Arenal Volcano and Thermal Hot Springs from San Jose
Description
Your adventure begins in the picturesque town of Sarchí, recognised as the artisan heart of Costa Rica. Discover family workshops where master craftsmen create colourful hand-painted oxcarts, wooden furniture, and souvenirs reflecting generations of tradition. Next, travel through Costa Rica's fertile countryside of vast pineapple, mango, and banana farms and traditional cattle farms. Arrive in La Fortuna for a typical lunch at a restaurant with panoramic views of Arenal Volcano. This iconic 1,633-meter-tall volcano dominates the horizon and defines the region's landscape. After lunch, immerse yourself in a unique thermal experience. The La Fortuna area is world-renowned for its natural hot springs, heated by Arenal Volcano's geothermal activity. Many pools are connected by small waterfalls and thermal water slides for a complete sensory adventure. Finish your day with a delicious dinner while contemplating Arenal's silhouette against the sunset sky before returning to San José.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Enroute to the Arenal Volcano there will be a stop in the famous town of Sarchi, known as the birthplace of Costa Rica’s Artisans. In Sarchi, you may very well see an ox cart that holds the title as being the largest ox cart in the world. The cart is made of wood (cedar) and is decorated with stunning colors, such as a bright orange. The design is typical and intricate, indicative of traditional oxcarts. The ox cart is two stories high and took 70 days to complete. The oxcart is also deserves an honorable mention in the Guinness book of world records.
The journey will then continue, traversing diverse plantations with agricultural products, including pineapple farms, and mango groves, ornamental plants and cattle ranches until arriving to the small town of La Fortuna, and stopping to enjoy lunch at a cozy restaurant with a spectacular view of the Arenal volcano.
The impressive Arenal Volcano is a magnificent natural wonder that is situated in La Fortuna (The Fortune) of San Carlos, Costa Rica, providing thousands and thousands of tourists with the opportunity to witness volcanic activity, such as the white plumes of smoke that emanate from the conical shaped behemoth. It is important to note that the volcano had previously been assumed to be dormant, until in 1968, when it experienced a major eruption.
Then you will go on to relax at one of the best hot springs in the area where you will enjoy the rejuvenating effects of the thermal waters, as well as an optional massage or other special treatment that must be reserved ahead of time. And for a perfect ending, before going back to San José, a wonderful dinner will be served with a great view of the volcano so that you do not miss any opportunity to look at the stunning and classically shaped volcano one more time.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
“Tour departs from hotels in San Jose. You must indicate the hotel’s name in order to confirm the booking. Please confirm the pick up time at least 24 hours before the tour by contacting us via email: roy.madrigal@ds.destinationservices.com
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Bring to your tour: swimsuit, comfortable clothing, walking shoes, a change of clothes, and sunscreen
- Tour requires a minimum of two participants to operate
- Contact line available for handling hotel pick-up reconfirmations and day-to-day operational matters
Reviews(244)
The tour was pretty much a transport service. The guide spoke mostly Spanish and only the bare minimum was translated into English. The hot springs was my highlight and the reason why I booked this tour. The group ended up being divided into 3 different hot springs which was weird and we also had to wait for everyone to check in so if you are the last one you easily loose 30min. The drive is long and the roads are very curvey across the mountains so beware if you get motion sickness. I had to discuss with the guide cause she insisted that I should sit in the back just because I was solo. 3 stars cause the driver and the sights were great incl. the food but the guide was terrible and did not make me feel welcome.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the hot springs experience, the food, and the professionalism of your driver. We also appreciate your comments regarding the transportation logistics and guide communication. Because this tour brings together guests visiting different hot spring facilities, some waiting time during check-in can occasionally occur as we coordinate the various destinations. We regret that you felt the English interpretation and overall interaction from the guide did not meet your expectations, as we strive to make every guest feel welcome and included throughout the experience. Your observations are valuable and will be shared with our operations team as we continuously work to improve the guest experience
I give this tour 5 out of 5. Eric was absolutely amazing. I love the fact that he spoke English very well. He was so knowledgeable and friendly. He definitely gave superb customer service. He represented Costa Rica very well. My absolute favorite part of the tour was the Hot Springs. You definitely have to get a massage. I received a massage from a woman named Caroline, and she had the hands of a goddess! So good. I love the fact they provided lunch and dinner, but the food could have been a little bit better.
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We’re thrilled to hear that Eric made such a positive impact on your experience and delivered the level of service we strive for. It’s great to know you enjoyed the hot springs and had such a memorable massage with Caroline—that sounds like a highlight! We also appreciate your feedback regarding the food, as it helps us continue improving the overall experience for our guests.
They never came to pick me up from my hotel for the trip as they said they would, in writing. After waiting for them to come, I tried calling and texting them and they never responded. They never notified me they weren’t coming. I hope to get mymoney back for this non trip.
We’re very sorry for this experience and understand how frustrating it is. This is not the service we aim to provide. Please contact our customer support team directly with your booking details so we can review what happened and assist you with the refund process as soon as possible.
My taste was very sensational, well as the guide Paul very attentive and experienced you have a lot of capacity
Excellent guide with lots of knowledge . We had a comfortable ride and stopped at interesting places as well as a wonderful restaurant. We were never felt hurried.
We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the comfortable ride and the chance to visit interesting stops along the way. It’s great to know your guide’s knowledge helped make the experience even more special, and that you never felt rushed. We’re also glad you enjoyed the restaurant—it’s always a highlight!
I am not going to sugarcoat this review, we had a terrible experience. I booked a trip for six people (3 couples). I sent the link for this excursion, yet everyone else had a proper reservation, yet our reservation was not found. After going round and round about the happening, we ended up having to pay $404 (which was more than the original cost) to book with another company so that we could all be together. Perhaps it was a mistake on my end and I am fine with acknowledging that, but the bigger issue is no one ever showed up to pick my wife and I up from the original reservation. No communication or anything. We were able to get our money back from the first reservation due to this fake, so this company has to be held accountable for bad business practices. Book at your own discretion.
On the way to Arenal we stopped at a park and factory where we learned about the history of oxcart manufacturing and painting. The walk to Arenal and view were beautiful. Hot sptings at Los Lagos worth the trip.
Arenal Volcano is one of the most active and iconic volcanoes in Costa Rica. It is located in Arenal National Park. Arenal volcano is a remarkable stratovolcano, it has a conical shape typical of volcanoes. It was constantly erupting from its reactivation in 1968 until 2010. Parking is right outside the park entrance. Admission is subject to charge. 6 trails of different durations and difficulties will be offered. The volcano is not directly accessible. Beautiful views of the Arenal and its lake at its base you can enjoy.
Absolutely horrible!!!!! No communication whatsoever… whoever runs this experience needs to get fired! I’m coming for the United States my number doesn’t work here so I have WhatsApp and the tour guide should have had WhatsApp as well for 1 week now I emailed I tried calling from the hotel I contacted support absolutely horrible! I hope the same thing happens to them!
We’re truly sorry for the frustration this experience caused. We understand how upsetting it is when communication fails, especially while traveling internationally and relying on WhatsApp and email. This is not the level of service we expect from our team or partners. Your feedback has been shared internally so we can review what went wrong with the communication and prevent this from happening again. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention and regret the inconvenience it caused during your visit.
It is a good tour you eat rich in two places, the tour of Sarchi is the essential to buy your wagon, the volcano if it is not cloudy you can see and the thermals are delicious
