel path. It’s briefly downhill before the trail pretty much flattens.
You’re walking beside a field and it’s a little exposed for the first kilometre. It feels flat for the first 1km, but it’s every so slightly downhill (I only noticed on the way back!).
You’ll then enter a patch of forest and we were lucky enough to spot an anteater here, which was amazing. We couldn’t believe it, especially as it was right in the middle of a very hot day.
The track stays in the forest and winds gently downhill on a mix of sloped gravel track and stairs. At the 1.7km mark you’ll come out at a junction and there is a big toilet block. The toilets are surprisingly fancy, like you’d find at a hotel, not something you’d expect to see in the forest!
From here you’ll walk straight on and pass the person who checks your ticket (wristband) before descending a staircase to the top of the falls. There is then one more staircase that takes you right down to the swimming hole.
Swimming at Las Chorreras Waterfall
Las Chorreras Waterfall is a lovely spot, with the small falls and beautiful blue water. It’s definitely on the smaller side, but it has a nice feel to it. It’s easy to access the water as there are very few rocks to walk over, and the water deepens quickly.
However, for such a small waterfall, I was surprised by the strength of the current, and it’s more a place to go to cool off than an actual swim.
Despite this I really liked it, and was so surprised there was no one else there, despite the fact we visited in the middle of the day in peak season.
You can also swim to the right of the falls, through a little section of canyon, but there is quite a strong current here too.
By Costa Rican standards, it’s not a showstopper, but Costa Rican standards are very high. In most places we visit, I would be saying it’s a must do!
However, as mentioned, to make the most of your entry ticket you want to continue along the trail to several more water holes - which are very different to Las Chorreras Waterfall - and the combination makes for a fantastic morning or afternoon swimming hole hopping.
Onto the first two swimming holes
You head back up to the junction where the person checks the tickets and then follow the signs for Poza Celestes. We spotted an agouti here and it was happy to pose for a few photos!
The walk to the other swimming holes is easy for the most part, but it does undulate a bit, and there are a few rocks here and there.
Although the map said there were three swimming holes along the trail, there were actually five - each with their own path down to the water.
The map you will get on buying your entry ticket marks pool number three as pool number one. The first two you will come to don’t exist on the map, which is mad considering the water is so blue and most people would consider them great swimming holes!
The first pool is 500m from the junction (2.3km into the walk) and then the dirt track down to the pools (easy) is 50m each way. There are two pools here, separated by a set of cascades and rocks.
The water was turquoise and somehow looked even bluer than Las Chorreras Waterfall. They are easy to access.
Once you’re back on the main trail you’ll very quickly see another cut down on the right, with a sign saying ‘pozas’. It’s then a minute’s walk down to the water. This is again easy to access and very pretty, but tiny. One to take a quick dip in, not an actual swim.
Onto poza one
So technically this is pool number three, but as it’s named and signposted as poza one, we’ll stick with that. It comes just over 2.8km into the walk - assuming you have made the little detours to the other pools.
There is a dirt track leading down to the pool which has a few rocks and tree roots, but it’s only 100m long and wasn’t challenging in the dry season.
This is a much bigger blue pool which sits between two rock walls that give it a nice secluded feel. It’s very easy to access the water, there are a few stones in the pool, but it deepens quickly.
There is a current but it’s not overly strong - much less strong than at Las Chorreras Waterfall. There is a small cascade at the far end and lots of butterflies flit between the trees.
I thought this would be my favourite pool of them all until I saw the next two!
Onto poza two
Poza two is located 250m from poza one (3.1km into the walk). You head back onto the main trail and then cut down to the river again when you see the signpost.
This dirt track down is more rustic, with rocks and leaf litter, so you had to watch your step a little more.
I loved this pool. Although it’s similar to poza one, the rock walls are slightly higher and there are hanging vines, which give it a wilder feel.
There is little current, but it’s not too strong (in dry season) and it’s long and deep enough for a proper swim. The only thing to note is that unlike the other pools which have rocky bottoms, this one is muddy and full of leaf litter.
I know some people won’t like the feel of that, but if you can get past it, it’s a great spot for a swim and a really beautiful pool.
Onto poza three
Poza three is located 200m from poza two (3.3km into the walk). You head back to the main junction and then follow the narrow path through the forest (it looks narrower and less used than the other trails).
Roughly 100m from where you re-joined the main trail, you’ll see the sign for poza three and follow it down to the water, which is 100m away.
This track is the roughest of them all, with lots of rocks and leaf litter. It’s the kind of terrain where it’s easy to roll an ankle, but perfectly fine if you take it slowly and watch your footing.
Your reward is yet another amazing swimming hole, you can swim further in this one, although it doesn’t get really deep until you get nearer the cascade, and again there’s barely any current.
The downside is, that as with poza two, the bottom is muddy rather than rocky, and there is leaf litter in the pool. Good for swimming, bad for lounging. However, it doesn’t really matter as the other pools are great for lounging.
Heading back
Once you’re ready to leave the pools, you head back along the same trail all the way to the car park. It’s an easy walk back and went much more quickly than I was expecting because we weren’t making all the detours. The last 1.5km is a gradual uphill walk, but it’s never steep.
Getting to Las Chorreras Waterfall
Las Chorreras Waterfall is located close to Rincon de la Vieja National Park and you can either park at the lay-by opposite the trailhead, or at the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin.
It’s a 20km, and a 30 minute drive from Liberia and a 10 minute drive from the Las Pailas Sector at the national park.
The trail is marked on Google Maps, and the hotel will give you a map when you buy your tickets.
If you aren’t staying at the hotel you have to pay a 800 colones fee (approx USD $1.50) to use the private road to access the area (this is per person, not per car).
Las Chorreras Waterfall opening hours
At time of writing the waterfall is open between 8am and 5pm. In our experience the close time of waterfalls in Costa Rica is loose, but as we visited in the middle of the day, we can’t be sure with this one.
Where to stay near Las Chorreras Waterfall
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
We stayed at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin because we wanted to access all their waterfalls, hot springs and swimming spots. The rooms were no frills, but spacious and with reliable hot water and internet. They were also super quiet, which was a rarity in Costa Rica. The beds are on the firm side, but if you plan on visiting the resorts waterfalls then it’s a good option.
You can check the reviews and prices on:
Hotel Rincón de la Vieja Lodge
If you don’t mind somewhere basic, then this is a good budget option and just 6km from the waterfall. Rooms look rustic, but have private bathrooms. It’s really about proximity to the waterfalls and Rincon de la Vieja National Park with this one.
You can check the reviews and prices on:
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