Arenal Activities

Arenal Volcano and Hot Springs

        

The Arenal Volcano is active since 1968, it constantly ejects gases, water, fumaroles and explosions with pyroclastic material emissions, and sometimes the eruptions are accompanied with powerful thunders.  The ash is carried by the wind over long distances especially to the northwest area of the volcano. The biggest and heaviest material falls close to the crater.  The lava flows come out of the crater with a temperature of about 1 000 Centigrade. As the lava flows down it slowly cools off. At the hot springs our customers can enjoy a healthy and relaxing soak, it is also possible to see the Arenal Volcano erupting from a comfortable spa.

With the improvement of the road from Quesada City to La Fortuna, the number of local and foreign visitors has increased. Today it is possible to find all kinds of tourist facilities and the friendliness of the people in La Fortuna.

This tour leaves usually at 4:00 p.m. from the different hotels, but the hour can change depending where the people are lodged. The tour also includes:  Transportation, Bilingual guide (English - Spanish), Hot Springs entrance fee and Dinner

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge

    

The Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge and the Rio Frío are biological humid areas considered to be one of the richest in biological diversity in Costa Rica. Here you can find a great variety of resident and migratory birds plus three different species of monkeys, also iguanas, sloths, turtles and caymans.  The tour starts at 7: 30 a.m. when we pick up all “Nature Lovers” from the hotel in a very comfortable bus for the 1-½ hour Transfer to Los Chiles, a culturally mixed village only 4-km from the Nicaraguan border. Here your boat waits for your river adventure, at that time we begin our 4-hour floating safari through Tropical Rain Forest and pastures until we arrive at the marsh. An experienced English - Spanish speaking guide leads the tour.  Some birds are residents in the area and it is possible to see hundreds of them especially during the dry season. Some of them are Anhinga or Snake - bird, Roseate Spoonbill, it is possible to see

little groups of this bird eating in the surroundings of the river. Wood Storks, the Jabirus, the largest bird in Central America and very endangered. Also the Olivaceous Cormorant, that makes its nest in the area, it is also the most popular bird in the refuge. Caño Negro has the largest colony of cormorants in Costa Rica.  Along the river we can see howler monkeys, spider monkeys, white-faced monkeys, also the three-toed sloth and some reptiles like caimans, Jesus Christ lizard and turtles. This trip includes a typical Costa Rican lunch, regional fruits, canned drinks, natural juices, bottled water and cookies. Don’t forget to bring light clothing, camera, binoculars, and sun cream and insect repellent.

Palo Verde Nacional Park

     

Palo Verde National Park is a wildlife refuge located between Tempisque and Bebedero rivers; in this park we can find the biggest area of wetlands in Costa Rica. The name of the park comes from the “palo verde” (Parkinsonia aculeata). In English it is known as horse bean, but its name literally means “green stick” as the leaves, branches and trunk of this thorny shrub are all green, it also has delicate, yellow flowers.  Scientists from all over the world come to study this rich ecosystem that combines rivers, marshland, mangroves and dry forest. During the bus ride, we will travel through a changing countryside of savannas, plantations, and little villages. This park provides refuge to hundreds of aquatic birds that live there and other ones who stop there during the migrations on wintertime; also we can find a great quantity of mammals and reptiles.  After boarding the boat, that will takes us up the river, we will be able to admire the natural beauty of this park, including wildlife; such as huge crocodiles resting under the sun, groups of monkeys moving quickly between the branches, while our boat takes you in a floating safari adventure through Tropical Forest.  Some birds are resident species plentiful in the area and it is possible to see hundreds of theme like: Anhinga or “Snake Bird” (Anhinga anhinga), Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja), Wood Storks (Mycteria americana), the Jabiru (Jabiru mycteria), the largest bird in Central America and very endangered. Also we can see the Olivaceous Cormorant (Palacrocorax olivaceus), the White Ibis (This trip includes a home made box lunch, regional fruits, canned drinks, natural juices, beers, bottled water and cookies, all this served in the surroundings of this green country site.

Don’t forget to bring light clothing, sun cream, insect repellent, binoculars and a camera... picturing wildlife is very easy in the abundance of this sanctuary of nature. Eudocimus albus), Blue Herons and much more.

Sport Fishing in the Arenal Lake

    

Aventuras Arenal offers tours to catch & release fishing of the Rainbow Bass, the incredible fighter of the Arenal Lake.  Besides, the lake is a very attractive place, from here it’s possible to see the Arenal Volcano with its impressive ash and lava eruptions.  Our motorboats are equipped with gyratory boat seats, electric motors, radar, equipment for trolling and casting, expert guides and life jackets.  The tour also includes refreshments, like beer, sodas, water, coffee, orange juice, cookies and sandwiches.

Arenal Volcano Hike Tour

     

Before the active period of 1968, a lavish canopy of vegetation covered the Arenal Volcano.  People that climbed Arenal’ s summit related that inside the crater there were big trees and at night, they slept in places where there was some heat due to small steam outlets.  Right now the green area is located at the east side of the Mountain, and other little green parts can be seen on the north and the south of the volcano.  Enjoy the most extraordinary view of the Arenal Volcano on a gentle Hike along the base of this marvelous “Mountain of Fire”.  The Hike begins on the active side of the volcano that takes you through the forest over recent lava flows and to the destroyed area now in the process of regeneration.

We offer a Hike of 2½ hours long the trail gets as close as five hundred meters from the lava flows, all this in the National park of Arenal Volcano.  This tour includes:  Transportation Bilingual guide (English - Spanish), Entrance fee and refreshments, water and cookies

Mountain Bike Adventure in Arenal Volcano

    

This is one of the tours we offer for those who want to go on a bike trip to the area where the forest, the Arenal Volcano and the Lake meet and leads trough a beautiful trail. The tour starts from the Arenal Lake Dam, where we take an old trail into the forest.  At the end of the trail we will arrive at the entrance of the Arenal Volcano National Park and then get on the way to the Observatory and back in the main road.  On this trail we will have the chance to see many different birds, for example: Squirrel Cuckoos, Keel Billed Toucans Crested Guans, Slaty Tailed Trogons, Black Headed Trogons, Bare Throated Tiger Herons (Laughing Falcons; as well as howler monkeys and raccoons).  The whole trip will be about four hours if we leave from La Fortuna.  The tour includes: transportation from and back to the hotel, Bikes, Bilingual guide (English - Spanish), Refreshments, water and cookies.  Assistance vehicle

Venado Caves Tour

    

This tour leaves from La Fortuna at 8: 00 a.m. for one-hour transfer to the Venado Village.  The caves were formed during the Miocene period, 15 or 20 million years ago. For many years they were under sea level and due to tectonic movements they surfaced.  The Guatuzos aborigines discovered the caves. Limestone rocks, stalactites, stalagmites and corals, form most of the caves. The whimsical stone formations are formed by the underground river.  The length of the tour into the caves is 1 ½ hour, during this time we will find marine fossils, and also bats, spiders and crickets.  Because we will have to walk through the river and waterfalls from the upper part of the cave, we recommend our customers to take light clothes, hiking shoes and extra clothes to be able to change when they finish the exploration of the caves.

The equipment for the tour will be provided and it includes: Flashlights Helmets, Cords, Rubber Boots (optional) The tour also includes: Transportation, Bilingual guide (English - Spanish), Water, refreshments and cookies and entrance fee to the caves..

Horseback Riding to La Fortuna Waterfall

    

The length of the tour is approximately four hours; from La Fortuna we have to go 5 ½ kilometers to the southeast. We spend 1 ½ hours to get to the rest site of the horses.  After that you have to walk five hundred meters into the forest to get to the waterfall, which is 70 meters high.  At the base of the waterfall there is a “natural pool” where we can swim for about one hour.  This tour can leave at any time before two in the afternoon. We recommend our customers to take:  Insect repellent, Rain coat, Binoculars, Camera, Swim suits and Towel.

Peñas Blancas Safari Float

   

Enjoy the sights and the sounds of the rainforest and experience its peacefulness as we quietly paddle the Peñas Blancas river. Monkeys, sloths, iguanas, crocodiles and numerous tropical birds await us! Our professional bilingual guide will share with you educational and interesting explanations of the plants and animals we encounter on the flota.  You will truly appreciate the wonders of Peñas Blancas river and the surrounding rainforest as we travel down the river without a motor, this way you will enjoy the journey quietly rowing and taking photos.  Make sure to bring your camera and binoculars on this tour!  This is half day tour specially designed for people with limited amount of time.  Tour includes: Air-conditioned transportation, Bilingual naturalist guide, Fruits, water and sodas.  What to bring: Short pants, T-shirt and sandals, Sunscreen, insect repellent, Camera and binoculars.

Boat Rides on the Arenal Lake

    

Arenal Lake is the largest and the most important lake in Costa Rica, it was man made in 1974 to provide hydroelectric energy for the country. It is also a place where you can find different kinds of resident and migratory birds. Sometimes mammals can be seen in the surroundings.

This tour offers a combination of the Arenal Lake and the Arenal Volcano, it starts at the Dam, and from there we will have the chance to enjoy a 2-hour boat ride. Going around the lake we will see the burned site of the Arenal Volcano.  Also it is possible to see incredible eruptions when the Arenal Volcano is clear.  This service could be at any time before 4:00 p.m.

Maleku Indigenous Reserve / Cultural Tour To Palenque Tonjibe

    

Centuries ago, The Maleku Tribe – a branch of the Chibchas -, where divided in 23 different groups, however in the last hundred years, their population has decrease substantially; today we can find only three at Palenque El Sol, Margarita and the bigger one: Tonjibe, all this reserves are located in Los Guatuzos lowlands.  The malekus at Palenque Tonjibe had open their harts and their community to all visitors, this way, sharing with us a little of their culture, language and traditions, they are giving us the chance to know the roots of our Costa Rican been.  By taking a hike with a maleku guide through enchanting rainforest and pre- Columbian burial grounds of their native lands, we’ll get to learn about medicinal plants, nature from the maleku’s point of view and also visit one of their cemeteries. This hike is narrated in the Maleku language (maleku jaica), and translated into English. Actually most malekus speak Spanish, but they also learn about their culture and take classes in maleku jaica since primary school.  Tour includes: Round trip transportation from hotel, Bilingual naturalist guide and Maleku guide.
Lunch: typical Costa Rica casado.

Arenal Hanging Bridges

 

Arenal Hanging Bridges is a new tourism attraction in La Fortuna, only 4 km (2.5 miles) west of Tabacón within a 250 hectare (618 acre) reserve of primary forest.  Visitor who loves nature can enjoy 15 bridges from 5 to 100 meters long, friendly design along 3 km rain forest circuit of interpretive trails built with paving blocks to prevent slipping.  The bridges are building of aluminum, galvanized steel and concrete, to ensure maximum security for their visitors. They were designed by structural engineers with the most demanding safety margins in the world. Guided by a naturalist, who through the natural history will open for you the doors of a fascinating and colorful Tropical Rain Forest world. The imposing vistas of the Volcano from the hanging bridges over the forest, make a perfect combination for an unforgettable experience. Tour includes: Round trip transportation from hotel, Naturalist bilingual guide, Water and Refreshments.  Hanging Bridges entrance fee.

Sky Trek and Sky Tram

  

The Arenal Reserve is a tourism service complex inside the tropical rain forest, which offers adventure tours, bird watching, forest hiking, research and diverse entertainment for all ages. 

Placed in a unique transition area between the rain forest and the Monteverde Cloud Forest you will find the Arenal Reserve. Experience the most spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano & Lake from the sky Tram or the sky Trek (zip lines) or take a nice hike trough trails full of flora and fauna, whatever your choice is, this reserve you will always remember. Sky Tram is a 15 minutes aerial tram tour thought the rain forest to the “Miguel Angel” observatory, where you will have spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano & Lake, and the Tilarán mountain range.

Sky Trek is a 3280 foot long zip line system that gives you the opportunity to enjoy the rain forest and its beautiful views in a fun, easy and safe ride. Departure 8:00 or 14:00 aprox.

Duration: 04 hours aprox.  Includes: transportation guide, entrance fee, drinks and cookies.
Recommendations: long pants, hiking shoes, camera, binoculars, sun lotion, repellent and raincoat.

Celeste River

  

Mysterious and imposing, in the very bowels of the Tenorio Volcano, manifestations of hidden power transform the union of the Buena Vista and Roble rivers into a sky blue stream, giving birth to one of the most extraordinary phenomenon’s of nature: “Light Blue River”. Along the river we’ll find hot springs, bends of heavenly tranquillity and a waterfall of singular beauty, all surrounded by varied flora and fauna. We leave at 7:30 a.m. from La Fortuna.  After a typical breakfast in route to Rio Celeste, the tour arrives at the Tenorio Volcano National Park, were begins our 7 k.m hike (approximately 4 hours) through the tropical rain forest. It will arrive to “Los Teñíderos” of the Rio Celeste, the site where two streams of crystalline water come together and form the heavenly color blue that gives the river its name. The tour returns through trails, rich with ecological wonders, that lead us to the “OLLAS” -- openings in the earth where we can excavate healing muds, take a mud bath, and a dip in the natural hot springs all while observing the attractions of Tenorio Volcano. We’ll continue our hike through the jungle to seek out the volcano’s furnace vents that expel gases of extreme high temperatures. On our decent we will get to see the spectacular Rio Celeste waterfall whose color makes it one of a kind? Our final reward is an exquisite Costa Rican typical lunch at the end of our journey, and after that, the ride back to the hotels in La Fortuna. 

Departure 7:30 aprox. Return: 17:00 aprox.

Includes: transportation, guide, entrance fee, breakfast, lunch, drinks and cookies.
Recommendations: good physical condition, long pants, bath clothing, towel, hiking shoes, camera, binoculars, sun lotion, repellent and raincoat.