La Leona Waterfall with Kids: A Complete Guide
Table of Contents
La Leona Waterfall with Kids: A Safe and Fun Adventure for Families
La Leona Waterfall hike, is a tour that is fun for people of all ages, it is an excursion the whole family can enjoy! Here at La Leona Waterfall Adventure Hike your safety is a top priority. We put emphasis on safety while still ensuring a fun and exciting experience for everyone. With our expertly trained tour guides La Leona Waterfall will be the highlight of your trip to Costa Rica!
Safety Measures for Visiting La Leona Waterfall with Kids
We have a variety of safety measures in place to ensure your safety while visiting La Leona Waterfall with kids! Our tour company has the highest trained tour guides for La Leona Waterfall and is the highest rated tour company to visit La Leona Waterfall.
- Life jackets for everyone
- Tour guides trained in first aid and Costa Rica nature and wildlife
- Constant inspections of the river and trails used to visit the waterfall
- Additional tour guides on hikes with larger groups or multiple children
- Regular cleaning and replacement of equipment used on the tours
What to Expect Visiting La Leona Waterfall with Kids
La Leona Waterfall Hike Distance, Duration and Difficulty
| Distance | Duration | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| 4km round trip (1.5 miles each direction) | 2-3 hours in total (the time varies based on the season and the pace your group goes) | The La Leona Waterfall Hike is considered to be a moderate difficulty hike. It includes river crossings, ladders and climbing over moderate sized rocks but has little elevation gain. |
Best Time to Visit La Leona Waterfall with Kids
There is no best time to visit La Leona Waterfall. You can visit La Leona Waterfall all year long! Different season can offer different experiences visiting La Leona Waterfall. While many sources suggest that Costa Rica’s dry season runs from December to April and the rainy season from May to November, this is a common misunderstanding, particularly for the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano area.
Dry Season Consideration
In the Rincon de la Vieja region, the actual dry season extends from late November to late August. During this period, expect sunny skies and pleasant weather. During the dry seasons there is less water in the river so the current is not as strong making the swimming sections of the tour easier, this can be an easier option for small children. There is also very little chance of rain happening during your tour during the dry season. It is also the most popular time to visit Costa Rica so make sure to book tours in advance if you are visiting this time of year. Since it is more popular this time of year you can expect to see more people in the waterfall.
Rainy Season Consideration
The true rainy season occurs during September to October, when the area receives its highest rainfall. While some blogs may indicate that the rainy season begins in May, Rincon de la Vieja tends to stay relatively dry until late August. This time of year the rivers are higher so the current can be stronger getting to the waterfall. Also it is recommended that you book tours in the morning to avoid the rain since usually there is rain in the afternoon. This time of year there are a lot less tourists in Costa Rica so tour slots do not fill up as fast and you can expect to see a lot less people at the waterfall and may even see the waterfall completely empty.
Packing List
What to Bring on the Hike
- Phone (we will provide you with a dry bag to put your phone in)
- Water bottle
- Clothes you are okay with getting wet
- Closed toed shoes (that can get wet), water shoes, or sandals with straps (flip flops are not allowed)
- A small towel if you have young children
What to Leave in the Car for After the Tour
- Change of clothes
- Change of shoes
- Towels
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
La Leona Waterfall with Kids Tour Summary
Transportation to the Start of the Trail
After arriving at the office you will be driven in our 4 wheel drive vehicle to the start of the trail. On this drive you can stand in the back of the vehicle or go inside the car. This drive takes about 5 minutes down a gravel road.
Walking on the Trail
Throughout the hike you will travel across several different terrains. You tour guide will guide you across the different terrains and explain more about what you are seeing along the way.
River Crossings
You will go through several different river crossings to reach La Leona Waterfall. Each of these river crossings is at varying heights from just a few inches deep to about at knee depth. There are ropes at each of these river crossings you will hold onto to assist you along the way.
Ladders and Obstacles
At the larger rocks you must climb over there are ladders positioned to assist you. These ladders are just a few steps with ropes to hold onto on the sides and your tour guide will assist you to safely climb up the ladders.
Swimming through the Triangular Rock Formation
You have now made it to your first swim through the triangular rock formation. This swim has a very small current you must swim against. There is no rope positioned at this swim but each tour guide carries their own rope to use in this section whenever necessary. If you need assistance from the rope here you will just hold on and the tour guide will pull you across.
Entering the Canyon
The final obstacle to reach La Leona Waterfall is the swim into the canyon where La Leona Waterfall is hidden. For this swim you will pull yourself along the rope and then the guides will be positioned inside the canyon to assist you when entering. For small children they can hold onto the tour guide and the guide will swim with them into the canyon and carry them to enter La Leona Waterfall.
La Leona Waterfall with Kids
You have now made it to La Leona Waterfall! Once at La Leona Waterfall you can swim in the pools below and take one of a kind photos standing directly under the waterfall.
Reviews of Real Family Experiences
At La Leona Waterfall Adventure Hike, we pride ourselves on being the highest rated tour company in the Rincon de la Vieja area, and quite possibly all of Costa Rica. We specialize in providing unforgettable hiking, river tubing and zip lining tours, that put and emphasis on safety while still making sure that it is a fun filled and memorable experience.
With our top-rated tours, you can trust that your adventure with us will be the highlight of you trip to Costa Rica.
Testimonials from Parents Visiting La Leona Waterfall with Kids
Click here to read the original Google Review
“Had a great time, our Guide John was really great with our kids. He took care of our 8 year old daughter the whole hike. Even holding hands while walking, she loved it. The hike wasn’t long, the scenery was beautiful and the waterfall itself was amazing. All in all a awesome must try experience.”
– Niel Van Wilgen
Click here to read the original Google Review
“Francisco was our guide to waterfall hike. He was beyond amazing keeping our group safe while having fun. We had a group with small children (4 and 7 yo) and even some adults in their 80s. Would HIGHLY recommend.
Then we also did tubing ans we had a team of 6 guys, 2 (Elias and Luis) of which floated down one with each kid, to keep all of us super safe. The kids LOVED it the whole time and had huge smiles! It was hands down the BEST experience!!! You do not want to miss it! Or use any other company but this one! Thanks!!”
Click here to read the original Google Review
“Easily one of the best experiences of all of our family vacations to date. Exceeded our expectations. Luis was our guide and was excellent with our 7 year old daughter, helping her through some of the more challenging crossings and into the cave and waterfall. Fantastic overall!”
Scott Ferguson
Click here to read the original Google Review
“We are here on vacation from Texas. My wife and I took our 3 kids (10, 8, 7) to see La Leona waterfall. The hike was lead by Alex he was like a real life Mogley from the jungle book! He looked the part and was very knowledgeable. May be the best adventure we’ve ever done. It’s a must do if you’re traveling to the area. Moderately challenging, but anything worth doing is. The waterfall and the hike there is unlike anything else.”
– WN
Our Tour Guides
All of our tour guides have been through extensive training to ensure they are prepared for any situation. We have fully certified tour guides who have training in first aid and Costa Rica wildlife/nature. They love to educate travelers more about Costa Rica and are prepared for even the most unexpected situation. With them by your side you are guaranteed an exciting, fun and safe experience in Costa Rica that will be the highlight of your trip! With La Leona Waterfall Adventure Hike, you can feel comfortable visiting La Leona Waterfall with Kids.
Tours Available
Self Drive Tours
If you have your own vehicle and will drive yourself to our office you can book a self drive tour.
Tours with Transportation Included
If you do not have your own transportation you can book a tour with transportation included.
For a tour with transportation included you will be picked up where you are staying, driven to the tour location and then dropped back off where you are staying after the tour is concluded.
You can use our automated system to book this option.
Book a Tour with Transportation Included
FAQs about Visiting La Leona Waterfall with Kids
What is the Minimum Age for La Leona Waterfall?
The minimum age for a group tour is 6 years old and the minimum age for a private tour is 4 years old. This tour is not suitable for children under the age of 4 years old.
Why do Small Children Need to do a Private Tour?
We require small children (under the age of 6) to do a private tour because they usually need to go at a slower pace and require additional assistance from the tour guide.
Having a private tour means that you will have a tour guide specifically assigned to your family to provide individualized assistance and go at any pace you will need.
Is La Leona Waterfall Safe for Kids?
As long as you are going with a reputable tour company La Leona Waterfall is very safe for children. We, La Leona Waterfall Adventure Hike have additional safety measures in place to ensure the safest experience for children and adults.
Everyone on the tour will use a life jacket, there are ropes positioned in the river crossings, guides carry additional ropes and we put extra tour guides in larger groups or groups with multiple small children. All of this is in place to ensure that your family can have a fun, stress free, and most importantly safe trip to La Leona Waterfall.
How will my Child do the Final Swim into the Canyon?
For children who cannot pull themself with the rope into the canyon where La Leona Waterfall is hidden, the tour guide will assist them into the canyon. They will hold onto the tour guide and the tour guide will carry them into the canyon.
Do you Need to be able to Swim to Visit La Leona Waterfall?
No, you do not need to be able to swim to visit La Leona Waterfall. Though there are river crossings where you cannot touch the bottom, everyone uses a life jacket and there are ropes positioned across the swimming sections you can use to easily pull yourself across. Also the tour guides all carry a rope so you can hold onto their rope and they will swim and pull you across to ensure the hike is accessible to everyone.
Who Cannot Visit La Leona Waterfall?
Anyone under the age of 4 cannot visit La Leona Waterfall. Also, our main guideline is that the hike is not suitable for individuals with knee, ankle or mobility issues. If you are unsure if you can do the La Leona Waterfall Hike, reach out to us directly and we can help you decide if it is suitable for you.
Is there a Maximum Age to Visit La Leona Waterfall?
There is no maximum age limit to visit La Leona Waterfall. As long as you do not have knee, ankle or mobility issues you can still visit La Leona Waterfall! If you are unsure if you can do the La Leona Waterfall Hike, reach out to us directly and we can help you decide if it is suitable for you.
