Río Agrio Waterfall
It is incredible that the more we go to Bajos del Toro, the more waterfalls we find. Each of them amazes us and excites us like if it were the first waterfall we see them… So, go for a ride and immerse into the amazing place we’ll show you!
How to get there? Set Waze until you arrive to Bajos del Toro.
What to take Comfortable and light clothing for walking, trail tennis shoes, waterproof jacket –just in case-, swimsuit or short pants, a bottle of water and snacks to share.
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Vehicle: Automovile
Parking: Yes
Pets: Yes
Camping: No
Contact Details: José Mobile 8796 7499
Cost: ₡4000 per person
At 09:00am, we arrived to the place where our local guide was waiting for us in Bajos del Toro, a super place easy to arrive. There is a huge sky blue sign that says Catarata Río Agrio (Sour River Waterfall)…so there is no way to get lost. We parked the car there and got ready for the adventure.
At the beginning, the trail takes you uphill, crossing pastures for around 10 minutes and then, it enters into a trail in the middle of the jungle. Later, after going a little bit uphill, we continued walking for 15 more minutes, avoiding puddles, until we reached Rio Agrio (Sour River).
This is not an abundant river. Let me give you a tip…Don’t try to cross it without getting wet because after the first step, there are two more left in which you’ll get wet for sure. So after crossing it the second time, you pass by a turn that has a stone wall full of water on the right side. And when you least expect it, zap! You see the huge waterfall.
From this place, the waterfall is just 100m away. Excitement spreads to all who get closer. When you arrive, the mist pays tribute to the name of the river for its club soda with lemon and salt taste. I’m not telling you to open your mouth and drink water like crazy. It’s just an interesting fact since the river starts at the bottom hills of Poas volcano, reason why it tastes acid.
The drop of water is about 164ft (50m). The place is full of middle sized stones covered by a brilliant green moss. Another cool thing is that you can go to the back part of the waterfall walking along the rim of the river…that is always a cool thing to do!
After getting the most out of this place, we came back. We were so lucky that it rained until we finished crossing the river. No waterproof jacket was enough: we ended up wet from head to toe. When we arrived at the parking lot, the rain stopped almost completely.
BONUS #1
As part of the tour, José had a surprise up his sleeve and took us to a deep blue river pool. To arrive, we walked downhill in the main street, for around 20 minutes, until we arrived to a secret gate that ends up in the river. You need to cross a bridge- that is only for the brave- and a pasture. The pool is like a pool made out of stone and water is of a tempting emerald color, a tremendous thing!
We obviously got rid the things we were carrying and without thinking it twice, we jumped into the pool. Water wasn’t that cold and we enjoyed it a lot! Then, it rained again and we headed to the parking lot. This was a perfect ending and the extra walk was worth it ;).
BONUS #2
How ‘bout the food? Well…After changing our clothing, we were starving…so on our way back, we headed to Vara Blanca and in front of the gas station, at the intersection with Sarapiquí, there is an epic place to eat…Its façade is made of wood, like a Western Saloon, but as soon as we felt the smell of wood fired grill, our mouths were watering and we ordered the best ribs we have ever tasted.
The children of the owner told us that the sauce to marinade the ribs is homemade and their secret is grilling the ribs slowly for more than three hours to get their delicious taste. Let yourself be seduced by the smell and try the ribs; you’ll never regret it.
FECHA DEL PASEO - Agosto 2016