Stand Up Paddling on Lake Arenal: Majestic views of the Arenal Volcano
5.0
16 Ratings

Experience the beauty of Lake Arenal and the majestic Arenal Volcano on a guided Stand Up Paddling tour. Explore the calm waters, learn paddleboarding techniques, and enjoy the lush tropical surroundings. Perfect for all skill levels. Book now!

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Ruta Nacional Treciaria 936 - One of the best ways to enjoy the Arenal Volcano is to get out on the picturesque Lake Arenal right at the base of the volcano. Lake Arenal is completely surrounded by deep rainforest so paddling on a Stand Up Paddle Board is a great way to enjoy the scenery. If you’ve never been on a SUP board, Lake Arenal is a…
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What's Included
  • Local guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Beverages and a snack
  • Use of stand-up paddle equipment
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Discover the beauty of Lake Arenal while Stand Up Paddling on our exciting excursion. This guided tour will take you through the beautiful Lake Arenal, where you can enjoy stunning views of the majestic Arenal Volcano and the surrounding lush tropical forest. Practice paddleboarding on calm and crystal-clear waters, while exploring the most beautiful…

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Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(16 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Melielena
Apr 27, 2026
Breathtaking View and Awesome Activity - We went paddleboarding on Lake Arenal with Desafío Tours and our guide, Kristín. We paid a bit extra for them to pick us up since we were a little far from their usual pick-up points, but the entire ride was amazing—both Kristín and the driver were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about Costa Rica’s nature. The trip took about an hour total—50 minutes or so. When we arrived, the lake was enormous. They explained how to stand up, though since we already knew how, we didn’t need much time on that. We paddled on the water, with an impressive view of the volcano—it was stunning, and we were lucky to have a sunny day. At one point, the lake was almost empty, and we were the only ones there. Kristín took her time to make sure the video we wanted turned out perfect—we’re truly grateful. The photos were beautiful. We spent some time talking, and she shared a lot about Costa Rica’s history and wildlife, answering all our questions—she knew so much! On the way back, I mentioned I was sad I hadn’t seen a sloth. Just then, we saw a crowd on the road. The driver stopped, Kristín got out with a telescope, and we saw a sloth! They kindly stayed with us so we could watch it for a while. After that, they took us home. We absolutely loved it—highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Bruna_l
Aug 4, 2025
It was an experience... - It was an amazing experience and the guide Santos was very attentive and friendly. At the end of the SUP had fruits. It was a cool day
Review provided by Viator
X8452jbjayk
Apr 9, 2025
Great experience! - Santos was amazing! We learnt a lot about Costa Rica and although I had used a paddle board before my husband hadn’t and Santos was patient and really helped him to get used to it and stand up. The lake was a beautiful place to paddle board and he pointed out howler monkeys, colourful birds and otters to us. We absolutely loved it highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D4439uvneilm
Jan 30, 2025
Great fun, with very friendly and competent staff. Thanks Andreas. - We had a great time with Andreas. We were a mixed group of 2 in a kayak, plus my wife and I on paddle boards. Andrea’s picked us up and returned us to the hotel with a running commentary on the wildlife. It was very windy on the lake today, so can be har sun open water, but was stayed around the coast where it was still. Overall we had great fun, friendly and knowledgeable guidance from Andreas and some fruit to eat at the end.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Drclairef
Aug 29, 2024
Great place to learn to paddle board. Otto was excellent! - We had never been paddle boarding before. Otto the guide was great at teaching us. He was very knowledgeable about the area and at the end, taught us how to Merengue!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Northstar48287607982
Mar 2, 2024
Fun am - Great Time Kayaking on the lake with Otto!! Scenery and guiding was excellent 👍🏻 saw many birds and was the perfect was to spend the am. Got a free meringue lesson on the side 😉
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Npwest
Jul 29, 2023
An action packed day to remember - I had a three-fer (three activities in one day) with Otto and Kathy. Despite cloudy, rainy weather, I had a great time SUP in the morning and with a waterfall hike in the afternoon with Otto. When weather conditions cut activities somewhat short, we had an impromptu wildlife safari around town and sighted sloths, toucans, and mot-mots while he patiently let me practice my Spanish :-D The cooking class with Kathy at night was so fun and filling and I came away with recipes to share with those back home. The staff and attendees were so friendly and fun. I'd definitely turn to Desafio for more adventures when I return to La Fortuna.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ambassador648040
Feb 23, 2021
Amazing!! - This was SO COOL! I’ve never SUPed before, so to experience it on Lake Arenal was incredible. Our guide, Brian, was lovely. He made the experience even better. The view of the volcano was stunning. I highly recommend this!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kcrawford64
Jan 17, 2020
Amazing views, even better guides! - I did a few excursions through Desafio during my visit to La Fortuna, but my favorite by far was Stand-Up-Paddleboarding with Francisco! He did a few fun and silly activities in the beginning to get everyone comfortable on the boards, and then took us on a scenic trip across the lake. It was awesome! He was extremely knowledgable about the history and culture about the lake, and it was so cool hearing his stories while paddle-boarding! I definitely recommend to anyone looking to see the volcano from the lake, or just to get a unique experience in La Fortuna!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vanessazee
Jul 3, 2019
One of our favorite Costa Rican excursions - We did the stand up paddling and it was one of our favorite excursions from our 2 weeks in Costa Rica. We went on a Sunday afternoon and were the only two on the tour and there were not many people out on the lake. The views were absolutely breathtaking. Our guide was funny and informative and had great stories to tell. He struck a perfect balance of guiding us, but then also giving us enough space to roam around. We left wishing the tour was even longer!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).
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