Toucan at La Paz Waterfall Gardens
La Paz Waterfall Gardens – Costa Rica
One of my best experiences in four months of travels around Costa Rica was a full day trip to La Paz (Peace) Waterfall Gardens.
I had discovered the Waterfall Gardens because of my hotel assignment to visit Peace Lodge, the property’s luxurious boutique, cabin-style hotel located on a high ridge over-looking the densely forested, tropical mountain property. As part of my visit they invited me on a day pass to visit all the facilities.
one of five huge waterfalls at Peace Gardens
La Paz Waterfall Gardens is situated in the high rolling mountains north of San Jose. As I discovered that day, the vast property consists of a series of five high-volume waterfalls plunging into a narrow, jungle-clad gorge as well as an extensive rescued animal center that’s the size of a small zoo.
I made the day trip from San Jose, catching the 6:30 am bus that passes the property en route to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui on the Caribbean side of the country’s huge central mountain range.
The Waterfall Gardens and Peace Lodge were created by an American hotelier who bought a ridge-top farm over-looking the jungle-clad gorge and mountains back in the 1990s. Initially, he opened the property to the public featuring just the waterfalls and a butterfly sanctuary.
He built a complex of sturdy walking trails down and along the mountainside to various waterfall view points to make it easy for visitors to see the magnificent, gushing falls. Visitors can access the river at a few spots as well, for those who care to take a dip in the cold mountain river.
Nowadays the park offers a free ongoing shuttle bus service from the end of the waterfall trails back up to the ridge-top park headquarters. Alternately, visitors can walk back along the trails and up the mountainside.
Once the waterfall park and butterfly gardens were established, the owner proceeded to build Peace Lodge. During that time, a Costa Rican government agency had ended up with a collection of rescued wild animals that had been delivered to them by various people, but which they could not afford to take care of.
trout pond at Peace Lodge
They decided to offer the animals to the Peace Waterfall Gardens’ owner, hoping he could give them a sanctuary in the forested mountains. He accepted and thus began the ever-expanding animal rescue center.
Nowadays the number and variety of animals and birds have grown so much that the center is the equivalent of a small zoo. There’s a large walk-in bird aviary, an equally large walk-in butterfly aviary and adjacent butterfly library/research center. There are separate houses for snakes, tropical leaf frogs, jungle cats and monkeys.
yellow pit viper at Peace Gardens animal rescue center
The snake house has over two dozen snakes in terrariums. There are poisonous as well as harmless snakes on display, most conspicuously many species of pit vipers.
There’s detailed information about identifying poisonous vs non-poisonous snakes, which demonstrates differences in scales, head shapes, eyes, teeth, coloration and other body parts. A naturalist is also on hand to answer visitors’ questions and provide more information.
one species of elusive leaf frogs
The frog house also has many informative signs and naturalists on hand. Central America’s famous leaf frogs and poisonous frog species are kept there. Finding the well-camouflaged green leaf frogs is so difficult that the keepers place tags on the leaves near each frog so visitors can see them.
At the time of my visit, the large cat houses had three beautiful jaguars, with surprisingly short, stocky legs; several little ocelots; two large beige pumas and a few other jungle cats.
They all live in naturalized enclosures, complete with logs, trees, flowing water, dry stone platforms that are big enough for the cats to walk, run and climb.
pumas at Peace Gardens animal rescue center
The equally large monkey enclosures house squirrel monkeys, Capuchin monkeys and a few other species, each living together in small groups.
A hummingbird garden, situated on a stone patio filled with colorful flowering bushes draped over extensive trellises, attracts more than two dozen different species of hummingbirds by hanging sweet-water filled bird feeders. A large educational sign depicts all the species with bird paintings and a description of each.
Visitors who take the time to hang out and await the birds have the chance to identify one to two dozen species of hummingbirds by consulting the signboard to re-check each bird’s size, colors and markings.
As I visited the many animal enclosures and aviaries, it dawned on me how well the center has been built and maintained. All the enclosures are very spacious, clean and created in a natural style for the animals, providing facilities to walk, climb, fly, run, sleep, get privacy, drink and eat.
Each area has loads of information about the animals and naturalists are on hand to care for the animals as well as answer visitors’ questions and/or teach people more about the animals.
Considering the owner is a hotelier, not a zoo-keeper or naturalist, I have to especially commend him for doing such a professional, conscientious job of taking in the many rescued animals and providing them with permanent, humane homes. Very impressive.
In addition to the many animal houses and aviaries, there’s a replica historic Costa Rican log cabin homestead, complete with interiors, two live oxen and cart, and a baby goat. A local girl, dressed in period clothing, passes out free samples of traditional sweets – warm sugarcane water and corn-based cakes.
luxurious room at Peace Lodge
Meanwhile, Peace Lodge boutique hotel is also a very impressive creation. Built in a quirky but luxurious pseudo colonial cabin-in-the-woods style, all the spacious rooms are situated along the ridge, over-looking the densely forested mountains. They feature stunning golden wood interiors, custom-made wood furniture, stone fireplaces and huge, elaborate bathrooms with interior gardens.
For anyone who can afford it, Peace Lodge offers an amazing tropical mountain forest retreat in luxurious accommodations.
La Paz Waterfall Gardens, with an entry adjacent to the hotel, are open to the public and are extremely popular. Visitors arrive by the bus loads, in small private tours and on their own.
Most people visit in groups and tours, but it’s also possible to reach the property by public bus from San Jose. Only three buses per day pass the gardens, and the morning bus from the city departs at a snappy 6;30 am, taking about 2 hours climbing up through steep, winding mountain farmlands to reach the park.
At the time I visited, buses departed San Jose for Puerto Viejo de Sarapique via Vara Blanca from Bus Terminal Caribenos at 6;30 am, 1 pm and 5 pm. Return buses pass by the park at approximately 1 pm and 6 pm. It takes about 2 hours each way. Since bus times can change from year to year, it’s better to check the current schedule at GrupoCaribenos website
My day trip to La Paz Waterfall Gardens was one of my best days in Costa Rica during the four months I spent in the country. I highly recommend it to any visitors, especially animal and nature lovers.
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Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
