Side by Side Tour (Arenal Volcano) SBS La Fortuna

La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Great choice

10+ bookings last month.

2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.5

· Danielle_S ·

Dec 2025

This is a great way to do an ATV tour with a little less exposure and difficulty’s. Our kids (ages 5 and 7) enjoyed immensely! We did some gentle off roading and then went to a river for a nice break at the water. The vehicle was well maintained and easy to drive. Highly recommended!

· Shari_T ·

Jul 2025

This tour was a great time for our three generation family of 12. The ride was fun. The stop at the farm was an unexpected, added bonus. The kids loved seeing all the animals up close, and touching them. The staff did a fantastic job making sure we were safe and having fun. They even provided a car seat for the youngest one.

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Overview

Get off the beaten track around Arenal Volcano on this fun four-wheel-drive UTV tour. Two people can ride in one vehicle and your guide will ensure you’re comfortable after a thorough safety briefing. Gain access to places you wouldn’t otherwise be able to visit, like private farmland. Follow rivers, travel through jungle, and have a laugh as you navigate muddy patches. Hotel pickup is included for added convenience.

A fun way to experience the Costa Rican landscape
Helmets and goggles will be provided
Adventure-loving travelers will have a great time
Learn more about Costa Rica’s biodiversity and see it up close

What's Included

Helmets and Googles
Bottled water

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

IMPORTANT: Tour start time is not the same as pick up time. Directions to meeting point (PICK UP TIME and LOCATION) can be found in your confirmation message. Please contact me if you have any questions in regards.

Meeting point

F8CJ+8JP, Alajuela Province, La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Directions to the meeting point, pick-up time, and location will be provided after the reservation has been accepted. Cortesy transportation is included from Hotels and vacation rentals in zone 1 of La Fortuna.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Arenal Volcano Vista Point

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Near public transportation
Not wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Natalie_D

Kind guides, beautiful scenery & fun for all ages. Husbands and I added this activity into his birthday itinerary and I’m glad we did.

Reviews

4.5

based on 47 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Ain’t nothing but a good time!

Natalie_D, Mar 2026

Kind guides, beautiful scenery & fun for all ages. Husbands and I added this activity into his birthday itinerary and I’m glad we did.

This is a great way to do...

Danielle_S, Dec 2025

We did a side-by-side...

Vichal_M, Nov 2025

We did a side-by-side trip with three vehicles, and the beginning was amazing. The kids were saying it was the best ride of their lives, and everyone was happily covered in mud. Unfortunately, a little after the midway point, one of our side-by-sides stopped working properly. Our vehicle got separated from the rest of the group, and we never caught up. We were looking forward to more riding, photos, and fun moments together, but instead we spent a lot of time just sitting and waiting. It started off great, but the experience definitely fizzled out once the mechanical issues happened.

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thank you for your review. We genuinely appreciate your feedback, and we want you to know that your safety is our utmost priority. We understand how important a smooth experience is during your tour. One of our SBS vehicles encountered a potential issue, which prompted a brief stop of four minutes. This precaution was taken to ensure everything was in perfect working order before continuing. We’re relieved to share that, after a quick inspection, the tour was able to resume as planned, and the SBS arrived at the same time as the rest of the group. Since this was merely a preventive measure and no significant malfunction was found, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience the delay may have caused and appreciate your understanding.

Great job thank you

Jeremy_B, Aug 2025

We enjoyed a side by side adventure-We traveled with my 6 and 8 year old with no issues. Felt safe and had fun

We had such a fun time on...

katelyn_l, Jul 2025

We had such a fun time on this tour. We were able to bring my 3 kids 10 8 and 2 they also had a blast. They put a car seat in the back for the little one and she had a blast!. They guides were all so helpful and nice as well at our stop they even found a little frog to show the kids! It seemed to be a little more rugged for a tour while driving the utv might have been a little easier for the atvs but we all had a blast

Side by side tour for the whole family

Shari_T, Jul 2025

Amazing

Madiha_A, Jun 2025

We went with our kids ages 9 and 7 and we had a great time. We got to see some anteaters near the river we stopped at. Kids loved it.

Very easy, fast and courteous guides. Our group ages range 6-70 all had fun!

mjleimkuehler, May 2025

Great Experience! Filled with lots of surprises. Versatile terrain to ride on with great views of real Costa Rica life.

Awesome ride and great service

TANIA_G, Apr 2025

Awesome ride around trails, through river and up and down hills. You’re not getting close to the volcano but you get views of it. Guides very friendly and safe. We stopped at a family farm and they let everyone pet their animals and served a delicious snack. Overall good experience

A fun adventure with awesome views

JessicaM_V, Apr 2025

It was a great experience, fun, with awesome views. We were only two vehicles (one UTV for 5 and one ATV) so it was smooth and we didn’t have to wait. Make sure to take extra close because it is very likely to get wet.

Fantastic experience! ...

Kiley_C, Mar 2025

Fantastic experience! The first 15-20 minutes were through an off-road course and then the rest went through towns, up hills, and through rivers. We had a 20 minute stop at Rio Arenal and many people were getting in to swim, but we didn’t prepare for that. Wear clothes you don’t care about because you will get muddy! We’re still on vacation now, but I have a feeling this will be a trip highlight.

Boring as hell!!!

mark_e, Mar 2025

The business model was good, but there trails they took you on was boring as hell.they where mostly pasture land .Would definitely not recommend if you want a challenge in riding ability.Not worth the money. I'm

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Hello Mark, thank you for your review. The shared, guided tour is not about challenging your riding abilities. This is not a UTV extreme training camp where people can come and drive like crazy, testing their abilities to the point it becomes challenging; nowhere is it advertised as such. There are others on the tour, and safety is one of our top priorities. People ripping around on a side-by-side can be dangerous to yourself and others taking part. Private tours are also available, and you can have more freedom and not become a danger to others on tour.

Good for beginners, boring for more experienced

Megan_P, Dec 2024

This was alright. Too large a group, spent a lot of time getting ready to leave, then too much practice. Mostly drove on mid field, down a local road, back through mid field. Good for beginners, boring for ATV riders.

Response from Host, Dec 2024

Hello Megan, thanks for the review. You visited during the busiest week of the year and took part in a group tour. (Private tours are available). The practice section is to ensure everyone is capable of driving the machines safety and at a comfortable speed for the rest of the group. This is not a tour for reckless driving, racing around the jungle, the SBS are a great way to cover variety of terrains with amazing views of the Arenal Volcano.

This tour was amazing! ...

Branda_B, Dec 2024

This tour was amazing! It was raining a ton in La Fortuna so it was super muddy which made it amazing. We did the sise by side and had to pull another side by side out of the mud which was so awesome. Tour guides were knowledgeable and super fun.

Excellent Excursion Well Worth It !!!!!

Tim_W, Dec 2024

What an excellent experience! The ATV team a great job of letting us have fun and keeping us safe at the same time, very experienced team they have. We chose the Side by sides, well worth it !! Got to have fun mudding, then travelling down a back road and crossed two rivers and got out at the last one and enjoyed the river. We also got to see some white faced monkeys at our river stop and got lots of pictures. Then crossed the rivers back again and back down the road to see the country side and then went mudding again before we finished up. They had some very delicious pineapple sliced treats for when we were finished. I don't usually eat pineapple but there is something about Costa Rican pineapple that just makes them delicious! We bought our pictures at a very reasonable price from them. We definitely got some good pictures especially splashing through the mude and rivers, hopefully one or so makes there advertisement page!! Hint, hint, lol. They were very helpful when we needed some help reserving a spot to goto Manual Antonio National Park 2 days later, thank you guys! Also thankyou for the free passes to the Thermal Hot Springs pools down the road, we appreciated that so much, we loved it there also. Thanks ATV Team !! A++++++

Worth every penny!

Monica_S, Oct 2024

Loved riding on the sxs! We went all over and I mean all over. We had another group that was also riding at the same time but they were a little not as experienced and we wanted to go fast and our tour guide picked up on that and took us all on our own to hit the streets! You do get wet and muddy but get a nice half way break at the beautiful river. Worth every penny!

Awesome

Joe_G, Sep 2024

Well worth the money, had a great tour guide. Overall exceptional took about 2 in a half hours and even had fruit for us at the end of the tour

Off roading fun with a sloth sighting and quick swim.

Jody_F, Aug 2024

Highly recommend! We had a blast! Pablo and Aaron were exceptional. The ride was a good amount of time and loads of fun. Full of mud and a good time! We were able to take a short swim in Rio Arenal. Aaron pointed out a sloth and iguana. An experience to remember.

Side by Side ATV Tour = Highly recommended

TIMOTHY_K, Aug 2024

I took my wife and kids (ages 16 and 10). We did the side-by-side ATV tour. I highly recommend this tour. You feel like you get your money's worth. You start off on the trails and then travel to a river. You take a break to play in the river. We saw Howler monkeys. We also say areas of Costa Rica you wouldn't see by car. It was definitely a family favorite activity.

Must do in La Fortuna!

Carina_R, Jul 2024

So fun! Family of 5 (kids ranging from 2-8), everyone had a GREAT TIME! Love that a car seat was provided .

Not worth the money

Thania_P, Jul 2024

It was def not worth the money. We had like 20 people on ATV’s that didn’t know how to ride and then we were stuck behind 2 other side by sides that didn’t know how to drive. So we just rode around in a field with slow ATV’s and side by sides. The only nice part was riding to the river.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Thank you for the feedback. We want to assure you that safety is our top priority. There is a practice section before the tour, and if drivers cannot operate the ATV or SBS accordingly, they cannot participate. This is to ensure the safety of all participants. The tour is not about racing through the jungle; it can be dangerous, and safety for all is essential. The ATVs and SBS are methods of transportation that take you through a variety of terrain, leading to the Volcano ranges and other locations, allowing riders to take in as much biodiversity as possible. Private tours are also available for people who don't want to be with a group. These allow you to experience the terrain at your comfort and pace. Guided group tours consider everyone on the tour, and the guides split up groups based on driver experience. Still, we will never allow people to be reckless, putting themselves and others at risk. If you want speed, we welcome you back to participate in the private tour. Jonathan Turcotte

4 wheels

Iris_H, Jul 2024

We drove around a property with holes and water. They bring us to a river, it was too strong to shower but was an adventure,I was great!

Phenomenal ride

Timothy_B, Jun 2024

Amazing guided ride up toward a beautiful vantage point in a phenomenal route on an UTV. Weather was perfect for us, though, so that may not always be the case for others. It was worth every penny for us.

Fun outdoor tour.

amy_p, Feb 2024

My husband and I took this tour in a side by side vehicle and had an exhilarating experience! We had so much fun driving through mud puddles and cruising the back neighborhood to a beautiful river spot. Our guide was excellent at taking our pictures and leading our small group. We wood definitely recommend this tour when in the Arenal area.

Riding the side by sides...

Dan_D, Dec 2023

Riding the side by sides in torrential rain storm unforgettable experience.. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable about the surrounding areas..

ATV Fun Tour

Stephania_F, Aug 2023

We recently went on an ATV tour with our 1-year-old, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. The fact that they provided a booster seat for our little one was a game-changer and made the trip so much more enjoyable for our family. Our child had an absolute blast throughout the tour.The tour guides were exceptional - knowledgeable, friendly, and safety-conscious. They made sure everyone was comfortable and having a great time. The trail itself was an exciting adventure with just the right amount of challenge and breathtaking scenery.One major convenience was the transportation provided to and from our hotel, which made the entire process seamless. The staff's friendliness and helpfulness added an extra layer of positivity to the whole experience.All in all, we can't recommend this ATV tour enough. It's a fantastic family-friendly option that offers excitement, safety, and wonderful memories. We're grateful for the booster seat, the excellent guides, the thrilling trail, the convenient transportation, and the welcoming staff. This tour truly has it all.

Beautiful scenic views

Brittany_H, Aug 2023

We really enjoyed the fact that we ended up touring with the guide by ourselves. I think because it was the earlier tour. We loved how knowledgeable he was and the beautiful views. My favorite part was stopping at the Rio Arenal for a little while. All in all, loved it! We would def go again❤️

Excellent time on the Side by Side tour!

Melinda_G, Aug 2023

We absolutely loved this excursion. We went with a family of four in the side by side so we could all be together. We went the day after a big rain so there were big puddles and a lot of mud. Excellent views of the volcano. Jason, our guide, was awesome. I would highly recommend.

Great views of the volcanoes

Colleen_c, Jul 2023

This tour took you to a beautiful overlook that allowed you to see three volcanoes next to each other. Also a lot of fun going through the mud pits. We were fortunate our group split up so it was only two side by sides.

Great tour guides!

Tori_M, May 2023

3.5/5! The tour guides were amazing. They explained everything to us and when we stopped, they even found a howling monkey to show us. We did a side by side, that way we could talk to each other. Reading some reviews made me realize this might be a slower tour. BUT it was very slow due to some people not knowing how to ride an ATV (which is ok), but wish they’d do a beginner group and an advanced group to enhance the experience. At the end, we got to ride through some big puddles on their property! We let the ATVs get ahead so we can go fast and make it fun for us.

Response from Host, Jun 2023

Thank for the review Tori, communication is very important and could have changed your adventure. The tour includes multiple guides in the event there are people with less driving experience; this way the groups can be split up based on experience level. Tour also starts with a practice track so the guides can determine before the tour if there will be a need to split up people into groups. Guide are with you throughout the tour and will do all they can to insure you are enjoying, if you would have spoken to the guides about this, they would have created a second group for the more advanced riders. We also offer private tours that are not much more and you can drive as you please, the guides are for you only and do not have to take care of a group. Safety and fun are very important to us and sometimes the balance is hard to keep if there are people with little to no driving experience. You are welcomed back to enjoy the tour at your desired intensity level anytime; we appreciate the opportunity to share a different experience with you. Jonathan Turcotte