Things to do in San Carlos, Alajuela Province

Escape into the nature of the La Fortuna on a guided hike. Walk by the river and follow a trail to a panoramic viewpoint. Have a delicious lunch at a Maluku Indian village and trek through forest, lava fields, and farmlands before relaxing at a natural hot spring resort with a drink. Be collected at your accommodation and be driven to the beginning of the forest walk. Trek on the easy track along the crystal clear La Fortuna river. En route, hop on a tractor cart uphill to a panoramic viewpoint. Spot the next location from a distance then begin the return walk down a jungle staircase. Halfway down is a high suspension bridge to cross. The trail leads further down the huge canyon, which was shaped by a volcanic mega-eruption. Encounter the spectacular La Fortuna waterfall. Be amazed by the lush vegetation on its 70-meter high walls, the huge volcanic rocks at its foot, and the water splashing down in its massive pool. Bask in its beauty or even take a refreshing dip. Return to the viewpoint then walk down to the little village of the Maluku Indians. Seated in their Palenke (main house), enjoy a rest while listening to an interesting story about their culture, art, and history.  After being active for a few hours, the time has come to relax and enjoy a typical hot lunch. Next to the restaurant is a butterfly garden and frog pond that you can explore until your food is served.  Reenergized, take a 15-minute ride to the park at the foot of the Arenal volcano. Being the trek through the primary forest where you can see huge trees with giant roots. Besides a variety of birds, the forest is host to monkeys, sloths, and coati. Leave the forest and each the highest viewpoint that exists around the volcano and absorb the most spectacular panoramic views of Lake Arenal, the jungle, the valley, the lava fields, and most of all the Arenal that towers over you.  Conclude your tour at the natural hot spring resort. Relax in its soothing warm water for about an hour and enjoy a volcanic mud facial and a complimentary cocktail. Afterward, you will be taken back to your accommodation.

Benefit from pick-up at your hotel in the La Fortuna area, and travel to Arenal Volcano to hike the paths surrounding the mighty mountain. Get back to nature in Arenal Volcano National Park, where most of the 850 species of bird identified in Costa Rica can be found. Look out for other wildlife, such as white-faced capuchin monkeys, jaguars and deer. Then, cool down with a swim in a natural pool at La Fortuna waterfall. Once we are refreshed, will move to the restaurant to taste our delicious typical meal "Casado" Marvel at the stunning landscapes of a secondary rainforest at the base of the park, and a primary rainforest with amazing biodiversity amongst the hanging bridges. Walk through the rainforest on a network of 15 suspension bridges of various levels of difficulty in Mistico Park.

One of the main attractions in Fortuna is to take a Zip Line Tour ( Canopy Tour ). You will enjoy 8 cables with 11 different platforms and 50mts high rappel where you can see the impressive Canyon of the Arenal River and the extraordinary flora and fauna of the rain forest. You will have the opportunity to see the three kinds of monkeys that live in this zone, toucans, hummingbird and sloths. Put on your high-quality gear and soar through the the rainforest canopy with exceptional views of local birdlife. Fly high over the canopy of the rain forest and feel what adrenaline means for nature lovers.

Enjoy pick-up from your hotel in a comfortable bus and travel to Los Chiles. Board the boat and begin your river adventure. Experience a 2.5 hour floating safari through a tropical rainforest, as you arrive at the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge.  View hundreds of resident birds and watch them eating. Observe the wood stork in its natural habitat and keep an eye out for the neotropic cormorant, which makes its nest in the area. Travel along the river and see spider monkeys, turtles, three-toed sloths and caimans. Indulge with a typical Costa Rican lunch at a restaurant, complimented with regional fruit, natural juices and coffee. 

The Arenal area is well known for its diverse wildlife, and as well as the 2 different Sloth species: two-toed sloths and three-toed sloths. Another most wanted species sought for their colors, unique features and history are the multicolored toucan and the blue jeans dart frog. On your search for these three beautiful animals, your knowledgeable guide will drive you around La Fortuna's beautiful spotting areas, where you will search for wildlife together. Birds, iguanas and monkeys are among the animals that you might also encounter whilst on this enjoyable safari. Breakfast and snacks are arranged according to the customers' best interest, and all the animals that you will encounter on this tour will be in their natural habitats. At the conclusion of your tour, you will be returned back to your nearby accommodation.

Explore the Arenal National Park on a guided morning tour, see the Arenal Volcano, an emerald lake, and enjoy a local lunch before relaxing in natural hot springs. See all the stunning beauty of the Arenal area on this day tour. Explore narrow jungle trails and conquer huge lava rocks as you explore the natural beauty and landscape of the area. Admire the impressive Arenal Volcano looming as you explore the area at the base of the volcano, and take in the immensity of this now silent giant. Make your way down as a bilingual guide teaches the group about the ecosystem and the wildlife that may be encountered. Reach the bottom part of the trek and take the opportunity to see an emerald green clean lake. Enjoy a typical local lunch, and finish the experience with a visit to a small resort, and relax in natural hot water pools for about an hour.

Tour the best locations in Costa Rica and learn about local life and culture from those who live there. Visit a coffee plantation, zip line, and soak in the hot springs at the base of the Arenal Volcano. Take the scenic route to the Arenal Volcano and visit a coffee plantation along the way. Gain an insight into the world of Costa Rican coffee and taste one of the best coffees in the world. Arrive at the "La Paz" and "San Fernando" waterfalls and admire the exotic tropical birds of Costa Rica, including many species of hummingbirds and rare emerald toucanets. Take in the views at the San Fernando Waterfall observation point before heading to the "Iguana Bridge", where you will have the chance to spot iguanas, sloths, monkeys, and toucans. Stop for an authentic Costa Rican lunch in a restaurant located in "La Fortuna." Then, prepare for a zip-lining adventure in the local rainforest jungles with 9 canopy cables and a 50 meter (150 feet) rappel on the Arenal River. Learn about the culture while listening to a "Maleku" Indigenous tribe presentation from locals. Relax for a couple of hours in the Paradise Hot Springs at the base of Arenal Volcano, surrounded by tropical gardens followed by dinner.

Discover a natural paradise of walking trails and 6 hanging bridges on the interpretative nature paths of Mistico Park. Get closer to nature and see the flora and fauna from a more intimate perspective as you get the chance to walk on the forest floor, swing from the branches or soar over the tree canopies like an eagle! Take in the amazing views at Waterfall Bridge, and learn more about the rainforest from a naturalist guide. Hear about the animal life, geography and history of the region, and get some breathtaking views of the volcano, depending on the weather.

After 10 minutes walk through the forest we arrive to the Maleku Village at the botton of the Arenal River. Natives will perform a 20 minutes introduction to their culture, medicine and traditions. After, we will take to tubs and hike 10 minutes till get to the river, where we will enjoy the tubing adventure and have a short briefing about security. After a short walk, we arrive at the foot of the river, where the tubing starts. Then everyone gets his proper rafting “tube” to make the adrenaline in your body seek its way out, while you have to navigate through Arenal River crystal clear rapids. Afterwards we go to the changing rooms and get back to Go Adventure base to continue with your next adventure.

After being collected from your hotel, you will make your way to the rafting site. Once there you will undergo a brief orientation session, before taking to the river to experience class III and IV white water rafting on the beautiful Balsa River. You will navigate 10 kilometers of white water rapids, stopping along the way to rest a bit. You can also indulge in a little swimming, and enjoy some fresh Costa Rica fruit. Following your white water rafting, you will receive a clean towel and cold complimentary water. You will then be taken to a local restaurant to have a Costa Rica style lunch and coffee, before eventually being returned back to your accommodation.