Begin this tour by heading to the El Silencio Private Reserve to get as close to the base of the Arenal Volcano as possible by vehicle. Next, walk approximately one kilometer along a volcanic stone path with a moderate degree of difficulty until reaching the viewpoint, the closest point to the volcano guests are permitted to access. At this viewpoint, the guide will provide relevant information on the formation of the Arenal Volcano, its period of activity, as well as unpublished details of its first eruption in 1968. Tour guests will also enjoy the excellent views of the Green Lagoon and Lake Arenal.
For a change of scenery, the tour group will enter the regenerating forest and onto the primary rainforest located along the outskirts of the Arenal Volcano. With a little luck, this one-mile trail will provide the group with the opportunity to see a wide variety of plants and animals that inhabit the rainforest like toucans, turkeys, orioles, peccaries, snakes, and monkeys. At the end of the tour, the driver will be waiting with delicious tropical fruits to enjoy before guests are returned to their hotel.
If they so choose, participants can add a visit to the hot springs of their choice at additional cost. At the hot springs, guests will enjoy thermal mineral waters for approximately three hours on their own. Afterward, they will be picked up and taken back to their hotel.
Be sure to bring binoculars, insect repellent, tennis shoes, camera, comfortable clothing, a raincoat, and hiking shoes.
Duration: 4 hours