Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall: Everything You Need to know!
Take a hike to La Fortuna waterfall! This is by far one of the most popular waterfalls in the La Fortuna area, but for good reason!
Costa Rica has no shortage of amazing waterfalls, but the La Fortuna one stands out due to its height, incredible rainforest gorge, and crystal clear water you can swim in!
Here is everything you need to know about hiking to La Fortuna waterfall including trail condition, fitness/mobility level required, how to get there, amenities, guided tours to the falls, what to bring with you and more!
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Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall: Trail Condition and What to Expect
La Fortuna waterfall is a tall and POWERFUL waterfall. The falls is 70m (229 ft) tall and often flowing heavily due to the tropical rainforest climate it is located in.
This creates a large, deep swimming hole at the bottom, which is one of the main attractions that draws people in!
Like many of the amazing places in Costa Rica, La Fortuna isn’t free.
Entry into the falls is around $20 per person (which is pretty steep, I know)
However, with most things in Costa Rica, entry fees go to conservation in the area to keep the waterfall as great in 10 years as it is today!
Book your entry to La Fortuna waterfall!
Hotel Recommendations!
Want recommendations on where to stay in La Fortuna? Here is information on:
– A great, affordable hotel in La Fortuna
-A splurge for a thermal resort
– And an affordable hotel near the free hot springs!
Condition of the Trail: What to Expect
Really “hike” is a bit of a stretch when it comes to getting to the La Fortuna waterfall.
There really isn’t much “trail.” Rather, a straight down shot of a boat load of stairs.
To get to the base of La Fortuna waterfall you have to descend just over 500 stairs. And then you have to climb back up them!
Once you reach the bottom of the stairs, you are just a short walk from the river and swimming hole at the base of the waterfall.
What to Expect at the Waterfall
Unlike the popular Rio Celeste waterfall, you can swim at La Fortuna waterfall and the water is CRYSTAL clear and amazing!
As the base of the waterfall is a nice, deep swimming hole with REFRESHING water. However, the power of the waterfall creates intense currents (it is hard to swim toward the waterfall), so be careful while swimming.
If you aren’t a strong swimmer, I would recommend sticking to the river or just the edges of the swim hole.
From the main swimming hole, the river creates several different pools of water that are calmer and easier to relax in without fighting such a strong current.
The water is CHILLY. Which can be nice after navigating 600 steps, but also hard to get used to if you aren’t a fan of cold water.
Fitness/Mobility Level Required
Again, there are just over 500 steps you will have to climb up and down to get to/from the waterfall.
They are well-maintained steps with handrails, but they are (lots of) steps, none-the-less.
In order to do the hike to La Fortuna you need to have the strength and cardio to get up and down the steps.
There are pull offs where you can take breaks, but is still quite a workout, even for the young and fit!
Also, getting to the river and the swimming hole requires climbing over slippery rocks.
If you have balance deficits you should be able to get to the river from the steps, but it will be difficult to actually navigate the river rocks and get to the swimming hole.
La Fortuna Waterfall: Location & More
La Fortuna waterfall is located on the Fortuna River, just 5.5 km (3.4 miles) or a 10 minute drive from downtown La Fortuna.
The proximity to La Fortuna makes it a good waterfall option for those who don’t have a lot of days in Costa Rica or want to split time in La Fortuna and other parts of Costa Rica!
How to spend 5 days in Costa Rica!
How to Get to La Fortuna Waterfall
You can get to the La Fortuna waterfall a few different ways.
Taxi: You can grab a taxi from downtown La Fortuna to the waterfall for about $10 USD
Drive: If you are really wanting to explore Costa Rica, the easiest way to get around is by renting a car!
best Way to Get Around Costa Rica!
The easiest way to get to incredible places like Rio Celeste waterfall is to rent a car!
When you go to rent, I recommend using a company like Adobe that is local and gives you all of your fees upfront!
Walk/Bike: If you are trying to save money, it is POSSIBLE to bike or walk to the waterfall from downtown La Fortuna. However, it’ll be about an hour walk and a quite the biking trip.
Bus: There is NO direct bus from La Fortuna to the waterfall.
Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall on a Guided Tour
If you don’t want to find your own way to the waterfall, you can take a guided tour from La Fortuna.
La Fortuna Waterfall + Lunch at a Maluku Village
The price to enter the the falls is $20 USD and if you opt to taxi there, it will be about $20 for a round-trip ride from La Fortuna.
For $55 USD you can take a guided tour from La Fortuna. This will include the ride to/from La Fortuna, entry into the park plus a stop at a Maluku Indian village where you will have lunch and learn about their culture!
La Fortuna Waterfall + Lunch in a Maluku Village
–Duration: 6 hours
–Starting Time: 7:30 am
–Price: $55 USD per person
-Rating: 4.6/5 stars on Get Your Guide
–Includes: English or Spanish speaking tour guide, hotel pickup, lunch at a Maluku Indian village where you will also learn about their culture
La Fortuna Waterfall + Arenal Volcano + Hot Spring
An alternative tour, if you want to combine La Fortuna waterfall with other highlights in the area, is to take a tour to La Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal Volcano National Park and a hot spring.
This guided tour is one of the most popular in the La Fortuna area and is likely to sell out due to how many sites it covers.
It is provided by the same company (Red Lava TSC) as the previous guided tour and covers everything the previous tour covers.
However, instead of dropping you back off in La Fortuna by 1:30, you will continue to Arenal Volcano National Park for a hike near the volcano and then end at a hot spring
La Fortuna Waterfall + Arenal Volcano Hike + Hot Spring
–Duration: 10 hours
–Starting Time: 7:30 am
–Price: $99 USD per person
-Rating: 4.8/5 stars on Get Your Guide
–Includes: English or Spanish speaking tour guide, hotel pickup, hike to La Fortuna Waterfall, lunch at a Maluku Indian village PLUS a hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park and optional hot springs visit
This tour is likely to sell out!
Other Things to Know about the Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall
Here are a few more details to help you prep for your hike to La Fortuna waterfall!
Parking Situation
If you are going the car rental route, there is parking available for free just outside the trailhead entrance. The parking lot is nice and paved, but it isn’t super large.
If you plan to drive yourself, I recommend arriving to the trailhead pretty early to make sure you can find a parking spot.
Amenities Available
Just off the parking lot at the trail head are several amenities.
Rio Lounge: If you work up an appetitie following your hike, there is a restaurant called Rio Lounge located just off the parking lot!
It has a wide selection of food and drinks (including the adult kind) and has a terrace that provides an incredible view of La Fortuna Waterfall.
Restrooms: There are restrooms available off the parking lot, at the beginning of the trail. However, there are NOT restrooms at the bottom of the trail near the waterfall, so do your business before you start hiking.
The restrooms are nice and well-kept and also make for a great place to change out of your clothes after you are done hiking.
What to Wear & Pack For a Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall
Again, there are no restrooms or changing area at the bottom of the hike, near the falls. So make sure you are WEARING your swimsuit before you begin hiking down.
Sturdy Sandals: The the stairs are well-paved, the rocks are SLIPPERY. Wear sandals that have good traction! My go-sandals right now are the Teva Hurricanes.
Breathable Shorts: Wear moisture-wicking shorts. You are going to sweat and then you are going to be wet from swimming. Wear quick-drying shorts such as these Columbia shorts!
Anti-chafe Balm: Moisture + hiking can be a bad combo. Wear some anti-chafe balm to save your thighs. Body Glide is a great brand for this.
Osprey Daylite Pack
The Osprey Daylite Pack is great for short hikes. Its lightweight but still has a chest and hip strap to help carry the load. I wore it all around Costa Rica!
Sunscreen: Though much of the trail is shaded, especially at the bottom, I would bring a travel-sized sunscreen anyway (or apply before leaving.)
Waterproof Phone Pouch: The waterfall is pretty powerful and has a lot of spray if you plan to get pretty close to the swim hole. Get one with a neck strap so you can use both hands to climb over the slippery rocks!
Travel towel: If you don’t want to hike back up the stairs wet, pack a travel towel. I have the Sun’y brand travel towel and love it!
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Final Thoughts on the Hike to la Fortuna Waterfall
Despite the unfortunate amount of stairs it takes to get to/from the La Fortuna waterfall, it is worth seeing! It really is a beautiful waterfall and the good swimming holes makes it even better!
How to spend 8 days in Costa Rica seeing sloths in Manual Antonio, zip lining in Monteverde and hiking and soaking in hot springs in Arenal and La Fortuna!
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