PARQUE NACIONAL VOLCÁN TENORIO ET RÍO CELESTE

The hike to the Río Celeste, a natural attraction of the first order, is 6 km round trip (2h30 to 3h). It is forbidden to swim in the river for safety reasons and to keep it clean. The path is well marked, the walk is of moderate difficulty but you must be in good physical condition. A guide is recommended to discover the fauna and flora more closely. The trail in the rainforest leads to several attractions, starting with the waterfall. Paris Match voted it the most beautiful waterfall in the world! Its circular basin, lined with lush vegetation, surprises by the color of its water, one would think in paradise! Of tectonic origin, it is 30 m high and its basin 17 m deep. You will also notice the morphos (blue butterflies) which twirl around the waterfall. A Maleku legend tells that the cacique Tenori (the volcano owes its name to him) refused that his daughter Eskameka married a suitor. The girl came to cry at the Celeste River and when the lover wanted to join her, she had become a beautiful blue butterfly. During the walk, you will learn more about the Tenorio volcano formed by 3 peaks: Cerro Tenorio Uno (the largest, 1,916 m), Cerro Tenorio Dos and Cerro Montezuma, which can be seen from the Celeste Lodge. It is considered active, even though it has not erupted for 200 years. Also worth seeing is the Laguna Azul. This lake is so beautiful turquoise blue that the poet Celso Alvarado said about it: "it is the lake where God washed his brushes after painting the sky". Another interesting place is the Teñidero, where the water changes color, going from total transparency to a turquoise color. This would be due to a chemical reaction between calcium carbonate and sulfur escaping from the bowels of the volcano. This is the place where the Buenavista River and the Agria River meet. Another theory is based on physical observations. On the way, you can finally see natural bubbling baths created by springs at 45 °C, which are the only visible manifestation of the volcanic activity of the Tenorio. As for the fauna, many agoutis walk along the paths, colorful frogs are present in the low foliage and it is not uncommon to meet some howler monkeys. We also observe tapirs, surprising insects, and sloths. Many snakes live in the area so keep an eye out.