There are many beautiful waterfalls in Costa Rica. Some are very famous; others are just as beautiful but are mostly known just by locals. My favorites are by far the Nauyaca Waterfalls, in Pérez Zeledón (Puntarenas Province), near Dominical.
Nauyaca Waterfalls is a very easy day trip from Uvita and Manuel Antonio, which are among the most popular places to visit in Costa Rica, so if you are staying in the area you really should make it a point to go!
My sister and I discovered Nauyaca Waterfalls when traveling to Costa Rica recently and we enjoyed it so much that I thought I’d share my experience. Continue reading to discover everything you need to know to visit Nauyaca Waterfalls.
Are Nauyaca Waterfalls Worth Visiting?
Nauyaca Waterfalls are absolutely worth visiting! The entire experience of getting there, seeing the waterfalls, and swimming in the refreshing waters of the natural pools make it a top attraction and you should not miss the chance to go.
Are you not convinced? Let me describe the waterfalls a bit more.
The waterfalls are made of two single falls combined – one of 45 meters (more than 147 feet) and one of 20 meters (over 65 feet), for a total of 65 meters (more than 213 feet), and they are an incredible sight. At the bottom, there is a beautiful natural pool where visitors can swim, where water reaches 6 meters (about 20 feet) in depth.
The canyon where the falls are located is scattered with other smaller natural pools that are also fun to see and swim in.
The experience of visiting is absolutely incredible.
Once you get to the waterfalls, you should follow the easy trail to the upper waterfall. It’s a fantastic panoramic spot. You can’t really swim under that waterfall though. For that, you will need to walk down the lower waterfall, where the largest natural pool is located – as well as several smaller pools.
Here, staff from the Nauyaca Waterfalls sometimes arrange a system of ropes to allow people to climb up the waterfall and then jump into the pool. It’s definitely fun to see (we were too scared to try! If you manage, you can also check out the small cave on the side of the natural pool.
Nauyaca Waterfalls Access Points
The first thing you need to know when planning how to get to Nauyaca Waterfalls is that there are two places geotagged on Google Maps with similar names – Nauyaca Waterfalls (Don Lulo) and Nauyaca Waterfalls Nature Park.
Don Lulo
Nauyaca Waterfalls (located here) is the original attraction and it has been managed by a local family (Don Lulo) for more than 30 years. Their office is located on the main road, which is a well-maintained paved road (you don’t need a 4×4 to get there if that’s what you are wondering).
That’s where you can get your tickets. From there, you need to drive along a small street on the right-hand side to the parking lot.
Nauyaca Waterfalls Nature Park
Nauyaca Waterfalls Nature Park (located here) is a newer attraction off the main road. The road to get there is unpaved and may be tricky if you don’t have a 4×4, but once you make it to the parking lot you will be closer to the waterfalls.
I have read online that this is less crowded but I was honestly puzzled because both parks take you to the same place – Nauyaca Waterfalls – so I am not sure how one place can be less crowded than the other!
How To Get To Nauyaca Waterfalls
When we visited, we used the Don Lulo (original) access point, so the following instructions on how to get to Nauyaca Waterfalls refer to that point of access.
When we asked about the newer Nauyaca Waterfalls Nature Park, the person at the counter implied that the Don Lulo family isn’t happy about another company using a very similar name!
Drive
If you are staying in Manuel Antonio, Uvita, Dominical or Ojochal getting to Nauyaca Waterfalls (Don Lulo) by car is super easy.
FROM DOMINICAL / UVITA – Follow the Costanera Highway (Route 34), driving towards Dominical. Once you pass Dominical, you will come to a bridge and find an intersection on your right pointing to Platanillo. That’s Route 243. You have to follow that road until you get to the Don Lulo office which will be on your right. It will take you about 30 minutes from Uvita, 45 minutes from Ojochal and 15 minutes from Dominical.
FROM MANUEL ANTONIO – The drive is a bit longer from Manuel Antonio (just under one hour). In this case, you will need to drive to Quepos along Route 618. Once in Quepos, take Route 234 and then the Costanera Highway. You will find the intersection to Route 243 on your left, before Dominical.
My posts How To Drive In Costa Rica and How To Rent A Car In Costa Rica are useful resources that explain what to expect when driving and hiring a car in this incredible country.
Join a Nauyaca Waterfalls tour
If you don’t wish to rent a car in Costa Rica, you can still visit Nauyaca Waterfalls. Guided tours departing from both Uvita and Manuel Antonio include transportation, admission tickets, lunch and drinks, and at times also go to other places in the area.
If you are based in Uvita, I think you should consider this Nauyaca Waterfalls tour from Uvita which has excellent reviews. The tour lasts up to 5 hours and includes pick up from any hotel in Uvita (it may not seem clear from the meeting point description, but I doubled checked and it says it does).
If you are staying in Manuel Antonio, I recommend this Nauyaca Waterfalls tour from Manuel Antonio which also includes a stop at a local beach. It’s highly reviewed.
How To Visit Nauyaca Waterfalls
There are various ways to visit Nauyaca Waterfalls: you can hike or ride a horse there, or ride a jeep. The different experiences have different costs (more about that later), but all of them depart from the parking lot located off the main road from Don Lulo’s ticket office.
Nauyaca Waterfalls hike or horse ride
If you decide to hike or ride a horse to the waterfalls, you will be going along the same trail and may be able to spot some wildlife too – mainly monkeys, but also some cool birds, including hummingbirds and toucans, and you may be lucky enough to see sloths.
The trail is 4 km (2.5 miles) one way and very easy to follow, mostly going along a dirt road first along the Baru River and then ascending on a steep hill once you get closer to the waterfalls. It will take you about 1 – 1.5 hours to hike to the waterfalls, and it should take you about the same amount of time to walk back down.
The main difficulty of the hike is the heat and the humidity. You will be often walking in the sun, so keep that in mind if you are the kind of person who doesn’t adjust to the heat easily. Bring enough water for the hike (you can refill once you get to the waterfall).
4×4 Tour
When we visited the waterfalls at the end of our trip to Costa Rica, we were very tired and needed a more relaxing experience, so we opted to ride a 4×4 to the waterfalls. The ride is nice, along a dirt road in the thick forest and with beautiful views along the way.
Jeeps depart from the parking lot (2 km/1.2 miles off the main road where the Don Lulo ticket office is located) every hour from 7:00 am until 12:00 pm.
They take about 30 minutes to get to the waterfalls area, from where you can walk to the upper waterfall for views and then to the lower waterfalls to swim in the natural pool.
The jeep back to the parking lot departs 2 hours after you arrive at the waterfall area – that’s plenty of time to enjoy exploring, swimming and relaxing. Your driver will inform you of the exact departure time anyway.
Nauyaca Waterfalls Practical Guide
Nauyaca Waterfalls tickets and opening hours
Nauyaca Waterfalls is located on a private property owned by a Costa Rican family, Don Lulo. This is why you have to pay a fee to visit.
Nauyaca Waterfalls tickets price is as follows:
HIKE – $10;
HORSEBACK RIDING – $80; this includes a guide, lunch and the horse; weight limits apply;
4×4 ECONOMY TOUR – $32;
4×4 PREMIUM TOUR – $80; this includes a guide for your time at the waterfalls and lunch.
You can get tickets in person once you get to Don Lulo, but if you want to do a 4×4 tour or a horseback riding tour, you should book a spot by calling +506-62801790 +506-27870541 or sending an email to info@cataratasnauyaca.com – make sure to specify what time you wish to depart and be there around 30 minutes before departure.
The is open every day from 7:00 am (Monday to Saturday) and it opens at 8:00 am on Sundays. The last admission is at 2:00 pm.
Facilities at Nauyaca Waterfalls
The facilities at Nauyaca Waterfalls are actually excellent.
You will find toilets and a fountain – as well as a small souvenir shop that also sells snacks – by the Don Lulo ticket office.
There are more toilets and a fountain in the parking lot area, which is where the trailhead to the waterfalls is located and where horseback riding tours and jeeps depart from.
Once you get to the waterfalls area, there are more toilets, changing rooms, and a couple of fountains where you can refill your water bottle.
Recycling bins are available by the bathrooms in the main parking lot and in the area where jeeps drop off visitors closer to the falls.
What to bring when visiting Nauyaca Waterfalls
Make sure to wear comfortable clothes for your visit. If you are planning to hike to the waterfalls, wear a pair of sturdy hiking boots. The terrain can be muddy (especially in the rainy season).
You should also bring your swimming suit and a towel (there are changing rooms near the waterfalls) and a pair of shoes, sandals or rock shoes that have a solid grip and help you get in the water. The rocks near the water are very slippery and it’s definitely better to wear shoes.
Bring mosquito repellent: this is a very wet area and mosquitoes are very active! I recommend using a more natural product such as this spray to avoid harming the delicate environment.
Make sure to pack some snacks, a picnic lunch, and plenty of water for your visit (there are fountains where you can refill once you reach the waterfalls area where the jeeps stop).
My post What To Pack For A Trip To Costa Rica will give you more ideas on the items that should not be missing from your packing list.
Other useful things to know
Here are a few additional things to know before you visit Nauyaca Waterfalls.
Nauyaca Waterfalls can get quite crowded with visitors, but this doesn’t take away from its beauty. If you want to avoid the crowds as much as possible, avoid visiting during the weekend and plan to be there as soon as the park opens (for example, plan to be on the first truck).
The current in the pool is extremely strong. I am a competitive swimmer (I do swimming competitions) and found swimming in it quite challenging. You need to be a confident swimmer. In any case, there are safety guards on the site.
When we visited, we saw local staff arranging a system of ropes to allow people to climb the waterfall and then jump from it. We did not try it as it seemed quite difficult (not to mention scary), but those who did looked like they were having a lot of fun. Just make sure to calculate the risk factor before you do!
Costa Rica rainy season runs from May to November. We visited the waterfalls in mid-November and had a great experience and a sunny day. If you are visiting Costa Rica in the rainy season, avoid going if it’s been raining heavily. The park sometimes closes after really heavy rains and the experience of visiting under the rain is certainly not as pleasant!
Further Readings
For additional help in planning your trip to Costa Rica, you may want to read the following posts:
- How To Make The Most Of Manuel Antonio National Park
- What To See And Do In San José
- A Useful Guide To Tortuguero
- The Best Places To Visit In Puerto Viejo
- How To Visit Rio Celeste Waterfall
- A Useful Guide To Visiting Marino Ballena National Park
- The Nicest Costa Rica National Parks
- What You Must Know Before You Visit Caño Island
- How To Stay Safe In Costa Rica
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