Costa Rica Hot Springs ToursRío Negro Hot Springs Day Pass: Springs, Mud Bath and Waterfall
The Río Negro hot springs day pass is a $76 self-guided combo at Hacienda Guachipelín near Curubandé in Guanacaste. It bundles three stops in one ticket: ten riverbank thermal pools heated by Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, a volcanic mud spa with river rinses, and the Oropendola Waterfall dropping 25 meters into a turquoise pool. A buffet lunch at Rancho Don Elias is included. Because nobody drives you, you move between the sites in your own car, and reviewers note the three stops sit several kilometers apart. This page breaks down what the price covers, how the day runs, and which travelers should instead look at a guided option. Start with our comparison of Costa Rica hot springs tours if you are still deciding between regions.
About This Tour
This is a self-guided pass sold by Adventure Tours Hacienda Guachipelin through GetYourGuide, rated 4.7 from 37 reviews. You arrive at the Hacienda Guachipelín Tour Center in Curubandé and move through the sites on your own, in whatever order you choose. The pass covers entry to the Río Negro Hot Springs and mud baths, trail access to the Oropendola Waterfall, and a buffet lunch at the Rancho Don Elias restaurant.
The springs themselves are ten pools built on the riverbank, fed by water heated by Rincón de la Vieja, Guanacaste's largest and most active volcano. Two suspension bridges connect pools on both sides of the river, and a 350-meter forest walk leads from the changing rooms to the water. The waterfall stop uses a separate trail with hanging bridges. Towels are provided for the hot springs only.
$76 per person, booked on GetYourGuide. Reserve now and pay later is available, and you can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
5 hours covering both sites and lunch. No fixed time limit is stated for the springs themselves, so you set your own pace at each stop.
Ten riverbank thermal pools heated by Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, plus a volcanic mud spa treatment followed by cold river rinses. The Oropendola Waterfall drops 25 meters into a turquoise pool in the Blanco River canyon.
Buffet lunch at Rancho Don Elias, entrance fees, the mud spa, dressing rooms, bathrooms and lockers at the hot springs, and towels for the hot springs.
Not stated. The 5-hour figure covers everything, so split it between the pools, the mud bath, the waterfall trail and lunch yourself.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Check Dates and Availability
Starting times open once you pick a date on the booking platform. The pass runs 5 hours from your arrival at the Tour Center.
Quick answer Price, coverage and the catch
The Río Negro hot springs day pass costs $76 per person and covers the ten riverbank thermal pools, a volcanic mud spa, the 25-meter Oropendola Waterfall and a buffet lunch within a 5-hour self-guided visit. Hotel pickup is not included, so you drive between the sites yourself.
Key takeaways
- The three stops sit several kilometers apart, so plan your own transport before the day.
- Towels come with the hot springs but not the waterfall, so pack a second one.
- Want a guide and hotel pickup at the same springs? Compare the Guachipelin Volcano Combo instead.
- Not sure which region fits your trip? Browse all hot springs tours in Costa Rica.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $76 headline buys entry, lunch and the mud treatment at one hacienda, but several extras stay outside the price. The table below sets each line from the operator's listing against what you actually pay for.
Included and Not Included
Everything in the In the price column is confirmed on the listing. Note the towel split: a towel for the hot springs is provided, but the waterfall stop has none. Bring a second towel or dry off with the sun before the drive. Lockers and dressing rooms exist only at the hot springs entrance, not at the waterfall.
Transport is the biggest gap. There is no hotel pickup and no shuttle between the stops. The listing describes a self-guided trail linking the sites, but it also notes the sites sit several kilometers apart by car, and a verified reviewer confirms you drive to each spot in whatever order you choose. If you land at Liberia airport without a rental, either rent one or book a tour with transport. The marker shows when the listing was last confirmed.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry to Río Negro Hot Springs and mud baths | Yes | Ten riverbank pools plus the volcanic mud spa with river rinses |
| Oropendola Waterfall trail access | Yes | Self-guided trail over varied terrain and hanging bridges |
| Buffet lunch at Rancho Don Elias | Yes | One meal, no drinks beyond what the buffet includes |
| Dressing rooms, bathrooms, lockers | Yes | At the hot springs entrance |
| Towel for the hot springs | Yes | One towel, springs only |
| Towel for the waterfall | No | Bring your own second towel |
| Hotel pickup and drop-off | No | Self-drive only |
| Alcoholic drinks | No | Purchased on your own |
| Massages or other spa treatments | No | The included mud bath is the only treatment |
| Tips | No | At your discretion |
Sources: Río Negro Hot Springs, Hacienda Guachipelín, Hacienda Orosi and Rincón de la Vieja Volcano on Wikipedia.
What the Day Is Really Like
No guide sets a schedule, so the order below is the sequence the listing describes. The 5-hour duration is yours to divide, and the drive between sites is on you.
Arrive at the Tour Center
Show the mobile ticket at the Hacienda Guachipelín Tour Center in Curubandé. No printing is needed, the ticket appears in the booking app right after purchase. A reviewer notes the meeting spot is easy to find with Waze.
From here you drive yourself to each of the three sites.
Río Negro Hot Springs and Mud Spa
A 350-meter forest walk with two suspension bridges leads to ten riverbank pools, with crystal-clear mineral-rich water heated by Rincón de la Vieja Volcano. The routine at the mud spa is a volcanic mud mask, a rinse in the river, then back into the thermal pools. Dressing rooms, bathrooms and lockers sit at the entrance before the walk.
The hacienda's own site sells this stop as 1.5-hour timed entries, so budget roughly that long here even though the pass sets no limit.
Oropendola Waterfall
Drive on to the waterfall trail, which crosses varied terrain and hanging bridges. The falls drop 25 meters into a turquoise pool in the Blanco River canyon, and the swim is the reward. Remember the towel rule: none is provided here.
Buffet Lunch at Rancho Don Elias
The day closes with a typical Costa Rican buffet at the Rancho Don Elias restaurant. Reviews call the buffet good, which is the honest ceiling for any combo lunch. Non-alcoholic drinks come with the meal as part of the buffet, alcoholic drinks cost extra.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing states one hard exclusion and the format creates several soft ones. Check each before booking.
Stated Exclusions and Demands
Pregnant women are told this activity is not suitable, full stop. There is no stated minimum age and no stated wheelchair access. The physical demands are modest but real: a 350-meter forest walk plus two suspension bridges to reach the springs, and a separate trail with hanging bridges to the waterfall, all on wet volcanic terrain where water shoes or secure sandals are sensible.
The bigger filter is the self-drive format. If you have no rental car, this pass does not work as designed. The Guachipelin Volcano Combo bundles hotel pickup from Tamarindo, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Liberia and other listed areas with a zipline and river tubing at the same hot springs, from $145 for an 8-12 hour day. For a calmer self-drive nature day closer to home, the Rincón Thermals Nature Day Pass at $75 includes parking and a locker, and skips the drive between separate sites because everything sits in one park. If your trip is built around Arenal instead of Guanacaste, look at the La Fortuna waterfall and hot springs tour or the guide to natural hot springs in Costa Rica.
The Oropendola Waterfall near the Río Negro springs. Photo: Alanatoby, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What to Settle Before You Book
Four things decide whether this pass goes smoothly: the cancellation window, your car, your packing list and the order of your stops.
Cancellation and Payment
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and reserve now and pay later keeps the booking open without paying today. That makes this a low-risk hold on your date. Inside 24 hours there is no refund, so if your flight into Liberia is delayed, act before the deadline.
Confirm with the Seller
Ask in writing about current trail conditions at the waterfall and the mud spa routine, since the listing gives no fixed schedule and no weather policy is stated. Confirm whether any spa treatment beyond the mud bath costs extra on the day, because massages, exfoliations and facials are all excluded.
What to Bring
The listing requires swimwear, a change of clothes, sunscreen and a towel, and you should add a second towel for the waterfall since only the hot springs provide one. Water shoes or secure sandals help on the wet riverbank rock. Carry a small amount of cash for tips, which are excluded.
Pets, baby strollers and alcohol are not allowed.
Getting There
There is no pickup window because there is no pickup. You drive to the Hacienda Guachipelín Tour Center in Curubandé, Provincia de Guanacaste, and use your own car to reach each site. The area sits roughly 30-48 minutes by car from Liberia airport, about 32 km, per third-party route estimates.
Budget that drive from your hotel, plus the hops between the springs, the waterfall and lunch.
Hour by Hour
The listing states no clock times, so the schedule below follows the described sequence. Fill the times in yourself on the day.
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Arrive at Hacienda Guachipelín Tour Center
Show your mobile ticket at the Tour Center in Curubandé. No fixed start time is stated, and the booking platform shows starting times once you select a date.
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Drive to the Río Negro springs entrance
The springs sit several kilometers from the Tour Center by car. Reviewers confirm you drive to each spot yourself and can choose the order.
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Forest walk and thermal pools
Cross two suspension bridges on the 350-meter forest path to the ten riverbank pools. Soak, apply volcanic mud, rinse in the river, then return to the pools. Lockers and dressing rooms are at the entrance.
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Drive to the Oropendola Waterfall trail
A separate trail crosses varied terrain and hanging bridges. The falls drop 25 meters into a turquoise pool in the Blanco River canyon, with a swim at the bottom.
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Buffet lunch at Rancho Don Elias
Close the day with the included Costa Rican buffet. The 5-hour total covers all three stops and lunch, and there is no stated return time.
Pros and Cons
A straight read of what this pass does well and where it asks more of you than a guided tour would.
What we genuinely like
- At $76 it undercuts every guided Rincón de la Vieja combo on this site, with the [volcano hike combo](/#tour-2) at $125 and the full adventure day at $145
- Three attractions and lunch in one ticket, with no fixed time limit stated at the springs
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead and reserve now, pay later
- Self-guided means no waiting for a group at the pools or the waterfall
The honest downsides
- No hotel pickup and no shuttle, so a rental car is effectively required for stops several kilometers apart
- Towels are provided at the hot springs but not the waterfall, an easy thing to forget in the morning
- Lockers and changing rooms exist only at the springs, so the waterfall stop has nowhere secure for your things
- No stated group size, guide language or wheelchair access, so travelers needing those details must ask the operator first
Who it's NOT for: Travelers without their own car, pregnant women, and anyone who wants a guide leading the day should book a transport-included combo instead.
Río Negro Day Pass Questions
How much does the Río Negro hot springs day pass cost?
The pass costs $76 per person for 5 hours covering the hot springs, mud spa, waterfall and lunch. Compare it with the rest of our Costa Rica hot springs tours before committing.
Do I need a rental car for this pass?
Yes, in practice. The listing includes no hotel pickup and describes the sites as several kilometers apart by car, so the Guachipelin Volcano Combo with included transport fits travelers without a vehicle.
Is lunch really included, and what about drinks?
A buffet lunch at Rancho Don Elias is included in the $76, but alcoholic drinks are excluded and cost extra, as do massages and any spa treatment beyond the mud bath. The Sensoria thermals tour is the pricier end of the range at $190 with a chef-designed lunch if that matters to you.
Can I cancel the booking?
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and reserve now and pay later means nothing is charged today. Read how this listing sits among the other hot springs tours in Costa Rica if you are still comparing.
How long do I get in the hot springs?
The listing states no fixed limit for the springs within the 5-hour pass, though the hacienda's own timed entries for this venue run 1.5 hours each, which is a reasonable planning figure. The Río Negro hot springs guide covers the venue in more depth.
Is the pass suitable for children or pregnant women?
The listing states the activity is not suitable for pregnant women and gives no minimum age. The hanging-bridge trails need sure footing, so judge small children against the terrain, and see the Arenal morning hike and hot springs river tour for a guided family option in the other region.
Where do I start the day?
At the Hacienda Guachipelín Tour Center in Curubandé, Provincia de Guanacaste, roughly 30-48 minutes by car from Liberia airport per third-party estimates. The Guanacaste hot springs guide maps the whole area.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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