La Fortuna to La Leona Waterfall

La Leona Waterfall is located about 147 kilometers (91 miles) from La Fortuna in Costa Rica, with a driving time of approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, making it a perfect day-trip destination.

From La Fortuna, follow Route 142 along Lake Arenal and through the countryside for about 1 hour and 30 minutes until you reach Cañas. In Cañas, turn onto Highway 1 and continue toward Liberia. After passing through Liberia, continue on Highway 1 for about 5 km and take the right turn toward Rincon de la Vieja (Curubandé). Upon reaching the village of Curubandé, you will see a church on the left side. Continue straight and you will see the La Leona Waterfall Adventure Hike tour office on your left, clearly marked with large signs.

Yes, you can choose to include transportation from La Fortuna to La Leona Waterfall in your tour booking. Simply let us know your preferred pickup location and time, and we will take care of everything to guarantee a smooth and relaxed experience.

Yes, we offer a variety of private tours from La Fortuna. With a private tour, you will have a dedicated guide exclusively for your group, allowing you to enjoy the activity at your own pace, creating a more personalized experience. It is also a great option if you’re traveling with small children, as kids can participate in private tours from 4 years old, while the minimum age for group tours is 6 years.

Private tours from La Fortuna are available for La Leona Waterfall, river tubing, and several combo experiences, including tours combined with Rio Negro Hot Springs.

Yes, La Leona Waterfall makes a great day trip from La Fortuna and is a perfect starting point for exploring Rincon de la Vieja. Unlike most waterfall experiences, La Leona Waterfall offers a unique river hiking adventure: climb over rocks and roots in the jungle, cross rivers, explore bat caves, and swim through an epic canyon into a waterfall cave.

To make the most of your day, there are many other exciting tours available nearby, including river tubing, the volcanic activity hike in Rincon de la Vieja National Park, Rio Negro Hot Springs, and zip lining high above a river canyon.

To recharge between your adventures, you can enjoy lunch at our on-site La Leona Restaurant, located just across from the reception area where the waterfall tour starts and ends.

Yes, you can combine the La Leona Waterfall hike with other adventure tours in Rincon de la Vieja to explore more of the region in just one day. Our driver will take you to each activity, wait during the tours, and take you back to your accommodation at the end of the day. Popular combo options from La Fortuna include the La Leona Waterfall hike with river tubing, zip lining, hot springs, or the volcanic activity hike in Rincon de la Vieja National Park.

If you book a tour with transportation included, our driver will take you to each activity, wait during the tours, and take you back to your accommodation at the end of the day.

Yes, you can always ask your driver for stops along the way for food, facilities, or souvenirs, and they will be happy to fit your requests into the schedule whenever possible. If you are planning a longer stop during your journey to La Leona Waterfall, simply contact us in advance so we can help arrange it.

Yes, the La Leona Waterfall hike in Costa Rica is a great adventure for kids over 4 years old and for the whole family. (Note that kids can join private tours from 4 years old and group tours from 6 years old.)

Our expert guides will keep a close eye on your children throughout the tour and assist them whenever needed. Life jackets are provided and mandatory for all participants, so even kids who are not strong swimmers can safely participate in the experience. To fully enjoy this hike with small rock climbing and swimming sections, your children should feel comfortable in the water and with this type of physical activity.

The La Leona Waterfall Adventure Hike in Costa Rica is considered moderate and includes uneven terrain, river crossings, swimming, and small climbing sections. You don’t need to be an experienced hiker, but a basic level of fitness is required. Please note that the tour is not suitable for visitors with knee, ankle, walking, or mobility issues.

As life jackets are provided and mandatory for all participants, it is not necessary to be a strong swimmer.

Our certified guides assist you throughout the entire experience to ensure you feel safe, comfortable, and well supported at all times.

The La Leona Waterfall hike takes approximately 2.5–3 hours from start to finish, depending on the group size and pace.

Yes, authentic Costa Rican lunch, tasty snacks, natural fruit drinks, and tropical cocktails are available at our on-site La Leona restaurant, located just across from the reception area where the tour starts and ends.

You can add a traditional lunch for $15 during the booking process or choose from our varied à la carte menu including gourmet burgers, special cuts of beef and fresh fish on the day of the hike. For more information about our restaurant, click here.

Included in your La Leona Waterfall tour from La Fortuna are a certified guide for the hike, transportation from our tour office to the trail entrance, life jackets, and dry bags.

For the most comfortable experience, transportation from La Fortuna can also be included during the booking process. You can also add Costa Rican lunch at our on-site restaurant in your reservation or choose from the menu on the day of the hike.

For the La Leona Waterfall hike you should bring closed-toe shoes or water shoes with good grip (no flip-flops!), clothes that can get wet, a change of clothes and shoes for after the tour as well as a towel. We also recommend bringing sunscreen, insect repellent, and a bottle of water.

Yes, La Leona Waterfall is definitely worth visiting from La Fortuna and makes a perfect day trip. With its unique adventure hike, where you climb over volcanic rocks and swim through a canyon with turquoise waters, La Leona Waterfall offers one of the best waterfall experiences in Costa Rica.

Both waterfalls are absolutely worth visiting, but they offer very different experiences. La Fortuna Waterfall is situated in an open forest scenery and can be reached with a 20–30 minute walk that includes steps.

When visiting La Leona Waterfall, the trail itself is a highlight. On this adventurous jungle hike, you will climb over rocks and roots, cross rivers, and swim through a spectacular canyon to reach La Leona Waterfall, hidden inside a volcanic cave.

If you’re looking for an easier waterfall experience, La Fortuna Waterfall is a great choice. If you’re looking for a more adventurous tour and want to experience Costa Rica’s nature up close on a unique river hike, La Leona Waterfall is the better option.