Welcome to Río Celeste!
Rio Celeste, the name of which means “heavenly river,” runs through the lush Tenorio Volcano National Park in the northern Costa Rican provinces of Alajuela and Guanacaste. All of Rio Celeste’s most popular attractions can be seen from a single trail. The path runs for approximately two miles, and its relatively short distance ensures that even travelers who are not in peak physical condition can enjoy the river’s beauty. The first thing that you will see on a hike near Rio Celeste is the stream’s well-known waterfall, a majestic cascade located close to the beginning of the trail.
Río Celeste is one of the most popular spots in all of Costa Rica, and it is known around the world for its particular natural color ranging from light blue to resplendent turquoise. Río Celeste has been recognized nationally as one of the favorite places for locals and foreigners due to this wonderful geological phenomenon that produces the change of color in the water that fills the river.
All visitors without exception can see the different geological and geomorphological phenomena that occur in the river. In addition you can also find hot springs located on some banks, exhalation of sulfur gases, sedimentation of minerals and many other interesting attractions surrounded by a lush cloud forest with lots of plant and animal species.
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From the bottom, you can watch as the sky-blue waters crash down around you into a brightly colored pool. Once you have returned to the main trail, you can continue on to a lookout point, which gives you expansive views of the nearby Tenorio Volcano. Later you arrive at the spot where a creek flowing off of the volcano meets the main river, giving the Rio Celeste its signature sky-blue color!