The La Paz Waterfall Gardens is the best place to see waterfalls in Costa Rica. You will discover a total of 5 unique waterfalls along a two-mile scenic trail, along with the largest animal sanctuary in Costa Rica!
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Everything you need to know before visiting La Paz Waterfall Gardens Costa Rica
Table of Contents
- La Paz Waterfall Gardens Visitor Information
- How to get to La Paz Waterfall Gardens
- What is there to do at La Paz Waterfall Gardens?
- The Peace Lodge and restaurants
La Paz Waterfall Gardens Visitor Information
- Address: 6R3Q+Q9P, Alajuela Province Sarapiqui, Costa Rica
- Hours: 8 am-5 pm daily all year round. Arrive no later than 3 pm as it takes a minimum of 2 hours to walk through the whole park. Although you could easily spend a half or whole day here.
- Admission: Free for guests at the Peace Lodge, or day passes are available for $49 for adults and $33 for kids 3-12 years. Guests at the Peace Lodge are also granted access to the gardens before and after hours.
- Parking: Free
- Included in the admission: Access to all trails and attractions including the waterfall trail, animal sanctuary, butterfly observatory, hummingbird garden, and historical house museum with petting zoo.
- Reservations: Advanced tickets can be purchased online but are not required.
- Notes: Wear comfortable clothes and tennis shoes. It also rains quite often so come prepared with a rain jacket or poncho. The Waterfall Gardens are also at a high altitude so bring a jacket incase it gets cold.
How to get to La Paz Waterfall Gardens
La Paz Waterfall Gardens can be found in the Alajuela province in the central highlands of Costa Rica.
It is located about an hour north of San Jose. It is also about a 25-minute drive from Volcan Poas if you want to combine the two for a day trip.
Bus routes run from San Jose to La Paz. You can also take a taxi, or look into tour options.
Tour packages include:
If you are renting a car, directions are pretty straightforward if you enter “La Paz Waterfall Gardens” in the Waze app or the Google Maps app. Apple Maps will not work for driving directions in Costa Rica.
The road is paved and the conditions are completely fine from San Jose to La Paz, you will not need 4WD or a high-clearance vehicle.
What is there to do at La Paz Waterfall Gardens?
The 70-acre La Paz Waterfall Gardens is a privately owned ecological park. The expansive grounds offers space for visitors to spread out so it never feels crowded.
We visited on a weekday during the peak season and felt like we had the park almost entirely to ourselves.
La Paz is home to not only the stunning waterfall trail, but also includes the largest animal sanctuary in Costa Rica, the largest butterfly observatory in the world, and the upscale Peace Lodge that boasts 5-star accommodations and several top restaurants.
Guided tours are available upon request, contact [email protected] for more information.
While the guided tour would be highly educational, most visitors just take the self-guided tour.
There are well-marked maps and informational signs throughout the park that are easy to follow with a self-guided tour.
Waterfall Trail
La Paz is situated on the mountainside at an altitude of around 5000 feet where the cloud and rainforest coexist.
Here you’ll find a network of over 2 miles (3.5 km) of paved walking and hiking trails meandering throughout the cloud forest and native rainforest.
The beginning of the waterfall trail is located not too far from the main park entrance.
The trail follows along the La Paz River as it cascades down a series of 5 distinct and equally breathtaking waterfalls.
You’ll be able to view the falls from above, below, underneath, and right beside!
The trail is paved but there are a lot of stairs so unfortunately, it is not stroller or wheelchair accessible.
Templo Waterfall
The first waterfall you’ll come to is Templo. You’ll need to walk down a series of stairs to reach the viewing platform where you can get right up close to the falls.
As you continue along the trail you’ll come to another viewpoint of the Templo Waterfall at the river level.
This is my favorite spot in the whole park. It just feels so remote and serene in the heart of the mist-shrouded rainforest.
It’s as if you walked onto the set of Jurassic Park!
I especially love the small sandy beach area, it makes for a great photo spot.
There is also a bridge that crosses over the river for another unique vantage point.
Magia Blanca Waterfall
The next waterfall you’ll come to is Magia Blanca Falls. This waterfall also offers two distinct viewing points.
The first will bring you right behind the 120-foot waterfall where you can feel the cool mist and even get soaked the further under you go!
The second platform is at the bottom of the waterfall where you can appreciate Magia Blanca Falls in its full glory.
Encantada and Escondida Falls
The next set of falls is a two-for-one!
Two rivers converge at this point, with the larger 65-foot Encantada Falls in the forefront and the smaller 10-foot Escondida Falls in the back.
La Paz Waterfall
The final waterfall is the park’s namesake. The Catarata La Paz translates to ‘peace waterfall’, which is exactly what this 121-foot waterfall exudes.
The viewpoint is actually on the same platform as the Encantada and Escondida Falls. However, you can only see the top of the waterfall from this point.
For the best view, you’ll actually want to drive outside the park where you can see the waterfall from the road.
There is even a trail where you can walk back behind the waterfall.
It is free to view the falls from this point, but many travelers snap a quick picture and then drive on without realizing a whole ecological wonderland lies just above the falls!
Once you reach the bottom of the trail, there is a covered shelter where you can wait for the shuttle bus to take you back to the main entrance.
After walking up and down so many stairs, you’ll be grateful that you don’t have to turn around and do it again!
Just keep in mind that the last shuttle leaves at 5 pm.
*And if you want to visit the most beautiful waterfall in Costa Rica, check out our guide to Rio Celeste Waterfall!
La Paz Waterfall Gardens Animal Sanctuary
While the waterfall trail is the main attraction at La Paz Waterfall Gardens, the animal sanctuary is also a must-see.
This wildlife refuge is actually the largest animal sanctuary in all of Costa Rica.
The animals in the sanctuary have all been rescued. Most were kept as illegal pets and cannot be released back into the wild.
They all seem to be well cared for as they are given a second chance at life. It’s important to note that no animals were taken from their natural habitat.
Some of the most popular animals you’ll see at the sanctuary include sloths, spider monkeys, and white-faced monkeys. The monkeys were all so active and playful while we were there.
The Jungle Cats are also a big draw with jaguars, pumas, and ocelots. Feeding time is around 3:30 pm if you want to stop by and watch.
Be sure to step into the Butterfly Observatory, the largest observatory of its kind in the world.
Here you’ll be surrounded by 20 different species of butterflies fluttering freely about.
They also have a butterfly lab where you can see the different stages of metamorphosis and possibly even see a butterfly emerge from a cocoon.
The Hummingbird Garden is home to 26 different hummingbird species, which is the only documented place in the world to have that many species in one place.
The hummingbirds are so tame that they may even feed right from your hand.
Step into the dark Serpentarium cave where you’ll meet 30 of the most beautiful and most deadly snakes in Costa Rica.
A few of the most popular include the Bushmaster, Green Vinesnake, and the Golden Eyelash Viper.
Continue along to the Ranarium, a frog pond where poison dart frogs and leaf frogs are feely climbing, hopping, and swimming in a natural setting.
The Aviary houses 40 species of Costa Rica’s most exotic and colorful birds, including toucans and macaws.
Casita de La Paz
Casita de La Paz is a replica of a traditional early 1900s Costa Rican farmhouse.
It was constructed using local raw materials just as the local farmers would have over a century ago.
Step inside to learn more about Costa Rica’s farming history in the historical house museum. You can also find a petting zoo and ox cart outside of the house.
*Related post: Discover two incredibly unique waterfalls in one place in our guide Hidden Gems of Costa Rica: Catarata del Toro and Blue Falls
The Peace Lodge and restaurants
The La Paz Waterfall Gardens were completed in 2000. Three years later construction on the award-winning Peace Lodge began.
This luxury 5-star boutique mountain lodge boasts 18 cozy guest rooms adorned with rich wood, river stone fireplaces, jacuzzi tubs, and waterfall showers.
The hotel is nestled in the heart of the rainforest with views of the Poás Volcano and La Paz River Valley.
Staying a night at the Peace Lodge is a bit of a splurge.
But there really is something magical about opening your window at night to let in the cool mountain air and falling asleep to the sounds of the rainforest.
It would be the perfect place to stay for a memorable honeymoon or anniversary.
In fact, the Peace Lodge was one of only eight resorts outside the US that were featured on the Travel Channel show Trista and Ryan’s Honeymoon Hotspots International.
It was also voted as the 4th Best Resort in all of Central and South America by Conde Nast Traveler and is repeatedly rated the #1 hotel in the region by Tripadvisor.
If you are looking for a similar mountain lodge stay that is a little more affordable, consider staying at the nearby Poas Volcano Lodge.
There are also 6 dining options at the Peace Lodge that are open to guests and visitors alike.
We grabbed lunch at the La Terraza and the food and view were both amazing!
We ordered the Cheese Tortilla, which is nothing like the cheese tortilla you would expect.
The thick tortilla is made with fresh corn masa and stuffed with Turrialba cheese.
It is cooked to perfection on a comal skillet and served with homemade sour cream. It was divine.
We also ordered the Entradita de Bocas and Chifribowl and they were both so good, I’m still dreaming of the fried tico cheese that came with it!
The buffet at Colibries is also a popular and affordable lunch option.
It is located near the hummingbird garden and features a cozy ambiance as well as the highest rating (4 forks) possible from the Tourism Council.
For $14, guests can enjoy a buffet that includes a variety of traditional Costa Rican dishes, a full salad bar, pizza, garlic bread, french fries, fresh seasonal fruits, rice pudding, and unlimited fresh fruit juice, coffee, and tea.
The Big Trout Bar is also a unique place to eat.
The beautiful outdoor grill offers a peaceful setting overlooking the pond.
Guests have the option to catch their own rainbow trout and have it prepared fresh for lunch! Other menu options are also available.
Overall, we loved visiting the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. It was one of our favorite stops on our 5 Day Costa Rica Itinerary.
We appreciate their efforts to protect and preserve the environment and local wildlife.
They also strive to support the local economy by employing 90% of their employees from the surrounding towns within a 12-mile radius.
If you’re looking for a fun day trip from San Jose then consider visiting the La Paz Waterfall Gardens!
*Related post: If you are planning to spend time in La Fortuna, be sure to see our guide to 6 Fun Things to do in La Fortuna Costa Rica!
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Your photos are always so beautiful. I love all of them so much! You do a great job capturing scenery. I want to visit this waterfall, ahh!
Thanks so much, Justin, I really appreciate your kind words! Costa Rica really is so beautiful!