The Nauyaca Waterfalls are one of Costa Rica’s most breathtaking natural wonders. Typically visited as a day trip from Manuel Antonio or Uvita, expect to spend around half a day exploring this beauty. Swimming, cliff jumping, and photography are the top things to do at the Nauyaca Waterfalls.
The #1 thing to know about the Nauyaca Waterfalls is that there are two entrances to the waterfalls. Which one you choose will have a big impact on your overall experience.
We visited the Nauyaca Waterfalls in February 2025, visiting the Nauyaca Waterfalls from Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park. We’ll let you know why we chose this entrance, and, if after our experience, if we would do it differently the next time around.
In this guide, we will cover:
- The advantages and disadvantages of both entrances (Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park and Cataratas Nauyaca): entrance fees, how much you can expect to hike, which side has the best views, etc.
- Things to do at the Nauyaca Waterfalls
- Helpful tips so you can have the best experience
Where are the Nauyaca Waterfalls?
The Nauyaca Waterfalls are located on the west coast of Costa Rica, roughly 10 km from Dominical. The entrance you choose has an impact on travel times to get here, but from Manuel Antonio, it is roughly a one-hour drive and from Uvita it is a 30-minute drive.
Things to Do at the Nauyaca Waterfalls
The Nauyaca Waterfalls are made up of two tiers:
- The Upper Falls are about 54 meters (177 feet) high
- The Lower Falls are 26 meters (85 feet) high and cascade into a large, natural pool
Things to Do at the Waterfall:
Swimming & Cliff Jumping: The lower pool is the perfect spot to go for a refreshing swim. There are also a few cliff jumping spots around the lower pool. If you want to go cliff jumping, a guide must be present (the cliff jumping window usually runs in the mornings Monday to Saturday).
Hiking and Horseback Riding: No matter which entrance you choose, you will have to some amount of work to get to the waterfall. This involves hiking, a ride on a 4×4, or horseback riding, or a combination of all these. We cover this in more detail later in this guide.
Photography: Two waterfalls surrounded by a lush jungle, plus the chance to spot wildlife like toucans and sloths…this destination is paradise for photographers.
How to Get to Nauyaca Waterfalls
When visiting the Nauyaca Waterfalls, not only do you have to choose between two different entrances, but each company offers different ways to get to the waterfall. You will have to decide if you want to walk to the waterfall (which can be a rather long, hot, strenuous walk) or add on a 4×4 ride or horseback ride (this will save your steps, and some time, but will make the trip here more expensive).
If you want to skip over the geography lesson and the overview of each company’s entrance, and just want to be told…What’s the Best Entrance?!, here’s our answer:
Do the Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park Trolley Down and Up package. At $38, it’s a bit pricey, but comes in just a few dollars more per person than the Cataratas Nauyacas Economical 4×4 package at $32. Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park offers an all-around fantastic experience. You have no time limit at the waterfall, no set time to arrive or depart, no need to book tickets in advance, plus you get the best view of the upper tier from the cave viewpoint.
If you are traveling on a strict budget, from Cataratas Nauyaca you can hike both ways to the waterfall, for a total of $10 per person, but you will do a LOT of walking (8 km/4.8 miles to 11 km/6.8 miles, depending on where you park).
Nauyaca Waterfall Entrances
There are two entrances and each of these ultimately get you to the same spot, the Nauyaca Waterfalls:
- Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park
- Nauyaca Waterfalls (sometimes also called Cataratas Nauyaca or Don Lulo’s Nauyaca Waterfalls or the original entrance; in this guide, we will refer to this company as Cataratas Nauyaca, since that is how they are labeled on their website and Google Maps)
IMPORTANT!: Both of these are private parks. You are not allowed to cross the river from one side to the other (you will sign a waiver stating this), so which entrance you choose also has an impact on viewpoints of the waterfall. Both companies have access to the swimming area in front of the lower waterfall; they just don’t want you crossing over to the land on the opposite side of the river.
Below is a map with the location of each company, plus driving directions to both of them from Dominical.
How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left corner of the map to see a list of the points of interest and to turn layers on/off. Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest.
To take this map with you, click the star next to the title of the map which adds it to your Google account. Next, within your Google Maps app, select ‘Saved’ and then select ‘Maps’. This map title will now appear in your list.
Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park
Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park offers access to the waterfall from the eastern side of the river. This is the newest entrance into the Nauyaca Waterfalls.
Website: Here is the link to the official website, where you can get updated hours and pricing, plus book your tickets in advance.
Location: The main office is located in a rural, hilly area, about a 30-minute drive past the entrance to Cataratas Nauyaca. You can see the location on Google Maps here. The last 10 to 15 minutes of this drive is on an unpaved road. We had an SUV, but we saw several standard vehicles in the parking lot and along the road. The official website has detailed instructions on how to get here.
Main Office: The main office has covered, outdoor seating with gorgeous views of the surrounding hillsides and coastline. They have a small restaurant, cold drinks, bathrooms, cornhole, a pool table, and ping pong. From this point, you can board the shuttle for a ride down to the park ranch or you can walk.
Getting from the Main Office to the Park Ranch
The main office is where you park, pay your fee, and get your wristband. The Park Ranch is located 2.7 km downhill from the main office, near the Nauyaca Waterfall. This is point where you start the short hike to the waterfall.
To get to the Park Ranch, you have two options:
- Trolley Both Ways ($38). Ride the trolley both ways, skipping the long, hot walk on the gravel road. This is what we did.
- Walk Down, Trolley Up ($28). From the Main Office, it is a 2.7 km walk, mostly downhill, on a wide, gravel road. It doesn’t sound bad, but this part of Costa Rica is hot and humid. When we did this, there was a couple that walked down the hill, and they were already wiped out from the heat, and they hadn’t even made it to the waterfall yet.
Hours: The main office is open from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm. The trolley runs from the main office down to the park ranch from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm. The waterfall “closes” at 3:30 pm and the final shuttle ride back to the office is at 4 pm.
The Park Ranch
One thing we have to say about the Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park is that their amenities are terrific. This place looks brand new, with newly constructed buildings, lots of well-groomed hiking trails, and signs throughout the park.
The park ranch has more bathrooms, showers, changing rooms, and large, covered seating area, providing plenty of space for people to wait for the trolley.
There was even a sloth with a baby hanging out in a tree right next to the seating area.
Three-toed sloth at the Park Ranch
The waiting area
Changing rooms and bathrooms
Hiking to the Waterfall
From the ranch, it is a downhill walk to get to Nauyaca Waterfalls. This is on well-groomed trails, most of them through a shady forest. To walk down to the waterfall and the viewpoints along the river, you are looking at a 1.3 km/0.8 mile round trip walk with roughly 130 meters/420 feet of total ascent (we carried a GPS with us and measured the distance). If you walk the river trail to the other swimming spots, this would add a little more distance.
To get to the lower falls and swimming area, take trails #1 and #2. There will be signs along the way indicating where to go. The maps and signs in this park are very easy to follow and understand.
Our visit was in the morning and we photographed the falls around 9 am. This time of day, if it is sunny, it is challenging for photography, as the sun had just risen over the top of the waterfall. That meant I was shooting directly towards the sun.
But a big advantage of being here so early in the day is that this is when crowds are at their lowest. Midday, it’s not unusual for there to be 150+ people at Nauyaca Waterfalls. If you want a tranquil, crowd-free experience, get here early.
From the lower falls, there are trails that lead downstream, away from the waterfall, with more areas to go swimming.
Another option is to hike trail #1 to the upper falls. This was my favorite part of the visit. The views from this trail are amazing and the trail ends at a cave with a very unique view of the upper tier of the waterfall.
The cave
There are trails that lead higher, but these were closed during our visit. They could only be accessed with a staff member.
Once finished at Nauyaca Waterfalls, it is an uphill walk back to the ranch. Use the Wifi and WhatsApp to call the main office, for the trolley to come back and pick you up.
How Long Does a Visit Here Last?
We spent two hours here, which included the trolley ride out and back from the main office, hiking the trails around the waterfall, and photographing the falls. We did not go swimming, and this would add on more time, anywhere from an hour or more, depending on how long you want to stay by the river.
If you plan to go swimming, budget 2.5 to 3 hours here. Add on another 30 to 45 minutes if you plan to walk down to the ranch, rather than taking the trolley.
A BIG ADVANTAGE of Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park is that there is no limit on the amount of time you can spend here. That means you can stay as long or as little as you like. At Cataratas Nauyaca, there is a 2-hour time limit.
Cataratas Nauyaca
This was the original entrance to Nauyaca Waterfalls. They go by a lot of different names. The official website lists their name as Nauyaca Waterfalls, but since that is the same name of the waterfall, it can be confusing, and even a little bit misleading. In the past, they were called Don Lulo’s, so you might see that name listed on other websites.
Website: Here is the link to the official website, where you can get updated hours and pricing, the updated 4×4 schedule, plus the link to book your tickets in advance.
Location: This company is easier and quicker to get to. Their main office is located on Route 243, a paved road that runs between San Isidro and Dominical. There is even a bus stop here, so if you won’t have a rental car, Cataratas Nauyaca is the better option.
Parking: The parking lot is located 2 km down the road from the main office. It is paved the entire way and accessible by a standard car. There is a $5 fee for parking. The parking fee is included in all of their tours, except if you choose the hiking option.
Getting from the Main Office to the Waterfall
There are four ways to get to the waterfall from the main office:
Economic 4×4 Tour: $32 (this includes parking). Take an 4×4 to and from the waterfall. It takes 30 minutes one-way to get to the waterfall. You are limited to 2 hours at the waterfall. Total time = 3 hours.
Premium 4×4 Tour: $80 (this includes parking). This tour includes the 4×4 ride to and from the waterfall, 2 hours at the waterfall, and a stop at ranch during the return ride for a Costa Rican lunch. This tour runs from 9 am to 1:30 pm.
Hike Both Ways: $10 per person + $5 for parking, if you have a vehicle. It is a 5.5 km/3.4 mile hike one-way from the office, for a grand total of 11 km/6.8 miles. The parking lot is a little bit closer to the waterfall. From here, you are looking at a 4 km/2.4 mile walk one-way to the waterfall (8 km/4.8 miles round trip).
Horseback Riding: $80 (this includes parking). There is one tour per day, starting at 9 am and ending at 1:30 pm. Ride on horseback to and from the waterfall. You get 2 hours at the waterfall. On the return ride, stop at a ranch for lunch.
PRO TRAVEL TIP: With set 4×4 times, time slots can sell out in advance. It is best to book your tickets online in advance. If you just show up, you risk waiting an hour or two for the next 4×4 to become available, or the chance that tickets are sold out for the remainder of the day.
This is the view from Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park, looking across the river to the Cataratas Nauyaca trail and access to the swimming area. Below is another photo of the Cataratas Nauyaca side of the river.
Taking the 4×4 to the Waterfalls
This is the most popular option (the economical 4×4 tour). The 4×4 gets you super close to the waterfall. From the endpoint of this drive, it is just a 150-meter walk to the waterfall, most of this on a wooden boardwalk. A viewpoint of the waterall is accessible by wheelchair.
A big advantage of Cataratas Nauyacas is the shorter walk to the waterfalls.
A big disadvantage is the two hour time limit. When you make your reservation, you will be booking a time slot. You will have to board the shuttle at a particular time, so if you don’t want to have to stick to a 2-hour time slot, Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park is a better option.
Here is the 4×4 schedule:
- 7 am to 9:30 am
- 8 am to 10:30 am
- 9 am to 11:30 am
- 10 am to 12:30 pm
- 11 am to 1:30 pm
- 12 pm to 2:30 pm
The waterfall stays open until 3:30 pm. If you choose to take the 4×4, the latest you can stay is 2:30 pm. If you choose to hike out and back, you can stay longer, until 3:30 pm. The fact that the final shuttle leaves at 2:30 pm really helps to clear out the waterfall, making this a great time of day to be on the Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park side or to hike back, since then you can stay until 3:30 pm.
Which Entrance is Better?
We visited Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park and had a fantastic experience. The quality and cleanliness of the bathrooms, changing rooms, main office, and lovely covered waiting area at the ranch are a big plus. It’s a little more expensive and a bit more challenging to drive to, but we think it’s worth it, for the scenic hiking trails and stunning views of the waterfall.
The swimming and cliff jumping experiences are similar on both sides.
Why You Should Choose Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park
- For a better view of the upper waterfall (you can only get the cave view of the waterfall from the Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park side)
- If you don’t want a time limit at the waterfall (if you want to spend more or less than 2 hours at the waterfall)
- If you to be flexible with your arrival and departure time (versus having to be on the 4×4 schedule at Cataratas Nauyaca)
- For better amenities (covered waiting areas, clean showers and changing rooms)
- If you like the idea of walking the trails through the forest
- If you just want to show up and see the waterfall (at Cataratas Nauyaca, you run the risk of tickets being sold out, or having to wait around for the next available 4×4, which could be several hours later)
Why You Should Choose Cataratas Nauyaca
- If you are traveling on a budget (the hike option is $10 per person, plus $5 for parking)
- If you want to limit how much walking you do (the 4×4 drops you off very close to the waterfall)
- If you have limited mobility
- If you are using public transportation, Cataratas Nauyaca is easier to get to, as there is a bus top next to the main office
- The main office is located closer to Dominical
- If you don’t want to drive on unpaved roads
- If you like the idea of doing a horseback ride
Best Time to Visit Nauyaca Waterfalls
We visited Nauyaca Waterfalls between 8 am and 10 am at the end of February.
For lower crowds, and cooler temperatures, the best time to visit the waterfall is first thing in the morning.
At 8 am, we were the second guests of the day at Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park. When we got down to the waterfall, there were only a few other people here, but that quickly changed. Around 9:30 am, the waterfall got a lot busier, particularly with the 4×4 on the Cataratas Nauyaca side dropping off a busload of visitors.
Our photos from the lower viewpoint of the waterfalls were taken around 8:45 am. Unfortunately, the sun had just risen above the waterfall, creating a massive sun glare. However, because of the different vantage point from the cave, we got some great shots of the upper tier. I think photography would be more challenging from the Cataratas Nauyaca side, as they were looking directly into the sun.
For photography, a better time to visit would be earlier in the morning (this exact time will change based on the time of year), before the sun rises above the waterfall. Midday to afternoon would also give you great lighting, but many more people.
In terms of the time of year, the dry season (November through April) is the best time to visit the waterfall. Heavy rainfall increases the force of the waterfall and the currents, making it dangerous for swimming. The heavy rainfalls can also turn the waterfall brown. If there has been a lot of rainfall, the waterfall can close.
Tips for Visiting the Nauyaca Waterfalls
Things to pack include sunscreen, insect repellent, sunglasses, swimsuit, towel, reusable water bottle, water shoes, snacks, and some extra cash. There is no water available near the waterfall, so make sure you bring enough with you, especially if you plan to hike back on the Cataratas Nauyaca side.
Keep an eye on the weather on the days leading up to your visit. If there is a lot of rainfall, there is the chance the waterfall can close.
Get to the waterfall by 9 am to avoid the crowds.
If you plan to use Cataratas Nauyaca, make your reservation in advance.
If you prefer to take a guided tour, or if you don’t have plans to rent a car and you don’t want the hassle of dealing with public transportation, this full day excursion from Manuel Antonio gets excellent reviews and visits Nauyaca Waterfalls, Playa Linda, and Portalon.
The swimming area in front of the lower tier (this is shared by both entrances)
In Conclusion
We had a great experience visiting the waterfall from Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park.
For $6 more per person (comparing the Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park Trolley Down and Up package at $38 with the Cataratas Nauyaca Economical 4×4 package at $32), Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park offers an all-around fantastic experience. You have no time limit at the waterfall, no set time to arrive or depart, no need to book tickets in advance, plus you get the best view of the upper tier from the cave viewpoint.
If you have any questions about how to visit Nauyaca Waterfalls, or if you want to share your experience, you can do so in the comment section below.
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