Oropendola Waterfall is spectacular, and one of the easiest to access canyon waterfalls in Costa Rica. The falls cascade into a stunning blue water hole, and unlike the nearby Cangreja Waterfall, swimming is allowed. The tall canyon walls give it lots of atmosphere and if you’re lucky enough to get the pool to yourself, it’s an experience you won’t forget.
The walk to get there is not flat, but it’s short and well maintained. It will take you over a floating staircase which is definitely the most unique stretch of track we’ve hiked in Costa Rica so far! As with most waterfalls in the country, it’s on privately owned land and there is an entrance fee, but you don’t need a guide.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Oropendola Waterfall.
The walk to Oropendola Waterfall
The stats
Distance: 1.1km loop
Elevation gain: 40m
Difficulty: Easy
The trail
From the parking area (details below) the walk begins on a tree-lined gravel path. It’s pretty much flat and it’s a leisurely stroll until you reach a bench seat and sign for the waterfall 250m later.
The path is then a mix of dirt and gravel and will begin heading gently downhill. The forest gets denser and it’s a lot shadier.
After just 50m you’ll reach a series of stairs and the track gets a touch steeper. The path is now concrete and it’s very well maintained, there are handrails in place if needed.
You’ll soon reach my favourite part of the walk. The suspended stairway. It has the feel of a hanging bridge, but instead of simply getting you to the other side of the river, it descends, which gives it a unique feel.
The bridge does sway a lot, which personally I love, but try to cross when no one else is on it if you don’t like the movement, as it definitely had a lot more sway than others we’ve been on.
Once you’ve descended the floating staircase you have a few more stairs to go on the other side of the river before you reach a lower lookout over the falls. From here there is one final staircase to descend if you want to access the pool.
Swimming at Oropendola Waterfall
You definitely don’t need to swim to enjoy the falls, as it’s a gorgeous waterfall just to look at, but if you do love wild swimming, it’s an incredible spot.
Firstly, the stairs drop you right down into the water and there is little in the way of rocks to negotiate, so it’s an easy access pool.
Whilst there is some current close to the falls, it’s not as strong as many waterfalls I swam at in Costa Rica, so it’s more leisurely.
The water does get deep and it’s pretty cold - however I swam first thing in the morning when the air temperature was also cool. In the late afternoon it will likely feel refreshing rather than freezing.
The water is a beautiful shade of blue, even in the early morning without direct sunlight, and looking up at the falls and canyon walls is awe-inspiring.
Because the staircases are right next to, and above the falls, it doesn’t feel quite as wild as it otherwise would do, but it’s still amazing, and one of my favourite swimming spots in the area.
The trail back up
You’ll follow a different route back as far as the bench seat, and the final 250m are then back on the original gravel path.
There’s another suspended staircase to climb directly up from the falls and then a good gravel track zigzags gradually up the hill. It is a bit of a climb, but it doesn’t take too long and the forest offers some shade.
Know before you go
Do you need a guide?
You don’t need a guide to visit Oropendola Waterfall. There is an entry fee, but you can walk to the waterfall and swim independent of any organised tour or guide.
Watch out for midges!
The only thing I didn’t like about Oropendola Waterfall were the midges (they might not be midges, but biting insects at any rate). They were really prolific around the water in particular and we came out with numerous bites (we weren’t wearing bug spray though). It reminded me a bit of the Blue Pools in New Zealand where they go after any inch of exposed skin, so beware!
The best time to visit
If you’re looking to swim and have the best water clarity and colour, then visiting in the dry season is best. In terms of timing, weekdays are better as weekends get a lot busier.
Early mornings are best if you want to get the falls to yourself, however there is no sun on the water, so it won’t look as blue as later in the day. It will also be colder in the pool.
We prefer no crowds though, so we arrived at opening time and had it to ourselves for our whole visit.
Oropendola Waterfall entry fees and opening hours
At time of writing the waterfall is open from daily from 8am to 5pm. If you’re not a guest of the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin then you’ll need to pay to enter.
The current cost is USD $22. Depending on how much you want to see in the area, you may be better off staying at the hotel. We wanted to visit many of their sites, including the three waterfalls and hot springs, and I worked out it was much better value to spend a night at the hotel.
As a guest you can get a wristband which gains you access to all sites at 8am the day you are checking in, and you can stay until close of business the next day. For us this worked perfectly and we ended up saving quite a bit of money.
The rooms at the hotel were pretty good. The beds are a little hard, but the room is spacious and has reliable hot water and was very quiet at night (a rarity in Costa Rica).
You can check the reviews and prices on Booking.com.
Getting to Oropendola Waterfall
Oropendola Waterfall is located close to Rincon de la Vieja National Park. There’s a car park onsite and it’s marked on Google Maps. The waterfall is located 25km and a 40 minute drive from Liberia and 64km and just under a 1.5 hours drive from San Jose.
If you don’t have your own car and are a guest of the hotel there is a free shuttle bus service.
Where to stay near Las Chorreras Waterfall
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
We stayed at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin because we wanted to access all their waterfalls, hot springs and swimming spots. It worked out cheaper to stay the night at the hotel than to pay for the entry tickets and then also pay for separate accomodation.
The rooms were no frills, but spacious and with reliable hot water and internet. They were also super quiet, which was a rarity in Costa Rica. The beds are on the firm side, but if you plan on visiting the resorts waterfalls then it’s a good option.
You can check the reviews and prices on:
Hotel Rincón de la Vieja Lodge
If you don’t mind somewhere basic, then this is a good budget option and it’s just 6km from the waterfall. Rooms look rustic, but have private bathrooms. It’s really about proximity to the waterfalls and Rincon de la Vieja National Park with this one.
You can check the reviews and prices on:
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