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Ready to explore the Arenal Volcano, and the surrounding National Park?
We don’t blame you. After all, the volcano is one of the most famous natural landmarks in Costa Rica, and it’s surrounded by stunning scenery. We’re talking about rainforests, hot springs, lava flows, and tons of wildlife!
In our experience, booking a tour is definitely the best way to explore the Arenal Volcano. Even though we lived in nearby La Fortuna, we still thought it was so worth it to have a local guide to help us explore. Whether you want a guided hike or a full-day, all-inclusive tour, we’re going to take you through the best options.
Quick Pick: Our Favorite Tour
Don’t have time to read the full article?
Our personal FAVORITE tour is this full-day small group tour that hits all the highlights of the La Fortuna area from waterfalls and rainforest hikes to butterfly gardens and of course epic volcano views. Book this highly-rated tour here and check out all the 1,400+ 5-star reviews!
Tip: This tour is likely to sell out, book it in advance with FREE 24-hour cancellation.
Best Arenal Volcano National Park Tours
1. Full-Day, Small-Group Outdoor Adventure Tour of La Fortuna Region
- Price: $95 USD
- Duration: 11 hours
- Highlights: Rainforest hike, visit a butterfly garden, a local Maleku Indian village, swim at La Fortuna Waterfall, views of Arenal Volcano, wildlife spotting, end day at a hot spring
- Inclusions: English-speaking nature guide, round-trip transportation from La Fortuna, lunch (vegetarian and vegan options available), cocktail, entrance fees
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 1,400+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
Experiencing the beauty of the Arenal Volcano doesn’t get any better than this. I loved this action-packed tour because it didn’t stop delivering “wow!” moments the whole day. Part of the reason for that is because it goes to all the best spots in La Fortuna, as well as some hidden gems (hot springs!) that other tours don’t. If you’re a nature lover, this experience was made for you.
Kicking off the day at 7:30 am, our first stop was La Fortuna Waterfall where our small group hiked into the jungle and our guides encouraged us to jump in. It’s a little chilly, but so refreshing! After splashing around we began hiking deeper into the rainforest and spotting wildlife (we saw a sloth!). Of course, exploring Arenal Volcano National Park was a memorable point of the day, we got the best viewpoint of the volcano while hiking! It’s absolutely spectacular and this is easily one of the best views you’ll get of it.
As if it couldn’t get any better, we stopped by a local Maleku Indian village and nearby butterfly garden which took my breath away, the colors were out of this world! But of course, ending the day at a natural hot spring and sipping a cocktail was easily the highlight. Surrounded by nature and new friends, I was living the dream!
Considering how cheap this experience is, everything you get, seeing wildlife, and round-trip transportation, I think this is the no-brainer tour choice for anyone visiting La Fortuna. Don’t miss out!
Book our FAVORITE Arenal Volcano National Park tour here before it sells out!
Related Read: Be sure to read our guide to visiting the La Fortuna Waterfall before you go!
2. Full-Day Hiking Tour around Arenal Volcano and Mistico Hanging Bridges
- Price: $172 USD
- Duration: 8 to 9 hours
- Highlights: Hike around Arenal Volcano and the 16 Mistico Hanging Bridges, spot local wildlife in the rainforest, see and swim at the La Fortuna Waterfall
- Inclusions: English-speaking nature guide, round-trip transportation from La Fortuna, lunch (vegetarian and vegan options available), entrance fees
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 1,150+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
Strap up your boots and get ready for a day of natural beauty as you hike your way around Arenal Volcano and the Mistico Hanging Bridges. I loved this adventure tour because it had us spotting the rainforest’s many colorful inhabitants over 5 hours of breathtaking trekking (and that’s not just because of the incline!). Outdoor enthusiasts won’t want to miss out on this tour which is one of the best hiking experiences in La Fortuna!
The day started early at 7 am as our small group made our way to Arenal Volcano National Park for a 2.5-hour hike around its base. I didn’t mind the early start since morning is when all the best animals like sloths and monkeys tend to make an appearance. And boy oh boy, did we get lucky with wildlife that day as we started it off spotting some cute monkeys! Over the following hours, our guide, Juan Carlos, educated us on the natural history of the park and continued to spot critters left and right.
Next on the agenda was La Fortuna Waterfall and after a quick drive and short hike we were there and swimming in its refreshing (but cold!) waters. After a much-needed dip, we began to trek again but this time through the Mistico Hanging Bridges where we crossed 16 bridges through lush rainforest and spotted all sorts of animals along the way.
Sounds amazing right? It is! And if you love to hike, this tour is your ticket to the perfect day in La Fortuna.
Don’t miss out on this full-day experience – book your spot before it fills up here.
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
3. Half-Day Arenal Volcano Guided Hike Experience
- Price: $74 – $112 USD
- Duration: 4 hours
- Highlights: Rainforest trails, Arenal Volcano lava fields, Arenal Lake, National Park entry
- Inclusions: Hotel pickup and drop-off, fruit and water, local guide
- Rating: 5 Stars (Read the 100+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes, up to 24 hours before the experience starts
This half-day guided hike is our top choice for families looking to explore Arenal Volcano National Park! We got the choice between a private or small group tour, and you can choose to hike in the morning or late afternoon – either way, you’ll be avoiding the midday heat.
What we loved about this hiking tour was how comprehensive it was. We had four hours to explore the rainforest and lava fields, and our guide, Diego, took us to remote corners of the national park we would never have dared venture to on our own! Plus, he taught us a ton about the volcano itself and helped us get some amazing photos of the wildlife we saw. We also enjoyed some stunning views of Lake Arenal, which is actually the largest lake in Costa Rica.
At the end of our hike, Diego also took us to a great local cafe with fantastic views of the volcano, where we recharged our batteries with an excellent cup of Costa Rican coffee. He was such a great guide and his anecdotes made the already-beautiful hike even more enjoyable. We think that this hike is the perfect choice for families, although to be honest, anyone who appreciates nature is sure to enjoy this tour.
Reserve your spot on this top-rated guided hike here!
Related Read: Another one of our favorite ways to experience the Arenal Volcano is on an ATV tour! Check out our top three ATV tours in La Fortuna to experience it for yourself.
Other Things to do While You’re in La Fortuna
This is just one of the many fun activities to fill your itinerary with and there are so many other things to do in La Fortuna you won’t want to miss! These are just a few of our top picks:
- Hot springs – Be sure to get plenty of relaxation time during your stay in La Fortuna. The Free Natural Hot Spring River is a public river running through the Tabacon Hot Springs Resort. It’s only 15 minutes outside La Fortuna and feels amazing after a day of hiking! If you don’t mind paying for a soak, there are tons of other amazing hot springs in La Fortuna to choose from too.
- Go on a night walk – After a day of adventure, going on this night walk and dinner tour makes for a fun evening experience. Guides lead you on an easy hike through the rainforest, spotting all the critters that come out after dark. To finish it off, you’ll enjoy a traditional Costa Rican dinner prepared on a wood-burning stove.
- Visit a rope swing – El Salto, or “the rope swing,” is a hidden paradise with a swimming hole, waterfalls, and a local vibe. This is one of the best free things to do in La Fortuna! You can easily walk to El Salto and swing into the refreshing waters – or ask the locals where it’s safe to jump!
- Drink great coffee – It’s no secret some of the best coffee in the world comes from Costa Rica! You can grab a cup of coffee at one of the restaurants in La Fortuna or take it a step further with a coffee tour. We had the freshest cup of coffee and tasted amazing homemade chocolate on this Costa Rican coffee and chocolate experience that takes place on a small family-owned plantation.
- Take a cooking class – Dive into Costa Rica’s culture the best way possible – through food! We loved this private cooking class where we joined a local farmer and learned all about their sustainable farming practices. Then we made a delicious traditional meal using fresh ingredients right off their farm! All the while learning about Costa Rican cooking, food, and how much it impacts the local culture, check out our favorite cooking classes in La Fortuna here!
Getting Around Costa Rica
How you choose to get around Costa Rica is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when planning your holiday here! How you do it depends on your budget, travel style, and comfort level.
Renting a Car
Without a doubt, the number one way to explore Costa Rica is in a rental car. We book rental cars on the Discover Cars website as we have had good experiences with them in the past.
One of the things you need to watch for when renting a car in Costa Rica is the mandatory insurance that the government requires you to have. There are a lot of very cheap rentals that don’t include this mandatory insurance (TPL) in the original booking price, but there are also ones that do. To avoid additional surprise charges when you pick up your rental car, be sure to rent a car that includes the mandatory insurance when you book.
Thankfully, on Discover Cars it’s easy to tell apart the companies that include the mandatory insurance and those that don’t. The trick is you can’t pick any car on their website. In the picture below, you can see this rental car, with pick up in Jaco, includes the TPL. That means the mandatory insurance is included in the price. Any cover you get above that is extra.
Of course, I still suggest getting the full coverage offered by Discover Cars, which covers you even more.
You can browse cars on Discover Cars here.
Book Shuttles
If renting a car isn’t in your budget, you don’t feel comfortable driving in Costa Rica, or you just don’t like driving, shuttles are the next best option. There are hundreds of shuttle routes available all over the country, and they are very affordable.
Shuttles in Costa Rica are specifically for tourists and often include pick up and drop off at your selected hotels and airports. The drivers also speak some English, and the vehicles have air conditioning. You’ll also be guaranteed a seat when you book a shuttle (which isn’t the case with the public bus system.)
To get the best price, use the website Bookaway. They compare all the offers and prices of shuttle companies in Costa Rica so you get the best price! Honestly, we have saved so much money using Bookaway!
You can search for shuttles online on Bookaway here.
Public Bus
Lastly, you can use the public bus system. On short journeys, such as from San Jose to La Fortuna or Uvita to Manuel Antonio, this system is great. However, the longer the journey the more hassle and time spent on a bus. It’s undoubtedly best to save the public bus in Costa Rica for short and straightforward trips!
The public buses are definitely the cheapest way to get around Costa Rica, but they are not always very reliable and schedules often change without notice and delays are to be expected. The buses can also be very crowded and hot – so just be prepared!
It’s also good to speak some Spanish if you plan on riding the public bus since most drivers and ticket booth operators don’t speak English.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind.
Pura Vida!
If you’re ready to explore Arenal Volcano in the easiest way possible, then be sure to book one of these tours before you go! We love learning as much as we can about the area we are exploring, and the convenience of transportation and other logistics being handled by the tour guide makes for a laid-back day of adventure. We loved our Arenal Volcan National Park tour, and I’m certain you will too!
As you continue planning your trip, be sure to check out our other Costa Rica blogs. After living and traveling all over the country, we have put together some great resources and the best spots to visit. Check out the blogs to inspire your travels!
15 Things To Know Before Visiting Rio Celeste (Rio Celeste Waterfall)
The BEST Hanging Bridges in La Fortuna: Mistico vs. The Skywalk