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Dark slope of Rincón de la Vieja with clouds around the summit.

Costa Rica · Guanacaste

Rincón de la
Vieja.

Fumaroles, rivers and an active volcano

See what to do (20)Destination map

Photo: NASA/Milan Loiacono

Before you go,
understand the place.

Rincón de la Vieja National Park is a volcanic landscape of fumaroles, mud pots and boiling pools, rivers and forests that shift from dry to cloud forest within hours. It pairs well with Guanacaste’s beaches.

Best time to go
December to April is the dry season (SINAC): the fumarole landscapes show best, although open sections can be hot and the wind is often strong. From May to November mornings are sunny and afternoons rainy, so walk early. The waterfall trail can only be started before 12:00.
Getting there
About 240 km and 4 to 4.5 h by car from San José: 3.5 h to Liberia and about 25 km more to the Las Pailas sector, almost all paved. The last stretch crosses a private farm that charges a toll (₡800 per person, according to SINAC). From Liberia airport, the park is 25 to 60 minutes away depending on the sector.

Six ways to explore

Themed guides

Places grouped by theme, to plan your day.

  • 6 places

    National park trails and waterfalls

    What you can walk inside the park with a SINAC ticket, sector by sector.

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  • 5 places

    Hot springs and mud baths

    Bathing is not allowed inside the park, but several private centres on the volcano sell day passes.

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  • 7 places

    Adventure on the volcano

    Canyoning, tubing, ziplines and horses at the lodges of Curubandé and Cañas Dulces.

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  • 3 places · 1 outside this destination

    Waterfalls where you can swim

    Swimming is banned at La Cangreja and Escondida; these nearby waterfalls allow it.

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  • 5 places · 4 outside this destination

    Day trips from Rincón de la Vieja

    Rivers, wetlands, history and the city of Liberia within two hours.

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  • 3 places

    Closed or restricted because of the volcano

    What you cannot do during the 2026 eruptive phase and what to do instead.

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The place, in context

Everything you can do

Closed or restricted places are included and flagged, so you know what to expect.

Showing 20 of 20 · 3 closed or restricted, flagged

Nature and jungle · 13

Lakes, rivers and waterfalls · 3

Volcano and mountain · 4

Rincón de la Vieja · Practical guide

The essentials

  1. The park was created by Law 5398 on 23 October 1973, and SINAC gives it about 14,300 ha.
  2. At Las Pailas there are fumaroles, mud pots, boiling pools and a fumarolic lagoon with measured temperatures of 78 to 106 °C (SINAC).
  3. The massif is part of the Caribbean-Pacific divide: 32 rivers rise here, including the Colorado, Blanco and Ahogados, and the park protects the largest wild population of the guaria morada orchid, the national flower.
  4. In a short trip you pass through dry, humid, very humid and cloud forest (SINAC estimates about two hours).
  5. The water intake of the Santa María sector supplies about 40% of Liberia’s drinking water.

Rincón de la Vieja · Practical guide

Where to stay

Liberia
A regional city with an airport, supermarkets and the widest range of lodging, about 20–25 km from the park sectors. Good for short stays, flight connections and combining the volcano with beaches.
Curubandé and the Hacienda Guachipelín corridor (Pailas side)
A rural village of about 3,000 people and former ranches turned lodges, about 40 minutes from the airport. Many work as adventure parks, with waterfall trails, tubing, horseback riding and hot springs.
Cañas Dulces and the Santa María side
A quieter area in the north, with thermal resorts and farm lodges; a local lodge blog describes it as calm and family-friendly. A car or arranged transfers help.

Rincón de la Vieja · Practical guide

Practical tips

  1. Tickets for both sectors are bought only online since 1 August 2023, through SINAC’s system (serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr): you must create and verify an account, so do it ahead of time. The form has a 12-minute timer and allows up to 10 tickets per transaction.
  2. Pailas sector: open Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00 to 15:00 (closed Mondays). Santa María sector: open Thursday to Monday, 8:00 to 15:30 (closed Tuesday and Wednesday).
  3. The Las Pailas circular trail is 3 km and takes about 2 hours. The waterfall trail (La Cangreja, 5 km one way, and Escondida, 4.3 km) takes 4 to 5 hours round trip, can only be started before 12:00 and swimming is not possible at either waterfall.
  4. The road to Santa María is gravel and pumice for the last 2.5 km: SINAC recommends a high-clearance 4x4, especially in the rainy season. Pets, smoking, alcohol and drugs are not allowed.
  5. On the second Wednesday of each month entry is free for nationals and residents (with a reservation); this does not apply to foreign visitors.

Safety and precautions

  • It is an active volcano. Since 2 July 2026 it has been in an elevated phase: through mid-September 249 phreatic (steam-driven) eruptions and nine lahars down the northern flank rivers were counted. OVSICORI said lava, pyroclastic flows and large ash columns were not expected, but eruptions are unpredictable. News coverage did not mention park closures: check SINAC, the Guanacaste Conservation Area and your ticket page before you travel.
  • The trail to the active crater (16 km round trip) is closed because of eruptions and gas; do not accept offers to go beyond marked trails.
  • Fumaroles, mud pots and boiling pools reach 78 to 106 °C: always stay on the marked trail.
  • There is lahar risk in the drainages on the northern flank, and ash can affect water quality: avoid river valleys during and right after an eruption and follow rangers’ instructions.
  • SINAC advises against walking the trails at night in the Santa María sector and notes there are no public phones at Las Pailas.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to visit Rincón de la Vieja while the volcano is erupting?

In mid-September 2026 the volcano was in an elevated eruptive phase (precaution or warning level), with frequent small phreatic eruptions and lahars on the north flank; OVSICORI did not expect lava or large ash columns. The news coverage consulted did not report a park closure, and the crater trail has been closed for years. Check notices from SINAC and the Guanacaste Conservation Area shortly before you travel and follow the rangers.

Do I need to buy park tickets in advance?

Yes. Since 1 August 2023 every visitor must buy online through SINAC’s system (with account creation and email verification); tickets are not sold at the gate, in cash or by card. Foreign adults pay $16.95 and children aged 2 to 12 pay $5.65, VAT included.

Which sector should I choose, Pailas or Santa María?

Pailas (Tuesday to Sunday, 8:00–15:00) has the easy 3 km volcanic circuit, with fumaroles and mud pots, and the waterfall trail. Santa María (Thursday to Monday, 8:00–15:30) has the hot-springs area and the hummingbird trail but a rougher road. Santa María has a camping area, although SINAC’s page says it is currently closed: confirm before planning to camp.

Rincón de la Vieja · Practical guide

Sources consulted

Information checked in . Prices, hours and rules change: confirm them with the official source before you travel.

  1. SINAC – Parque Nacional Rincón de la Vieja2026
  2. SINAC – Cómo llegar (Rincón de la Vieja)2026
  3. ACG – Sector Pailas2025
  4. ACG – Sector Santa María2025
  5. ACG – Compra de tiquetes en línea mediante SICORE2023
  6. El Observador – Rincón de la Vieja lleva casi tres meses de intensa actividad2026
  7. Monumental – OVSICORI mantiene vigilancia sobre Rincón de la Vieja y Poás2026
  8. Wikipedia – Rincón de la Vieja National Park2026

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