Best Costa Rica Hiking Tours & Trails

Guided hikes are one of the best ways to explore the outdoors and see the beauty of Costa Rica. There are several hiking options to consider, all defined by their unique location. Costa Rica hiking experiences vary from moderate to intense, offering something for everyone. Below are the most popular options with most tourists:

Arenal Volcano Hikes

Arenal Volcano National Park Hike

Duration: Varies

Distance: 2km-3.4km (1.2-2.1 miles)

Difficulty: Easy/Moderate/Challenging

Attractions: Wildlife, plant life

Arenal Volcano National Park is open daily for guided hikes along its base. A professional naturalist will take you through areas of regenerating nature where a unique set of plant and animal species are found. There are multiple trails to discover, varying in length and intensity depending on your needs. On a clear day, you can expect amazing volcano views from the various vantage points throughout the park.

Arenal Hanging Bridges Hike

Approximate Duration: 2 hours

Distance: 3.2km (2 miles)

Difficulty: Moderate

Attractions: Wildlife, waterfalls

The Arenal Hanging Bridges is a classic Costa Rica hiking experience in the Arenal area. A series of trails with eight fixed and six hanging bridges will take you in a 2-mile (3.2-kilometer) loop through the 618-acre private rainforest reserve beneath the mammoth Arenal Volcano. The hike takes approximately 2 hours in total and is only available by reservation. We suggest hitting the trails early when the wildlife is most active and hiking with a naturalist guide who is skilled at pointing out animals like howler monkeys, bird species, and wild boars. Don’t miss the waterfall extension part of the trail for an extra bit of adventure!

La Fortuna Waterfall Hike

Approximate Duration: 30+ minutes

Distance: ~500 steps 

Difficulty: Moderate

Attractions: Waterfalls, swimming

The La Fortuna Waterfall is one of the must-do Costa Rica hiking tours for visitors to the Arenal region. Once you park and pay an entry fee, you’ll pass a little restaurant and the lookout point. Don’t forget to stop and check out the La Fortuna lookout. It’s pretty impressive to see the cascade surrounded by the dense tropical forest. From here, you’ll begin trekking down the stairs. The trail is in and out, so it may only take 15 minutes or so to hike down the 500 steps to the canyon, but more like half an hour (or more) on the way up with some stop-offs to rest. Toward the bottom, you’ll pass over a fixed bridge, some impressive boulders within the canyon, and finally reach La Fortuna Waterfall. Swimming at the base of the waterfall is not permitted, but you are allowed to go further downstream, so wear your swimsuit under your clothes!

Hotels near Arenal Volcano

Guanacaste Hikes

Rio Celeste Waterfall Hike (Tenorio Volcano National Park)

Approximate Duration: Full Day 

Distance: 5.4km (3.4 miles)

Difficulty: Moderate – Challenging

Attractions: Waterfalls

Rio Celeste, in the Guanacaste province, is a river so blue that in pictures it’s often mistaken for being photo-shopped! The color of the water truly needs to be seen by the naked eye to be believed (though the color varies depending on weather conditions and recent rainfall). A guided full-day tour of this area is the way to go, with a 3.4-mile in-and-out challenging hike. The Rio Celeste waterfall on your way back down is a one-of-a-kind sight to behold. Keep in mind, though, that this trail can be difficult for inexperienced hikers. Swimming in Tenorio Volcano National Park (where Rio Celeste is located) is prohibited.

Hotels near Rio Celeste Waterfall

Rincon de la Vieja National Park Hikes

Approximate Duration: Full Day

Distance: 3.5-10.2km (2.2-6.2 miles) 

Difficulty: Moderate

Attractions: Volcanoes, waterfalls

Rincon de la Vieja’s temperamental landscape offers some of the most unique Costa Rica hiking tours. The park contains Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, the largest volcano in Guanacaste, in addition to nine (minimally) eruptive vents, fossilized lava flows, loose lava rock, hot springs, bubbling mud pots, and several waterfalls. Full-day hiking tours to Rincon de la Vieja National Park are accessed from the Guanacaste region.

Hotels near Rincon de la Vieja

Manuel Antonio National Park Hike

Approximate Duration: 3+ hours

Distance: 0.5-2km (0.3-0.6 miles)

Difficulty: Easy -Moderate

Attractions: Wildlife, swimming

Manuel Antonio National Park is small but mighty, and an accessible entry point to the rainforest for travelers of most ages and abilities. There are several trails to explore: The Main Trail, accessible from the park entrance, is flat, sandy, and great for all ages! This is the trail many of the guided hikes will take, as it branches off to all the major beaches within the park. Expert tip: hit the trails early with a professional guide to get the best wildlife viewing experience. Another moderately difficult trail for adventurous travelers is Cathedral Point, a 0.9-mile loop around the park’s ridge with spectacular viewpoints. The trail is accessible from both Manuel Antonio and Escondido Sur Beach and can be steep in sections. Don’t forget to bring a swimsuit!

Hotels near Manuel Antonio National Park

Bajos del Toro Waterfall Hike

Approximate Duration: 30+ min

Distance: 2.1km (1.3 miles)

Difficulty: Moderate – Challenging

Attractions: Waterfalls

Accessible from El Silencio Cloud Forest Lodge, the Bajos del Toro Waterfall Hike is a short hike that reaps a big reward. Just a 15-minute trek from the lodge reveals a stunning, multi-colored, mossy-green canyon and the giant Bajos del Toro Waterfall, also known as Catarata del Toro, dropping 400 feet into it. The first fifteen minutes of the trek are along relatively flat terrain before you will need to descend about 375 steps to the base of the falls. Be sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes! The hike back up the stairs can be a bit challenging, but the scenery is worth it!

Hotels near Bajos del Toro Waterfall

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Approximate Duration: Half day

Distance: 0.2-13 km (0.1-8 miles)

Difficulty: Varies

Attractions: Wildlife, plant life

The high altitude of Monteverde brings moisture, making it a rich source of biodiversity and allowing it to be called a Cloud Forest. The park has nine trails covering about eight miles (13 kilometers), but a half-day tour will give you a great taste of the unique flora and fauna of the park. The illustrious quetzal is among one of over 400 bird species in the area, along with tens of thousands of insect species, more than 2,500 plant species, and 130 mammal species.

Hotels near Monteverde Cloud Forest

Osa Peninsula Hikes

Corcovado National Park Hike

Approximate Duration: Full day

Distance: Varies

Difficulty: Easy – Moderate – Difficult

Attractions: Wildlife

National Geographic once referred to Corcovado National Park, on the remote Osa Peninsula, “the most biologically intense place on the planet.” Corcovado contains 13 diverse ecosystems with a variety of endangered species such as jaguars, red-backed squirrel monkeys, Baird’s tapirs, and harpy eagles. As of 2014, all visitors to Corcovado National Park must be accompanied by a guide. This is the quintessential Costa Rica hiking experience in the rainforest.

Related Article: Corcovado National Park Guide

Nocturnal Jungle Walk

Approximate Duration: 2-3 hours

Distance: Varies

Difficulty: Easy – Moderate – Challenging

Attractions: Wildlife

Don’t limit yourself to daytime hikes! The tropical rainforests of Costa Rica are home to an astounding amount of nocturnal creatures, and when you’re sleeping, they’re just getting started. Guided nighttime jungle walks let hikers see and hear wildlife that they would otherwise never experience. The walk can be arranged from multiple destinations.

Hotels on the Osa Peninsula

Hike at the El Silencio Lodge & Spa Reserve

Approximate Duration: Full Day

Distance: 2km (1.2 miles)

Difficulty: Moderate

Attractions: Waterfalls

El Silencio Lodge & Spa was built within a private Cloud Forest reserve halfway between San Jose and Arenal. Guests can hike along the hotel’s on-site trails to 3 hidden waterfalls within the reserve. There are also great hiking experiences nearby; the Bajos del Toro Waterfall is just 15 minutes from the hotel and one of the top Costa Rica hiking activities booked by guests.

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