One of the determining factors to making Costa Rica our home base was the country’s abundance of natural attractions and adventures.
Things like having beautiful beaches, hiking trails and lots of greenery nearby were important to us. Even better? Being just a hop, skip and a jump away from the spectacular Nauyaca Waterfalls.
P.S. It’s crazy to realize we’ve been living in Costa Rica for almost two years. Flashback to this photo when we first got here with our pup, Jack, when he was still small and able to fit on our old motorcycle! Now he’s huge – and luckily since we rescued him, his coat is beautiful and full :)
How To Get To Nauyaca Waterfalls in Southern Costa Rica
A journey to the Nauyaca Waterfalls starts with purchasing an $8 ticket at a green and blue roadside house with black bars across the front. There is plenty of signage on the road between Dominical and San Isidro, but it is surprisingly easy to miss if you’re not paying close attention.
After you buy your ticket, you have two options: You can hike down the 2 km dirt road to the start of the hiking path, or if you’ve got 4×4 capabilities we recommend driving down to the start of the hike. The dirt road leading to the hike isn’t particularly scenic but it IS super steep. There is a parking lot at the end of the dirt road where the hiking trail begins. Although we’ve never heard of anyone having issues here, be sure to bring any valuables with you or leave them at home as there is no security here.
The 4km hike to the waterfall starts after crossing over the bridge and passing through the jungle. The trail is well-maintained, and during the dry season (when we went) it was relatively clean. After a heavy rain, the trail does become very muddy so you might want to bring shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. While some spots are shady, there are good portions that leave you exposed to the sun. We recommend you bring sunscreen and lots of water, too.
Before you get to the main gate to access the waterfall, there is a little restaurant where you can restock on water and grab a bite to eat. Much to our disappointment, they don’t serve ice cream here.
Up the trail a little further is the entrance gate where you will need to show your wristband to the guard. Just a few hundred meters after the gate, you will have the option to visit the upper or the lower falls. While both are spectacular and worth a visit, the lower falls are the larger of the two and have a pool that is safe to jump and swim in.
We chose to visit the lower falls and enjoy the hot afternoon sunbathing and watching various levels of daring cliff jumps. The safest place to jump is on the right-hand side as you are facing the falls. One daring local was so brave as to climb all the way up the face of the waterfall and then jump from the top! Obviously not something we tried or recommend…
The weekends tend to get quite crowded. If you are looking for a more tranquil experience, then we recommend trying to time your hike on a weekday. We decided to take the trek on Sunday and found the busy atmosphere to be surprisingly fun as people were cheering on those bold enough to jump off the waterfall into the plunge pool. There were also plenty of locals picnicking and enjoy the beautiful day.
After we had our fair share of fun and photo ops, we returned the same way we came. We will definitely be coming to Nauyaca Falls again as it is a beautiful location and just 10 minutes down the road!
There is also a popular horseback riding tour that takes visitors to the falls; it’s a good option if you’re not into hiking or if you want to combine adventures! The horseback riding tours begin from the same roadside entrance where you buy your ticket. We recommend calling in advance to reserve your spot and check the details.
Getting there:
There are multiple tour companies that arrange tours to the waterfall with transportation included. If you are traveling from Quepos and heading south, turn left just before the police checkpoint at the Rio Baru Bridge. Coming from Dominical the turn is a right after the bridge and police checkpoint. Follow signs for San Isidro. After you turn onto the road to San Isidro, it is a winding 7 km up to the ticket office, a one-story green and blue building with black bars across the front. It will be on the right-hand side with a large Nauyaca Waterfalls sign across the street. Entrance to the falls is $8.
Do you seek out waterfalls on your travels? Have you visited the Nauyaca Waterfalls?
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Waw, what a beautiful waterfall to have practically right in your backyard! :) Enjoy!
Sarah recently posted…9 Day Trips you should Never Take
Thank you so much Sarah! Sometimes we take for granted what is right in front of us :)
These waterfalls look beautiful! Yes, I do seek out waterfalls because I just love them.
Jennifer recently posted…Eccleston Square: London’s Bou”tech” Hotel
This is definitely one of our favorites in Costa Rica! A great place to spend a hot afternoon.
The waterfalls look so beautiful. Reminds of one here where I live called the Pagsanjan Falls. So lovely to enjoy specially with the family.
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It is a very pretty spot and we had a great time there. Glad it reminds you of home :-)
What is the best time of day to take photos of the waterfall area? If you are there in the morning, are you looking into the sun?
How long does the actual hike take?
Hey Carrie! It depends how fit you are, but I would say about an hour each way.
This is a fabulous description.!!!! and VERY HELPFUL!!!!! 2 years ago my friends and I hiked this. There was nothing organized about the hike for us to read. We just figured it out on our own. I’m back in CR and want to hike it again with my daughter. This site was easy to find and helped me plan our day. THANKS SO MUCH!!!!
So happy to hear that and hope you had an amazing time :) :) We really appreciate you taking the time to let us know that the post was helpful! Happy Travels!
Loved your article. Thanks for all the information, very helpful. You mention having traveled during Sunday but the website says that they are not open on Sunday and on “special days.” I was wondering if you had any issues given that it was Sunday. Maybe they just mean for horseback riding.
Thanks so much! And I think it is just for horseback riding that they are not open, unless they have changed it since our last visit :)
Hi! Do you know where is the best place to stay if I want to go there? Im not sure if I should stay in San Isidro or Dominical. Thanks!
Hi Maria! Dominical would be your closer choice, so I would recommend that unless you are interested in exploring more of the mountains around San Isidro (which are also beautiful).
Best article and photos I’ve seen online! We are a family of 6 (4 adults, 2 kids) and need a place to stay near Nauyaca Falls for just one night (May 31, 2017). Does anyone have a recommendation? Can’t wait! Thanks in advance!
Thanks so much! Dominical is only about 15 minutes away, which is where most people opt to stay. Uvita is also just down the road from Dominical. Tons of accommodation options in that area :) Feel free to email us for more personalized suggestions based on your budget and needs :)
Hello! Lovely article.. We are going to rent a car and drive ourselves to the waterfalls, but I was wondering if there was parking near the main entrance (where we buy the tickets) prior to the steep drive down to where the trail begins? You stated we can actually walk it down if we don’t have a 4×4. We would much rather walk down than do it with the car.. but need to make sure there is a place to park the car! Any suggestions?
There is a place to park at the entrance (just the side of the road but that’s one everyone does for the horseback riding tours), but it is a loooooong walk from there :)
Is a 4×4 still needed in the dry season?
Hi, Aerin!
Yes, we would definitely still recommend a 4X4 during dry season. :-)
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