Costa Rica Waterfall Paradise
The hike begins near the restaurant on the property that serves delicious typical Costa Rica cuisine. The trail quickly descends to the first rainforest waterfall called Catarata Serena and this tall, slim waterfall starts things off with a bang. There's only one viewpoint on the trail and it's a bit challenging to get below the cascade, but with a little ingenuity, it can be done. The perspectives below the fall include several small drops in the rushing stream and provide great foreground material for better compositions with the jungle waterfall as a backdrop.
The second tropical waterfall, appropriately called Lluvia de la Montaña (Mountain Rain), is a towering wall of misty spray that gently tumbles down the hillside to a base of strange rock formations. Space is limited here and a super wide angle lens helps capture the entire fall.
After a short walk and a few switchbacks, an oddly out of place spiral staircase drops down to an otherwise unreachable area where the trail continues through the thick jungle. It's not long before a hanging bridge appears and passes in front of the largest and most powerful of all the waterfalls at Paraíso de Manantiales. Velo de Novia (Bridal Veil) stands 150' tall and creates its own atmosphere with large amounts of wind and spray. The hanging bridge seems a little dicey at first but is a safer option than navigating the slippery rocks. Viewpoints below the thundering plume including the bridge make wonderful Costa Rica landscape photographs.
After Velo de Novia, the trail continues declining until an opening emerges and you are suddenly transported into a magical fantasy land with an incredible river, lined with vibrant orange rocks, rushing through a lush green valley with several epic waterfalls dropping into the swift stream.
At the end of the trail and to the left, four waterfalls await, and the first is Salto de Toro (Jumping Bull). This 50-foot gushing fall produces gusty wind and tremendous spray and can be tricky to photograph due to those factors as well as standing in the rocky river.
Continuing forward past Salto de Toro, Catarata La Paz is next and this accurately named, peaceful waterfall streams lightly down the hillside surrounded by beautiful fronds and a rocky foundation.
Super close to Catarata La Paz is Catarata Maria and this magnificent gem is a wide trickle of water that gently seeps through foliage rather than dropping over a ledge. This is one of the coolest waterfalls I've ever seen.
Catarata Torito (Little Bull) is the last in line and this skinny slide waterfall cascades down the rocky mountain side before dropping directly into the colorful river below.
Returning to, and continuing past the original trail a short distance, takes you to the final waterfall in this sensational location. Measuring 270 feet tall, Catarata La Mica is the tallest waterfall at Paraíso de Manantiales and is a fantastic way to finish the day.
If you've been thinking about visiting Costa Rica for a photography vacation and love chasing waterfalls, join us for the Costa Rica Landscapes photography tour and explore Paraíso de Manantiales. This photography workshop is one of the best Costa Rica waterfall tours and also includes stunning landscape photography, remarkable nature photography, and plenty of professional photography tips and techniques.
Registration deadlines are quickly approaching so click the banner below, check out the full itinerary and dates, and book your spots today! Pura vida!
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Scott Setterberg
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