La Fortuna: Arenal Volcano, Waterfall & Hot Springs Full Day
Four stops in one day: rainforest, waterfall, volcano, and thermal pools
You start before dawn, hike through hanging bridges and rainforest, swim at a waterfall, walk the base of Arenal Volcano, and end the day soaking in hot springs with dinner included. A bilingual guide handles the narration and logistics. A minivan handles the route. Return is late, so plan for a full day away from your hotel.
Step-by-step itinerary
Arenal Highlights and Hot Springs
- Start Mistico Hanging Bridges hike
- Visit La Fortuna Waterfall and swim
- Lunch break
- Hike at Arenal Volcano base
- Relax at Baldi Hot Springs
- Enjoy dinner
- Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park Entry included 3h
- La Fortuna Waterfall Entry included 2h
- Baldi Hot Springs Entry included 3h
What’s included
Hotel pickup and drop-off, all entrance fees to Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park, La Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal Volcano base, and Baldi Hot Springs, professional bilingual naturalist guide, lunch and dinner, transport by air-conditioned minivan, and cold bottled water throughout the day.
Times
- Every day 07:30
Before you book
Operated by SEVEN TOURS COSTA RICA
Prices and times updated today
Traveler reviews
The experience
You'll wonder how it all fits into a single day, and then the minivan picks you up at 7:30am and you realize the timing is tight but real. The morning starts at Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park at 8am, where a bilingual naturalist guide walks you through the canopy on suspension bridges strung between old-growth trees. You're looking for wildlife (sloths, howler monkeys, birds), and the guide knows where to point. The bridges give you height without the scramble, and the rainforest floor stays quiet enough that you actually hear things move.
By 11am you're at La Fortuna Waterfall, the one that drops into a pool you can swim in. The hike down takes maybe twenty minutes, and the water is cold and clear. You get an hour and a half there, which is enough to swim, dry off, and sit on the rocks without rushing. Lunch happens at 1:30pm (included, so no hunting for a restaurant), and then you're back on the road for the Arenal Volcano Walk at 2:30pm. This one is a guided hike on the base of the volcano itself, and your guide talks through the geology and the 1968 eruption while you walk through secondary forest and lava fields. It's not a technical climb, but it's a real walk, and it takes three hours.
The day ends where most people want it to: Baldi Hot Springs from 5:30pm to 8pm. These are thermomineral pools fed by geothermal water, and you soak in them as the light goes. Dinner is served at 8pm, included in the price, and you're back at your hotel by 9:30pm. The whole thing (transport, entrance fees, guide, both meals, water) is one price. You bring a swimsuit, a raincoat, walking shoes, and a camera, and that's the setup.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the main Arenal attractions in a single push without arranging separate transport, guides, and meals: the fixed itinerary and included food mean you're not making decisions between 8am and 9:30pm.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Spanish.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6): free.
What time does pickup happen?
7:30am from your hotel. Return is 9:30pm.
Is the hike difficult?
The hanging bridges and waterfall hike are moderate. The volcano walk is three hours on uneven ground but not technical. Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or pregnancy.
What's included in the price?
Hotel pickup and drop-off, all entrance fees, bilingual guide, lunch, dinner, transport by air-conditioned minivan, and bottled water.
Can I swim at the waterfall?
Yes. The hike ends at a natural pool at the base of La Fortuna Waterfall where you can swim. Bring a swimsuit and towel.
Are the hot springs crowded?
Baldi Hot Springs is a popular facility with multiple pools. The tour includes access but does not guarantee a private experience.
What should I bring?
Camera, binoculars, comfortable clothing, raincoat, walking shoes, insect repellent, swimsuit, towel, sandals, and extra clothes.
How long is the full day?
Approximately 14 hours from pickup to drop-off, with four separate activities and two meal breaks built in.
La Fortuna: Arenal Volcano, Waterfall & Hot Springs Full Day
11h–14h · EN · ES · at your hotel
from US$ 218 per person
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