Tucked right in the heart of Costa Rica, stands the famous Arenal volcano, famous for its seemingly perfect cone shape, its incredible surrounding wildlife and natural waters, and plenty of promising adventures.

It’s the perfect site to see if you’re a bit of an adrenaline junkie or are simply a nature lover who’d love to explore more of the unique landmark. Of course, as I’d recommend for visiting any volcano, I believe it’s in your best interest to have a proper guide with you.

That’s why I’ve gone ahead and detailed the 5 top Arenal volcano tours out there today, that are well worth your time and money! Let’s get started!

Best Tours of Arenal Volcano

	Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, Hot Springs Full Day Tour	ATV Guided Experience in La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano	Full day Tour with Hanging Bridges, Waterfall and Volcano Hike
Location:	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	Hotel pickup and drop-off included
Start:	7:30 AM	8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM	7:00 AM
Duration:	11 hours	2 hours	9.5 hours
Includes:	National Park fees, beverages, lunch, local guide, small-group tour, hot spring resort fee	ATV and safety equipment provided, Water, visit to the Maleku tribe, driver's license required	Lunch, snacks, driver/guide, transport, National Park fees, air-conditioned vehicle
	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking

Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Arenal Volcano Tours For 2025

1. Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, Hot Springs Full Day Tour
2. ATV Guided Experience in La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano
3. Full Day Tour with Hanging Bridges, Waterfall and Volcano Hike
4. Arenal Volcano Guided Hike, Hot Springs Optional
5. Arenal Volcano Expedition

Arenal Volcano Tour Reviews

1. Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, Hot Springs Full Day Tour

It’s no secret that Costa Rica is a country filled to the brim with beautiful landscapes and adventure, which can surprisingly make it hard to figure out what to start with! If you’re looking for something truly unique, I highly recommend the Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, Hot Springs Full Day Tour!

This is one of the most comprehensive tours of its kind, taking you to some of the most exciting, stunning places in all of the country. This 11-hour excursion starts early in the morning with a convenient hotel pickup so you don’t have to worry about dealing with separate transportation or meetup points.

Our guides were super friendly and clearly well-versed in the natural landscapes of the region, making for some interesting educational commentary along the way. This is a small-group tour setting so you can expect very dedicated attention and more flexibility rather than being herded through a cookie-cutter experience in a big group of people.

If you’re looking for an exciting activity for the whole family that will keep younger ones’ attention spans, this is a fantastic choice. The hike to La Fortuna Waterfall can be a bit challenging for those who have mobility issues, but aside from that it’s a great way to get active and enjoy amazing views.

If you’d like, you can choose to take a little swim before heading to the Arenal Volcano! You’ll get the chance to see the breathtaking Lake Arenal, plenty of jungle views, the lava fields, and more, with plenty of time to take photos and just soak it all in.

The Mirador El Silencio is also truly profound, reaching the highest vantage point to appreciate full panoramic vistas!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

2. ATV Guided Experience in La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano

If you really want to see the Arenal Volcano but don’t want to commit to a full-day tour or simply don’t have the time available in your schedule, that’s okay. I have a fun alternative that’s perfect for adrenaline junkies or those short on time!

The ATV Guided Experience in La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano excursion is one of the most exhilarating ways to explore the wild of Costa Rica, taking things literally off-road straight into the heart of the jungle.

This 2-hour journey is one of the coolest ways to see the volcano, flying over dense jungle trails and rugged terrain to explore the lush rainforest and even catch sight of some critters that call this place “home”!

Despite being a much more compact tour in terms of time, I appreciated the fact that they offered to pick us up at our hotel and even take us back afterward so we didn’t have to worry about booking separate transportation.

With many different start times available, it’s that much easier to fit into a busy itinerary and you can select whether you want to go in the morning or afternoon! This is another great activity for the whole family as you can ride with 2 people together, which is great for those who don’t have a driver’s license (required to drive the ATVs).

Upon arrival, everyone will receive a safety briefing about how to drive the vehicles and the kind of terrain you can expect. Our guides did a wonderful job of sharing all kinds of fun facts and interesting educational commentary about the different types of flora and fauna as we drove along, taking time for some photos.

The routes that we took were fabulous, and nearly the entire time we were riding purely private property which means those outside of the tour don’t get to see it!

The highlight of the tour for me was being able to visit a secret Maleku (indigenous tribe) home, where we learned all about their culture, traditions, and history right from the source.

Sloths, monkeys, birds, and truly phenomenal views await you around every turn, so if you’re looking for a beautiful adventure to be had, check this one out.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

3. Full day Tour with Hanging Bridges, Waterfall and Volcano Hike

Next up, is another one of the longest tours of its kind, perfect if you’re on a quick trip and really want to maximize your Costa Rican outdoor experience!

The Full-Day Tour with Hanging Bridges, Waterfall, and Volcano Hike adventure combines 3 of the coolest activities you can take in the region, in quite possibly the most convenient way! Whether you’re a nature lover or someone who wants to learn more about Arenal’s natural landscapes and its inhabitants, this is a fantastic option.

Starting at 7:00 am, you’ll make the most of your day by kicking things off in the morning as your guide picks you up right from your hotel lobby so you don’t have to deal with meet-up points.

Your transport for the day is an air-conditioned, spacious coach where everyone has enough room to stretch out and relax while enjoying the beautiful views and interesting historical and geological commentary on the surrounding area.

With no time to waste, you’ll first head to the legendary Arenal Volcano, where you’ll learn that it no longer erupts but has lava trails that are fun to walk around with.

After seeing the volcano’s flora and fauna, you’ll then make your way to the Arenal hanging bridges which takes place on a fun hiking experience great for the average person.

As they’re all connected in the park, it’s very convenient and easy to see how rich and tall the rainforest is! I guarantee these views are incomparable and offer some amazing insight into the stunning animals that live there!

Next up is La Fortuna Waterfall, where you’ll take a 20-minute hike down some stairs, which is well worth it! The waterfall looks like something from National Geographic, as an oasis in the center of a nature-filled rainforest.

Once here, you really have the time at your leisure – jump in, take a dip, venture around, take photos, or simply stay at the restaurant on-site with amazing views and some nice food! Lunch consists of traditional Costa Rican dishes made with local farm and organic produce, alongside some coffee!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

4. Arenal Volcano Guided Hike, Hot Springs Optional

If you want to go on a tour in Costa Rica, trust me when I say there are literally countless options to choose from. However, if you’re looking for an authentic Costa Rican adventure that combines natural beauty with a bit of thrill, history, and local charm then the Arenal Volcano Guided Hike, Hot Springs Optional tour is just for you.

This 4-hour excursion is just the right length of time to fit easily into any schedule while still letting you explore dramatic landscapes at your leisure.

While the tour, by default, is a small-group experience that usually clocks in at around 12 participants, you can opt to make it completely private. This is a nice option if you really just want it to be a little trip into nature with you and your friend group, family, or you, alone with your guide.

Kick things off with a convenient hotel pickup right from your lobby, traveling around in a smooth and comfy, air-conditioned coach with big windows ideal for sightseeing.

I’d recommend this experience if you have a bit of conditioning already to be able to go on the hike that takes you over lava rocks and all the way up to the top of Toucan’s Trail.

We ventured through thick rainforest and over a big lava flow from 1992, which was a great way to witness raw and beautiful flora and fauna in all their glory! Once we arrived at the view point, we appreciated 360-degree views and even got to see some of the bright red lava flowing down the side of the volcano!

Keep in mind that you’ll only do this is the afternoon departure is selected – however, regardless of the time you choose, you can expect lots of fun and educational commentary paired with thrilling sightseeing.

It’s followed up by a relaxing stop at the mineral hot springs, which felt like all of my stress melted away – not to mention, our guide even gave us some tasty drinks and snacks afterward!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

5. Arenal Volcano Expedition

Last but certainly not least, is the tour I’d take if I were purely interested in learning and seeing as much as I could about the Arenal volcano.

The 4-hour Arenal Volcano Expedition is perfect for those who really want to immerse themselves in one of the nation’s most iconic natural wonders, with a type of energy and beauty that can’t be found elsewhere.

With many different start times available, it’s easy to fit into a busy itinerary and great if you want the option for an early morning adventure that’ll have you back before lunchtime.

I’d asked a friend who’d taken this tour before and they highly recommended taking the morning tour because it tends to rain a lot in the mornings at the volcano.

This creates a very ethereal environment, increasingly so, as you head higher and higher up – however, anytime is a great time. To start, your guide will head over to your hotel to pick you and the rest of our group and head out straight to the rainforest.

As we cruised along, our guide regaled us with interesting and attention-grabbing commentary about the history, culture, and geology of the area in a conversational manner that felt engaged and natural.

Upon arrival, we set off on our 1-mile trail hike which I felt was very well-paced and was a great way to get in a bit of fresh air and exercise in one of the most beautiful environments in the area.

We saw all kinds of stunning animals, like toucans, turkeys, orioles, peccaries, snakes, monkeys, sloths, and more, which was way more than I was expecting, leaving me pleasantly surprised.

We even got to see the beautiful Green Lagoon and Lake Arenal, which were amazing to see, and made me curious to visit them later on, as well! Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about geology, alongside the flora and fauna of the area, which only further enriched our tour!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience