Uvita Waterfall Tour: What to Expect on the Santa Lucía Falls Trek

If you are searching for a waterfall tour in Uvita that is not a crowded rock slide or a parking lot with a view, this is what a morning at Santa Lucía Falls actually looks like. Our family has lived on this land in the hills above Uvita for generations, and the Waterfall Trek Tour is the walk we grew up doing: two rivers, a primary rainforest canyon, three waterfalls you can swim in, and lunch cooked by Yajaira when you come out of the water.

Perla Verde waterfall, first stop of the Santa Lucía Falls Waterfall Trek Tour in Uvita — Perla Verde, the first of the three waterfalls on the trek.

The short version

Duration: about 4 hours, starting at 8:00 AM
Waterfalls: three main falls (Perla Verde, Príncipe and Corazón Partido) plus dozens of smaller cascades
Difficulty: moderate, with rocky trail, roots and shallow stream crossings
Group size: 2 to 22 people, always guided by a member of the family
Included: guide (English and Spanish), access to the private reserve, homemade lunch
Bring: swimwear, dry clothes, sturdy closed shoes, sunscreen, a towel

8:00 AM: the briefing and the first river

The tour starts at the rancho, the open-air shelter where you will also eat at the end. Enrique or Humberto walks you through the route, the stream crossings and what wildlife to watch for. Then the trail drops into the canyon. Within ten minutes you are under the canopy of a primary forest that has never been logged: giant ferns, wild orchids, and the constant sound of water somewhere below you.

The first river crossing is shallow and leaf-carpeted, and it is where most people stop worrying about their shoes and start looking up. Toucans, motmots and butterflies are common on this stretch, and the guides know which trees to check on which weeks of the year.

Hikers on the Santa Lucía Falls Waterfall Trek Tour trail in Uvita — The trail follows the river through the canyon, with stops whenever there is something to see.

Perla Verde, Príncipe and Corazón Partido

Perla Verde (Green Pearl) is the first waterfall and the one people photograph most: a tall drop into a deep emerald pool where you can swim right up to the spray. We stay long enough for everyone to get in, get out, and get in again.

Príncipe is the second stop, around 10:00 AM. The pool is wider and calmer, which makes it the favorite for families with kids and for anyone who wants to float rather than fight a current.

Príncipe waterfall at Santa Lucía Falls, Uvita — Príncipe: the calmer, wider pool that families tend to love.

Corazón Partido (Broken Heart) is the last waterfall, around 11:00 AM. The name comes from the way the rock splits the water in two, and it is the quietest of the three. By this point the group has usually gone silent, which is exactly the effect we are after.

Corazón Partido waterfall at Santa Lucía Falls, Uvita, Costa Rica — Corazón Partido, where the rock splits the fall in two.

Noon: lunch at the rancho

The trek ends back at the rancho, where Yajaira has been cooking since you left. Lunch is a homemade Costa Rican plate: rice and beans, yucca, Santa Lucía-style fried chicken or fried tilapia, fresh fruit and juice, most of it grown on the property. Guests regularly tell us the food was the part they did not expect and the part they remember.

Fried tilapia with yucca and vegetables, traditional Costa Rican lunch at Santa Lucía Falls — Fried tilapia, yucca and vegetables: lunch after the trek.

People arrive thinking the waterfalls are the tour. Then they eat, and they realize the tour was the whole morning.
Humberto Núñez, naturalist guide, Santa Lucía Falls

What to bring, and what to leave in the car

Swimwear worn under light hiking clothes, so you do not change at every waterfall
Closed shoes with grip. Trail runners or hiking sandals with straps work; flip-flops do not
A small dry bag for your phone if you plan to photograph the pools
Reef-safe sunscreen and insect repellent, applied at the rancho
A change of dry clothes and a towel for lunch
Leave drones, speakers and glass bottles behind. The reserve is a working forest, not a park

When to go

The waterfalls run year-round. In the green season (May to November) the falls are at their fullest and the pools are deeper; in the dry season (December to April) the water is clearer and the trail is drier. Mornings are always cooler and quieter, which is why the tour starts at 8:00 AM. If you are staying in the area for a few days, the classic combination is the trek in the morning and the night hike after dinner, when the same forest fills with frogs.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Santa Lucía Falls waterfall tour?

The Waterfall Trek Tour lasts about four hours, from the 8:00 AM safety briefing to lunch around noon. The pace is relaxed, with long stops to swim at each waterfall.

How hard is the hike?

Moderate. The trails have rocky sections, exposed roots and a few shallow stream crossings, but no technical climbing. Children, families and active seniors do it regularly; it is the walking, not the distance, that you will feel.

Can you swim in the waterfalls?

Yes. Swimming in the natural pools beneath the falls is the heart of the tour, and the schedule is built around it. Bring swimwear under your hiking clothes.

What is included in the tour?

A bilingual family guide, access to the private reserve and its three waterfalls, and a homemade Costa Rican lunch prepared on the property. See the tour page for current rates and what to bring.

How do I get to Santa Lucía Falls from Uvita?

The reserve is about 12 km from Uvita, in the hills of San Josecito toward San Luis. The meeting point is at Santa Lucía Falls itself; we send directions and a pin when you book.

Book the trek

Check dates and current rates on the Waterfall Trek Tour page, browse all three tours, or write to us if you are planning for a larger group. Staying more than a day? Villa Santa Lucía is a few minutes from the trailhead. For more on the area, read Waterfall Adventures in Uvita or the rest of our Waterfall Adventures stories.