Rincon De La Vieja: Costa Rica’s Most Under-rated National Park

We spent 5 glorious beach days in Playa Avellanas but were looking for a little adventure to round out a week’s stay in Costa Rica. We chose Rincon De La Vieja because we love to discover underrated National Parks and explore a little off the beaten path. La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and Corcovado although extraordinary- also come with larger crowds and an influx of complications and stressors. We wanted a more laid, back, Pura Vida – “chill and relax” kind of experience and Rincon De La Vieja seemed just the kind of easy going, National Park Experience we were looking for this time around.

Rincon de La Vieja National Park

Rincón de la Vieja National Park—translated as “Old Woman’s Corner”—is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Costa Rica’s most dynamic natural landscapes. Home to an active volcano, steaming hot springs, bubbling mud pools, cascading waterfalls, and a fascinating blend of dry and wet tropical forest, this park offers a truly immersive adventure for nature lovers. Named after a legendary healer said to have lived on the volcano’s slopes, Rincón de la Vieja is steeped in myth, with its geothermal features believed to possess therapeutic properties.

Spanning approximately 35,000 acres, the national park is divided into two main sectors: Las Pailas and Santa María, each offering distinct hiking trails and volcanic features. Following a volcanic eruption in 2021, access to the crater summit remains restricted for safety reasons, but the park is far from quiet. Clearly marked evacuation routes and volcanic warning signs line the trails, adding a sense of mystery and excitement to hikes through this ever-changing, active landscape.

Costa Rica is home to six active volcanoes—Rincón de la Vieja, Poás, Irazú, Miravalles, Arenal, and Turrialba—making it one of the most volcanically rich countries in the world. As of 2021, Rincón de la Vieja, Poás, and Turrialba are still considered active. Because volcanic activity can affect trail access and park operations, it’s essential to research current conditions before booking excursions, as temporary closures or restricted areas may impact your visit.

How to Get to Rincon De La Vieja

Located only an hour (16 miles) from Liberia Airport, Rincon De La Vieja is a great destination when arriving or departing from Liberia International Airport (Guanacaste Airport). As you can see, this region of Costa Rica takes some time to traverse as the roads are dirt in places and require slow traveling and caution. We arrived via a private transfer- CR Travel & Tours and Juan ensured we had a comfortable and relaxed experience traveling between Playa Avellanas and Rincon De La Vieja ( about a two hour drive in total). We chose to spend two nights at Hacienda Gauchipelin to immerse ourselves in the park and have access to the multitude of activities within the park.

A note about Day trips: There are a number of Day Trip excursions from the coastal Guanacaste tourist regions that offer a variety of activities and adventure tours. Many depart from the major hotel and resorts and offer transportation, snacks and entry. Although La Leona waterfall is technically within the area of Rincon De La Vieja, it’s not within the public park grounds. Accessible by tour, this beautiful turquoise blue waterfall is a must experience in the region and popular amongst tourists of the Pacific Coast beach resorts. If you are using CR Travel & Tours, Juan can also arrange for private tours to experience either of these destinations.

Affiliate Disclosure: “This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. By booking through this link you help to support our site.”

Staying Within Rincon De La Vieja

We spent two nights at Hacienda Guachipelín after comparing the cost of individual day excursions with the value of staying directly inside Rincón de la Vieja National Park—and it quickly became clear that this was the best choice. Staying at Hacienda Guachipelín includes complimentary access to five stunning waterfalls and the Negro Hot Springs, along with a convenient shuttle service into the national park itself.

The on-site Adventure Center offers an impressive lineup of activities, including horseback riding, canyoning, zip lining, river tubing, and more. While these excursions come at an additional cost, there is so much to explore for free that we felt the accommodation price delivered exceptional value. Although there are several other lodging options near Rincón de la Vieja, the combination of direct park access, included experiences, and on-site amenities made Hacienda Guachipelín the most value-packed and convenient place to stay in the area. A complimentary shuttle service provides transportation to all of the major destinations within Hacienda Guachipelín but the times are not frequent and require a bit of planned timing. If you have brought a rental car, you can also park and move throughout the area at your own pace.

Rio Negro Hot Springs Complex

We arrived in the afternoon and were treated to an early check-in which left us some remaining day light hours. We hopped on the 2:30pm shuttle to the Rio Negro Hot Springs and Waterfalls. The waterfalls are located across the street from the hot springs and feature 3 different adjoining waterfalls with an easy walk through the forest. We swam in the pools and enjoyed discovering the variety of plants and jungle sounds! A note: we do believe that we contracted a GI illness by submerging in these natural pools. We can’t be sure but it’s likely that there was some bacteria or parasite that made two out of the three of us very ill for about 24 hours. As a result, we do not recommend submerging your head in the natural pools. Just better to be safe than sorry as it put quite a damper on the remainder of our trip!

After the waterfalls we entered the Rio Negro Hot Springs and spent a few hours here. We LOVE hot springs and have been in many from Iceland to the Azores and this was one of our favorite experiences. Truly natural setting hot springs can be difficult to find and we loved the hanging bridges and natural settings of Rio Negro. We arrived as many of the day tour buses were leaving and the atmosphere was tranquil and relaxing. We did start to experience some mosquitos and recommend bringing bug spray. For a Full Guide to Hacienda Gauchipelin and the Rio Negro Hot Springs: Click Here

Catarata Las Chorreras Waterfall and Blue River Ponds

The Las Chorreras Waterfall and Blue River Ponds are walkable from the main Hacienda Gauchipelin complex. After recovering from a day of stomach illness, we took it easy and did the short walk to this waterfall and hiked in a little further to experience some of the additional natural pools. This time we didn’t swim in them though! We saw a group of horseback riders that had taken the tour and after they left we had the pools and waterfall all to ourselves! It took about 30 minutes or so to walk to the first major waterfall and we added an additional half hour walk to explore some of the other pools.

Catarata Oropendola waterfall

This waterfall is managed by Hacienda Gauchipelin and I had to show my bracelet and give my room number at the entrance to this waterfall. You can enter adjacent to the parking lot of the Rincon De La Vieja National Park parking area. Entrance fees vary from $15-$25 per person for non-residing guests. A short 10-15 walk brings you down some dirt pathways and over a hanging bridge where you’ll descend down to the Catarata Oropendola waterfall platform. From there you can view the falls from the platform or walk down and swim inside the pools. This is a large waterfall and was truly magnificent to witness! It is very shady in this portion of the forest and would be a great way to spend an afternoon after hiking Rincon de la Vieja. Unfortunately I was rushed to make it back to the parking area to catch the shuttle back but wished I had more time to enjoy and explore some of the surrounding area.

For More information, See our complete guide to Hacienda Gauchipelin!

A Day in Rincon De La Vieja National Park

Our time in Rincon de la Vieja was thwarted by a GI illness that we believe was contracted from the water in the Rio Negro waterfalls. We will never be sure but this left a day of exploring solo unexpectedly. I headed out on the 8:30am shuttle from Hacienda Gauchipelin and joined a guided hike in the Las Pailas area of Rincon de la Vieja.

You must purchase your entrance ticket to the National Park online here: https://serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr. This is also the main National Park website for other National Parks in Costa Rica. The cost was $16.95 for adult foreigners and you will need to enter your passport information. The park is closed on Mondays and open 8am-3pm Tuesday-Sunday. You’ll want to start as early as possible to beat the heat and the crowds. As far as National Parks go, this was not a crowded park. We did see a number of wildlife and birding tours throughout the park but I did not consider this park crowded at all, even during high season.

There are full service restrooms and water spickets available at the entrance and we started out on a short 2.2 mile hike through the Las Pailas loop area of the park at about 9:15am. I had planned to do the full La Cangreja Waterfall Trail (10 km) but being alone I felt it safer to stay with the group and wanted to get back to check on my ill travel companions! Not shortly after we entered the wet forest did we spot a family of White-faced Capuchin Monkeys playing in the trees!

We continued on through the wet forest before the landscape changed completely from lush green tree cover to exposed tan and dry mud flats. We saw a number of boiling mud pots and our guide explained about the flora and fauna of the region. I am not usually a guided nature hike kinda gal but our guide did a great job spotting wildlife and explaining about the many unique flora and fauna we discovered on the trail. Exploring more of the less trafficked areas of the park would most certainly provide better wildlife viewing but we saw quite a bit in only a few short hours.

The Legend of Princess Curubandá

According to the most popular version of the myth, Princess Curubandá, daughter of a local Chieftain, fell in love with Prince Mixcoac, the son of a rival enemy chief. People seeking medical attention were told to travel to “the corner of the old woman” (Rincón de la Vieja), and the name eventually became synonymous with the mountain itself. Upon discovering their forbidden affair, the Princess’s father was consumed by wrath. He lured Mixcoac to the edge of the active volcano and threw him into the live crater. Devastated by her lover’s death, Curubandá fled her village and became a recluse on the slopes of the volcano. In some versions of the story, she gave birth to Mixcoac’s son and threw the newborn into the crater so he could be reunited with his father. Curubandá lived the rest of her life as a hermit. She gained extensive knowledge of the volcano’s natural properties, becoming a powerful shaman and healer who used volcanic mud, thermal springs, and medicinal herbs to cure those who sought her out.

Legend of Princess Curubandá

“Seasonal Waterfall”

After walking through the dry and arid land of the dry forest we descended back into the wet forest on our way to the “Seasonal Waterfall”. Unnamed but surprisingly beautiful, this was my favorite area of the park. The trees are gigantic with large roots and the cover feels like it’s encasing you in beautiful hues of green. The boiling mud pots produce a steam that makes the jungle feel magical and haunted with secrets to uncover. We saw a number of unique and colorful birds that were too quick to photograph but added whimsy and excitement along the hike. This is an easy 2.2 mile trail with a lot of variety that would be great for kids or those looking for a more leisurely nature hike. With minimal elevation gain and pretty sturdy footing, I would categorize this as an easy trail with a great deal of variety and opportunities for wildlife sitings.

In Conclusion:

While many travelers gravitate toward La Fortuna and Monteverde, we found that Rincón de la Vieja delivers the very best of Costa Rica — incredible wildlife, dramatic landscapes, and immersive nature — with a fraction of the crowds and a much shorter drive from Liberia Airport. The Guanacaste region also benefits from a drier climate, and while we were enjoying sunshine and a refreshing jungle breeze, La Fortuna was experiencing days of steady rain.

Staying at Hacienda Guachipelín gave us effortless access to a wide range of adventures and excursions, along with plenty of opportunities to explore the park at no extra cost — a major win for budget-friendly travel. Hacienda Gauchipelin offers at least a full day of exploration in and of itself and with additional amenities like a full service spa and adventure activities – you could easily have 4-5 worth of non-stop activities in this park complex. Although our time in Rincón de la Vieja was too short, this underrated national park left a lasting impression, and it’s a place we’re already dreaming of returning to explore more deeply.