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Province of Alajuela
Arenal Volcano National Park
La Fortuna de San Carlos
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Full day Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall and Hotsprings
5

Full day Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall and Hotsprings

By Red Lava Tourist Service Center
Recommended by 97% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
About
See the best of La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area in just one day with this tour. Start with a hike along the La Fortuna River, continuing to a suspension bridge tucked deep into the jungle. Then walk to a local indigenous village followed by a traditional lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Arenal Volcano for more hiking before wrapping your day up with a soak in a natural thermal river.
from
€88.44
per adult
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 6-80, max of 10 per group
Duration: 11h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
English, Spanish
Features animals
Highlights
  • Lunch and drinks are included in the price of the tour
  • A local guide will lead the way
  • Group sizes limited to 10 people for an intimate experience
  • Round-trip transfers from La Fortuna-area hotels are included
  • National Park fees
  • Beverages
  • Lunch
  • Local guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off (In la Fortuna area)
  • Small-group tour (10 persons per group)
  • Alcoholic Beverages
  • Hotspring resort fee
  • Entry/Admission - La Fortuna Waterfall
  • Entry/Admission - Arenal Volcano
  • Entry/Admission - Mirador El Silencio
  • Guaranteed to skip the lines
What's not included
  • Dinner not included
Departure details
  • Traveller pickup is offered.
  • Please contact us for have an exact pick up time in your hotel (Just in la Fortuna Area, not San Jose, not the coast) If your hotel is not on the list please contact us to check the option for the pickup If you have a Airbnb we need a reference point for the pick up (Restaurant o supermarket close to the place)
  • Red Lava TSC, 470, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, Costa Rica Red Lava Office in la Fortuna bus terminal local #3 Google maps or Waze RedLava Tours for get indications
  • Hotel pickup is offered. View the hotel list on our checkout page to see if yours is included among the pickup points.
Return details
  • Returns to original departure point
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 18265P8
  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Minimum drinking age is 18 years
  • Operated by a multi-lingual guide
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travellers
  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
Is there a restroom and/or place to change into swimwear for the waterfall and hot springs?
Yes - there are restrooms at various points along the trail, including at the entrance to the park as well as at the hot springs.
What should I bring with me for the Full day visit to Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall and Hotsprings?
We recommend that you bring swimwear, a towel, closed-toe shoes for hiking, bug repellant, and sunscreen.
If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 18265P8
Reserve your spot
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Similar experiences

Itinerary
  • You'll start at
    Red Lava TSC
    Or, you can also get picked up
    See departure details
  • 1
    La Fortuna Waterfall
    Stop: 90 minutes - Admission included
    See details
  • 2
    Arenal Volcano
    Stop: 3 hours - Admission included
    See details
  • 3
    Mirador El Silencio
    Stop: 4 hours - Admission included
    See details
  • You'll return to the starting point
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About the operator
See all 1,609 reviews
Red Lava Tourist Service Center
1,609
Costa Rica
Joined in April 2010
#21 of 242 Tours & Activities in La Fortuna de San Carlos
  • kristinemV5869OL
    kristinemV5869OL
    0
    0
    Great day trip!
    The river is so beautiful and the park is a must see! There were tough parts of the hike but they were worth the view of the crystal blue Rio Celeste and the waterfall. We enjoyed learning from Errol about all the local plants and animal species. We saw 2 eyelash pit vipers, a few types of lizards, and so many different unique plants. The swim in the river and the lunch were also great parts of the experience!
  • CAdeleR
    CAdeleR
    0
    0
    Amazing experience!
    Had a great time on the tour. Santiago was an amazing guide and we saw so many animals! The hike isn't very difficult and the waterfall is beautiful. Everything was super simple and seamless! Definitely recommend.
  • W3372AT
    W3372AT
    0
    0
    Amazing tour, amazing guide, amazing views, amazing day!
    ¡A cachete carapicha! I had an amazing time. Cesar (the driver) and Santiago (the very handsome guide) were incredible! Santiago has eyes like a hawk and can spot animals literally miles away! So we saw LOADS of animals! He was very knowledgeable too, and exudes so much passion for his job. He also kindly took some great photos for us. It was SUCH an amazing tour and wish I could do it all again! The waterfall and the river were breathtaking, and the lunch and swimming made a perfect day all in all. Pura vida mae!!!!!
  • B3501MNtiffanyr
    B3501MNtiffanyr
    0
    0
    Went on several different tours with Red Lava and enjoyed all of them.
    We did 4 different tours with Red Lava and enjoyed every single one. All of our tour guides were great. We went with Kathleen to hike the volcano and she was very knowledgeable and was able to spot so many different animals and wildlife. Santiago was also great. We went to Rio Celeste with him and he was so energetic and fun. Overall we had an incredible time in La fortunate and red lava was a big reason why.
  • G8333FUkelseyr
    G8333FUkelseyr
    0
    0
    Excellent
    Excellent tour with various additional stops and wildlife sightings. Friendly and knowledgeable tour guide Santiago!
  • 814goldief
    814goldief
    0
    0
    Amazing tour!!
    Highly recommend this tour! Earl was a great tour guide and explained everything beautifully. Got to see all these exotic plants and it was so nice seeing the volcano up close! Money well spent!!
  • Spring1967
    Spring1967
    0
    0
    Private Rio Celeste Hike with Christian
    5 STAR Day! Our family of 4 did the private Rio Celeste hike with Christian as our guide and Christian delivered an incredible day! He kept us well paced, never rushed, made us feel like we had all the time in the world and catered to our photographer family needs patiently. He knew some family members had “wish lists” for wildlife viewing and he was committed to making it happen. Christian charmed us with his enthusiasm, positivity, expansive knowledge of the area, and made us feel like his closest friends. We take a lot of tours and Christian stands out as one of favorite guides. William was our driver and kept us safe the entire day. A great day!
  • CheCheRon
    CheCheRon
    0
    0
    Learn about the biodiverse ecosystem
    Fredrick kept up the pace and had us on our toes. The jungle is lush and alive full of many eyes; it has many living, breathing creatures curiously watching your every move. The path to the waterfall and blue lagoon is extensive and moderately strenuous so bring appropriate shoes and get ready to work up a sweat. The scenic views and biodiverse ecosystem is well worth the hustle to get there. Challenge accepted and our group of engineers and doctors of dentistry as well as frontlines emerged as champions! Thank you so much for this jungle expedition: we terrain’d, we sweat’d, we conquered! Pura Vida!
  • Z3640TJwendyr
    Z3640TJwendyr
    0
    0
    Best day trip!
    Wow, what an amazing day long trip from La Fortuna- highly recommend! Tenorio national park is 100% worth the visit, and having a guide makes it a remakable experience. Our knowledgeable guide Santiago, did an incredible job pointing out and finding so many different species. Lunch after was incredible. You don't want to miss the waterfall and Rio Celeste!
  • C5345XUzuzanak
    C5345XUzuzanak
    0
    0
    Amazing day 10/10 experience, such a great adventure!
    Me and my 10 year old son did this full day tour and had the most epic day! Even the day was quite rainy, with the help of our guide Chris MQ, we made the most of it! Thanks to Chris we have spoted so many animals, La fortuna waterfall was simply breathtaking, Arenal volcano and at the end of the day hot springs - such a great combination and we had also learnt many things about the wildlife. It was honestly the BEST guide in our Costa Rica trip, my son loved it too! We can honestly highly recommend and will never forget this day.
  • geoffreya354
    geoffreya354
    0
    0
    Great trip to Rio Celeste
    We had a great day with Santiago as our guide. He was very nice and knowledgeable. He showrd us a lot of animals and taught us so much about the area. Gilberto was our driver for the day and gave us a comfortable ride.
  • 657jacquis
    657jacquis
    0
    0
    A great day tour
    Red Lava tours- Erol, our guide was great! Super knowledgeable, health and safety conscious, friendly, warm and welcoming. Highly recommend him.
  • mattlins2023
    mattlins2023
    0
    0
    Amazing guide with a beautiful hike!!
    Santiago was our guide and he was nothing short of fantastic! He stopped along the drive to show us animals in the wild, made the experience fun, and stopped along the hiking trail to show us cool plants and creatures! The views were spectacular and I really enjoyed the hike because of Santiago!
  • Vacation65653463981
    Vacation65653463981
    0
    0
    Great tour
    The tour was amazing. Lots of fun and informative. Our guide, Santiago is very knowledgeable about the wide life in the park. He is humorous and a lot of fun to talk to. I went to two other tours before the Rio Celeste tour and I can easily say this tour is the best. Highly recommended.
  • Anidiotsabroad
    Anidiotsabroad
    0
    0
    A fun short hike and relaxing hot springs!
    Our guide Isaac was very funny, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The hike itself was moderate, the beginning was very jungle-like and in the shade. When we reached the second car park Isaac gave a brief backstory about the 1968 eruption and the years that followed. The next part of the hike was on the ‘Lava Trail’ and was full of volcanic rocks and steep steps. A more difficult part, but the viewpoint was nice with clouds surrounding the summit of the volcano. We then headed off for a nice lunch and a dip in some hot springs, some of which were HOT HOT 🥵. Also thanks to Martha, our driver who was very friendly and had a nice relationship with Isaac.
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5.0
645 reviews
Excellent
575
Very good
51
Average
12
Poor
3
Terrible
4
Jim G
1 contribution
Beyond helpful and informative
Feb 2020 • Family
Anthony was our guide for the day. He was exceptional knowledgeable about all things Costa Rica.
We had a family of 7.
Oldest was 61 youngest was 6.
We had a medical issue early in our hike and Anthony was calm and extremely helpful in dealing with the situation.
He made sure all issues were taken care of and the staff at RED LAVA TOURS could not have helped more!
We would recommend this team and tour group to ANYONE interested in Arenal and surrounding area.
Fantastic Group! Mucho Gracias!!
Written 27 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cathie T
Worcestershire, UK95 contributions
Helpful people offering excellent tours
There are many tour operators based in La Fortuna. We chose Red Lava because the company was recommended in our guidebook and seemed to offer good value for money. The Red Lava office is located next to the bus station which was another huge positive as we were able to head there with our rucksacks as soon as we arrived in town. Once we had chosen our tour and booked for the following day, we grabbed a bite to eat whilst our rucksacks were kindly cared for in the Red Lava office. We were then offered a free lift to our accommodation which was very generous considering it turned out to be 14 km out of town!

On the day of our tour, we were picked up from our hostel (the EXCELLENT Casa Torres eco lodge) and taken down a very steep gorge to swim by a waterfall. Such a lovely relaxing experience! Our guides were very knowledgeable and patient, and we learned so much about the rainforest flora and fauna during our trek. After a rather tiring climb back up, we were taken to a ‘village’ populated by indigenous people for a short talk and retail opportunity- I’m rather cynical about these types of activities as I think they can be exploitative on both sides, but it was ok and there was definitely no ‘hard sell’. Our lunch was delicious, and then in the afternoon we took the shorter of two hiking options around the foothills of Arenal looking at secondary and primary rainforest and visiting the lava fields left by the 1968 eruption. Again, we learned some interesting facts about the environment and saw quite a variety of animals, plants and birds. Finally, we had an hour’s soak in a very chilled spa to end a satisfying and varied day which we felt was good value for money.
Written 6 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andrew S
1 contribution
Natural Beauty - Poor communication
Jan 2023
Incredible tour ruined by poor communication from company. Spent $380 on tours for my daughter and I who has travelled extensively in Central and South America. Paid for tours and also Jeep boat jeep trip the following day to get to Monte Verde. When the shuttle didn't arrive to collect us ( hour late). I telephoned Julio and also the guide to see what the delay was. After several calls, messages and no reply, our very kind hotel manage called and managed eventually to get hold of Julio. We were advised an error at the boat company meant we could not travel and were offered the same trip the following day. Whilst this may sound fair. I must point out, they had my number, no call received. Julio also chose to inform me at this point, we had underpaid by $20. He would only accept cash the previous day...not card!! I was not aware of this and again, they had my number to call and tell me. I explained we had already checked out, we'd been waiting in the heat for 2 hours at this point and had accommodation already booked and paid for in Monte Verde. He said the only option was a same day taxi and offered to contact his friend to see if they could take us, but made it clear, we would have to pay another $50 to do this. I asked him to check cost and phone me back ( at this point still had not had a call from him at all). the very kind hotel manager had found an uber for $100 and suggested Lava should pay as in her opinion, we had clearly been forgotten. I called Julio again, no answer nor a reply to a message. He then turned up, followed by his friend, at which point I felt i had no choice other than paying $100, to pay his friend to take us there. Julio said when we got to Monte Verde, he would get us discount on trips there 30-50% to make up for the situation. The truth is we paid $380 for the volcano, Waterall and hotspings and the following morning, the hanging bridges ($360) to Julio to include th e jeep boat jeep. We arrived at the hotel 3 hours later and also paid $55 more than anticipated. I messaged him that night re planned trips in Mont Verde ,but again never had any reply. I can say truthfully ne never replied to any of my calls or messages. There are lots of good reviews and I appreciate things can go wrong, however i feel the service and response was very poor and as such my overall experience was poor. A shame as the guides were very good. I look forward to any reply as my review is factual and I have been measured and fair in my review. I will not accept anything false in the reply.
Written 25 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RedLavaTsc
Please be more carefull. THIS IS NOT REDLAVA TOURS, THIS IS ABOUT LAVA LAND TOURS....NOT US.. Sorry for your experience...we have nothing to do with this
Written 26 January 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tribble Reese
Atlanta, GA19 contributions
This is a real review. Go with Red Lava.
Dec 2021 • Couples
Wybe, the gentleman that heads up Red Lava Tours, really helped us out. We were looking for things to do during our 72 hour stay in La Fortuna and thank God we ran into him at his shop by the square.
He was very knowledgeable about the area and the different tours. He speaks multiple languages, including very good English.
But most importantly, he was there for us when we needed him. You see, our hotel was going to charge us for an extra night, because our tour went longer than expected because of a bigger group. Wybe called our hotel to explain the situation. And then, without us asking, he left his wife to come meet us at the end of the tour. He personally drove us back to our hotel in town, ensuring we wouldn’t be charged an extra $100.
For anyone reading this, more than likely, nothing will go wrong on your tour. But if something does, you can count on Wybe and Red Lava Tours to be there for you.
(He did not ask for this review, but I felt compelled to let people know about this company.)
He is the definition of Pure Vida!
Written 30 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brandon Biggs
Naperville, IL1 contribution
Full Day Tour with Red Lava
Dec 2019
We were a family of five (kids are 16, 11, and 7), and we did this tour on our first day in Costa Rica. We were staying in Nuevo Arenal so did the 1 hour drive in the morning to be there at 7.30. We took a short drive to begin the hike to the volcano viewing point. It was cloudy (being a Cloud Forest) so we didn't get much of a view, but the hike was terrific and beautiful and kids did great. We had regular tennis shoes and light long sleeves on, though most other parties in our group were completely geared out in military grade rain gear as if chasing typhoons. It got wet but not cold or unpleasant. After the hike down, there is a steep hike down to the main waterfall. You can swim on one end, and waterfall on the other end is too treacherous for swimming. We spent an hour or so down there, along with at least 100 other people, some of whom had driven right to the spot (though we were happy that we had hiked). The water was very cold and very refreshing and we could have stayed all day. The hike out is up and hard but nice. There is a really delicious lunch at some point. The tour ends at the hot springs, which is really just a run-downish swimming pool that's hot. Don't get me wrong it was lovely and just what we needed after a somewhat gruelingly long day. It just wasn't what I had pictured. There is food and drink available at the Hot Springs and the temps are perfect. Our guides were Santiago and Carlos and both were incredibly smart and kind and considerate and professional and spoke perfect English and get 11 out of 10. Really a great trip and we liked the group so much that when we got back to town at 6.30 or 7, we booked the ziplining with them for the next morning. Santiago and Carlos were really great...
Written 1 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HappyTravelerCathie
Tulsa, OK145 contributions
Full day in Arenal
Feb 2021 • Couples
It is difficult to break this day down to a favorite part. We had a full, varied day with an excellent guide, Christian. He was knowledgeable, courteous, and added humor.
We began with a nature walk to see flowers, butterflies, and poisonous dart frogs. We were then taken on a tractor driven ride where we began a hike to the falls. It was beautitiful but the walk was challenging. We then went to visit an indigenous couple which was a little disappointing. They did a short presentation and we were then allowed to purchase their handicrafts..
Lunch after the falls was relaxing and delicious. My husband had the fish and I had chicken, both excellent.
After lunch we visited the lava fields of Arenal, another hike but not as intense. This was followed up with Costa Rican highball and a trip to the hot springs. Our guide applied volcano mud to our faces as we relaxed in the warm pool.
Wonderful day!
Written 11 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RedLavaTsc
Hi Caterine, thanks for your friendly review and good specification of all the different things you can enjoy in this one day experience.
Written 20 February 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ines Benjelloun
9 contributions
AMAZING AND SO MUCH PACKED !
May 2022 • Solo
Honestly can’t recommend this enough ! From all tours I saw it was so affordable and so many things packed in a day. There is so much included and is a perfect your for people that aren’t in La Fortuna for long ! We got to see the Volcano and do the trail, do the waterfall, meet the indigenous community “Maleku” and learn from them, get a super tasty lunch and finish the day with drinks and hotsprings. You start at 8:00am and finish at 6:00pm and you don’t feel like you need to see or do anything else. For students and residents, there is a direct discount if you pay it at the office in La Fortuna !
A very big big shoutout to Eric for making us feel like part of his family. He made this trip incredible and was able to spot things in the trees that no one else could. Muchas gracias Eric por tu paciencia, conocimiento y amabilidad. lo apreciamos mucho 🤍
Written 20 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sydneygriffin22
Guerneville, CA4 contributions
Fun, adventure-filled day!
Mar 2021
This tour is the perfect full-day activity for a weekend in La Fortuna, and the price is great given everything you will see.I loved the variety of activities - volcano hike, rope swing, swimming in a waterfall, Maleku village, natural hot springs - and our tour guide, Santiago, was amazing! He brought great energy, a wealth of flora and fauna knowledge, and an evident passion for wildlife and the outdoors. We ended up going to Rio Celeste the next morning and he is great company! Bring a swimsuit, a towel, bug spray, sunscreen, and water. I couldn’t recommend this tour and our guide highly enough!!!
Written 16 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RedLavaTsc
Hi Sydney, Thanks for telling about your experience. Two days of stunning nature with a highly energetic guide will get your blood pumping. Of course I don´t know about your living situation but it may well be urban and you may lead a busy professional life. That beeing the case, I can imagine that beeing here in nature can be a very good way to reconnect with your primary senses and that it can energize and inspire you. Luckely here in la Fortuna we have more than enough beautiful nature to offer and we have people that are more than happy to have you experience it to the maximum.
Written 6 April 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Melissa Z
Los Angeles, CA7 contributions
Great value and beautiful scenery
Dec 2020 • Friends
Our tour guide Christian “Nano” was amazing, friendly and super knowledgeable about the locations we visited, the wildlife, and the history of the area. We had a great day with him exploring the jungle, visiting the waterfall and the volcano, along with transportation that took us to each stop. We really enjoyed the delicious lunch nearby. I was hoping the hot springs would be a bit nicer, but overall it was a full and fun day and we got to see everything as planned. It’s a great value for everything we got to see, especially compared to the cost of other similar tours.
Written 5 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RedLavaTsc
Hi Melissa, Glad you had a good time on our tour with Nano.This tiour will have you see a lot of things in just one day. Allthough most people realy like the hotsprings we go to there is always the possibility of an upgrade. there are various options at different prices.
Written 28 December 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Esther J
4 contributions
Awesome Tour!!
Jan 2020 • Friends
Worth the hike. Anthony and Uriel were great tour guides. They were very funny and knowledgeable. Anthony took his time to help an elder woman that was part of our group which was very nice. They took the time to look for any animals or birds that were in the trees and were able to show us with the binoculars provided. Everything was on schedule and they provided us with different food options to choose from. We ended the tour at the hot springs and they provided us with a special drink there. Would highly recommend their service to anybody looking to do the volcano and fortuna water fall in one day.
Written 21 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Full day Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall and Hotsprings provided by Red Lava Tourist Service Center