Nauyaca Waterfalls Costa Rica Hike Guide

Nauyaca Waterfalls is an out and back hike located just outside of Dominical in central Costa Rica. The goal of the hike is two massive waterfalls, the lower one you are able to cliff jump and swim in. The hike to the falls consists of a 4×4 road that is rather muddy in areas. Nauyaca Waterfalls is a beautiful hike and one that I highly recommend.

Nauyaca Waterfalls Quick Facts

Virtual Trail Guide: Nauyaca Waterfalls

Nauyaca Waterfalls Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)

Distance: 4.68 miles RT

Elevation Start: 241 ft

Highest Point: 750 ft

Total Elevation Gain: 680 ft

Estimated Time to Complete: 3-4 Hours RT Hiking, However, you will probably want more time at the falls themselves.

Difficulty: Moderate – What does this mean?

Class: Class 1

Season: Year Round

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Directions to Nauyaca Waterfalls

Trailhead: Nauyaca Waterfalls

Getting Here: From Route 243, continue on the Costanera highway for about 9.2km until you reach the well marked office on the right of the road. To get to the lower parking lot, turn right just past the visitor center at the yellow tire. The road down to the lower parking lot is doable in all cars, but I would recommend something that has higher HP since the road is very steep on the way back up. You can enter Nauyaca Waterfalls into Google Maps

Parking: You can park along the road near the visitor’s center or pay the extra $3 to drive to the lower parking lot (highly recommended). The lower parking lot is gaited and has a “security guard” but I still wouldn’t’ recommend leaving anything valuable in the car. There are two sets of restrooms/changing rooms: one at the top of Nauyaca Waterfalls trail and one at the parking lot itself.

Fees: $8 per person, $3 extra to park down at the lower lot (100% worth it). If you choose to take the truck (no hiking) its $25 per person. You can also take a horseback riding tour which is $70 per person.

Summary

Getting to the Falls: Your options to get to Nauyaca Waterfalls is to hike, take a truck or take a horseback ride. Personally, I thought the hike in was worthwhile and wouldn’t have paid for the truck.

Hours: 7:00AM – 4:00PM Daily on weekends, 7AM – 5PM on weekdays.

Dogs: Nauyaca Waterfalls is a dog friendly hike.

Make it a Loop: Nauyaca Waterfalls is an out and back hike.

Trail X Factors: During our time in Costa Rica, we visited a handful of waterfalls, but Nauyaca Waterfalls was without a doubt our favorite and the best to swim at. In my opinion, Nauyaca Waterfalls is a perfect combo: the upper falls are less crowded and great for pictures, while the lower falls have a beautiful area to tan, eat a lunch and swim. When I hike, I generally reach the “destination” of the hike and want to turn around. At Nauyaca Waterfalls, Jackie and I spent hours swimming, lounging and enjoying their beauty.

Hike Tip(s):

• Get to the park as early as possible to avoid crowds. Nauyaca Waterfalls can get very busy, especially during December – April (tourism season).
• There are several small cliffs on the left side of the lower falls that you can easily climb without a rope. Be careful though, the rocks can be slippery. If you want to be more adventurous, you can also climb the cliffs in the middle of the lower falls. THIS IS HIGHLY NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE AVERAGE HIKER.
• Use caution when hiking near the upper and lower Nauyaca Waterfalls. The trail in these areas is well maintained, but can be very slippery. If you can, avoid stepping on the wooden stairs, they are the most slick.
• If you are looking for an additional swim, you can check out the river near the first bridge you cross on the hike, there is a small rope swim here.

Best Views: Nauyaca Waterfalls have breathtaking views at both the upper waterfall and lower waterfall but the hike leading up to the falls themselves is rather uneventful. One of my favorite spots to take photos at the lower falls was back towards the river on the left side of the waterfalls.

Nauyaca Waterfalls Hike Route