La Paz Waterfall Gardens From San José

Harlin, our guide was great. Very professional and kind. The park and waterfalls were amazing and beautiful.

The trip only started at 10:30 even though it says 9AM, traffic in San Jose is pretty rough, so something to keep in mind. We had a very long stop at a souvenir shop (about 45 mins) which I felt was quite unnecessary. Overall time spent in the park was only 3 hours which could have been more. But the park experience was 10/10 which is what redeemed my rating, however, pricing was on the higher side.

This was supposed to be a half day trip but took up the full day. The website said the tour starts at 9am, but I received a message the day before saying the pickup time would be 10:30am and that I would be dropped back at my hotel between 5-5:30pm. After pickup, the next 2 hours were spent picking up other guests from all over town, including having to wait 30 min at one hotel for the guest to be ready. Most of the time at the gardens was spent looking at insects/wildlife (in cages). The guide disappeared for 1.5 hours during lunch where we just sat around waiting. Then we only had about 30 min to rush through the waterfalls. Didn't get back to my hotel until almost 7pm. I enjoyed seeing the wildlife and the waterfalls but wish they were more upfront about how much time would be spent picking up other passengers and were better about budgeting time at the gardens.

This excursion is so much more than just seeing the waterfalls. While they are beautiful, the aviary, butterflies and rescued animals steal the show. However, if you have knee or hip trouble, fear of heights and/or steep metal stairways, this may not be the best trip for you. However, I will say, every stairway had hand rails. The lunch was amazing. It is served buffet style and there is literally something for everyone. We are vegetarians and the fruit, salad bar, corn chips were great, but if you don't like that there's pizza and plenty of dishes for meat eaters. After the waterfalls, there is a gift shop with snacks and drinks, but remember, the shuttle back to your hotel may take a couple of hours and there is no bathroom on the bus, so watch how much you drink. Overall, I recommend this trip highly.

This experience was promoted as a full day tour but is really only a half day tour. I was not picked up until 11am and did not reach the gardens until 1.30pm. Once there the experience was great - buffet lunch, scenic waterfalls and lots of wildlife, some you can get up close to.

Lots of stairs and lovely at the falls. Fall visit much better than seeing the animals before hand. Lunch provided was good.

The waterfalls was breathtaking. It’s a must see. It was so amazing to be surrounded by so many butterflies. The guide stay with us the entire time and gave us instructions if we wanted to head down further. Overall, it was a very nice adventure in Costa Rica.

Excellent tour but be prepared to climb the steps if you want to get the best pictures. Truly one of the most exquisite places to visit on earth. A must see on your visit to Costa Rica.

The animals sanctuary was fascinating and the waterfalls were beautiful. Martin our guide did a great job providing information on the animals, the waterfalls, and the area. Highly recommend including this in your visit to Costa Rica

astounding infrastructure improves accessibility in lush, tranquil setting; exotic (indigenous) animal sanctuary with informative signage....

Such an amazing trip! Our tour guide Daniel was fantastic. He provided rich history during our drive, made the experience fun, and helped guide us through the park with more helpful facts. Outstanding views and a delicious lunch buffet was included!

Interesting place, well maintained and enjoyable. Guide was knowledgeable, pleasant day overall. Pickup was on time

The whole experience was stunning. Beautiful place with lovely waterfalls and chance to experience a cloud forest up close.

It's about a 8 hour trip in all. You see some nice waterfalls and have lunch in a nature centre with all types of birds, big cats, etc. Very helpful and knowledgeable guide.

We have made many trips here. This time was very disappointing. They no longer put out food for the birds. The hummingbird feeding has been canceled. Fewer birds in general. Secondary dining closed. Orchids mostly phals…2 unusual ones. The restrooms were clean. Staff was friendly. We were embarrassed to take our friends there after bragging about it for so long.

Great experience even tho it was raining - tour guide was great and gave lots of interesting background information. Highly recommend this trip!

Incredible experience outside of San Jose. A must see! Would not recommend driving yourself. The animal sanctuary was wonderful and the falls themselves were breathtaking. Gardens were well kept and beautiful. Lunch was nice, but nothing special.

The place didn't disappoint. The numerous waterfalls and trail was great experience. Definitely worth-visiting.

This was a very good tour all things considered. A couple notes. The tour started later than was originally specified. It has originally said a 9 am start but we received a note the morning of that we would be picked up at 1030. We stopped at a snack store along the way and were about to get some beverages and snacks. Much needed since lunch ended up not happening until almost 3 pm. The park itself was a bit “canned” for my taste. Started off with a guided tour through a few zoo-type enclosures of birds, snakes, frogs, butterflies, monkeys and a few large cats. Then free to walk along a path and see the 4-5 waterfalls they have. The path takes about thirty minutes and is mostly downhill (shuttle takes you back to the top at the end) Lunch was good food though it came later than we were expecting or had planned for. We were able to order alcoholic drinks and oat a reasonable cost for them. All in all, it was a good tour

Incredible views and sights. The driver Edwin and the guide, Fila, I believe his name was, were top notch. Guide was funny, passionate, and took time ro get to know you. Be aware the steps are pretty challenging. Just pace yourself and you'll be fine.

It was a long day as it’s about 5-6 hours on the bus between hotel pickups and drop offs, but the tour guide, Oliver, is very entertaining and patient with questions. He kept things moving at a very comfortable pace. I’d highly recommend this tour if you have a full day.

The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. The tour was incredible! Costa Rica is an amazing place & everyone enjoyed the rich scenery on the way to La Paz. Once you arrive at the gardens, it’s like stepping into another world! There’s so much to see & experience. It’s really an unforgettable experience!

Beautiful walking tour through the jungle and beautiful waterfalls along the way..... a must do if you get the chance!

My wife and I took this tour yesterday. We had the pleasure of getting Jose and Eduardo as our guides. I cannot say enough good things! Knowledgeable, friendly, funny, and safe drivers!! The La Paz Gardens are stunning! The animals look well fed and looked after. The guides walk you through the whole way and are respectful of the animals. They do not recommend taking selfies or touching the animals, although it is an option. The focus was instead about enjoying the animals respectfully. This is a big deal in Costa Rica and there is even a big hashtag campaign about it. We saw beautiful birds in the aviary, got to hang out with the most adorable sloths, and go face to face with a Jaguar! Lunch is included and the food was quite good. It is a buffet, so many options. Now let’s talk waterfalls and stairs. I total there are 4 waterfalls. Each is stunning, powerful and a hike to get to. My wife’s FitBit said we walked 46 flights of stairs. There are shortcuts if you feel the need to get close, but we went for it. We are both in moderately good shape (her more than me) and we both had a moment where we took a break on the climb out of the last waterfall. Overall, the guides are funny and safe, knowledgeable and friendly. The animals are beautiful and well treated. The waterfalls are spectacular and memorable. Do yourself a favor and take this tour. So far it has been the most memorable for us on our 5 day trip! Thank you Jose and Eduardo!!

This park is well worth the entrance fee. It is one of the only places where you can see all of the rainforest animals without having to tromp through the rainforest. They are dedicated to the restoration and preservation of Costa Rica's natural ecology. Here is you will get up close and personal with hummingbirds and butterflies and you wil be able to view the jungle cats and my favorite the sloths. It is an excellent way to spend the day. The even have an excellent buffet lunch available.

La Paz waterfall gardens is beautifully green and plush. The steps to the actual waterfalls were surrounded by great views and we were able to get pretty close to get some good pictures. We also enjoyed seeing all the various species of Costa Rican animals, especially the humming birds, but I was a little uncomfortable with the sizes of the enclosures. This was particularly true for the jungle cats and parrots. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our day here which was made even better by our tour guide, Daniel, who was truly excellent. Funny and knowledgable with brilliant English! The lunch was good too. Would recommend if you want a taste of Costa Rica’s natural side!

We got more than we expected with this tour from butterflies that landed on us to sloths named flash gorgeous waterfalls and LOTS of stairs! We got our exercise while enjoying all there was to see. Pablo made it so we got some great pictures with Toucans and educated us on them as well. He even woke up a cute sloth named Flash so we could get pictures with her!

We were collected from our hotel in San Jose after breakfast and driven to the gardens in a minibus via a coffee stop at a coffee plantation where we saw the coffee being picked. The waterfall gardens have two main parts: a small zoo with only Costa Rican animals, which provided a great chance to meet toucans face to face in the bird enclosure and beautiful cats including Pumas, Jaguars and Ocelots. The cats were particularly interesting at feeding time, which is in the late afternoon. For those with concerns about zoos, we were told that they were all rescue animal. They were all in lovely condition. The second part is a natural area with five waterfalls which you can walk through on paths, which gives a good sense of the natural forest and landscape. You need to be able bodied for this part as there are quite a lot of steps. A good buffet lunch was included.

This tour from San José is a bit strenuous because of the arrival/return journey but definitely worth a trip. Fascinating landscape, informative, well organized, impressive waterfalls.

Excellent experience. I traveled alone but they are excellent hosts. Yes, these places are expensive. It is preferable to hire a travel agency with these tours including all dollars Linda Vargas. Mexico

OUTRAGEOUS. The trip does not match the info online. In the end, not being able to come along because it's a DAY trip and doesn't only take 5 hours... they took me back to the hotel and guaranteed that I got my money back. I never received that money. Furious!

We drove to this park independently in our rental car. The roads were in good condition. The park was beautiful and very well maintained. We spent a good 5 hours in this sprawling park. The entrance fee of $50 per person without lunch (buffet) is high, but it is definitely worth it. There are 5 different waterfalls and the trail leads through a jungle. You have to run down a lot of stairs, so not for people with disabilities walking. A shuttle is heading back to the entrance, but we walked back. In the Butterfly House you can witness first-hand how the butterflies hatch and start the first flight trials. In the birdhouse there are 2 rocking chairs to just listen to the peace and the birdsong. Of course, there is much more to observe and marvel at. Worth a visit.