Costa Rica Days 16 –18: From Lake Arenal to Guanacaste’s Volcanic Heat

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Day 16

After an omelet for breakfast, we headed to the river for tubing. Any expectation of a gentle float disappeared almost immediately.

The Rio Negro carried us hard and fast, spinning tubes sideways, backwards, then forwards again, slamming into rocks with surprising force. It felt like being trapped inside a pinball machine. There were around fifty of us on the river, with roughly fourteen guides positioned at key rapids where people were most likely to capsize. Even so, collisions were constant. People screamed, laughed, and were dunked underwater without warning.

Halfway through the chaos, a flash of c0lor — a blue morpho butterfly, glowing electric blue as it passed through a shaft of light. This was another bucket-list species for me, especially to photograph. I didn’t manage to photograph it, and in hindsight I’m convinced the only realistic way to capture a blue morpho is on video first, then pull a still from the footage. They’re simply too fast and too erratic for traditional photography.

We were advised to take nothing on the river — no phones, no bags — and opted to pay $50 USD for the combined tubing and zipline photo package. The tubing photos were good and genuinely captured the chaos of the run. The ziplining photos, however, were a disappointment and felt like a rip-off. If I were doing it again, I’d bring my own action camera and skip the package entirely.

Day 17

The canyon zipline followed. The course itself is excellent — genuinely one of the better zipline layouts I’ve seen. Fifteen cables crisscross the canyon, each one different, with changing views of waterfalls, sheer rock walls, and the river far below. It’s not a repetitive canopy run; every line brings something new, which is surprisingly rare.

Unfortunately, the experience was rushed. Earlier delays and a large group meant we were pushed through quickly. One delay came when a young girl in the group needed a restroom break, which set us back by at least ten minutes. With another group waiting behind us, we were hurried along and never really had the chance to pause and take it all in. That was a pity, because this is a genuinely great zipline course and deserved more breathing room.

The standout moment was the Tarzan swing. Standing on wooden steps, clipped in and waiting to step off into empty space, I felt unexpectedly vulnerable. Both Colleen and I felt that quiet tension before committing, and it took me straight back to standing on the bridge platform in Ecuador before taking the plunge. Scary yet exhilarating — but, again, over too quickly.

Next came the natural hot springs. The bus ride there took longer than expected, with several stops along the way, and by the time we arrived we were already short on time. We still managed to smear ourselves in volcanic mud, which felt fantastic and left the skin silky smooth, but there wasn’t enough time for it to properly dry before that section closed. After rinsing off under a cold outdoor shower, we eased into a 40-degree pool and let the heat sink in.

It was a great experience, but one that easily could have filled a couple of hours. Eventually, we started the long trek back to the pickup point, fatigue clearly setting in.

Back at the lodge, dinner was outstanding. The Diablo pizza — loaded with mozzarella, white sauce, and jalapeños — was one of the best pizzas I’ve had anywhere. We were welcomed with cocktails made from ginger, lemon, sugarcane syrup, and sugarcane moonshine.

Somewhere along the way we also spotted a White-throated Magpie-Jay, loud, curious, and utterly fearless — a perfect emblem of Guanacaste.

Day 18

Day 18 was the hike to Le Leona Waterfall, and it proved to be one of the toughest days of the entire trip.

This is not a casual rainforest walk. The trail demands constant attention as it winds through dense forest, crosses rivers repeatedly, climbs slick ladders, and threads through narrow canyon sections where rock has been carved smooth by years of flowing water. Clothes are soaked within minutes, but the sense of remoteness pulls you onward.

As the gorge narrows, the canyon walls rise steeply, streaked with mineral stains and kept wet by seepage and spray. Pools of turquoise water swirl between rock corridors, and sections require scrambling, balancing, and hauling yourself along ropes. There was no mobile reception and no radio communication once you’re inside — just you, your guide, and the terrain.

The final approach is unforgettable. Treading water in a surging, mineral-rich river, you have to pull yourself hand-over-hand along a rope while fighting the current. It took everything I had, and our guide Kevin eventually hauled me onto a narrow rock ledge. And then it appears — Le Leona Waterfall exploding out of a slot canyon in a vertical curtain of white water. The roar vibrates through your chest. It feels raw, powerful, and utterly uncompromising.

Throughout the hike, plumes of steam rose from the forest floor, and thick green pipes snaked across parts of the landscape — part of the geothermal system that channels naturally heated water and steam from underground sources. A constant reminder that Rincón de la Vieja Volcano is still very much alive.

This stretch of the trip was not easy. It was physically demanding, messy, and exhausting — but deeply rewarding. A tough few days at the office.
And some of the most memorable of the journey.

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