Tucked into the misty slopes where Costa Rica’s central highlands surrender to the Caribbean lowlands, La Paz Waterfall Gardens offers a rare communion with nature that feels both wild and accessible. Here, five cascading falls thunder through pristine cloud forest, while rescued jaguars prowl and iridescent hummingbirds dart between tropical flowers, all just 90 minutes from San José’s urban pulse, yet worlds away in spirit.
The nature lover’s paradise hiding in plain sight
Most visitors to Costa Rica rush to Manuel Antonio or Arenal, completely overlooking this ecological treasure. But for biodiversity concentrated in a manageable space, few places in Central America can compete.
La Paz occupies a privileged position along the transition zone between Costa Rica’s high-altitude cloud forests and lower rainforests, a geographical sweet spot that harbors an astonishing array of ecosystems within its 70 acres. The property straddles both sides of the La Paz River as it descends from volcanic slopes toward the Caribbean, creating those eponymous waterfalls that draw photographers and nature enthusiasts from around the world.
While the gardens aren’t hidden in the strictest sense—they’re conveniently located just 30 kilometers north of San José along well-maintained roads—the experience feels decidedly removed from the capital’s urban energy. As you wind your way up the slopes of Poás Volcano, the air thins and cools, becoming rich with oxygen and the petrichor scent of perpetually damp vegetation. It’s a journey that prepares your senses for what awaits.
Beyond the falls: La Paz’s immersive ecosystems
The waterfalls might be the headliners, but the gardens are designed as a complete introduction to Costa Rica’s incredible biodiversity, not just as a waterfall viewing platform.
This philosophy becomes evident as you navigate the property’s network of trails and exhibits. The hummingbird garden hosts 26 different species of these iridescent aviators, including the endemic coppery-headed emerald. The brilliantly colored birds dart between specially designed feeders and native flowering plants with such proximity that you can feel the buzz of their wings against your face.
What makes La Paz special is the created environments where these animals flourish naturally. People think of zoos when they hear about animal exhibits, but the approach is fundamentally different, with building facilities around the natural habitat, not the other way around.
This philosophy extends to La Paz’s wildlife sanctuary, where injured and confiscated animals find refuge. The big cat exhibit houses jaguars, pumas, and ocelots rescued from illegal trafficking or hunting situations. Unlike traditional zoo settings, these enclosures are expansive and carefully designed to mimic the cats’ natural environments.
These animals can never be released back into the wild. Many were kept as illegal pets and never learned to hunt. Here, they serve as ambassadors for their species, helping visitors understand why wild animals belong in the wild.”
A descent into primordial beauty
The real magic of La Paz reveals itself when you begin the descent along the waterfall trail. From the entrance, a series of paved paths and stairs leads you down through increasingly lush vegetation, past the Templo, Encantada, Magia Blanca, and Escondida falls before culminating at the thundering La Paz waterfall itself, an 120-foot cascade that seems to materialize suddenly through the mist.
Unlike many natural attractions in Costa Rica that require rugged hikes to access, La Paz’s network of trails is well-maintained and accessible to visitors of varying physical abilities. Sturdy handrails, non-slip surfaces, and strategically placed viewing platforms ensure that even less mobile travelers can experience the majesty of these cascades.
Finding your perfect La Paz moment
Costa Rica’s microclimate diversity means that weather patterns can vary dramatically even within a single region. At La Paz, elevation adds another variable to this meteorological equation.
People worry about visiting during the green season, but that’s when the waterfalls are at their most dramatic. The lushness of the vegetation is unmatched.
During visits in June, morning tours offer clear skies and optimal lighting conditions for photography, while afternoon cloudbursts transform the property into a misty, ethereal landscape. Rather than detracting from the experience, these rain showers seemed to intensify it, bringing out vibrant greens in the foliage and heightening the sensory experience.
For the best wildlife sightings, visit early on weekdays when the gardens are quietest. The animals are most active in the morning hours. By the time the tour buses arrive around 10 a.m., many creatures have retreated to quieter areas of their habitats.
Beyond the day trip: Staying at La Paz
While most visitors experience La Paz as a day excursion from San José, the property’s well-appointed Peace Lodge offers an opportunity for deeper immersion. The 18 luxurious rooms and suites feature private balconies with hammocks overlooking the forest, massive stone fireplaces for cool mountain evenings, and oversized Jacuzzi tubs with waterfall views.
The lodge was designed to blur the boundary between indoor comfort and outdoor experience. Guests often tell us they feel like they’re sleeping in the cloud forest, but with 600-thread-count sheets.
Lodge guests receive after-hours access to the gardens a privilege that transforms the experience entirely. As day visitors depart around 5 p.m., an almost reverent quiet descends. This is when Peace Lodge guests can explore trails illuminated by subtle lighting, listening to the nocturnal chorus of frogs and insects while enjoying a level of solitude impossible during regular hours.
The lodge’s Colibries Restaurant serves sophisticated renditions of Costa Rican classics using ingredients sourced from nearby farms and the property’s own gardens. The fresh palm heart salad and coffee-rubbed beef tenderloin pair beautifully with selections from their impressive wine list.
Tips for the savvy La Paz visitor
To maximize your La Paz experience, consider these insider suggestions:
Start at the top and work your way down. The property’s layout follows the natural contours of the mountainside, making it logical to begin with the animal exhibits before descending along the waterfall trail. This route also means you’ll be walking uphill when your energy is highest.
Visit the butterfly observatory early. The butterflies are most active in the morning warmth, and watching a blue morpho emerge from its chrysalis—which happens regularly in the observatory’s nursery section—is a magical experience.
Pack smart. Even during the dry season, the microclimate around La Paz can produce sudden showers. Bring a lightweight rain jacket, quick-dry clothing, and shoes with good traction. For photographers, lens cloths are essential for managing mist from the falls.
Allow at least three hours. While you could rush through the main attractions in less time, La Paz rewards those who linger. The admission fee (currently $49 for foreign adults) isn’t insignificant, so give yourself ample time to explore.
Beat the crowds. If visiting independently rather than with a tour, arrive when gates open at 8 a.m. or after 2 p.m. when most tour groups have departed.
The conservation commitment: La Paz’s eco credentials
What elevates La Paz beyond mere tourist attraction is its genuine commitment to conservation. The property functions as a crucial buffer zone for surrounding forests, providing protected habitat connectivity for wide-ranging species like pumas and resplendent quetzals.
There’s heavy investment in sustainability. From the water treatment systems to the wildlife rehabilitation programs, everything is designed to minimize footprint while maximizing educational impact.
This ethos is perhaps most evident in the property’s approach to the waterfalls themselves. Unlike many similar attractions, La Paz has constructed viewing platforms that allow visitors to experience the falls without disrupting their natural flow or damaging surrounding vegetation.
As tourism in Costa Rica continues to evolve, La Paz stands as a model for how natural attractions can balance accessibility with preservation—offering visitors an authentic encounter with tropical biodiversity while ensuring these ecosystems remain intact for generations to come.
Getting back to nature
In a country famous for its biodiversity, La Paz offers something increasingly precious: a place where nature’s most spectacular elements come together in concert, accessible without compromise, and preserved with genuine care. It’s not just Costa Rica’s most beautiful rainforest escape. It might be its most perfect distillation.
Check out our surf camp in Costa Rica, where you can complement your cloud forest experience with Pacific coast adventures, creating the perfect balance of mountain serenity and ocean exhilaration.
Feature image courtesy of Carlos Affonso
