ATV Waterfall & Organic Coffee Farm with Lunch

The best part of this Nosara outing is the change of pace: you ride an ATV through mountain roads, walk a rocky riverbed to a waterfall, then sit down to coffee and lunch at a 30-year-old family farm. It feels less like a checklist tour and more like a look at rural life outside the beach towns.

I like the quiet waterfall stop, where you have time to swim and explore rather than snap a quick photo and leave. I also like the personal farm visit with Juan, whose fruit trees, coffee plants, fresh juices, and hilltop meal turn a standard ATV ride into a fuller Costa Rican day.

The main caution is the walk to the waterfall. It can be demanding for anyone with mobility problems, and the route crosses a rocky riverbed, so sturdy shoes matter. You also need at least four people for the tour to operate, unless you contact Tierra Costa about another arrangement.

Key points to know before you book

• Ride from Nosara into the hills: The route uses dirt roads and jungle trails, with stops for views and local scenery.
• Swim at a natural waterfall: You get time to enjoy the falls at your own pace, but the approach is rocky.
• Meet Juan and learn coffee from plant to cup: The family farm explains cultivation, care, harvesting, and preparation.
• Taste more than coffee: Fresh juices, tropical fruit, and an included organic lunch are part of the visit.
• Guides work well with mixed riding levels: Junior helped beginners while more experienced riders still found the route pleasantly adventurous.
• Plan around a six-hour outing: It begins and ends at Tierra Costa NosaraCentro and is available daily from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Starting in Nosara and heading into the hills

The tour begins at Tierra Costa NosaraCentro in Nosara. You return to this same meeting point at the end, which keeps the day simple if you are staying nearby or using public transportation. The activity runs about six hours, so set aside most of your day rather than trying to squeeze it between two short beach stops.

You ride your ATV along dirt roads and jungle trails with a local guide. The route is part transportation and part sightseeing. As you climb, you get glimpses of local life, hills, and the coast near Nosara. Several stops let you pause for the view, which is useful because an ATV ride can otherwise become a blur of dust, bumps, and engine noise.

The guide team includes Junior and Abraham, and Juan leads the farm visit. You may find the group works well for different riding backgrounds. Junior helped a beginner get comfortable, while more experienced riders still had a route that felt pleasantly adventurous.

That balance is important. This is not presented as a flat, gentle road ride, but it is also not only for serious ATV riders. The private format means only your group takes part, so the pace can be more responsive to your needs than a large shared departure. The minimum is four people, though Tierra Costa asks smaller parties to contact them about possible options.

The waterfall walk takes effort

The waterfall is the first major stop, and you are given plenty of time to swim and explore the area. That freedom is one of the strongest reasons to choose this outing over a quick waterfall add-on. You are not rushed straight back to the ATVs after reaching the water.

The approach deserves clear warning. The walk follows a rocky riverbed, and one family found it too difficult for people with mobility issues. You do not need to treat this as a technical hike, but you should be steady on uneven ground and comfortable walking over rocks.

Wear sturdy shoes. Water sandals such as Tevas worked well for one participant, but ordinary flimsy flip-flops would be a poor choice. You may want footwear that can handle both wet rocks and the ride back up the mountain.

The waterfall stop also rewards a relaxed schedule. You can swim, look around the surrounding natural area, and enjoy a quieter break before the farm visit. Bring a practical attitude about the conditions: this is a natural setting, not a paved attraction with an easy path to the water.

If someone in your group has trouble walking, contact the provider before booking. The tour team has shown a willingness to help, including providing a larger ATV for a family member who had difficulty walking, but assistance does not remove the rocky walk itself.

Riding higher to the coffee farm

After the waterfall, you get back on the ATVs and continue farther up the mountain. This second part of the route adds context to the coffee stop. You are not simply dropped at a farm by road transfer. You reach it by following the same rural network used to see the hills and local homes from the saddle.

The family farm has followed regenerative farming practices and sustainable principles for more than 30 years. That gives the visit a practical focus. You learn how coffee fits into a working farm rather than hearing only a short explanation beside a bag of roasted beans.

The farm grows coffee alongside fruit trees, including orange, dragonfruit, avocado, and lime. You walk among the plants and learn how coffee is cared for, cultivated, and harvested before it reaches your cup. The process gives children something concrete to watch, too. A farm visit that keeps younger visitors interested can be a real benefit when your group includes families.

Juan, the farm owner, leads the visit and welcomes you into his family setting. The personal scale is central to the appeal. This is not a large commercial coffee center with a polished display; it is a working family operation with a close connection between the farm, the food, and the people hosting you.

You also sample fresh juices and coffee during the visit. If you want to take some of Juan’s coffee home, bring cash. The option to buy coffee adds a useful souvenir choice, especially if you prefer something tied to a place and a person rather than a generic gift-shop item.

Lunch with a view over Nosara

The included organic lunch is one of the tour’s strongest value points. You eat at the farm, with views over the hills and coastlines of Nosara. The setting makes the meal feel like part of the visit, not a basic refueling stop inserted between activities.

The food has received especially strong praise, and the family-style setting adds to it. You are eating in the place where you have just learned about the crops, with Juan and his family connected to the meal. That link between agriculture, hospitality, and scenery is what makes the lunch more memorable than a restaurant stop.

The view also gives you a good reason to slow down. The ATV sections are active, and the waterfall walk takes effort. Sitting down with fresh food, juice, and coffee creates a natural middle pause before the return ride.

Do not expect this to be a coffee-only tour with a snack at the end. The day combines riding, swimming, farm education, fruit tasting, coffee, and lunch. At $195 per person, the meal and the private format help explain the cost, especially if you value a full-day outing rather than paying separately for several small stops.

The return ride to Nosara

After lunch, you get back on the ATV and head down the mountain. The route returns to the original meeting point, so you do not need to arrange a separate pickup from the farm or waterfall.

The downhill ride gives you another chance to enjoy the views, although the surface can still be uneven. If you are new to ATVs, this is where the guide’s support matters. The experience can feel adventurous without requiring you to ride at the pace of the most experienced person in the group.

The day lasts about six hours, but the exact rhythm depends on your group and how long you spend at the waterfall. That flexibility is a strength if you want time to swim. It may be less appealing if you prefer a tightly timed tour with every stop fixed to the minute.

Because the tour requires good weather, plans can change if conditions are poor. In that case, you are offered another date or a full refund. The cancellation policy also allows a full refund when you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted.

How the $195 price makes sense

At $195 per person, this is not the cheapest ATV outing around Nosara. The value comes from how many pieces are included in one private, roughly six-hour day.

You get the ATV route, a local guide, the waterfall visit, the farm walk, fresh juices, coffee, and organic lunch. You also get a family-run setting and a view over Nosara that would be difficult to reproduce by simply renting an ATV and following a map.

I would compare this with the cost of booking an ATV ride and a separate farm visit, then paying for lunch and arranging transport between them. The combined format saves effort and gives the day a clear story, from mountain roads to waterfall to coffee plant to meal.

The price is easier to justify for people who want variety. If your only goal is to ride an ATV for a few hours, you may find the farm and lunch extras unnecessary. If you want a fuller introduction to the area beyond the beach, the added stops make the price more reasonable.

The private setup is another part of the calculation. Only your group participates, which can make a difference when one person is a beginner or when your group wants extra time at the waterfall. It also means the minimum of four people matters. A solo visitor or couple should contact Tierra Costa before assuming the departure will run.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would recommend this tour to families, mixed-age groups, and visitors who want active sightseeing without spending the whole day on one activity. The combination worked for a group with a mother and 10-year-old twins, and the coffee visit held the children’s attention because it showed the whole process in a real farm setting.

It also suits groups with different ATV experience. Beginners can receive help from the guides, while experienced riders still get dirt roads, trails, hills, and a bit of adventure.

You should think carefully before booking if anyone in your party has serious mobility limits. The ATV itself may be manageable, but the waterfall approach crosses uneven rock. Contact the operator first rather than relying on a general promise of assistance.

This is also not the best choice if you want a very polished, resort-style excursion. The appeal comes from dirt roads, a natural waterfall, a family farm, and a meal in a rural setting. You should be comfortable with dust, uneven ground, and a less formal pace.

What to bring for a better day

Wear sturdy shoes that can handle the rocky route to the waterfall and wet ground near the water. Water sandals with secure straps can work, but loose flip-flops are not a smart choice.

Bring clothes you can move in and use for swimming. You may also want a change of clothes after the waterfall, though the provided information does not specify changing facilities.

Carry some cash if you may want to purchase coffee from the farm. Keep the amount practical and protected from water during the waterfall stop.

Most of all, leave room in your schedule. The tour is designed as a full outing, not a quick ride. The waterfall, farm visit, lunch, and mountain views are the point, so the day works best when you are not watching the clock.

Should you book the ATV and coffee farm tour?

Book it if you want a broad, active day that connects Nosara’s hills with local food and farming. The combination of a quiet waterfall, a personal coffee lesson with Juan, fresh drinks, an organic lunch, and flexible guidance from people such as Junior and Abraham gives the tour more substance than a standard ATV loop.

Skip it if you mainly want a fast ATV thrill or if the rocky waterfall walk would be unsafe for your group. For everyone else, the $195 price is fair when you use the whole package, especially with a private group and lunch included. Confirm the four-person minimum, wear proper shoes, and contact Tierra Costa in advance if mobility or group size is a concern.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and end?

It starts at Tierra Costa NosaraCentro in Nosara, Guanacaste, and ends back at the same meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately six hours.

What is included in the tour?

The experience includes the ATV ride, the waterfall visit, the organic coffee farm visit, fresh juices, coffee, and an organic lunch with views over the hills and coastlines of Nosara.

Is the waterfall walk suitable for people with mobility issues?

The walk can be difficult for people with mobility issues because it follows a rocky riverbed. Contact Tierra Costa before booking if this is a concern.

How many people are needed to operate the tour?

A minimum of four people is required for the tour to run. If you have fewer than four, contact the provider to discuss other options.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The tour requires good weather. If it is canceled because of poor conditions, you can choose a different date or receive a full refund.