Tenorio Volcano National Park (Río Celeste)
Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio · National park
Before you go
Days and hours
Abierto todos los días, de lunes a domingo. Horario de ingreso de 08:00 am a 02:00 pm. Se puede permanecer en el lugar hasta las 04:00 pm.Our translation Open every day, Monday to Sunday. Entry from 08:00 am to 02:00 pm. You may stay until 04:00 pm.
Entry fees
No residentes: $13.56 Niños(as) no residentes: $5.65Our translation Non-residents: $13.56; non-resident children: $5.65
Nacionales y/o residentes: ¢904 Niños(as) nacionales y/o residentes: ¢565Our translation Nationals and residents: ₡904; national and resident children: ₡565
Adulto mayor nacional y/o residente ingresan gratis. Niños menores de 2 años ingresan gratis.Our translation National and resident seniors enter free. Children under 2 enter free.
Tickets and reservations
La compra de las entradas se realiza únicamente a través del sitio web oficial https://serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.crOur translation Tickets are sold only through the official website https://serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr
Check before you go. Hours, fees and rules change. Confirm on SINAC: Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio; we last found these words there on October 16, 2026.
Planning a visit to Tenorio Volcano National Park (Río Celeste)
Tenorio is the Río Celeste park, and it straddles provinces: SINAC places it between Upala and Guatuso in Alajuela and Cañas and Tilarán in Guanacaste, 9 km from Bijagua. SINAC describes the Misterios del Tenorio trail as 6 km in total, about 3 hours, past the waterfall, the lookout, the blue pool, the borbollones and El Teñidero.
Entry runs from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm every day, with a daily cap of 1,200 people, and tickets are sold through SINAC's website alone. Entering the river is prohibited, drones are not allowed, and parking is private and paid.
Our explanation of the quoted facts on this page; it adds no facts of its own.
What it's known for
Lo borbollones: Son fisuras y grietas por donde se escapan, a alta temperatura, gases propios de la actividad volcánica del lugar.Our translation Los borbollones: fissures and cracks where hot gases from the area's volcanic activity escape.
Esta caída de agua, que tiene una altura aproximada de 20 metros, se ha convertido en el principal atractivo por su coloración azulada.Our translation This waterfall, about 20 meters high, has become the main attraction because of its blue color.
Where it is
se localiza sobre la Cordillera Volcánica de Guanacaste, a tan solo 9 kilómetros de Bijagua y 28 kilómetros de Guatuso, Alajuela.Our translation It sits on the Guanacaste volcanic range, 9 km from Bijagua and 28 km from Guatuso, Alajuela.
localizado entre los cantones de Upala y Guatuso de la provincia de Alajuela, y Cañas y Tilarán de la provincia de Guanacaste.Our translation It spans Upala and Guatuso cantons in Alajuela province and Cañas and Tilarán in Guanacaste province.
Check before you go. Hours, fees and rules change. Confirm on SINAC: Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio; we last found these words there on October 16, 2026.
The Río Celeste trail
Principales atractivos del sendero Misterios del Tenorio. Es un sendero natural lineal con una distancia de 3 km.Our translation Main sights of the Misterios del Tenorio trail. It is a natural, linear trail, 3 km long.
A través de él se recorren los principales atractivos del Parque, como la catarata, el mirador, la laguna azul, los borbollones y el Teñidero.Our translation It passes the park's main sights: the waterfall, the lookout, the blue pool, the borbollones and El Teñidero.
En un recorrido de 6 km en total y un tiempo aproximado de 3 horasOur translation 6 km in total, about 3 hours.
El Teñidero: Punto donde se inicia el fenómeno que da el efecto de coloración celeste al río.Our translation El Teñidero: the point where the phenomenon that gives the river its sky-blue color begins.
Check before you go. Hours, fees and rules change. Confirm on SINAC: Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio; we last found these words there on October 16, 2026.
Limits and rules
La capacidad de carga establecida es de 1200 personas por día. Solamente se permiten 500 personas simultáneamente en el sendero.Our translation Capacity is 1,200 people a day, with no more than 500 on the trail at once.
No se permite ingresar al río.Our translation Entering the river is not allowed.
No se permite el ingreso de drones.Our translation Drones are not allowed.
*Estacionamiento privado (se debe de pagar)Our translation Private parking (paid)
con precipitaciones durante casi todo el añoOur translation with rain for almost the whole year
Check before you go. Hours, fees and rules change. Confirm on SINAC: Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio; we last found these words there on October 16, 2026.
Other protected areas on this site
A plain list in alphabetical order, not a recommendation.
Source for this page: SINAC: Parque Nacional Volcán Tenorio. Quotes are SINAC's words in Spanish; the English lines under them are our translations.