Arenal Volcano Guided Hike, Hot Springs Optional
Recommended by 91% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Arenal Volcano National Park’s massive size and unique natural setting can make it an easy place to get lost in, if you don’t already know the area. This Arenal Volcano National Park Hiking Tour from La Fortuna allows you to explore one of the park’s beautiful trails with a guide who can navigate the steep slopes and volcanic landscape well. Plus, take in views of Lake Arenal, while your guide talks about the volcano’s history and forest formation processes.
- Hike Arenal Volcano National Park without having to worry about park fees
- Stay energized and hydrated with provided fruit and bottled water
- Upgrade to make this tour a private one for a more intimate experience
- Hotel pickup and drop-off is included from select surrounding areas
What's Included
- National Park fees
- Bottled water
- Driver/guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
- Fruit
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
Arenal Volcano
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Heather_W
The guide, Marco, was very good, and the transportation there was very organized. The views from the summit were beautiful! I would definitely recommend using a walking stick (they have them there for you to borrow for free) since the terrain is VERY uneven. I’m from Florida, where it’s completely flat, so going up and down the mountain was different! Complicating matters, I also have a knee injury. Because of this, the hike was very difficult. I felt so bad for slowing our group down, but they were very patient! If you have bad ankles or knees, this hike is probably not for you, unless you are determined to hike a volcano just to say you’ve done it.
Reviews
4.7
based on 136 reviews
Lauren_P, Apr 2026
Overall, this is a good hike. However, this hike is mainly focused on history and scenery. Do not go into it expecting a wildlife tour. While our guide, Emanuel, was awesome and pointed out a few critters, the tour is mainly focused on volcano and history of the area. Overall, a great hike. Our only let down was that the fruit was not provided that is listed on the booking.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Lauren,
Thank you for your thoughtful review and for joining our Arenal Volcano Guided Hike. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the experience and that Emanuel made a positive impression. He will be very happy to read your kind words.
You are absolutely right that this hike focuses more on the history, geology, and scenic views of the volcano rather than being a dedicated wildlife tour, and we appreciate you helping set clear expectations for future travelers.
We also truly apologize for the missing fruit during your tour. That is something we normally include, and we will be following up with our team to make sure this does not happen again.
Thank you again for your feedback, and we hope to welcome you back for another adventure in the future.
Heather_W, Mar 2026
The guide, Marco, was very good, and the transportation there was very organized. The views from the summit were beautiful! I would definitely recommend using a walking stick (they have them there for you to borrow for free) since the terrain is VERY uneven. I’m from Florida, where it’s completely flat, so going up and down the mountain was different! Complicating matters, I also have a knee injury. Because of this, the hike was very difficult. I felt so bad for slowing our group down, but they were very patient! If you have bad ankles or knees, this hike is probably not for you, unless you are determined to hike a volcano just to say you’ve done it.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience with us.
We are very glad to know that you enjoyed the views and felt well supported throughout the hike. Our team always aims to create an organized and patient environment so everyone can move at their own pace and feel comfortable along the way.
We also truly appreciate you highlighting the level of difficulty, as this is very helpful for future guests when choosing the right experience for them.
Thank you again for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you again in the future.
Marina_H, Jan 2026
The hike through the lava field is interesting. lots of rocks. view of the summit of the volcano is dependent on cloud cover. not a lot of wildlife but we did see a monkey and some birds.
michelle_f, Oct 2025
Nelson made this experience 10X more special, we learned so much and enjoyed every second!
Truly a wonderful time, would recommend!
Shirl_S, Sep 2025
Thus was the best hike yet!!!! We climbed in the sun and returned down in the pouring rain. So wonderfully refreshing and authentic! Saw many beautiful plants and wildlife .
Hannah_O, Aug 2025
It was raining, so make sure to bring coverage. It did clear up and we were able to partially see the volcano later on. That is going to be a gamble depending on weather. However, the hike up was nice and we got to see a lot of fauna and flora. The hike was not strenuous at all. Would recommend!
Allyson_M, Apr 2025
Our tour guide, Miguel was very knowledgeable and a great guide on our hike. I mentioned that I really hoped to see monkeys on our trip. He delivered! He had the bus stop on the side of the road when he saw monkeys in the trees and provided binoculars. He didn’t rush us and let us “do our thing with photos and oohs and aahs.” The hot springs were relaxing and clean. Dinner was a buffet and not the best but feeding tons of people daily, understandably hard to not compromise quality for quantity.
Jasmine_M, Mar 2025
Andres was wonderful! He took his time and truly focused on making the experience memorable for us and our 4 kiddos ages 9-12. He was very knowledgeable.
Bobbie_O, Mar 2025
Amazing experience with great guide! So helpful to learn about the history and wildlife. Would highly recommend.
Ryan_M, Mar 2025
Worst tour ever. Didn’t see anything and it poured rain. We were caught in rain storm and as we ascended the guide informed us that they rarely see the mountain and that it always rains on the tour. They don’t tell you these things before you purchase of course. Save your money!
Response from Host, Apr 2025
We sincerely apologize for your disappointing experience during the tour. We understand how frustrating it must have been to face unexpected weather conditions and not have the visibility you hoped for. Providing a memorable and transparent experience is our top priority, and we regret that we fell short of your expectations.
While we cannot control the weather, we acknowledge that clearer communication about typical conditions could help set realistic expectations. We appreciate your feedback and will review how we share this information with future guests to ensure they are fully informed before booking.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and we hope you’ll give us another chance in the future.
Best regards,
Rob_v, Feb 2025
Highly overpriced tour. Insufficient information given. E.g. not indicated bathing suit and swim trunks were required. Rather uninterested guide. No effort to spot wildlife. Kids that joined from another family were not taught to respect nature ( yelling, hitting trees and bushes with sticks, etc.)
Laurie_V, Nov 2024
Ronald was a great guide. So knowledgeable .Saw and learned so much. Very patient and kind. Highly recommend.
Remelda_B, Jul 2024
It was an awesome hike. It rained through out the hike, so there was no clear view of the volcano. No fruits were given and there was no hot springs.
Casey_S, Jul 2024
Our tour guide was phenomenal and very knowledgeable. The hike was great without being too extreme. The views at the top were breathtaking.
Marcy_W, Jun 2024
Melanie was very informative and friendly. She tailored the tour to our group's level. The views were beautiful. Our driver was very skilled and also served us delicious snacks and drinks afterwards. Highly recommend going early before the crowds. Weather is best in the morning in rainy season.
vickie_p, May 2024
The view and photo opportunity when we got to the top or peak of the hike was great! We could also see Arenal lake. The hike was a little tough when we started walking on lava rocks. Had to watch your step. Fruit was great at the end. Felt like this was the closest we got to the volcano. Didn’t see many animals but was told about the foliage and trees. We were in a group of 6 which at times made it hard to hear tour guide since the trail was narrow.
Khumayun_N, Apr 2024
Our experience with Diego on this tour was wonderful. We had so much fun and learned so much. Diego was really knowledgeable and answered all our questions. He also made sure we stopped to look at the animals and helped us take great photos. I really recommend this hike tour with him and his company, it was so worth it.
Wilton_H, Apr 2024
Great hike and scenery! Was fun and a bit challenging. Hike ended on a scenic top with a great view at a little cafe👍
Josh_A, Apr 2024
The hike was interesting; a bit strenuous in the hot weather. We learned about volcanoes, tectonic plates, earthquakes, and a bit about plants and animals. The guide, Hugo, walked ahead of us and mostly talked only when we asked questions. It felt rushed. It wasn’t worth the price we paid for a private tour (which we must have clicked on by mistake, instead of the group tour).
Candace_H, Mar 2024
Our guide Jose was amazing! Born and raised with many generations living near the volcano over many years. His stories of remembrance of his father and grandfather are so heartfelt and bring something special to the tour. He kept checking in if we were okay during the hike. More than knowledgeable about the area and how the land came to be. 10/10 recommend.
alisaholland, Mar 2024
This was a favorite hike amongst many in our 6 person party! Moderate in intensity and led us to beautiful views of the Volcano and lake. Our guide shared many interesting facts about both flora and fauna along the way. Thank you!!
Bill_F, Mar 2024
Our guide, Nelson, was amazing. He is incredibly knowledgeable about the flora and fauna we walked through. He designed a hike perfectly for us. He identified so many animals and plants that it boggles the mind. He is very fun to talk with and answered all of our questions.
Mark_D, Feb 2024
Great hike. Marco was a great guide. Very knowledgeable. He was so upbeat. Highly recommend. .........
Chris_B, Feb 2024
We really enjoyed learning all about the volcano history and floura. Our guide Jose was very nice and had lots of personal connection and stories to the area and volcano’s history.
adira_s, Jan 2024
Our guide was amazing!! He tells you interesting stuff the whole time. We got to smell and guess many familiar plants. Was a small group
Stefan_B, Dec 2023
Jose is professional, congenial, and knowledgeable. He accommodated superbly our two kids and we all learned and enjoyed ourselves a lot.
shankarb, Dec 2023
Lovely views, great trail to walk on and excellent job by the tour guide (Gonzalo) in explaining the history and about the plants, trees and birds we saw along the trail
Amy_B, Dec 2023
Our hike with Melany was great. She share lots about the natural history of the area which made it so much more interesting than if we had just hiked on our own.
Marcia_K, Dec 2023
Loved the hike! It was very informative and we learned a lot about the history behind Arenal. Rocks a bit slippery on the way down. But the walking sticks offered in the beginning are a must have.
Renee_C, Jul 2023
This was a great tour. Our guide, Jason, was extremely knowledgeable and gave us a lot of information about the Arenal Volcano and the area. You aren’t allowed to walk all the way to the top of the volcano, but we got to walk quite a way through the lava field at the bottom of the volcano. It was a great family activity, and we all enjoyed it very much!
From $79.10
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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