Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs Full-Day Tour from San José

San Jose, Costa Rica

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

11 to 12 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.0

· Joel_T ·

Mar 2026

It was amazing and the tour guides were the best! Max was very professional and driver did a great job too!

· Rashin_B ·

Jan 2026

This was a great tour! The tour guide Paulo and the driver Rodriquez were very professional and knowledgeable! I high Recommend this tour!

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Overview

This day trip from San Jose provides the perfect combination: Soak in the soothing waters of Baldi Hot Springs—with options for massages and spa treatments—after hiking around the Arenal Volcano area. This tour also includes lunch and dinner and a stop in Sarchi to check out the arts and crafts and one of the world’s largest ox carts.

A day trip to Baldi Hot Springs and Arenal Volcano from San Jose
After hiking soak in hot springs, with options for massages and spa treatments
Don’t stress about packing food: Lunch and dinner are included
Hassle-free pickup and dropoff from hotels in San Jose

What's Included

Traditional Costa Rican lunch and dinner
Professional bilingual tour guide (English and Spanish)
Hotel pickup and drop-off from select San Jose locations
Air-conditioned vehicle transport
Use of lockers and towels at hot springs

Tour guide and driver gratuities
Bottled Water
Personal expenses and souvenirs

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We will pick you up at hotels located in the San José area and near by. The pickup time will depend on your hotel's location, so we kindly ask that you specify the place where you will be staying in your request.

Itinerary

Sarchi

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

La Fortuna

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

La Fortuna de San Carlos

4 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Infant seats available

Most travelers can participate
If you are travelling with children please let us know their ages, during the booking process.
Please bring: swimsuit, sandals, extra dry clothing, and towels
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 99 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

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

Rashin_B

This was a great tour! The tour guide Paulo and the driver Rodriquez were very professional and knowledgeable! I high Recommend this tour!

Reviews

4.0

based on 24 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Sort by: Most insightful

Great tour with the right expectations

Neema_B, Jul 2026

I really enjoyed this tour. I loved that we got a chance to see so much of San Jose and La Fortuna area plus everything in between. Our tour guide was awesome - he provided so much historical insight about Costa Rica - coffee production, fruit production of bananas and pineapples and how they export to other countries. It was all very interesting. We made quick stops on the way to La Fortuna to see an ox cart which used to be used to transport coffee and at a local artisan shop where we could buy coffee and gifts. It took several hours to reach the restaurant for lunch, but lunch was delicious and the staff was super nice. I enjoyed seeing the Arsenal volcano and the history about it. We chose Los Lagos for the hot spring and although it is small it was perfect for our family. If you’re looking for super hot springs, go to Baldi. The warmest temp at Los Lagos is about 104°. Food was delicious and the service was great. We spent more like 3.5 hours at the hot springs, I think because of the distance. Still a good time. Also, the tour ended up being about 15 hours in total, just FYI. Prepare for a long day. Last thing - and I think this is common in CR.. but the bus driver was pretty reckless. To be carrying a load of passengers, I thought his driving was too fast and erratic. He hit a speed bump at 70-80 MPH and almost lost control. I couldn’t relax the whole ride.

Response from Host, Jul 2026

Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a detailed review. We're delighted to hear you enjoyed exploring San José, La Fortuna, and the beautiful landscapes along the way. It's wonderful to know your guide made the journey even more memorable by sharing Costa Rica's history, coffee culture, agriculture, and local traditions. We're also happy you enjoyed the lunch, the views of Arenal Volcano, and your relaxing time at Los Lagos Hot Springs. We also appreciate your honest feedback regarding the duration of the tour and, most importantly, the driving experience. Passenger safety is our highest priority, and we're very concerned to hear about your comments. We will share your feedback with our transportation team and investigate the situation to ensure our high safety standards are always met. Thank you again for traveling with us. We truly value both your compliments and your constructive feedback, as they help us continue improving. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to Costa Rica for another adventure in the future.

Great tour

Venetta_E, May 2026

The entire day was well planned and a lot of fun! The tour guide was very knowledgeable and very upbeat

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for your kind words! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and felt the entire day was well planned and fun. Our guides are passionate about creating memorable experiences, so it’s wonderful to know their knowledge and positive energy made a difference during your adventure. We truly appreciate you choosing Expediciones Tropicales and hope to welcome you again for another amazing experience in Costa Rica!

The good and the not-good

angelamgandolfo, Apr 2026

The guide (Pedro) and driver (Giovanni) were great! But the bus itself was uncomfortable: very small seats with little leg room. The tour is advertised as 12 hours but it took closer to 15. Long, exhausting day. Lunch was decent, but they didn’t serve coffee. Dinner was good, but the buffet line was long and we were rushed to eat quickly. People who can experience nausea are asked to take a Dramamine pill on the ride up/down the mountain. The dose they gave me was too strong and I ended up feeling drugged, dazed, and awful.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re very glad to hear that both Pedro and Giovanni made a positive impact on your day with their service and professionalism. We truly regret that the transportation and overall duration of the tour did not meet your expectations. Your comments regarding the bus comfort, extended travel time, and meal experience are very important to us, and we will review these aspects internally to improve our operation. We are especially sorry to hear about your experience with the medication. Guest safety and well-being are our top priorities, and we will reinforce our guidelines to ensure that any recommendations regarding motion sickness are handled more carefully and clearly. We appreciate your honest feedback, as it helps us continue improving, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a much more comfortable and enjoyable experience in the future.

Amazing driver Rodrigue’s...

Savanah_L, Mar 2026

Amazing driver Rodrigue’s and tour guide Donald. Really beautiful scenery. Bus needs an upgrade it was too small for 3 hour drive.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thank you for your feedback! We’re so glad you enjoyed the beautiful scenery and had a great experience with Rodrigue’s and Donald—they truly make a wonderful team. We also appreciate your comment about the bus. Your feedback is very important to us, and we’ll take it into consideration as we continue improving our services. We hope to welcome you again soon for an even more comfortable and memorable experience!

Best tour and guides!!

Joel_T, Mar 2026

It was amazing and the tour guides were the best! Max was very professional and driver did a great job too!

Response from Host, Mar 2026

So glad you had such a fantastic experience! It’s always a huge plus when the guides make the tour both enjoyable and seamless. Max sounds like he really knows how to deliver top-notch service, and it’s great to hear the driver helped make everything run smoothly too. Thanks for sharing!

They canceled my tour on...

Julie_L, Feb 2026

They canceled my tour on Friday (Thursday afternoon) and had only one option. Saturday. 16 hour day 7:30 am-11:30 pm. Guide was less than friendly to me while overly accommodating to others. Restaurants were very good. Driver amazing.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We’re truly sorry for the inconvenience caused by the cancellation. We understand how frustrating a long 16-hour day can be, especially when plans change. We also regret to hear that you felt the guide was less than friendly toward you. This is certainly not the level of service or warmth we strive to provide, and your comments have been shared internally so we can address this directly. That said, we’re glad to know you enjoyed the restaurants and that our driver made a positive impression—your recognition of their great service is very much appreciated. Thank you again for your honest feedback. It helps us improve, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a much better experience in the future.

This was a great tour!...

Rashin_B, Jan 2026

This was a great tour! The tour guide Paulo and the driver Rodriquez were very professional and knowledgeable! I high Recommend this tour!

Response from Host, Jan 2026

We’re delighted to hear that you had a great experience and that Paulo and our driver Rodríguez made such a positive impression. Their professionalism, knowledge, and passion for what they do truly make a difference, and we’ll be sure to share your kind words with them. Thank you for the high recommendation—it means a lot to us! We hope to welcome you again on another adventure in Costa Rica very soon.

Bday 🎂-solo trip

JMonique_T, Jan 2026

Hands down great experience. Its a must do in San jose. The tour guide was able to communicate to all guest. In 3 different languages. He made my 1st solo trip/Birthday amazing. Jack Daniel and Roy!!

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re absolutely thrilled to hear that your tour was a must-do in San José and that it made your first solo trip and birthday so special 🎉 Our guide will be delighted to know his multilingual communication made the experience even better, and Jack Daniel and Roy will be very happy to hear your kind words as well. Thank you for choosing to celebrate with us—we hope to welcome you back to Costa Rica for many more unforgettable adventures!

We had Harold for our...

Tanya_S, Dec 2025

We had Harold for our tour guide, he was amazing! He is very knowledgeable about costa rica and more! We absolutely love it! Highly recommend!!!

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed your experience and that your guide made the tour memorable with his knowledge and hospitality. Nothing makes us happier than knowing you absolutely loved it! We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Costa Rica!

Rude

Leah_B, Sep 2025

Tour guide a little rude. Showed up before scheduled time and called with an attitude about where I was and made and inappropriate comment asking if I spoke English because I mis-heard what he has me said.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We sincerely apologize for the behavior you described — this is not the level of service we strive to provide. Our guides are expected to treat every guest with respect, patience, and professionalism, and we regret that this was not reflected during your tour. Your feedback is very valuable, and we will address this matter directly with our team to ensure it does not happen again. We truly appreciate you bringing this to our attention and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future to provide the excellent and respectful experience that every guest deserves.

Excellent trip!

Gaby_Q, Oct 2024

This one is well worth it! We had a wonderful time with our booking, seats were comfortable, food was great, the tour guide didn't talk the WHOLE time, but gave us wonderful information when he did. The way to La Fortuna is beautiful, filled with wonderful landscapes. And the highlight is definitely Baldi with the thermal waters.

Response from Host, Oct 2024

Dear Gaby: In Expediciones Tropicales Day Tours is always grateful to read the comments from our tours, moreover when they are from people who really appreciate quality of services provided by our staff. Sincerely,

Great for those who have little time in Costa Rica

Ricardo_S, Oct 2025

Very good experience Excellent guide The stops were all very quiet with time to enjoy and take pictures Both lunch and dinner were excellent. I chose to do one-way and stay in La Fortuna, were super friendly and left me right in the Hotel!

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Response from Host, Oct 2025

Muito obrigada pelo seu comentário! Ficamos muito felizes em saber que teve uma experiência tão agradável conosco. É ótimo saber que pôde aproveitar cada parada com calma, tirar fotos e desfrutar das refeições. Nosso objetivo é sempre oferecer um atendimento acolhedor e flexível, por isso foi um prazer levá-lo diretamente ao seu hotel em La Fortuna Esperamos recebê-lo novamente em uma próxima aventura pela Costa Rica!