Before 1968, Arenal Volcano was dormant for hundreds of years and covered by thick forest. In 1968 it erupted unexpectedly, destroying the nearby village. It was Costa Rican’s most active volcano and had multiple lava flows between 1968 and 2010. Since 2010 it has been dormant again, but you can still see the smoke coming out of it. It is located in the northern part of Costa Rica and is a 30 mins drive from La Fortuna.
We visited Arenal Volcano National park as a guided trip with Gate1. In the morning, we were picked up by Gate1 bus from our hotel and traveled towards the Arenal Volcano National Park. It took around 1 hour to get there. Our tour included payment for the admission charge.
The park map shows different trails to get to the observation point. We did the 1992 old lava flow which was 2km and offered stunning views of the volcano.
There was a big parking lot, and it offered beautiful views of the volcano. We were so lucky to have a clear day on our visit. The guide mentioned that the volcano is mainly covered in clouds and difficult to see on most days.
We hiked around 2 kms through the forest to get to the base, and the guide explained the history and the plants. We didn’t see any wildlife on our hike, but we could hear the birds chirping.
It was a great way to see nature and learn the great variety of flora and fauna. It rains a lot in this area, so it’s better to bring a rain jacket, bug spay and closed shoes for the hike.
There were two hiking paths to get to the volcano’s base; we took the shorter one, which took around 1 hour.
The trail was mostly flat; at the end of the trail, you could climb up the stairs and some lava rocks to reach the observation point with great views.
We can also see the lake on the other side, offering beautiful views.
Other activities in the La Fortuna area include Ziplining, horseback riding, ATV tours, hanging bridges, waterfalls, and more. After visiting the volcano, we continued our tour toward Monteverde.