Las Golondrinas

Thanks to a random request to hang out with one of my coworkers up near Guácimo one weekend, I found myself planning a day trip to this beauty of a locale. When I get the chance to tell others about Las Golondrinas, I'm always quick to tell them that it isn't just the waterfall that makes it so wonderful in my opinion; it's the entire experience. Of course, the waterfall is a beautiful thing, but there's so much more. The deep, crystalline pool of nearly 15 feet, the natural cave with a long, smooth rock forming a bench to relax on, the 12-foot ledge you can climb to and jump off from into the pool, and the soaring rock wall that forms the shape of the canyon around the entire panorama of the place all combine for a truly breathtaking experience.

Getting to Las Golondrinas is a fairly simple trip. Simply plug in Catarata Las Golondrinas to Google Maps or Waze, and it'll get you there perfectly. If you're living that frugal life and don't have your own transportation, you'll need to grab a taxi from the bus terminal. I recommend a guy named "Pollo," and he can be reached on his cell phone at +506-8616-6682. ***NOTE: If you can't get ahold of Pollo, try his buddy Guillermo at +506-8810-6888*** Pollo charges you a one-way, flat fee of 5,000 CRC, so if there's four of you (more can fit in the back of his truck but be careful going up the hill and hang on), it works out to 1,500 CRC each person each way. Make sure you schedule the return trip with Pollo before he drops you off. Sometimes the cell service up at the entrance to the waterfall can be a little spotty, so it's best to have that organized before Pollo takes off. ***NOTE: If you can't get ahold of Pollo, try his buddy Guillermo at +506-8810-6888***

When you get to the entrance, you'll be welcomed by doña Elsy, easily one of the sweetest Costa Rican women you'll meet in this country. If you're lucky, she may even have a few freshly picked and peeled oranges waiting for you to enjoy. The entrance fee is 1,000 CRC each person, and you can safely leave extra baggage in the house with doña Elsy. Make sure to sign in on the guest book - doña Elsy loves to meet new people and will absolutely engage you in conversation if you're willing to sit around with her for a bit. She's so dang sweet.

The hike is fairly short at around 1,150 meters and lasts between 30-45 minutes, depending on your personal pace. You'll cross over a hanging bridge with a nice view of the river about 40 feet below, you'll walk through a few cattle pastures, and you'll climb up and around the side of a hillside as you approach the falls. This is the part that gets me about this particular waterfall - the last few meters of the approach are a full experience in and of itself. Before your eyes get their first glimpse of this awesome sight, your ears and your core get the sensation that absolutely pulsates from this thundering beauty. You take a few steps, following the path around the steep ridge, and it hits you. If you pay attention, you'll feel it all the way down in your stomach. The rumbling of the falls as it echoes through the tropical forest, bouncing off each tree trunk and floating among the leaves, the sound of that raw, natural power for which there is no comparison.

The space around the foot of the falls is wide open, with plenty of space to spread out and enjoy your time. Among the huge boulders there's a number of flat spaces to leave your items. To get to the cave, you'll need to swim around the left side and follow the rock wall until you get to it. It's about 10 meters wide, and you'll find a neat little natural rock formation in the shape of a bench. From there you can relax a few meters from the waterfall with a nice view of the main area. To get to the jumping-off point, it's a little further back and the left of the falls, with the stepping spots fairly clearly marked. Be careful on your way up, as the ground is constantly wet and slippery due to its proximity to the waterfall's splash. Take extra caution to jump out and toward the waterfall, because there is a shallow rock formation directly beneath the spot that could be a big hazard if you aren't careful to get some distance on your jump. For the more adventurous souls, there is a pretty neat little challenge offered: If you make your way to the cave to the left of the waterfall and look over behind the waterfall, you'll see that it doesn't come straight down from above. Rather, it juts out and at a slight angle, creating a small space between the falling water and the rock wall behind her. The challenge is simple - swim over to the edge of the splash zone, find a good hand hold, and climb across behind the waterfall. ***NOTE: This is not for anyone who cannot swim (those folks shouldn't be that close to the waterfall in the first place, I know. Still bears mentioning)*** The current created from the unique angel of the falls causes a strong push against anyone approaching and, of course, a strong push outward on the other side; however, the most dangerous/adventurous/adrenaline-pumping part would be when you arrive directly behind the waterfall. As you are neither on the left nor the right side, the sheer force of the water is pushing you right up against the rock wall. It's something that I can't really describe to you here in words. You have to try it yourself - with caution! There's a short clip in the YouTube video below when I was making my way across and took out the GoPro to get a bit of special footage from behind her.

It's super hard to pick a favorite among the waterfalls I've been fortunate enough to experience during my time exploring them down here in Costa Rica. Despite my proclivity for the taller, more powerful waterfalls, I must say that Las Golondrinas certainly holds a very special place in my heart. As you'll surely see for yourself if you ever get the chance to go, it is so much more than just a waterfall. It's a full experience - the approach, the cave, the jump, and the overall beauty of the entire area culminate in one marvelous expression of the natural wonder of this place. - Dakota B.

Las Golondrinas Waterfall Info

Difficulty: Easy

Location: Las Colinas, Guácimo, Limón, CR

GPS Coordinates: 10.1479, -83.6703

Height: approx. 40 meters / 131 feet

Nearest bus/taxi fare: Guácimo to Las Colinas, 5,000 CRC

Entry fee: 1,000 CRC

YouTube video:

The 28

Few waterfalls teased me as much and for as long as this one did. In my initial frenzy do investigate all of the closer waterfalls - within an hour bus ride from Turrialba - La 28 reached a near-mythic level of secrecy when it came time to nail down where she is and how to get to her. I remember first seeing a picture of the towering falls, and I put her on the list immediately. Little did I know how tricky it was going to be to accomplish.

The thing about this waterfall is that when you first look it up, you'll likely find that it's situated on the Aquiares River. Your next thought may be, "OH! The Aquiares Waterfall! Yeah, I've seen that one!" But that's not it. That one isn't even on the Aquiares River; in fact, it's on the Turrialba River. (All is explained in Aquiares Waterfall's post.)

The waterfall known simply as The 28 is named such for the farmland that is butted up against the area surrounding the falls themselves. It's a common practice for land owners to sell their property in sections called parcels or plots ('parcelas'), and the person who discovered this particular waterfall was perhaps not feeling very inspired when it came time to name her. So, due to the nearby farmland, she's called The 28. 

Equally impressive is the sheer rock wall
that forms the valley around the 28

The access is fairly simple, and it cuts through some pretty beautiful scenery filled with coffee farms on both sides and a nice view of the river valley. You'll need to take the bus up to Aquiares, taking it all the way to the last stop at the top of the hill called Cuesta Dura. From there you'll follow the white path in the below photo until you end up at the riverbed. The path itself is well marked, and the only really tricky part is the last 50 meters or so before you arrive down at the river bed. Just make sure you have your boots and a good hand hold as you scale down the slope. 

Once you've arrived at the river bed, turn to your left (west northwest) and start moving up along the blue line. There is no path, so you're going to have to make your own way. It isn't that tricky, but you will 100% without a doubt have to get your feet and legs wet along the way. Despite my friend Martín's best efforts as an accomplished rock-to-rock jumper, even he eventually succumbed to the eventual fate of the river. There are a few spots where you just won't be able to hop from one dry spot to another, so the sooner you accept that, the better you are. 

If you find that you've chosen to walk up one side of the river and you get to a spot that seems impassable, you may have to double back a little while. That's just the way it goes. About half way up the river you'll come across a few nice little pools ('pozas') that you can swim in. They even have a nice little cascade of a meter or two, making for a  nice little stop along the hike. Once you continue on, you'll only have about another half hour before reaching the foot of the falls. A lot of the distance and duration depends entirely on the path you take, and how nimble you are when it comes to scaling over, around, and sometimes even under the big boulders that line the riverbed all the way up to the waterfall. 

Exploring with a few local buddies - Martín, Daylan, and Daniel

One of the cooler things about this waterfall is the last 100 meters or so before you get to the absolute foot of it. Instead of so many approaches where you see her up top and simply walk toward her, the river just below her over time has cut a path around a big, sloping island that gives you a really unique spot to stand in front of the falls. Normally you'll just stumble your way up to the foot of the falls on the slippery rocks and small patches of leveled out pebbles, but this special formation makes this experience a little better, in that you have a very solid spot right in front of the falls to see her in all her splendor. 

Don't be scared to try to explore this beautiful waterfall. Although she can be tricky to find, she's worth every step of the way! 

- Dakota B.

La 28 Waterfall Info

Difficulty: Moderate

Location: Aquiares, Turrialba, Cartago, CR

GPS Coordinates: 9.9583, -83.7258

Height: approx. 75 meters / 246 feet

Nearest bus fare: Turrialba to Aquiares, 340 CRC

Entry fee: none
YouTube video:

Aquiares

This particular waterfall has a bit of an interesting story behind its name. Despite being no more than a 15 minute walk down the hill from the bustling coffee-rich community of Aquiares in the foothills of the Turrialba Volcano, this waterfall isn't actually found on the river that shares its namesake.  Aquiares Waterfall is, in fact, found on the Turrialba River. (There is, however, a wonderful waterfall that is actually located on the Aquiares River, but it's called "The 28")

In the memorable words of a friend, "That is straight
up out of an Indiana Jones movie, my dude." 

Aquiares Waterfall holds a special place in my heart, because this was the first solo trip I ever took with the express purpose of seeing a waterfall. I had been to La Fortuna, Llanos de Cortés, Bajos del Toro, and Tesoro Escondido, but it was always part of another destination. Aquiares was the first time I set out just to see a waterfall, and it was everything I hoped it would be.

Having just moved to the town of Turrialba, I was definitely still getting my feet underneath me, but I had a free day due to a work holiday, and I took advantage of it. I investigated a bit about where the bus leaves from and the schedule, packed a bag, and made my way out of town, up into the foothills of the volcano. 

From the center of Turrialba, the bus to Aquiares waterfall takes about a half hour to arrive at its destination; however, if you're trying to get to waterfall directly, you'll need to get off the bus by the big Ceiba tree. If you ask the bus driver to let you off at the Ceiba tree, he/she will know exactly where to stop. 

The walk down the hill is simple enough, and it takes 20-30 minutes to get to the foot of the waterfall. There is a smaller fall - about 15 or 20 meters tall - to the right with a narrow trail leading up to it, but the main fall is another five minutes or so beyond that. 

If you happen to come by car instead of bus, there is access for parking all the way up to about 100 meters away from the waterfall in a small clearing. I've seen regular cars parked there before, meaning you don't have to have an SUV or truck to get there, although I'd probably be more careful on the rainy days taking a lower car all the way down there, as there is a creek that flows across the path before you get all the way down to the parking clearing. 

Arriving to the waterfall is one of those neat moments, because you're approaching along a trail that keeps the waterfall itself hidden although you can absolutely hear them as you get closer to the reveal. There are two small access points down the bank to the edge of the river, the first of which offering a direct path to the river. Once you cross the river, you can continue up the riverbed and get all the way to the pool beneath the waterfall. As is always the case, the rocks get super slippery, so approach with caution.

While the waterfall is some 40 meters/131 feet tall, the pool itself isn't very deep. The water gets up to around four feet or so in the deepest part I've made it to. Depending on the season, it can be a healthy flow, so be sure to approach carefully. Sadly, there was a young man who chose to try and climb up the rocks near the falls and ended up falling to his death in the shallow pool below. Just like any other waterfall adventure, make sure you're mindful of your surroundings and take every precaution you can to ensure you're safe, first and foremost. 

It took me a few times to figure it out, but there's also a trail that leads up and around to the top of the falls. The path isn't clearly marked at all, which is probably why it took me a few visits to realize it was even there in the first place. To find it, it's across the river from the arrival access, and about 60 feet to the left of the pool, around the short canyon wall. You'll probably see the worn down steps in the dirt that lead up, but they're fairly concealed behind some bigger rocks, so you'll have to get closer to that side of the river bank to see them clearly. 

View from the top looking over the riverbed below

The trail to the top has some fairly steep spots, so you'll want to take your time for sure. It takes about ten minutes in all, and you'll see a couple access points when you reach the top. The first will take you to the riverbed before the falls, and the other will take you just about to the edge, where I took the accompanying photo. ***NOTE: The rocks near the edge are VERY VERY slippery. Be SUPER careful if you try to shimmy your way out to the precipice. I only managed this photo after very slowly moving down, almost at a snail's pace. Remember - no photo/video is worth your life!***

As approach hikes go, this is certainly one of the easiest ones I've been on in Costa Rica, and for that I can say this waterfall is for anyone and everyone who wants to get outside and enjoy the natural beauty of this country. 

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy this beautiful example of the natural splendor that Costa Rica has to offer. Be safe, and keep exploring!

- Dakota B.

Aquiares Waterfall Info
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Aquiares, Turrialba, Cartago, CR
GPS Coordinates: 9.9333, -83.7208
Height: 40 meters / 131 feet
Nearest bus fare: Turrialba to Aquiares, 340CRC
Entry fee: none
YouTube: