Volcano-waterfall And Hot Springs Private Tour

Gabriel was excellent tour guide. Very informative and helpfull and considerate!!

Gabriel’s service was beyond what we expected. From booking to the excursion to the drive home I felt safe and welcomed. The waterfalls and hot springs were absolutely amazing. He even went above and beyond by taking some of our group back to do more hiking and see more falls when some had to stay back due to physical restrictions. We even ended up booking another excursion with him directly to go river tubing and more waterfalls. The tubbing was so fun if we had more time we would be doing another one for sure!!

My family and I had an amazing time on this excursion. Our guide, Gabriel, was exceptionally helpful, professional, and knowledgeable. He went above and beyond for our group, and we actually booked other tours with him throughout our stay here in Costa Rica. If you’re thinking about booking this excursion — do it you won’t regret it!

Our guide was terrific. However, the tour is more than 2 hours from Tamarindo. It was somewhat disappointing. The hike is long and there’s not much to see. The mud bath is mud in a bowl you rub on. The hot springs were pretty. The waterfall is very small and the pooled water was freezing. Too far and not worth it.

This may have just been our experience because we tried to customize the tour and it was just the two of us with an awful guide BUT, it was the very worst tour we have ever gone on. Our guide was essentially just a driver but, he joined us with another tour group and just had us follow them around. Our guide talked in circles and I don't think he understood us - we said no fewer than 10 times that we were NOT interested in the coffee/chocolate tour but, yet he had us go with the other group to do that "tour." The waterfall was nice and we enjoyed it but, zero information on it from our guide, we just did our own thing. We did get to see all types of animals on our travels just even driving and in the "man made small rainforest" - the rainforest had a wonderful tour guide it was at a place called La Roca (which looked to be abandoned). The lunch we had was delicious at the Thermo Mania place; however, it was abandoned and dilapidated water park that is used by locals - IT IS NOT a hot spring. Do not let your guide bring you there, it is a series of pools and small rock waterslides and most pools were not even filled! The people were very kind and friendly but, this was not a "Costa Rican" tour - this was awful but, mainly it was our guide just taking us to a rip off tourist trap.

Gabriel was friendly & professional. Highly recommend him.

We had the pleasure of touring with Eugenio during our time in Costa Rica, and we couldn’t have asked for a better driver and guide. From the moment we met him, he was warm, personable, and made us feel completely at ease. His English was very good, which made communication easy and enjoyable throughout the tours. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and always made sure we were comfortable and well taken care of. We especially appreciated how accommodating he was to our needs and pace. Eugenio answered all of our questions about Costa Rica and gave us a lot of insight into the history of Costa Rica. We enjoyed our first tour (Buena Vista Adventure tour) with Eugenio so much that we specifically requested him again for a second outing (Rio Celeste Waterfall and Sloth hike) and he exceeded our expectations both times. That alone says a lot! If you’re looking for a reliable, friendly, and professional guide in Costa Rica, we highly recommend Eugenio. He truly helped make our trip memorable.

Gabriels Custom Tours has been absolutely amazing. We did two tours with Gabriel, day trip to Monteverde and the day trip to Rincon de la Vieja. The pricing for these private tours is very fair. All the activities and food were included. The food was very good. He is a good driver and very knowledgeable tour guide. I would definitely recommend doing tours with him. We saw lots of wildlife!

Eugene was an excellent tour guide - funny and very accommodating! The lunch stop was awesome! The thermal pools were too crowded.

Place was Amzing take your time going down and up and definitely go in the water would definitely help you go back up ❤️ the place just beauty!!

Overall, a great experience, but it does involve some long car rides to get to the destination! We stayed at the RIU Palace and spent about 4-5 hours driving to and from the experiences. We traveled with a group of 10....ages ranging from 8 to 68 and the trip was accessible and enjoyable for all! We started with the waterfall swim and it was incredible...a little chilly, but we were the only group there at the time, so it was a great experience. We then drove to the hot springs/mud baths experience. It was fun to try the different temps of hot springs and then cool off in the river in between. The lunch after the experience was good (chicken, rice, beans, fruit, salad, etc) and the service was great! We skipped the optional souvenir shopping, but had our driver take us to a local grocery store to buy some local candy and chips instead.

Hernan is one of the most incredible guides I have ever had anywhere in the world. His university studies for being able to be a nature guide is so obvious in his knowledge and understanding of the intricacies of the dry forest and the wet forest and the animals and plants that inhabit it. We did the loop trail and learned so much about plants, transition zones, animals, and the geology. His answers were never just a few words, but were obviously educated, detailed understanding and expression of the way these things all relate to each other and the beauties that they hold. Absolutely outstanding!

Best tour ever, did on a great hike, then hit the Hot Springs and the waterfall were just the most amazing spots ever. Our tour guide from Gabriel Custom tours was beyond great!!! Knew so much about the area and made our trip so fun and chill!

We loved this excursion! Gabriel was awesome! He was so knowledgeable and engaging. He was very professional and personable. We learned a ton about the diversity of Costa Rica's flora and fauna. The hike was the fun and interesting. Lunch was yummy and in a nice setting. Our waterfall swim was refreshing and the mud bath/hot springs were relaxing.

Magical day exploring quiet waterfalls, hot springs, getting a volcanic mud scrub, swimming in a lagoon under a waterfall, enjoying a delicious lunch and making a quick souvenir stop. Mario did a fantastic job of planning the day to be seamless and crowd-free while helping us enjoy each experience as fully as possible. Well worth the money and 5 stars for anyone looking to pack a lot of Costa Rica into 8 hours!

Gabriel was such a nice guy! Tour was really interesting and we even saw a tapir- exploring the different mini climates was quite fascinating. Lunch was quite delicious. We had a great day! Loved seeing the bubbling mud and the hot springs! Highly recommend.

Gabriel was absolutely incredible. His knowledge of Costa Rica is next level — from local culture and history to the best hidden spots you’d never find on your own. He truly made the entire experience unforgettable. If you’re visiting Costa Rica, Gabriel is the person to be with. Professional, friendly, and genuinely passionate about what he does. Thank you, Gabriel, for an amazing experience — I can’t recommend you highly enough! - Pequeno Saltamontes

Private is the way to go. Our guide, Eugene, was knowledgeable, kind, and offered us options during the day. The hike in the jungle is really nice and the few swing bridges are cool. Take time to enjoy the hot springs too!

We had the most amazing experience with Gabriel. He was so attentive and patient. He really tailored the tour exactly to our needs. We never felt rushed. We loved the waterfall and the hot springs. This activity is a must if you are in Costa Rica. We highly recommend everyone from grandparents to children enjoyed thoroughly

We had a great tour of the blue river waterfall at tenorio National Park. We did a nature tour, coffee making tour and a great outdoor typical Costa Rican lunch. We saw toucans, several sloths, frogs, toucans, hummingbirds, lots of rainforest flowers and plants. Eugene gave us extra service He was great when it was raining to go back and get our raincoats. He was very knowledgeable, and made sure we got to see everything.

We were visiting from Cleveland, Ohio, and it was our first time in Costa Rica and my first time booking a private tour . Mr Eugenio was an absolute, perfect guide, patient, understanding and best of all he is a naturalist, he is extremely intelligent and showed us the best of Costa Rica. My daughter drew out a bird guide that had many different exotic bird species, and Mr. Eugenio hit every bird on her list and she was absolutely thrilled. Since he was born and raised there, he knew all of the best places to visit and he did an additional place just so we could see more animals. We also had the best local food in Costa Rica and throughout the countryside that he drove the big, he showed us where are the coffee /sugarcane Fields /banana Fields / dragonfruit trees were located and he stopped the car if he saw any birds or species in the wild and we actually saw toucans in the wild! ( Which was on my personal bucket list ) . We couldn’t have been any luckier and we are definitely returning to Costa Rica for a second trip. I am already recommending my family members to go to this custom tour with Mr Eugenio / Gabriel Custom tours. Thank you Eugene for an unforgettable experience. You are truly one of a kind-

If you like nature and seeing and enjoy hiking this is a great tour. The hot springs were amazing and waterfall offered the chance to cool off and swim.

Excellent way to enjoy various aspects of Costa Rica. We had Jorge as our tour guide and he was extremely informative and upbeat. Just the right mix of things to see and order of the itinerary. One of the best tours we’ve done in our travels. Great lunch too!

The location itself was pretty amazing. Our tour guide is not a great fit for our family. The English tour was partially in Spanish due to limited English proficiency. We also were not accompanied down to the waterfall swimming, which would have been appreciated since we did not have anyone to take our picture there. Request your guide to go down with you. We opted for a private tour so that we would have flexibility with our family. We were able to do the order that worked best for us. That was very much appreciated.

We had Eugene for 2 tours. He was amazing. Picked us up directly from our hotel. Spoke fluent English and was extremely personable. We learned about his family and life in Costa Rica. He is an avid and highly trained naturalist and drove and educated us at the Palo Verde National Park boat tour which was a spectacular river boat tour seeing crocodiles, many species of birds and iguanas, followed by a delicious authentic wood fire oven cooked lunch with dragon fruit juice and dessert. All home made right there. 2 days later, we booked Eugene again for a lovely countryside ride through local towns to the majestic volcanic mountains where we hiked to the Rio Celeste waterfall. Eugene stopped on the side of the road to buy us his favourite breakfast from a local curbside restaurant... lemonade and panade. With his keen ear and eye, he found us wild toucans in the trees and spotted a line of carpenter ants and many interesting fauna and flora along the way used for medicinal purposes. Next we experienced the most amazing walk through an open sanctuary, where sloths, tapir, hummingbirds, snakes, and various other species can come and go and be viewed up close by many followed by yet another delicious lunch. On our way home, he found us the howler monkeys we so wanted to see and stopped for us to take pictures. Eugene is a great guide, and we highly recommend. To make your trip memorable, fill your heart, and get the best experience. When we come back we will book with Eugene.

Earnesto was amazing and accommodating. We did the private tour and so satisfied we booked another private tour with him the next day.

We booked a custom tour through Rincón de la Vieja with Eugene, and it was hands-down one of the best experiences we’ve had in Costa Rica. The hike itself was amazing — beautiful landscapes, tons of wildlife, and nonstop scenery — but what truly made it unforgettable was Eugene. He has the knowledge of a biologist. He explained the plants, trees, ecosystems, volcano activity, and little details you’d never notice on your own. He was extremely attentive the entire day, always making sure we were comfortable, hydrated, and having fun. We explored everything: a gorgeous hike, the hot springs, waterfall swimming, mud baths, and he even took fantastic photos of us throughout the trip. He went above and beyond on every part of the experience. If you’re visiting this region, ask for Eugene. He made the day feel special, personal, and absolutely worth it. Highly recommend!

Gabriel was fantastic! What a wonderful day. He answered our questions all day long and had cold water on ice whenever we wanted it. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the park and rainforest.

Had a great time hiking the trail between the rain forest and dry rain forest while seeing volcanic mud pits and vents. We saw a lot of wild life as well. After the hike we cooled off in an amazing waterfall. We took a break for a nice lunch and finished with a dip in several hot springs. The tour was made special by Gabriel with his knowledge of the park and the animals and plants. He was also very accommodating to our family

Excellent guide. He did a fantastic job and was very knowledgeable. I’d recommend it . Continue to do what you guys are doing

Excellent. Very informative, fun. Great experience Nothing else to add. .said every in the above paragraph

Gabriel was amazing. He was very flexible with the plans and knowledgeable on animals/vegetation. He brought binoculars to help us spot some animals. Gabriel was very considerate on our needs, such as buying us waters and making sure the rain wasn't hitting us.

I recently had the absolute pleasure of taking this tour in Guanacaste - Costa Rica, and I cannot say enough about how incredible the experience was—largely thanks to our tour guide, who went far above and beyond every expectation. From the very beginning, Gabriel's energy, warmth, and deep knowledge of the country made us feel both welcomed and inspired. Not only did they share fascinating insights about Costa Rica’s wildlife, history, and culture, but He also went the extra mile to make sure we had a personalized experience, and customized the activities and times to our desires. He anticipated our needs before we even voiced them, always making sure we had water, rest breaks, and the best photo opportunities. What impressed me the most was the personal touch He brought to the tour. It didn’t feel scripted—it felt genuine, like we were exploring the country with a passionate friend who truly loves sharing its beauty. Thanks to Gabriel and his wife Nancy, we walked away with not just memories, but stories and connections that will last a lifetime. If you’re visiting Costa Rica, do yourself a favor and book this tour. The destination is stunning on its own, but with a guide like this, the experience transforms into something truly extraordinary. We decided that one day was not enough- and even rebooked a different experience with him the next free day. Believe me you will not be disappointed.

Gabriel was born to be a tour guide! He is welcoming and accommodating. I had a hankering for some local snacks and he was more than willing to stop at Walmart for me. (I highly recommend visiting 🤣) He has an excellent command of English which is great because he’s has funny jokes. He knows the waterfalls and hot springs like the back of his hand. Gabriel can spot monkeys and can do a great monkey call. Unfortunately not for the freaking Toucans. (Our inside joke). The local buffet lunch was a welcomed, delicious surprise. I still think about the fresh star fruit juice. I thought the gift shop would be hokey, but was also pleasantly surprised at how long I could peruse the aisles. I’ve already recommended Gabriel’s tour to a friend going to visit next month. 💯 recommend Gabriel.

Gabriel was an amazing tour guide, and very accommodating. We were able to do so many different things. Doing the hike around Rincon and seeing the various volcano-caused activity was awesome. Swimming in the waterfall and then in the hot springs was so fun and unique. Lunch was great, too.

Amazing! We took a hike through the volcanoes, then swam under a waterfall. After that we had lunch at a great costa rican buffet. Finally, we swam in the hot springs. So fun!

Fernando was awesome! He was very kind and knowledgeable. He didn’t make us feel rushed and was happy to adjust plans as we needed. 10/10 recommend!

What an incredible experience!!! From the first moment that Gabriel picked us up at our hotel we knew it was going to be an amazing day. We were a group of 7 and his van was new, clean and extremely comfortable. He made us feel at home from the first moment. The ride from our resort to Rincon National Park was about 90 minutes, and it was so smooth. Which is hard to do in a country with a million speed bumps - during the drive Gabriel gave us some history on the area, answered all our questions and gave us information on Costa Rica in general. During the hike it is clear that his knowledge of the area and the wildlife is expansive. He is also so patient and answered all the kids questions and pointed out things he thought they would like. This tour was the most perfect day - from the hike, to the incredible waterfall, to the hot springs it was so well curated. The restaurant for lunch was also incredible - the food was absolutely outstanding and gives you a taste of Costa Rican cuisine. If you are looking for an incredible tour guide, that provides an incredible experience definitely book with Gabriel. I have already recommended him to friends and family that will be visiting Costa Rica in the coming months!

Great experience! We didn’t get to swim in the waterfall due to the rain from the previous day, but everything else was wonderful. Pablo was awesome and was so helpful throughout the whole tour! Would definitely recommend if you’re looking into doing this, don’t think twice!

We went as a family group of 12 people. We did the longer hike and it was not too difficult for our group which included a child of seven and two seniors of seventy-one. If you’re even in halfway decent shape you’ll be fine. We saw monkeys, turkeys, and birds on the hike as well as the volcanic fumaroles and mud pots. Lunch was a nice buffet then we went to the waterfall and enjoyed the time in the cool water. My personal favorite was the last stop of the day at the hot springs with a mud bath. Gabriel is a great guide and our family really enjoyed our day with him.

Great day of hiking and beautiful waterfalls, hot springs and volcano activity. Nice lunch to finish the day. The door to door service made it easy and relaxing

Fabian was our guide for volcano and hot springs tour and he was amazing. Very knowledgeable on everything we saw on the tour. Me and my girlfriend went the private route and it was perfect. Highly recommend this tour and Fabian.

OMG! This tour was absolutely AMAZING!! Our guide was so attentive and helpful. He made the journey so smooth! The hike is beautiful- highly recommend you wear comfortable shoes and bring your water shoes because tulip can switch shoes at the bus before going to the waterfall. Also recommend you bring a change off clothes for after the hot spring! Me and my family had such an amazing time though and we highly recommend this tour if you’re visiting!

Had Gerson as a guide. Very clean and organized vehicle. Provides bottled water. Assists family members and provides informative details of the hike. Waterfall was cold and refreshing. Stopped for souvenirs.

Gabriel was awesome, friendly, fun and entertaining. He took the time to stop along the way, as we need. While on the trail, he showed us a bunch of the native animals...very informative.

Gabriel was professional, friendly, accommodating and very knowledgeable. We all had a great day! He altered the set schedule based on our wishes.

My daughter and I had an incredible time on the hike through the wilderness! We spotted capuchin monkeys, a variety of birds, and even a snake. One of the highlights was observing active volcanoes bubbling with hot mud and visiting the sulfur baths. We also soaked in natural hot springs before enjoying a delicious buffet lunch. Our guide, Gabriel, was absolutely amazing—he truly went above and beyond. He helped us capture incredible close-up photos of wildlife and even recorded slow-motion footage of the volcano spewing mud. His knowledge of microclimates and local wildlife was impressive, and his friendly, personable nature made the experience even better. He even took the time to help other hikers spot animals and find their way when they got lost. When my daughter and I return to Costa Rica, we’ll definitely be booking all our tours through this company again!

Our tour guider was amazing. He was very nice. He had them sing happy birthday to me at the lunch. He gave us options on our hike. He was very friendly to be around. Costa Rica is so Beautiful. I enjoyed the Waterfall, Hot Springs, and Volcanic Mountain.

What a fantastic day- WELL-worth the price! Rincon Del Vieja was a BEAUTIFUL park and the paths were well-marked. Our guide, Gabriel, had excellent knowledge of the flora in the area & was never at a loss for an answer to our questions. He was also a whiz at pics & so helped us take superb photos for our memories. The highlight of this part of the tour was a giant TAPIR that crossed our path as we were almost wrapping up. Lunch was a lovely buffet with yummy-tasting food. The waterfall was exceptional in that we went in the afternoon and got to see an amazing rainbow over the water. Finally the mud baths were fun & we truly enjoyed our time in hot springs. All in all- 10 out of 10! My only recommendation would be: TAKE BUG REPELLANT to the Volcano Park or wear long sleeves & long pants. I had a terrible reaction to the biting gnats/ mosquitos & it made the next week a pretty tough time.