We love to explore Costa Rica, but we love our grad's stories even more! ITA Costa Rica grad Tierra (May 2018) shares her experience of hiking Los Chorros Waterfall in Grecia, Costa Rica and give us some great tips!
"One of my favorite things to do back home was hiking. The Pacific Northwest has no shortage of hiking trails or waterfalls, and I am discovering that Costa Rica has many to offer as well!"
Los Chorros Waterfalls are located just southeast of Grecia and are nestled in the Los Chorros Municipal Recreation Park (Parque Recreativo Municipal Los Chorros). The park protects a large portion of the jungle, and it has done a great job! The trails are enveloped with lush greens and butterflies to greet you around every corner.
Traveling to Los Chorros is simple and takes no time at all. I recommend leaving for the waterfalls in the morning so that you have a few hours to enjoy the falls before too many people get there. Take the bus from the park in Barva to downtown Heredia. The bus stop you want to get off at is the white building after the park with the outdoor gym (Parque Barrio Corazon de Jesus). After you get off the bus, walk three blocks east towards the UNA bus stop (National University of Costa Rica). From the UNA bus stop, you want to take red and black TUASA bus to Alajuela Terminal. This bus arrives every 10-15 minutes. The Alajuela Terminal is the last stop for this bus so you will know when you get there. This bus costs 550 colones, which is about 1USD.
The next bus you will find is at the Carrillos Terminal across the street from the Alajuela/Aurora Terminal. The bus is Carrillos and costs 375 colones. It is green and white and should go all the way to Los Chorros park entrance. Ask the bus driver if he is going all the way to Los Chorros, as there are some that decide not to. You will take the same buses back to Heredia after your hike, so pay attention! The Carrillos bus arrives every hour at the entrance to Los Chorros, where it dropped you off. Then you will take the Heredia bus from the Alajuela Terminal.
There are two ways to enter the park. One is by way of a gate keeper, an elderly man that will give you directions in Spanish, so it helps to know a little. This way is down a dirt road and take the first left down another road that leads to a trail. The other way is to walk up the paved road that has some amazing views. The entrance to the park is a driveway to a house. There will be a sign that says "Los Chorrow Cataratas". The driveway leads to the trailhead where a man will collect 3 mil, or 3 thousand colones, to enter the park. He will give you directions to the waterfalls too!
The start of the trail is a steep downslope but well-maintained. You will walk for ten minutes until you reach a bamboo forest, then another 10 minutes to the waterfalls. The first waterfall is Zamora and the second is Prendas.
Zamora is a beautiful waterfall that cascades 130 feet into a pool in front of you. A misty breeze kisses your face as the fall meets the pool. Prendas is a magnificent waterfall that is almost in equal size to Zamora. This waterfall creates a huge wind gust in the cove that almost knocks you over! This one is my favorite because of the location. The cove is decorated with ferns and vines. The rock walls seem to be delicately sculpted by the water. It is hard to capture the scene with a camera, so you will just have to enjoy the beauty with your eyes!
What to bring
Snack/Lunch
Water bottle
Water shoes – like Chacos or Tevas
Bathing suit
Towel
Sunscreen
Have a great time exploring Los Chorros, and don't forget to share your pictures with us! Are you ready to start your own journey of exploring Costa Rica? Contact us TODAY to save your spot in one of our 4-week, onsite TEFL courses!
