Las Orquídeas / Real de Quetzales - Guápiles
- Dakota B.
- May 18, 2019
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 7, 2019
Not many days stick out more in my mind than December 22, 2018. My good friend Daniel and I had been planning a trip for a few weeks, but, due to some unforeseen circumstances, we had to change plans at the last second. As it were, the night before our supposed adventure, I reached out to a young man I'd only just began communicating with about waterfall hikes less than a week before. Johnathan was very accommodating, and, after a sorting out a few logistics, we were back in business. We were given the option to go to a pair of waterfalls that had only just been discovered mere months before by a young guide named Derrick with La Casona de Bella Vista. Not ones to back down from adventure, Daniel and I agreed almost instantaneously. We took the early bus from San José to Guápiles, grabbed a cab south to the entrance, and met Derrick and John for what was sure to be a great adventure.
Due to the strong rains that tend to come at the end of the year in the northern Carribean region of Costa Rica, we knew we would be in for a tricky hike. John and Derrick were great guides, and they were patient as Daniel and I trekked across the thick and muddy jungle floor and over the intimidatingly strong and flowing rivers. Kilometer after kilometer, through the highs of mountain peaks and the lows of river valleys, we pressed on through the monsoon-like rain, all the while getting closer and closer to the first of two waterfalls on our list for the day.
Arriving to Real De Quetzales was an impressive feat all by itself. Situated at the top of a steep and narrow river valley, we had to climb over fallen tree trunks, cross the dangerous rivers, and scale over gigantic - and slippery - boulders to get to our resting point. As tiring as it was, Daniel and I were so very content with the view. And that wasn't even the best part yet; Derrick was quick to remind us that we shouldn't spend too much time there, as we had another waterfall - bigger and better - waiting for us a few kilometers further up the mountainside.
We packed up our gear, turned back down the riverbed, and continued on. This is where the story of the hike gets super cool. Being that Derrick himself discovered these two waterfalls just a few months prior to our hike, he and only a few lucky souls had actually seen them in person. That infrequency of visits coupled with the torrential downpour we were experiencing combined for what was and likely will remain one of if not the most impressive displays of nature and her power that I have ever seen with my own two eyes.
Climbing over the last few boulders, and setting foot on solid ground in the little grassy patch just on the left of the main pool for the falls, we realized what the true power of nature feels like. I choose the verb "feels" like because it was a veritable assault on the senses. It isn't just the sight. It's by no means just the sound. It's so much more than the feeling of the harsh spray coming off at nearly 100 feet away as it constantly pelts you in the face. It's so much more than all of this. It is a moment to look up and be reminded of how small we humans are in comparison with this planet and all the beautiful and terrifying aspects that make up our natural environment.
I have often contemplated the reason behind my affinity for the waterfalls I've been so fortunate to experience during my time in Costa Rica, and I always come back to the same single, solitary notion: No one can claim it. No one, not one person, can claim the power that is found in a waterfall of this magnitude. Las Orquídeas Waterfall is a pure and potent example of the truth behind our planet's history. That it was here long before mankind, and it will be here long afterward.
Enough romanticizing. Get your butt in gear and go see these two amazing waterfalls. Call or text Derrick at +506-8336-1683 or Hugo Duran at +506-8405-9220. There is no reason why you shouldn't go do this ASAP.
Real de Quetzales/Las Orquídeas Waterfall Info
Difficulty: Moderate to High
Location: Bella Vista, Guápiles, Limón, CR
Real de Quetzales GPS Coordinates: 10.09806, -83.80772 Las Orquídeas GPS Coordinates: 10.09381, -83.80633
Real de Quetzales height: approx. 50 meters / 165 feet
Las Orquídeas height: approx. 95 meters / 312 feet
Nearest bus fare: Guápiles Centro to Bella Vista, 340 CRC
Entry fee: 6000 CRC (full guided hike fee with Derrick from La Casona)
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