Eight ways to see Arenal Volcano

Quick answers before you book

A few practical things so your booking runs smoothly and you know what to expect on the day.

Can you really climb Arenal?

No. The cone has been closed since 1968. What tours call ‘the Arenal hike’ walks the lava fields at the base. See full details.

Will you see lava?

No. Arenal has been dormant since December 2010. Tours cross cooled lava fields with thermal vents. More on what tours deliver.

What should I bring?

Good hiking shoes, sunscreen, water, and a camera. Guides vary on what else is provided. See packing guide.

How hot is it?

La Fortuna sits in rainforest. Expect warm, humid, and rainy year-round. Mornings offer the best visibility. More in weather guide.

The honest guide to an Arenal Volcano tour

Arenal is closed to climbers. It’s been dormant since December 2010. Those two facts mean the tours sold here are very different from what most operators claim. This guide explains what you can actually see, what makes each tour different, and how to book the one that fits your time and budget.

Every operator in La Fortuna sells the same false promises. You’ll climb Arenal (you won’t). You’ll see lava (you won’t). This site says both plainly, then tells you what the tours really deliver: a walk across cooled lava fields, dense rainforest wildlife, and views of one of the Americas’ most symmetrical cones.

What you’ll actually do on an Arenal tour

An Arenal tour is a guided walk (not a climb) led by a local naturalist across the 1968 lava fields at the base of the cone. The shortest tours last an hour and stick to the lava field itself. Longer tours add rainforest trails where you’ll spot howler monkeys, sloths and birds. The longest full-day tours loop in a waterfall and natural hot springs.

Why eight different tours?

Because there’s no single ‘Arenal tour’. What varies is time, group size, and what else you add. The park entry ticket ($17) is just access—you walk yourself. A guide-led lava field walk ($39–$60) gives you a naturalist who knows where the wildlife hides. Full-day tours ($105–$176) add rainforest trails, hot springs, waterfalls, and lunch. Pick by budget and how much time you have, not by false promises about lava.

The classic tour is what most people book

The full-day classic tour (waterfall, volcano, hot springs) costs $105 and is rated 4.8 from 3,708 reviews—by far the volume anchor. It runs from morning to late afternoon, includes a guide, lunch, and transport, and hits the main draws: the lava field, rainforest, hot springs and a waterfall for swimming. For most visitors with a full day to spare, it’s the best balance of price, time and experience.

How hard are the walks?

Easy to moderate. The lava field walk is gentle—you’re crossing cooled rock, not climbing steep terrain. Rainforest trails are soft ground with tree roots and minor hills, nothing steep. Wear good hiking shoes and bring water; the guides pace tours slowly and let people rest. No special fitness is needed, and families with children do the tours regularly.

Park hours and what to bring

The park opens at 08:00 and closes at 16:00 daily. Most tours start early to avoid crowds and hit wildlife peak hours. Bring sunscreen, a camera, water, and closed hiking shoes. Afternoons get hot and humid; mornings are clearest for photos of the cone. If you’re sensitive to rain, pick the dry season (December–April), but tours run year-round.

How to book and when to go

Book through GetYourGuide—all eight tours listed here are sold there with live availability, instant confirmation and free cancellation (up to 24 hours). In high season (mid-December to April, July–August), book a day or two ahead. Off-season, same-day bookings usually work. The best times for cone visibility are December–March mornings.

One final point: you are not climbing Arenal

The cone has been off-limits since 1968. What guides call ‘the Arenal hike’ is the lava field walk at its base. That’s a real, good experience—but it’s not a climb. If you came to summit a volcano, Arenal isn’t the one. If you came to walk a lava field, spot wildlife, and see the cone up close, these tours deliver exactly that.