Visit: La Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna de San Carlos 106-4417 Costa Rica
La Fortuna Waterfall is located within Arenal Volcano National Park, where the temperatures are between 18° and 35° Celsius, which generates abundant vegetation and diversity of fauna. This natural monument is admired by more than 100,000 tourists from around the world every year. La Fortuna Waterfall is generated by the waters of the Fortuna River and its small tributaries, which are born in the mountains of the park. Among the reliefs that can be mentioned are the Cerro de los Perdidos, Placas de Mayo, and Cerro Chato, which are supported on rocky bases of great geological value and enrich the scenic beauty of the place.
Once you enter the Río Fortuna Ecological Reserve, the vegetation and the sounds of the fauna surrounding the place will be your best companions. The facilities have a small square, a viewpoint in the upper part of La Reserva, and accessibility for people with disabilities. From there you can see La Catarata at a distance of 200 meters.
The route consists of about 500 steps downward to get to the imposing Rio Fortuna Waterfall, where the peace and majesty of nature will make you enjoy its waters and the scenic beauty of this place. The path was recently remodeled, which also has comfortable rest areas.
Finally, at the end of the path will be waiting a splendid 70-meter high waterfall. Admired by more than 100,000 tourists from around the world every year, they can swim and enjoy the crystalline waters in peace with this wonderful natural resource of La Fortune.
See Availability.
Skip-the-Line La Fortuna Waterfall Admission Ticket
1/2/2023 - 6/4/2025
| Monday - Sunday : | 07:00 AM - 05:00 PM |
1 to 2 hours(approx.)
Wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for participants with heart complaints or high blood pressure
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Posted By : Santhi_K
Don’t need a guide if you have a car to drive around. Bus service and cab service limited to go to la fortuna waterfall.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-05-16
Posted By : 580judim
Wonderful experience. I’m 62 and made the steps! 😁. My daughter went with me and swam in the water around the waterfall. Water was a little cold but refreshing. Lots of large boulders to get from steps to the water. The waterfall is magnificent and a must do. 500 steps down and up, cannot get there by car.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-22
Posted By : damsel14
We kept having an unseasonable amount of rainfall, so I was very worried. When we arrived, they told us that the river water was too high, so we couldn't go down. I couldn't come back the next day. As we were deciding what to do, the lifeguards called up and opened the river--beware, this can happen on a very rainy day!
I'm so glad we lucked out, because this ended up being a great experience. It was a huge joy to watch the waterfall.
There are a lot of stairs, but I didn't think it was that bad--unless you have a disability, I wouldn't let this deter you from visiting. I think we were back up in about 15 minutes, and we're healthy but not gym rats.
**Pro Tips**
1. The parking lot is guarded
2. There are lockers about backpack sized; I don't know if you need to pay for them, but I would bring your own lick if you want to use these, just in case. Photo attached
3. Invest in a waterproof phone pouch! Seriously! They're like $7, and so many people asked me if I bought mine in the gift shop because they regretted not getting one. Even if you don't take photos, do you really want to leave your phone unguarded on shore? On that note, also get a lanyard; trust me, it's not fun if you drop it in the water. But get a brightly colored pouch, in case you drop it. Trust me on that one.
4. The orchid trail is not a real trail, you can do it in flip flops. When you're walking around there and up or down to the waterfall in the late morning through late lunch time, look up--there are dozens of monkeys, and they're very active at those times
5. The restaurant there is pretty good, and fairly priced. If you dine there, sit near the trees and keep your eyes peeled; I spotted a toucan and chicken in the tree
6. Bring a quick dry towel; I'm surprised more people don't know about these, but they're excellent
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-15
Posted By : G7915GJjohannaa
Be prepared for 500 steps! The current was too strong to swim while we were there, it was still magical. The rangers are kind helpful and informative.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-12
Posted By : heatherlM227ZM
We decided to tour the waterfall on our own, and that was fine - no guide needed. You arrive, pay for your ticket ($20 per ticket) and off you go' I will say we read to go first thing I the morning or around 3:30 pm as it gets crowded. We got there around opening and walked down the 500 steps. We stopped at the various viewing areas and took pictures, and then went swimming. Make sure you wear rugged closed toe sandals (Keens)or water shoes a the focus are very slippery. The water is cold, but so refreshing in the heat after the climb down. It took about 15 minutes to get down, longer to climb up and that climb is not for the faint of heart. If you can't handle a few flights of stairs on a regular basis, you will have a very hard time with this. I hike and walk a ton and my calfs were sore for 3 days! It was worth it though - it's beautiful.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-08
Posted By : sabine_m
Very nice waterfall, the almost 500 steps are worth to take. Behind the entrance there are directly the stairs, so it‘s a quit fast access. In the high season it‘s crowded, but still worth to see. It‘s possible to swim in the chilly water s d that‘s a nice refreshment.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-07
Posted By : Catherine_F
Gorgeous falls! Not to be missed when visiting La Fortuna. Spent about 45 minutes at the falls and enjoyed a great meal at the restaurant after the trek back up the 500 stairs. Totally worth it!
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-06
Posted By : RughB
Recommend making prior reservations to this great place. Beautiful waterfall, easy to access but save a little energy for the 500 steps that you climb to leave. Great experience.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-04
Posted By : Elena_F
Very well organized, friendly staff. We send our teenage kids (18 and 15) by themselves and they felt very comfortable and safe. They were taken good care of.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-03
Posted By : 328paruld
This was a lovely experience. Just warning you: steep hike down and steep hike back up. But the waterfall was gorgeous. Plenty of space to sprawl out and enjoy the view. Water was cold but refreshing. I would recommend just come in your bathing suit and water shoes.
Rating :
Posted On : 2024-04-03
