What is the cancellation policy for this tour?

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

How long does this tour take?

This tour lasts approximately 14 hours.

Arenal Volcano Experience Full-Day Tour from San Jose

Q: Where does this tour start?

This tour starts at: Centrally located San Jose hotels. The default tour time is 6:30 a.m., but the tour operator will confirm the exact pickup time & meeting point after booking. Automated booking platform emails may mention the default time, but the operator’s confirmation will be the official schedule..

★★★★⯨ 4.9

14 hours

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Overview

See more of the Arenal Volcano region with the convenience of a full-day tour from San Jose. Take a scenic route to Arenal with views of farms, rain forests, and small towns. Stop at a coffee plantation and sample coffee, as well as traditional snacks. Stop at a waterfall, look for wildlife, and learn about the Costa Rican Native Culture, then have the afternoon to soak in hot springs set in a lush garden near the Arenal Volcano. Lunch, dinner and coffee tasting are included on this trip.

Gallery

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What's Included

✓ Included

Coffee or Tea with local snacks
Entrance Fees
Transport by air-conditioned vehicle
Lunch
Dinner
Professional bilingual guide
Hotel pickup and drop-off (most San Jose area hotels)

✗ Not Included

Gratuities
Services not specified

Itinerary

Stop 1

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).

Stop 2

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.

Stop 3

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.

Stop 4

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.

Stop 5

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.

Stop 6

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.

Meeting & End Point

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Meeting Point

Centrally located San Jose hotels. The default tour time is 6:30 a.m., but the tour operator will confirm the exact pickup time & meeting point after booking. Automated booking platform emails may mention the default time, but the operator’s confirmation will be the official schedule.

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End Point

Find Hotels in San Jose

Good to Know

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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)

Known For:

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Special Instructions

• The tour vehicle will wait for a maximum of 10 minutes after the specified pickup time.
• Minimum age to participate is 5 years.
• May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
• Vegetarian option is available, please advise at the 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
• 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. If we are not notified beforehand, children will not be permitted to participate, and tickets for anyone who does not take part in the tour will be non-refundable.
• For safety reasons, the operator may refuse service to anyone who is intoxicated. If your tour is canceled for this reason, no refund will be issued.
• Drop-off at centrally located La Fortuna hotels is available. In that case, dinner won’t be included since it is served on the return route. There’s an extra charge for drop-offs with luggage, but for this tour, it’s waived because the unused dinner cost covers it. If you wish to take this option, you must let us know at the time of booking.
• This tour is perfect for those who want easy sightseeing in the morning, followed by a relaxing afternoon at the hot springs
• This tour does not include ziplining/rappelling activities (The stop at Go Adventure Park is for the Indigenous presentation only)
• The default tour time is 6:30 a.m., but the tour operator will confirm the exact pickup time & meeting point after booking. Automated booking platform emails may mention the default time, but the operator’s confirmation will be the official schedule.

This is the list of things we recommend you bring on the tour:

- Walking shoes or sneakers
- Comfortable clothes (such as shorts and t-shirts)
- Sunblock
- Insect repellent
- Swimwear
- Towel
- Raincoat or poncho
- Change of clothes
- Sandals for the hot springs.