The Viento Fresco Waterfalls, in Tilaran, make a great scenic stop during the drive from the Arenal Volcano area to Monteverde, or a perfect day trip from Nuevo Arenal! The best way I can describe this place is La Fortuna Waterfall on steroids – just as beautiful, but you get more waterfalls, more hiking, and much fewer people.
Entrance Fee to Viento Fresco Waterfalls and Information
We finally got around to checking out the Viento Fresco Waterfalls a few days ago, and couldn’t believe it took us so long to do it. When you get to the entrance, you’ll find a restaurant and an office where you pay the fee to get in ($15 USD for foreigners, ₡3,000 for Costa Rican nationals). They will give you a map of the trails and quick explanations.
After about a 1-km drive on an unpaved road (we definitely recommend an SUV), you get to a parking lot with an amazing view, leave your car, and the fun begins!
The trails are well-maintained and there is a nice area with tables, chairs and drinking water for your bottle right at the entrance. The hike is not particularly difficult, but there are a lot of steps down, and unfortunately, just as many back up!
Río Serena and Escondida Waterfalls
You’ll get to the first two waterfalls, Río Serena and Escondida (Hidden), very quickly. They’re beautiful and great for a few pictures, but the best is yet to come! Between the chutes, a lookout point gives you a breathtaking view of the Tilaran mountain range, as well as a preview of what lies ahead: you can see the last waterfall, Slide, in the distance, and it’s pretty far and a lot further down… so get ready!
Catarata Arco Iris
A few more steps down (about 200 meters) will get you to the main event: Catarata Arco Iris (Rainbow Waterfall). This is a breathtaking, 75-meter waterfall that appears to shoot straight down out of the mountain. You can swim around at the base (it’s pretty cold, just a warning) and they have a nice little camping area with more tables, a bathroom and changing rooms.
Tobogan Waterfall and Hiking Back
For an additional challenge, the last waterfall (Tobogan, or Slide) is the most arduous to get to – another 250 meters down stairs, on much more uneven terrain than previously. While it is not quite as impressive as the previous one, it is the tallest, at 95 meters, and beautiful as well.
Aaah, the part we’ve all been waiting for: going back up. Now, a reasonable person would take their time and stop at the Rainbow Waterfall for a refreshing dip (you’ll appreciate it so much more now, than when you are on your way down) before making your way to the parking lot again. Of course, being who we are, this trip was a completely spontaneous decision taken later during the day, and we had to scramble back up quickly, before the night fell. I believe it took us a bit over 20 minutes, we were pretty proud, and thankful for the drinking water at the top!
How to Get To Viento Fresco Waterfalls
From Nuevo Arenal, it’ll take you about an hour:
Hotel Suggestions in Monteverde
Monteverde should definitely be on your list of places to visit while you are in Costa Rica, if it is not already! If you are planning to head there after the Viento Fresco Waterfalls, here are a few great accommodations in the area:
