As we moved forward, the platform beneath our feet swung vigorously. The distant view of Oropendola Waterfall, on the other side, already caught our attention. But we took a few minutes to appreciate the nature around as well. I looked through the hollow spaces between the wooden steps, and also over the railings on either side. The river was gushing under the hanging bridge.
It was a bit windy and cloudy, as it often happens in the afternoons in Costa Rica, even in the dry season. After climbing down the stairs of the hanging bridge, we were welcomed by the sprays from the raging Oropendola Waterfall.
We were already tired from the long La Cangreja waterfall hike in the Rincon de la Vieja National Park next door. The Oropendola Waterfall, locally known as Catarata Oropéndola, is an easy walk and was the perfect place to relax after the longer hike inside the national park.
Here is our guide to help you plan your visit to the Oropendola waterfall, whether you plan to stay near the Rincon de la Vieja National Park or take a day trip in Guanacaste.
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Oropendola Waterfall Visit Resources:
Best way to experience the Oropendola waterfall is to stay at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin or to book a guided full-day tour
Most convenient way of getting around in Costa Rica is to rent a car
Must-have things on your Costa Rica packing list: Reef Safe Sunscreen, Insect Repellent and Rain Poncho
For swimming in the turquoise pool of Oropendola, put on water shoes
How to Reach the Oropendola Waterfall?
The Oropendola waterfall is on a private property just outside the Las Pailas sector of the Rincon de la Vieja Park in the Guanacaste province.
Directions from Liberia
Drive to the north following Ruta 1 for about 4 km / 2.5 miles before taking a right on a paved road just past the Plaza Deportes, Guadalupe. Keep going on this road for about 20 km/ 12.5 miles to reach the entrance of the Rincon de la Vieja National Park.
As you drive towards the park, after several miles, you will reach a closed gate guarded by a security personnel. The entry points and large part of the property until the park is owned by the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. You will need to pay 800 CRC for going farther on the road.
However, if you are staying in the hotel, then this entrance fee is included in the stay tariff. You do not need to pay anything at this checkpoint. The security person carries the list of hotel guests and will let you in after confirming your booking name.
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Rincon de la Vieja is a recommended destination on our Costa Rica 10-Day Itinerary from Liberia.
How to Visit the Oropendola Waterfall + Entry Fees
The Oropendola waterfall falls under the privately owned lands of Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. The waterfall is 5 km / 3 miles away from the hotel. The waterfall entrance has a large parking area. So, there are 3 ways you can visit Catarata Oropendol. Here is a breakdown of the options and the costs associated.
Option 1: Stay at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
If you are a resident guest at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin, your nightly room tariff already includes free access to the Oropendola Waterfall, along with some other attractions on the property. According to us, this is the best way to visit the waterfall.
Click here to book your stay at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin.
Option 2: Book a Tour
If you are not staying at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin, and only planning for a day trip from Liberia or one of the Guanacaste beaches to the Rincon de la Vieja region, you can book a guided tour.
The tour not only takes you the the Oropendola Waterfall, but is a full-day activity instead. They start from a guided hike in Las Pailas sector of Rincon de la Vieja National Park and then take you to Oropendola waterfall and also to the Rio Negro Hot Springs and waterfalls. The tour price includes ground transportation, services of a certified guide, all entrance fees, lunch and bottled water.
Of course, this is the priciest option for visiting Catarata Oropendola, but also the one where you get the most bang for your buck.
Option 3: Visit Independently
Even if you are not staying at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin or not booking a tour, you can still visit the Oropendola waterfall. But you still do have to go through the Hacienda as the waterfall is located on their private property.
You can buy tickets online from the hotel website or in person from the hotel front desk. In either case, you do have to stop at the hotel front desk and complete the check in. Do not forget this step, else you will need to drive back a few kilometers.
The price for an independent visit to Oropendola Waterfall is 20 USD for adults and 15 USD for children between 4-12 years of age. Infants get free entry. You can also buy a combo of waterfall visit and traditional Costa Rican lunch for a price tag of 37 USD for adults and 26 USD for children.
Since the waterfall is located on a private property that is not accessible by public transport, you do need to have your own vehicle for visiting Oropendola waterfall on your own. Check here for finding car rental deals across notable rental companies in Costa Rica.
According to us, this option of independent visit does not really provide value for money.
Verdict: Which Option is the Best?
Comparing all three options and taking into account the logistics part, we recommend staying at the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin or booking a guided full-day tour for experiencing a visit to the Oropendola waterfall.
However, if you absolutely prefer to visit on your own, rent a car for convenience and remember to purchase your tickets from the hotel website or the hotel front desk.
The waterfall and the pool are so stunning that they do deserve a place on your Costa Rica itinerary.
Costa Rica Waterfalls Guide: A collection of more than a dozen stunning waterfalls in Costa Rica.
Oropendola Waterfall/ Catarata Oropéndola
The Trail
The trail to the waterfall is easy and mostly flat. We were happy about that, as we were just coming from a 10 km hike in the National Park. The vegetation is low and thin towards the beginning but thickens as you get closer to the waterfall. It took us less than 10 minutes to reach the waterfall.
The Hanging Bridge
As you already know by now, there is a hanging bridge at the end of the trail. It swings quite a bit when you step on it, unlike some of the other hanging bridges that we have experienced in Costa Rica. For this reason, maximum two persons are allowed at a time.
While walking down the steps of the hanging bridge, you will get to see the Oropendola waterfall on the other side and the river flowing under the bridge.
The small path after the hanging bridge leads to a wooden platform. This works as a viewing deck of the Oropendola Waterfall.
The Oropendola Waterfall
The Oropendola Waterfall splashes into a pool from a height of 25 m / 82 feet. The pool gets its cool turquoise color from the volcanic minerals of the region. Rio Blanco, that forms the waterfall flows through the canyon and disappears into the surrounding forest.
The setting of the waterfall is pretty with the aerial roots hanging from the trees surrounding the waterfall and complementing the plunging white water.
You can appreciate the views standing on the deck or you can use the stairs to get to the pool. The deck is pretty close to the waterfall. So in case you wish to remain dry and just take pictures, stay on the deck.
But if you want take a dip or even just feel the water, climb down the iron framed wooden stairs. The river is just knee deep near the stairs. The riverbed looks pretty, decorated with the colorful rocks. The view of the waterfall, from the bottom provides a different perspective.
Best Time to Visit Oropendola Waterfall
Catarata Oropéndola will be in its full glory during the rainy season between May and November. However, swimming in the pool may not be safe during this time. You will find a sign warning visitors of flash floods.
The dry season (mid-December to April) is best if you want to take a dip in the pool and the river to cool off from the otherwise hot and humid Guanacaste. But the flow of water may lessen though during the later part of the dry season in this tropical dry forest zone.
We visited Oropendola Waterfall in December, when waterfall was still full and the weather was nice, neither rainy, nor hot.
Related Reading: Best Time to Visit Costa Rica
What to Wear + What to Carry?
Here are few things to keep in mind while visiting the Oropendola waterfall:
There is no washroom or shower at this waterfall area.
- Wear swim wear underneath, if you wish to take a dip.
- Carry towels. Microfiber towels are the best as they are quick dry and extra absorbent.
- Always carry raincoat or rain poncho as it can rain anytime in Costa Rica
- Bring water to keep yourself hydrated, particularly in dry season
- Wear water shoes if you are walking on the river bed. The rocks are pretty but some are with sharp edges.
- Apply sunscreen. If your itinerary includes ocean activities, use reef safe sunscreen.
- Use insect repellent if you are sensitive to bugs in the jungle. We did not need one for Oropendola though.
Insider Tip: Please bring sunscreen and insect repellent from your home country. The options for these products in Costa Rica are limited, and the prices can be shocking. We have seen far too many people, including ourselves, raise brows at sunscreen prices here.
Related Reading: Costa Rica Packing List + FREE Checklist
Final Thoughts
The Guanacaste region is popular for the pristine beaches. However, if you wish to take a break from your ocean odyssey, visit the Oropendola waterfall and add the other attractions in the Rincon de la Vieja National Park. The turquoise pool, hanging bridge, water flowing down a canyon and the forest create the serene tropical atmosphere which drives travelers to Costa Rica.
Chasing Waterfalls in Central America? Check these out.
In El Salvador
In Costa Rica
- Rio Celeste Waterfall
- La Cangreja Warerfall
- Rio Negro Waterfalls and Hot Springs
- Catarata Del Toro
- Nauyaca Waterfalls, Dominical
- Uvita Waterfall
- Montezuma Waterfalls, Nicoya
- La Paz Waterfall Gardens
- Cascada el Pavon, Ojochal
- Catarata La Fortuna
- Llanos del Cortes Waterfall
- El Tigre Waterfalls in Monteverde
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Travel Planning Logistics
- Accommodation: For several years now, Booking.com has been our platform of choice for booking accommodation while traveling. You can apply all the desired filters and shortlist the ones that meet your criteria. On continued use, you will keep unlocking their Genius benefits. For long term stays, we use Airbnb. Of late, we have also started browsing Hostelworld for finding hostels.
- Tours: When traveling to new destinations, you can plan ahead and book your activities. Check for highly rated tours on Viator and Get Your Guide.
- Packing: From swimwear to sunscreen, hiking pants to insect repellents, buy your vacation packing essentials on Amazon.
- Flights: We always start our flight searches with Skyscanner and Momondo. They are aggregators that display flight options, compiling information across airlines and combinations. What we like the best about these flight aggregators is that you can put “Anywhere” as your destination, so that you find the best flight deals from your city of departure.
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As usual your detailed and vivid description also the photographs of the places allure nature lovers.
I praise your selection of spots of visit. Your blog is virtually a guide book.
Thanks for the kind words.
So you can’t go to the waterfall without buying a tour package from guachipelin?
I am not staying at the hotel and want to visit the waterfall by myself and some other friends.
Hi Edmea. Oropendola waterfall is part of the Guachipelin property. So, you do need to buy the entrance ticket from them. You can contact the hotel directly if you want to visit Oropendola waterfall only without purchasing any of their tour packages or day passes.
Having said that, if you are visiting the Guachipelin property, we would recommend experiencing the Rio Negro Hot Springs too. You can read more about it here: https://www.paradisecatchers.com/rio-negro-hot-springs-guanacaste/
Hi, We are going to Costa Rica this coming July. I am hoping to do the following three things on a visit to the Rincon National Park area: Rio Negro Hot Springs, visit the Oropendola Waterfall, and hike the Las Pailas trail. We are interested in doing these three things without a guide. In order to do this would I buy entrance tickets for the Rincon National park for the Las Pailas trail? And then if I buy a day pass for the Hot Springs are we also able to self-walk to the waterfall before or after visiting the Hot Springs? Thank you for your articles they are helpful.
Hi Michael. Glad to know that our articles are of help. Thank you 🙂
Yes, you need to purchase entrance tickets at Las Pailas Sector of Rincon de la Vieja National Park for hiking in that sector. You can do it without a guide, just get a map/ take a photo of the map at the reception office.
Both Rio Negro Hot Springs and Oropendola Waterfall are part of the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin property. You can purchase this day pass from them: https://www.guachipelin.com/combo-tours/combo-lunch-oropendola-hot-springs/ It includes self-guided visit of Oropendola Waterfall and Rio Negro Hot Springs, along with Costa Rican lunch.
Hope this helps. Have a wonderful vacation in Costa Rica!