🌿 Introduction This place easily has one of the coolest and cleanest rivers in the country, and if you want to chill, hike, and disconnect all in one place, without going far from the city, we’ve got a plan for you that won’t disappoint! 😌🌳
✨ Description
We left San José on a sunny Sunday and by the time we arrived in Cartago, the skies had turned gray. First stop was the church in Valle de Orosi where we grabbed a bag of pejibayes 🌰 — it started to drizzle, and by the time we got to the national park entrance, we knew we were destined to get wet! 🌧️
Tapantí National Park has 3 main trails. The longest is the “Trail of Fallen Trees,” about 2 km and steep with rugged terrain. The other trail, Oropéndula (1.2 km), splits into two: Sendero La Pava and Sendero Catarata. There's a beautiful picnic area right by the river with tables, and a viewpoint where — if you're lucky — you’ll spot the Tapantí waterfall in the distance (one of the 10 tallest in Costa Rica). 🏞️
Because of the weather, we chose Sendero La Pava and at the fork, took the path to La Catarata, which leads straight to the river and also offers a waterfall view. We left the car near the trailhead and bathrooms, threw on our waterproof jackets, packed a few snacks, and began our descent — the trail took around 20 minutes.
When we got to the river, the beauty of the place hit us — this wasn’t just any river. Tapantí is a magical combo of pebbles, crystal-clear water, and a sense of serenity. Every stone and ripple seemed to reflect a different perspective of nature. It felt like a natural playground designed by the river itself. 🌊🪨
We spent around 30 minutes just chilling by the river, but easily could’ve stayed longer if the sun had come out. Before heading back to the car, we had a mini picnic with our pejibayes and snacks 🍴😋. Surprisingly, we weren’t as soaked as we thought, so we decided to drive up to the viewpoint — it’s reachable by car at the end of the park’s road.
After enjoying the view from up high, we returned to the parking lot for another cozy picnic. There are more ranchos there with tables, perfect for relaxing without worrying about getting soaked. Then it was back on the road to San José.