The highlands north of San José are home to majestic volcanoes and scattered with stunning waterfalls. We spent five days at the foot of the Arenal Volcano, hiking through waterfall wonderland Bajos del Toro and visiting coffee farms in the Central Valley.
Day 1: Arrival in San José & Drive to Arenal
We arrived in San José on a morning flight, making it possible to travel to Arenal that same day. It took us about two hours to pass immigration and pick up our rental car. After entering the scenic Route 702 in San Ramón, inviting local eateries pop up along the road. We enjoyed our first Imperial and casado in Soda La Chocita, taking in views of the highlands. With two more hours of driving after lunch, we made it to Arenal Observatory Lodge right around sunset.
Driving in Costa Rica turned out to be a pleasant surprise, bearing zero resemblance to the traffic madness of Mexico. With the exception of capital San José, there is little traffic and most roads are well-maintained. Still, some roads are better avoided if you aim for a relaxed road trip. I found this website with detailed road conditions very helpful.
Stay: Arenal Observatory Lodge
Day 2: Arenal Observatory Lodge
Costa Rica has around twelve hours of daylight year-round. The sun rises between 5 and 6 AM every day, turning in for the night twelve hours later. Helped by two hours of time difference with the US East Coast, we managed to wake up at sunrise for the entire length of the trip. The first sunrise from the deck of Arenal Observatory Lodge was one of my favorites. The lodge’s birdwatching deck and grounds attract avid birdwatchers from around the world.
The lodge is the only hotel located inside Arenal Volcano National Park. You can easily spend an entire day in the nature reserve without leaving the property, with the Arenal Volcano as a backdrop. We took a complimentary guided nature walk, explored seven miles of trails, climbed the wobbly observation tower and relaxed by the beautiful pool. The grounds can also be accessed by non-hotel guests with a day pass.
Onsite El Jilguero Restaurant takes golden hour to the next level. Every afternoon from 5 to 6 PM, the sunset is complemented with 2-for-1 happy hour drinks. From the wrap-around deck, you can soak in spectacular sunset views over Lake Arenal and the volcano.
On the other side of the volcano lies the tourist hub of La Fortuna. The town is a compact introduction to Costa Rica, with every adventure tour imaginable on offer: from zip lining to hanging bridges and sloth trails, where an animal hard to see up-close in the wild is suddenly everywhere. La Fortuna is also known for natural hot springs, resulting from the area’s volcanic activity. We were planning to visit the small Titokú Hot Springs, but the hot and humid weather convinced us otherwise.
Stay: Arenal Observatory Lodge
Day 3: Catarata del Toro & Blue Falls, Bajos del Toro
After a full day at the foot of the Arenal Volcano, we skipped the town of La Fortuna altogether and moved to less-travelled roads. Bajos del Toro is a waterfall wonderland that receives a fraction of the visitors to Arenal, even though it’s only a 90-minute drive away. The town is located in cloud forest, a unique ecosystem that makes up just one percent of forest in the world. The tropical mountainous environment allows for a consistent low-hanging cloud cover, harboring unique species in an ocean of green.
Catarata del Toro and Blue Falls are operated by the same owner. The ticket office is located at the entrance to Catarata del Toro, where you can buy a combo ticket to visit both falls in the same day. We started with the hike to Catarata del Toro, an impressive 300-foot drop that tumbles into an old volcanic crater. After several viewpoints, the real descent starts with over 350 stairs leading to the foot of the waterfall. Part of the hike can be done as a loop if combined with the garden trail. This trail is flanked by flower bushes that attract all types of hummingbirds and butterflies.
The Blue Falls of Costa Rica are named after the striking blue color of the Río Celeste. The blue reflection is created when sunlight hits the water, thanks to a mineral called aluminum sulfate. There are six waterfalls along the river, each one accessed by a sidetrack from the main trail. Las Gemelas was our first fall and also our favorite. By the sixth waterfall our calves were burning, as each one entails a hike down and back up. It took us three hours to see all the falls.
Driving in from La Fortuna, you’ll access Bajos del Toro from the north on Route 708. Make sure to leave the same way, as the road south of Bajos del Toro is steep, narrow and not in the best state. We picked our stay for the night in the countryside north of Bajos del Toro. Los Gallitos Eco Lodge is a simple but charming farm stay, hosted by Maria and her family. The basic cabins are spread out on the farm overlooking the valley below. For dinner, you can visit the family’s rustic barbecue joint or go for a delicious casado at Soda Donde Pity.
Stay: Los Gallitos Eco Lodge
Day 4: Catarata Vuelta del Cañon, Bajos del Toro
Breakfast at Los Gallitos Eco Lodge is served on the panoramic deck of the main cabin. After a traditional gallo pinto with eggs, we were ready for another day of hiking in Bajos del Toro.
Most of the waterfalls in Bajos del Toro are tucked away on farmland owned by locals. They provide access to the falls and mark the trail, in return for an entrance fee between $10 and $20 per person. It shows how the local community can benefit from tourism in Costa Rica, an essential part of the pura vida spirit. Once you’ve paid the fee for Catarata Vuelta del Cañon, the owner opens the gates to a hiker’s paradise.
The trail to the waterfall is just six kilometers one-way, but the countless river crossings add to the challenge and fun factor. The spectacular double waterfall surrounded by lush vegetation was by far our favorite in Costa Rica. We even braved the ice-cold water for a refreshing dip.
There are plenty of local sodas in Bajos del Toro to fuel up after the hike. We opted for a delicious buffet lunch at Tesoro Escondido Waterfall. As clouds started to roll in, we choose a relaxing soak in the hot springs of Recreo Verde over another waterfall hike. The cool mountain air of Bajos del Toro is much more suited for a hot spring soak than La Fortuna, where temperatures rarely drop below 30ºC.
Stay: Los Gallitos Eco Lodge
Day 5: Central Valley Road Trip to San José
The trip from Bajos del Toro to San José is road trip material, with scenic roads and great stops along the way. The area surrounding the capital is known as the Central Valley, one of the main coffee regions in Costa Rica. From Los Gallitos Eco Lodge, we made our way south on Route 126, before switching to Route 712. The first stop appears out of nowhere, as the impressive La Paz waterfall tumbles down right next to Route 126. There is room to park and several food stands selling fruit and snacks.
From Route 126, a 20-minute detour leads to Poas Volcano National Park. In the days leading up to our trip, the park was repeatedly closed due to increased volcanic activity. Rather safe than sorry, we took a pass on visiting. We continued south to Hacienda Alsacia, the only coffee farm owned by Starbucks. The farm serves as a real-life science lab, creating best practices for coffee growing. You can tour the farm, or simply enjoy a coffee in the classy café with panoramic views of the valley.
The Central Valley is scattered with coffee estates of all sizes, thanks to abundant rainfall and high elevations. We visited the family-owned Tio José Coffee & Chocolate Farm. The entire family contributes to this lovely small-scale business. After touring the estate and tasting several coffee varieties, we got to make our own chocolate with cocoa beans from the farm.
After five days in the highlands, we continued our trip south to the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. If this marks the end of your trip, you can overnight at Villa San Ignacio in Alajuela. This charming stay is conveniently located just twenty minutes from the airport.
Klara the Explorer 
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