Arenal Volcano Full-Day Tour

From$165

14 hours

San Jose, Costa Rica

About this activity

Experience the natural wonders of Costa Rica on a full-day tour from San Jose, featuring Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, and more.

Highlights

Explore Arenal Volcano National Park
Hike through lush rainforest trails
Swim in the refreshing La Fortuna Waterfall
Enjoy panoramic views of Arenal Lake
Spot diverse wildlife along the way

Full description

Discover the breathtaking beauty of Costa Rica's Arenal Volcano on this full-day adventure from San Jose. Begin your journey with comfortable round-trip transportation to the Arenal Volcano National Park, where you'll embark on a guided hike through lush rainforest trails, offering opportunities to spot diverse wildlife and learn about the area's rich biodiversity. Along the way, enjoy panoramic views of the majestic Arenal Volcano and the serene Arenal Lake. After the hike, visit the stunning La Fortuna Waterfall, where you can take a refreshing swim in its crystal-clear waters. This tour provides a perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and natural beauty, making it an unforgettable experience for nature enthusiasts and thrill-seekers alike.

Included / Excluded

Round-trip transportation from San Jose
Guided tour of Arenal Volcano National Park
Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall

Meals and beverages

Itinerary

Travel to the Arenal Volcano area, the most popular touristic region of Costa Rica, and enjoy many of the beauties of the country on this full-day trip. Your tour starts in the morning when you are picked up from your hotel in the San Jose area in an air-conditioned vehicle and you will then travel to Arenal on an alternative route that is more scenic than the regular highway to this popular destination. On the way to Arenal, you will stop in a plantation where you will learn about coffee of Costa Rica, here you will be able to observe the coffee plants and see the workers picking the ripe cherries during the harvest season. Your guide will share information on this important product to the local economy and other important facts (coffee degustation will be provided later in a rustic coffee shop).

Duration: 20 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE

Continue your tour with a visit to the famous La Paz Waterfall, where you will stop on the side of the road for a few minutes to take pictures of this popular attraction surrounded by lush tropical rainforest.

Duration: 15 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE

Later on, you will stop at the San Fernando Waterfall look-out point, where you will also have the chance to take pictures of this beautiful attraction and observe many exotic birds of Costa Rica at the birds’ gallery; it is very common to see toucans, hummingbirds and many other colorful tropical species. Taste a freshly brewed cup of some of the best coffee in the world while admiring the beautiful waterfall, definitely a great place to drink your coffee! This degustation will be accompanied by traditional snacks that local Costa Ricans normally eat with their coffee.

Duration: 30 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE

Following you will stop at the iguana’s center, a place where you will see lots of iguanas at eye level, resting on the top of numerous trees. As part of this stop, you will also go to a place nearby where sloths are normally observed in their natural habitat.

Duration: 15 minAdmission: NOT_APPLICABLE

Continue on to the Town of La Fortuna, where you will savor a delicious Costa Rican lunch in a restaurant located near the famous Arenal Volcano. After lunch, participate in an indigenous presentation performed by native people from the local “Maleku Tribe”, where you will learn about the traditions and culture of this ethnic group.

Duration: 15 minAdmission: YES

Afterward, you will visit various points around the volcano to take pictures of this amazing mountain on clear days, and you will then travel to the beautiful Paradise Hot Springs Resort, a place where you will be able to relax for a few hours in the multiple hot springs pools surrounded by lush tropical gardens. This hot springs facility is one of the best in the Arenal area and provides the perfect environment to relax in thermal mineral water pools, jacuzzis, and cascading waterfalls. After enjoying the relaxing hot springs you will go to a local typical restaurant to have a delicious Costa Rican dinner and then will be taken back to your hotel in the San Jose area.

Duration: 2 hoursAdmission: YES

Meeting point

Start Location

Unknown location

Important information

Know before you book

This tour involves moderate physical activity, including hiking on uneven terrain.
Meals and beverages are not included; consider bringing snacks or purchasing food during the tour.
The tour operates in English; ensure you are comfortable with the language for a full experience.

Know before you go

Wear comfortable hiking shoes and light clothing suitable for warm weather.
Bring a swimsuit, towel, and a change of clothes for swimming at the waterfall.
Carry a waterproof camera or phone to capture the scenic views and wildlife.

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 1 days before the activity starts

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

Good to know

Minimum age to participate is 5 years
Children must be accompanied by an adult
May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
This tour includes man-made hot springs pools, filled with natural thermal water
The total tour duration includes the travel time, lunch and dinner
Drop off in the La Fortuna area hotels is available (dinner will not be included if choosing this option)
If you are bringing children on the tour (ages 5 to 12), you must inform us in advance so we can prepare the required safety equipment for them.
This tour has been designed for those people who wish to do a lot of sightseeing in the morning without much effort, have lunch, and then relax in the hot springs for most of the afternoon
This tour does not include ziplining/rappelling activities (The stop at Go Adventure Park is for the Indigenous presentation only)

Traveler reviews

4.9

1,514 reviews

1,395

Great Tour

We were picked up on time, saw some beautiful sights including a few sloths, had some great food and the best experience with Fernando! He was an amazing tour guide!

Tour67028771440May 25, 2026TRIPADVISOR

Wonderful experience!!

I want to start by saying it is an all day excursion but well worth it. Our host Ovi was amazing and funny. He was very knowledgeable and answered any questions we had on the way to each stop. We were able to visit the waterfall and take some photos. We also spotted some sloths, birds, monkeys, iguanas and saw lots of animals along the way. I must mention the driver because he got us to each destination safely. The hot springs were very nice and relaxing. You won’t go wrong booking this excursion!!

852tashemalMay 24, 2026TRIPADVISOR

Great experience

A great experience, a very pleasant journey thanks to the guide and driver

gabrielafR2994XJMay 22, 2026TRIPADVISOR

Great Tour Guide

Fernando was the best guide ever, super kind and informational.

ianjG8800PGMay 21, 2026TRIPADVISOR

A very complete excursion, better than I expected

Both Fernando and Carlos are excellent

RebeMaExMay 21, 2026TRIPADVISOR

Additional information

May be operated by a multi-lingual guide Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required A minimum of 2 people per booking is required Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately This tour includes man-made hot springs pools, filled with natural thermal water Hotel pickups commence approximately 30 - 60 minutes prior to this time, exact pickup time will be advised on reconfirmation Times are subject to change due to local traffic conditions Drop off in the Arenal-La Fortuna centrally located hotels is available. Please note that if you choose this option, dinner will not be included in your tour because it’s done in a restaurant on the way back to San Jose. Also, there is an extra charge for drop offs with luggage, but in the case of this tour it doesn’t apply because the cost of the dinner will cover for the drop off charge. If you wish to take this option, you must let us know at the time of booking. This tour has being designed for those people who wish to do a lot of sightseeing in the morning without much effort, have lunch, and then relax in the hot springs for most of the afternoon This tour does not include ziplining/rappelling activities (The stop at Go Adventure Park is for the Indigenous presentation only)

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