This guide is for you if you are staying in La Fortuna and want to walk on the old lava flows of Arenal without giving the whole day to it. It covers the choices to make before you book: morning or afternoon, which months, how you pay at the gate, and whether half a day on easy trails is what your group needs.
The volcano you are walking under
Arenal was quiet for more than five centuries until 29 July 1968, when it erupted with great force. The villages of Tabacón and Pueblo Nuevo disappeared and close to a hundred people died. The volcano then stayed active for decades, until around October 2010, when the explosions slowed and the seismic signals faded. Volcanologists now describe it as calm. The steam you may see on the slopes comes mainly from rainwater meeting hot ground, not from fresh eruptions.
That history is why the trails look the way they do. The viewpoints in the park stand on old lava, and the forest you walk through on Las Coladas has grown back over rock that was molten within living memory. The trails stop well below the cone, and nobody is allowed higher.
The park was created in 1991. Most of the bird species recorded in Costa Rica can be seen within its boundaries, along with white-faced capuchins and coatis. The fer-de-lance, a venomous snake, lives here too, which is one more reason to stay on the trail.
When to go, and which half of the day
The weather around Arenal is hard to predict at any time of year. Rain is most common in May and June and again from September to November. January to April is usually the driest and hottest stretch, and the time most people come for clear views.
The cloud matters more than the rain. The cone of Arenal is often wrapped in it, and mornings are usually the clearest part of the day. If seeing the summit is the point of your trip, take the 07:00 start. The park opens at 08:00, so that first hour goes on the church and square in town and the drive out, and you are on Las Coladas soon after the gate opens.
The 13:00 start suits you if you arrived late the night before, or if you want the morning for something else. You reach the Volcano Sector with time to spare before its last entry at 14:30, and the Peninsula Sector stays open until 17:00, so the lake and the tower come in the softer light of late afternoon. One ticket covers both sectors on the same day.
How the five hours fit together
The park is about 15 kilometres from the centre of La Fortuna, so very little of your time goes on the road. Most of it is spent on foot in the Volcano Sector, on the Las Coladas trail. It runs through the forest and across the lava flow of 1992 to a viewpoint below the cone. The ground is gentle until near the end, where the lava rock is rough and loose underfoot.
The Peninsula Sector is the opposite: a short paved trail and a lookout tower above Lake Arenal, with the volcano across the water. The last stop is the dam at the end of the lake. It was built by the national electricity institute and opened in 1979, and it roughly tripled the size of the natural lake below it. Lake Arenal is now the largest lake in Costa Rica. The old villages of Arenal and Tronadora lie under the water, and their people were moved to new towns on higher ground.
Because the vehicle is yours, you can shift the time between stops. Stay longer at the lava viewpoint if the cloud is lifting, or cut the dam short if the children are tired. At the end you go back to your hotel, or straight to the hot springs if you tell your driver on the day.
On your own or with a driver
You can reach the park without a car, but it is not simple. The official tourism board says the public bus from town may need one or two changes, and from the stop on the main road there are about 2 kilometres to walk to the entrance.
What a private half day adds is the Peninsula Sector and the dam, which sit further round the lake and are awkward to link without a car, plus a driver who waits while you walk. It does not include the park entrance or a guide. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
What to book or bring
The park entrance is paid separately. The official tourism board says payment is by credit or debit card only, with no cash accepted, and advises buying tickets in advance. Rules change, so check the national parks service site before you go.
- Shoes with a firm grip for the lava rock near the end of Las Coladas. Sandals are a poor choice here.
- A light rain jacket, even in the dry months.
- Sun cream and a hat. Much of the lava viewpoint is open to the sky.
- Water and a snack. Food and drinks are not included.
- Binoculars if you care about birds.
A naturalist guide makes a real difference to how much wildlife you see, because a trained eye finds sloths and toucans that most of us walk past. We can arrange one at extra cost.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits a first afternoon in La Fortuna, families with children who can walk a couple of hours on uneven ground, and anyone who wants the volcano close up without a long day in the car.
- You want waterfalls and bridges as well. The full day with the waterfall, the hanging bridges and the volcano includes Las Coladas, so you would not need both.
- You are more interested in the forest canopy than the lava. The hanging bridges and Lake Arenal tour is shorter and easier on the legs.
- Someone in the group has limited mobility. The Peninsula trail is paved, but the end of Las Coladas is rough. Tell us when you book and we plan the stops around it.
To compare all five of our days out from town, read our guide to day trips from La Fortuna.
Questions people ask
Will we see lava?
No. Arenal has not erupted since its active period ended around 2010. You see the cooled flows, the forest growing back over them and, on a clear day, the cone itself.
What if the summit is in cloud?
It often is. The lava field and the lake are worth the walk anyway, and the cloud can lift within minutes. Your driver can reverse the order of the stops if that gives you a better chance.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the half day
Pick the morning start if the view of the cone matters most, pack proper shoes, and have a card ready for the park. Times, stops and what is included are on the Arenal Volcano National Park private tour page, where you choose the size of your group and book.
