Best things to do in La Fortuna Costa Rica
There are numerous activities to do in La Fortuna Costa Rica, and the surrounding area. Whether you’re staying for 3 days or 7, you’ll have a difficult time being bored.
Read on to learn all about the different activities and the best things to do in the La Fortuna Costa Rica!
Hikes and Activities
If you’re spending time in La Fortuna, you’ll most likely spend most of your time outdoors. There are plenty of outdoor activities to do in the area, from easy going strolls to intense adrenaline filled day trips. There is something for everyone!
Here are some of the most popular hikes and activities to do in the area. Plus, find at the end an multi day itinerary to get the most out of your trip and not miss out on the best things to do to La Fortuna!
Arenal Volcano Hike
The Arenal Volcano hike is a must if you are visiting the La Fortuna Area. The hike is about 3 km round-trip and a fairly easy hike. Though somewhat steep, there are many places to take breaks and spot wildlife.
Most of the hike is in the jungle, where you can spot different birds, mammals and insects. The last 300 meters or so is on lava rock and can be a bit trickier to maneuver. At the end of the trail you’ll be gifted with a stunning view of the Volcano. Look closely and you might even spot some steam escaping from the Volcanos’ crater!
For this activity I recommend going with a tour guide. You’ll be more likely to spot wildlife as the tour guides have trained eyes and powerful telescopes. We went with a booked tour and ended up learning lots about wildlife, geology and the Arenal Volcano.
Cost of entry: $15 + tax for adults / $5 + tax for children
Rio Celeste Hike and Waterfall
If you like the idea of seeing a turquoise blue waterfall in the middle of the jungle, then this will be a must during your stay in the La Fortuna area.
The hike is 5.6 km and you should set aside 3-4 hours to complete the hike.
Unfortunately, swimming is not allowed in the national park. Therefore, if you’re dreaming of photos in the amazing turquoise waters, you’ll have to find spots along the river outside of the park.
Check out this post by MyTanFeet to learn where you can dip your toes in the gorgeous waters of the Rio Celeste!
Cost of entry: $12 + tax for adults / $5 + tax for children
La Fortuna Waterfall
If you’re a waterfall chaser, then a trip to La Fortuna Waterfall is a must. From the upper viewing platform, you get an amazing view of the cascading waterfall in the middle of the jungle. Though for some the views from the viewing platform will suffice, a visit to La Fortuna Waterfall won’t be complete without seeing it from below.
The 500-stair descent will take between 10-15 minutes. Down below in addition to taking some great photos you can also go for a swim.
You do not need a tour guide for this activity.
Cost of entry: $18 + tax for adults / $5 + tax for children
El Salto (Rio Fortuna)
Release your inner Tarzan with this free rope swing within walking distance of La Fortuna. Located near the Arenal Mundo Aventura park, there is a bridge that crosses the Rio Fortuna. Next to the bridge there is a footpath that goes down towards the river where you’ll find a rope swing. There will most likely be other tourists, and locals, as this is a rather known spot.
Getting there by foot is easy! It takes about 20 minutes from downtown La Fortuna, and there is a sidewalk.
Cost of entry: Free
Sloth Watching Trail
Though we may not all have the same love for sloths as Kristen Bell, seeing them live in their natural habitat is definitely a bucket list experience. At the Sloth Watching Trail, you have the opportunity to see two-toed sloths, three-toed sloths, poisonous frogs, snakes, lizards and other critters that reside in Costa Rican jungles. An entirely natural area, the animals roam freely and you won’t feel one bit as though you are in a zoo.
Located only 20 minutes by foot outside of down-town La Fortuna, you can easily get to the Sloth Park by foot if you don’t have a car.
Once you arrive at the park you will have the option of either being accompanied by a tour guide or going through on your own. I 100% recommend going with a tour guide. The tour-guides will have lots of fun facts to share about sloths and the other creatures in the park and they also have trained eyes for spotting wildlife. When we went, we saw 3 sloths thanks to our guide. Also, we hands-down would not have seen any of the poisonous dart frogs or snakes if it weren’t for our guide knowing exactly how to spot them.
Cost of entry (with guide): Cost of entry: $50 / $25
Check out their website here
Rafting
You can’t spend time in La Fortuna without doing a rafting trip! There are multiple companies that offer day trips for all skill levels. Whether you’re a beginner, or ready to raft down some class V rapids, you’ll find something for you.
We did a day trip with Jungle Tours, doing class III & IV rapids down the Balsa river. The entire day was packed with adrenaline and laughs.
Cost: Expect to pay between $80 and $90
Pro tip: go directly to the booth at the main square in La Fortuna and ask to pay cheaper in cash! We paid only $55 per person!
Canyoning
If water activities and adventure are you thing, then you’ll definitely want to spend a day repelling down waterfalls, jumping into pools and hiking through the forest.
Personally, I didn’t have time to do this tour (even though I wish I had), but everyone I met who had done it absolutely loved it.
Cost: Expect to pay between $80-$100
Ziplining
Ziplining is one of the main activities to do if you’re going to La Fortuna. How could you resist flying through the jungle canopy?
There are multiple places you can go for your zip-lining adventure. However, the one that was recommended to me by a tour guide was Sky Adventures. Check out their website here.
Cost: Expect to pay $80+
Hanging Bridges
For a magical jungle experience, visiting the hanging bridges is an absolute must. Easily done in a few short hours, hanging bridges give you a unique perspective of the jungle around you.
I recommend heading out to Mistico on the outskirts of town mostly because the bridges here are made of metal (vs some parks have plastic ones). Also, you get far enough from the city to feel like you’re having an authentic jungle experience.
Cost: $27
Check out their website here.
Night Walk
If you’re into seeing night critters, then a night walk should definitely be on your to do list. Night walks are especially great if you’re into snakes, spiders, insects and other nocturnal creatures. Mistico park offers a really good night walk, as do other tour guides in the area.
Cost: Expect to pay around $40
Note: people sometimes add trips last minute, so I recommend looking at their site up until 3 days before you leave.
Itineraries
As promised, here are a few itinerary options based on how many days you have in La Fortuna area.
I recommend a minimum of 3 full days in La Fortuna to get the most out of your time there. If you plan on doing a night walk at some point, you can add it to any one of the days in the itinerary.
Day 1 : La Fortuna waterfall / Arenal volcano hike / Natural hot springs
I highly recommend doing a tour with Arenal Jungle Adventures that combines these 3 activities in one fun filled day. It may sound like a lot of ground to cover, yet the day goes smoothly and you get to do some of the best things in La Fortuna area.
I can recommend Jungle Tours Arenal Volcano / La Fortuna Waterfall / Hot River tour. Find more info here on their website.
Day 2: Rafting trip down the Balsa (or canyoning) / relax in the hot springs
If you’re an adrenaline junkie, then you can’t go wrong with white water rafting down the Balsa river. Many tour operators in the area have day trips you can take part in.
After a day of adrenaline, head to the free hot springs an hour or so before sunset to relax, and enjoy the evening ambiance. If you want to stay after sunset, bring some candles to light for a cozy ambiance.
I can recommend Jungle Tours rafting day trip, here is the link.
For more information about the hot springs, check out my post here.
Day 3: Zip lining / Mistico Hanging bridges
Ideally, ziplining and hanging bridges would be done on different days. However, if you are short on time, you can fit both of these adventures into one fun day.
If you have more than 3 days to spend in La Fortuna, then you’re in luck! Obviously, lots of the activities from the 3-day itinerary can be done at a slower pace, over more days. If you are in a rush to do as many things as possible though, stick to the multiple activities per day.
Day 4: See sloths & other critters / take a coffee & chocolate tour
Start your day with a stroll on the sloth watching trail. I highly recommend getting a guide, as they will be able to point out the sloths and give you an up-close look.
Eat lunch at the café down the street and take part in a coffee and chocolate tour. Of course, there are many others in the area!
Day 5: Enjoy some natural hot springs
Choose one of the many hot springs in the area for a day of relaxation. Seeing as entry can be costly, I recommend making a full day out of this activity!
Need helping choosing the perfect hot spring for the day? Check out my article here!
Day 6: Rio Celeste
If you like hiking and waterfalls, you won’t want to miss out on a day trip to Rio Celeste. You can’t swim at the waterfall itself, so if you’re dying to cool off, check out the other areas you can swim in the area.
Day 7: Canyoning (or rafting)
Finish off the week with some more adrenaline! The canyoning day trips are guaranteed to give you your adrenaline fix.
Personally, I generally like to do one main activity during the day and use the rest of the day to relax. If this is also your preference here are the activities you could go without doing: Rio Celeste, coffee/chocolate tour, one of the adrenaline activities.
No matter how you decide to spend your time, you’re going to love La Fortuna! How many days do you plan on going? Are there any other activities you can recommend?If you’ve been, what were your favorite things to do in La Fortuna?