Full Day Tour: Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall & Hot Springs
4.6
159 Ratings
La Fortuna
Experience the best of Costa Rica on this full-day tour. Explore hanging bridges, hike through lava rocks, visit the stunning La Fortuna waterfall, and relax in hot springs. Book now!
Duration: 10 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Arenal Volcano - In this nature and activity-filled day, you will go on an immersive journey through La Fortuna and Arenal area. With the guidance of a professional bilingual guide, you will explore a series of spectacular natural attractions.
    The adventure begins as you traverse the hanging bridges, suspended amidst the lush rainforest. Each step offers breathtaking views
    Next, you will venture to the lava fields at the volcano’s base, where a thrilling hike unveils the remnants of past volcanic activity. The raw power and geological wonders of the Arenal Volcano will leave you in awe, as your guide shares captivating insights about its history and significance.
    After enjoying a delicious typical lunch, you will journey to the impressive La Fortuna waterfall. Descending along a picturesque trail, you will witness the waterfall’s majestic cascade
    As the day draws to a close, you will find solace in the region’s renowned hot springs. Immerse yourself in their soothing waters, allowing their therapeutic embrace to wash away any fatigue and provide moments of pure relaxation
    Throughout the day, your knowledgeable guide will accompany you, enriching your experience with fascinating facts and stories.
What's Included
  • Pickup and drop-off from hotels in La Fortuna area
  • Professional guide
  • Hotsprings Resort Entrance fee
  • Park Entrance
  • Lunch
  • Hanging bridges Entrance
  • Cocktail in the Hot-springs
What's Not Included
  • Dinner not included
Additional Information

Our journey begins with a visit to the suspension bridges of Mistico Park. A knowledgeable guide accompanies you to introduce you to the ecosystem. As you navigate the trails and bridges, you are treated to expansive vistas of the forest, Lake Arenal, and Arenal Volcano.

We then short drive to another park, situated directly at the base of the volcano. We tread a path through the massive lava rocks emanating from the eruption of ‘68. Upon reaching a lookout, stunning views of Arenal Volcano, the surrounding lava fields, and the Northern valley unfurl before you.

Next, we take a break at a local restaurant which offers an array of traditional local cuisine.

We then prepare you for an aquatic adventure. A 20-minute hike through a verdant jungle staircase leads you into a deep canyon containing the magnificent La Fortuna waterfall. You’re invited to take a dip in its rejuvenating pool and unwind on the larger stones.

After participating in all these activities, it’s up to you to decide whether to accompany us to a cozy hot springs resort. Here, we also offer to mix you some traditional cocktails to add to the enjoyment.

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required; Use “Special Requirements” field upon checkout to advise information
  • A 5 hours of hike is involved
  • The itinerary may change due to weather conditions or issues with trails
Location
Parada de autobuses
702
Red Lava Office in La Fortuna Bus Terminal
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(159 Ratings)
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Omar-elassi
May 5, 2024
AMAZING day trip with Chris MQ!!! - My girlfriend and I did the full day tour with Chris MQ on our first day in Costa Rica and it was hands down one of our favourite day trips that we’ve taken, all thanks to our amazing tour guide Chris MQ. He made sure everyone had a good time, spotted animals that we had 0 chance of seeing on our own, took pictures of the animals through his telescope, had an amazing sense of humour to keep everyone engaged and laughing, and overall just made sure he made this experience a memorable one. If you’re going to go on a day trip in La Fortuna, i highly recommend going with Chris MQ for a guaranteed great trip whether it’s raining or shining in La Fortuna (or both :))
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vicens-amaya
Apr 23, 2024
Fun day all day - We had a really good time in this activity. We took so many great pictures. The final stop was lots of fun. I have never seen so many pools in one place.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David_b
Apr 7, 2024
Family of 6 loved it! - This was an amazing family experience. The highlight of our trip. This is a very well run trip and at every stop we felt like we got to spend enough time to really enjoy it. Our guide Chris was amazing!! We saw tons of wildlife including monkey, sloths, pit viper and all kids of birds. If we come back we will be sure to find a way to have him be our guide again. I would come back to CR just to do this exact trip again. Our kids loved it despite it being a full day with lots of activity. It's great that the hiking is in the am and then you get to relax later in the day.
Review provided by Viator
April_g
Mar 29, 2024
Adventure tour for family with teens - Guides were very passionate about their work, helpful and professional. Everything went smoothly, lunch wait was longer than needed (but that could have been on the restaurant). The volcano hike was a bit underwhelming as you just walk up some lava rock to a picture spot and then walk back down. The waterfall and hot springs part of the day were amazing and worth every penny!
Review provided by Viator
Teachingmommy2
Mar 28, 2024
Active all day tour! - It was a super busy day with so much to do and see! Pack lots of water and get ready for steps. Swimming in the waterfall was amazing! Would recommend if you're looking for active tours!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maia_z
Mar 24, 2024
All day tour - Every part of this tour was amazing, highly recommend it. It makes a very busy day, but it was so worth it. We did the hanging bridges first, then the Arenal Volcano, by then we were starving and the lunch was delicious. We also purchased a tasty cake for desert to share. The second part of the day was the waterfalls, walk down a long way, but the view and experience is once in a lifetime. Then we climbed all the way up that was some workout. The last part was the thermal natural pools that felt soooo good after the long day. Our guide were Julian (Chino), Cathleen, and Christian (not sure of the spelling), all of them were extremely helpful and knowledgeable. We do birding and natural walks, but we never would have spotted the birds that the guides did because of their knowledge. One more important things is the care that these guys had for their nature - Chino picked up every little trash piece he saw while we walked in the parks. Thank you for the work you do guys!
Review provided by Viator
Heather_w
Mar 21, 2024
Fun fun fun - Great time! It did rain the entire day but we made the best of it. Couldn’t see the volcano but had fun all day!
Review provided by Viator
Trystan_h
Mar 11, 2024
Great 4 in 1 tour! - For those on a limited time frame this tour takes in all 4 major sights around La Fortuna in 1 day. We ended at the Termalitas Hot Springs which were nice with several different temperature pools. You feel you have enough time at each place to enjoy.
Review provided by Viator
Sophia_m
Mar 7, 2024
Great 1 day in Arenal/Fortuna - Full day's worth of adventure. There were multiple hanging bridges and we stopped to see animals here and there. We hiked up a bit to see a view of the Arenal Volcano. Fortuna waterfall is ~500 steps down. The water is cold and be warned, the water current is strong so this isn't recommended for weak swimmers. Rocks are slippery due to algae/moss, so water shoes may offer some grip. It was great to end the day at the hot springs. Didn't get to see any sloths but was a great value overall.
Review provided by Viator
Taylor_s
May 7, 2024
The Description is Deceiving! Will not book again! - Do not book this tour if you are looking to be active and ACTUALLY hike. This excursion was a huge disappointment. My boyfriend and I ended up leaving early because we were so disappointed. I also preface this with, I have done a lot of traveling and a lot of excursions in many countries. The description stated that we would spend our day on a "private hiking adventure" and would experience an "extreme hike through Arenal Volcano National Park." Both were a lie. First, despite the description also stating that round-trip hotel transportation was included, it was not. Our hotel, despite being one that was available in the drop-down selection, was not one that the company would pick up from. We were forced to provide our own transportation to the Red Lava Office. So I would recommend calling before booking. Next, we were told to arrive at 7. Despite arriving at 7, the bus to pick up other passengers did not even leave the Red Lava Office until nearly 7:30. The bus did not return to pick us up and go to the hanging bridges until nearly 8. That brings me to the second issue: this was not a private tour. We were sardined in the bus with nearly 30 other passengers. One girl on the bus did not have a seat and had to use a folding aisle seat that she had to struggle to fold up and remove at each stop. Once we got to the hanging bridges, we were separated into two groups of about 15. Many of the individuals in our group were elderly and moved extremely slow. My boyfriend and I were forced to constantly wait on other members of our group. This was the entire reason that we wanted to book a private tour. We are both extremely active and were looking forward to exploring the Arenal forest at our own pace. The path was paved the entire time....so much for extreme hike. Next, we stopped at the Arenal forest. We had a pineapple snack while our guide took a break to watch the soccer game. All of the group was a little annoyed that our guide was wasting our time. Next, we went on a very short "hike" in the lava fields. It was less than 900 meters and the 70-year-old couple was able to make the "climb." There was nothing "extreme" about this hike, after that, the bus was who knows where so we walked around on ROAD looking for wildlife. At this point, my boyfriend and I were so annoyed at the blatant false description of this excursion. After having lunch, we headed to the waterfall. This was the best part of the trip, but we left early and ended up not doing the hot springs because everything took twice as long as it was supposed to and it was such a disappointment. The most physically demanding part of the whole excursion was the stairs down to the waterfall. I would not recommend it if you actually want to hike. The excursion is completely overpriced for it not being an actual private tour. I would recommend just buying these passes to the parks yourself and then going at your own pace. I will not be booking through Red Lava Tours ever again.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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