A journey through mountains, tapirs, and legend

Bajos La Paz is located in San Ramón, Alajuela, and hides a breathtaking 80-meter waterfall with a legend to match. As the story goes, a hunter was chasing a tapir, and the animal jumped over the waterfall. The hunter reached the edge, found no sign of it, and from then on, the place has been called La Danta Waterfall.

These days, the adventure is reached on horseback, riding through lush landscapes and peaceful trails.

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Useful info for visiting

📍 How to get there

From Bernardo Soto Highway, go to San Ramón, take the exit toward Piedades Norte, and continue until you reach Bajo La Paz.

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🚗 Vehicle

A high-clearance car is recommended. The final part is a gravel road but in good condition.

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💵 Cost

₡15000 per person
(Includes horseback ride + waterfall entrance)

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📞 Contact

Eduardo Arias
📱 2445-94-65 / 8551-06-79 / 6274-7475
📆 Book at least 24 hours in advance

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🎒 What to bring

• Long pants
• Sweater or waterproof jacket
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Extra clothes to change in the car

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🥪 Food?

Bring food for a picnic at the waterfall and a water bottle.

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🕒 Duration

• Walk: 45 min
• Horseback ride: approx. 2 hours
• Total time: depends on how long you stay

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⛰️ Difficulty

Moderate. Some steep areas and uneven ground.

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Our adventure to La Danta

Weekend came and we decided to go for a horseback ride in the mountains of San Ramón. Luckily, we had Mr. Eduardo Arias’s contact — he lives in Bajo La Paz and offers goat farming and horseback tours.

He suggested we visit La Danta Waterfall, the most popular one. We headed toward San Ramón, followed Waze to Piedades Norte, and eventually the road turned to gravel.

He waited for us near the Francisco J. Orlich monument, with the horses ready. He introduced us to Justin, his nephew, who joined us on the ride.

Horseback ride & views

We rode for about an hour, passing beautiful countryside — rivers, meadows, mossy trees. The mist made everything feel Jurassic Park–like, or like a Monteverde scene.

On clear days, Eduardo said you can see Arenal Volcano. Not our luck — the clouds were thick that day, but it was still stunning.

Reaching the waterfall

We left the horses at a small shed and walked 1 km through a forest trail with streams and water springs until we reached La Danta Waterfall.

It was way bigger than expected, with a refreshing swimming hole. Tavo and Jorge jumped in — despite the freezing water!

A large stone in front of the fall made for the perfect viewing spot. Eduardo and Justin, clever guys, had packed coffee and cookies. We had only water and strawberries (really wished we had something warm too!).

Picnic & return

After the waterfall, we rode back and stopped at a meadow near the river to have lunch. Sandwiches, cookies, peanuts — the essentials.

After a slow picnic, we headed back to the car, completely satisfied.

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Bajos La Paz gave us a unique experience — horses, nature, folklore and a truly majestic waterfall.