Where to Walk in La Fortuna

La Fortuna has a small centre that you can cover without a guide, and the more rewarding walking lies on nearby nature trails. This page sorts the options by length, from the shortest to the longest, and says what each one costs. Prices are in US dollars and rounded, and colones are worth about CRC 450 to $1.

The town centre

The middle of town is a flat grid around the central park, with a garden, a fountain and a view of Arenal on a clear day. A church faces the park. Craft stalls, tour desks and sodas fill the nearby streets. A soda is a family-run eatery that sells casados for about CRC 3,500 to 5,500. Soda La Parada, Soda Viquez and Soda Mima are names worth asking about. Tour desks near the park can book the guided walks described below.

Las Coladas, about 1.8 km

This trail belongs to Arenal Volcano National Park and crosses hardened lava with views toward the cone. The park charges about $15 to foreign adults and about $5 to children. All trails here sit at the base, because the cone and a zone of about 4 km around it have been closed since 1998.

Bogarin Trail, 2.5 km

Bogarin lies at the edge of town and opens from 6am to 8pm. A self-guided visit is $20, and a guided one is about $45. Night walks cost $60 and last about 2 hours, while birdwatching walks cost $80 and last about 3 hours. Bring a torch and no flash. Animals may show up, but there are no guarantees, and touching or feeding them is out of the question.

Mistico Arenal, 3.2 km

The route connects 16 bridges, six of them hanging up to 45 m above the ground. Tickets run from $32 plus tax for a walk on your own, from $44 for a guided one and from $54 for night, bird or twilight outings. Footwear must cover your toes and have a good grip. Gates close at 3:50pm.

Arenal 1968, about 7 km

The private reserve’s trails add up to about 7 km over black 1968 lava. An adult ticket costs about $25.

Arenal Observatory Lodge, 11 km

The lodge keeps 11 km of paths, of which 800 m are suitable for wheelchairs. Entry costs about $20 to $22.

Handy habits

  • Carry water and a rain layer on every walk.
  • Leave valuables at your hotel instead of in a parked car.
  • Confirm hours and prices with the venue.

Read more: Sightseeing in La Fortuna and Workshops in La Fortuna .

Official pages: Bogarin Trail and Arenal 1968 .

Guided walks: GetYourGuide .