Costa Rica Hot Springs ToursLa Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal and Hot Springs Tour
This La Fortuna waterfall, Arenal and hot springs tour packs eleven hours of the area into one day with Red Lava TSC, priced at $92.40 per person. You hike to La Fortuna Waterfall, cross hanging bridges, walk lava rock fields, visit a butterfly garden and a Maleku Indian village, then finish at a hot springs resort with the entry fee already covered. It is the most reviewed listing on this site by a wide margin, with 2,589 reviews averaging 4.8. This page sets out what the price covers, what the day looks like stop by stop, and who should book something shorter instead. Compare it with other Costa Rica hot springs tours first and the booking decision gets easier.
About This Tour
Red Lava TSC runs this shared full day tour out of La Fortuna town. Groups are capped at 12 people per booking, but your group joins other groups on a shared bus, so the vehicle can carry more than 12. The day stacks six or seven different stops before the soak, which is the final segment of the roughly 11 hours. A bilingual guide in Spanish and English stays with you throughout.
The hot springs stop is at a resort the listing does not name. The tour office sits opposite Relax Termalitas Hot Springs, but the record does not confirm that venue is the one used, so ask the operator before booking if a named resort matters to you. What the listing does promise is a resort with natural mineral hot water and a complimentary cacique cocktail at the end.
$92.40 per person, entry fees included
About 11 hours, final segment at the hot springs resort
A hot springs resort with natural mineral hot water, venue not named by the listing
Lunch and beverage, fruit break, coffee break, cocktail, national park and waterfall fees, resort entry, central La Fortuna hotel transport
Not stated. The springs are the last stop of the day and no soak length is published
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled departure time for a full refund
Check Dates and Availability
The tour runs on a shared bus model with up to 12 travelers per booking, so dates can fill around peak season. Check live dates below.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Quick answer Price, length and the short version
This La Fortuna waterfall, Arenal and hot springs tour costs $92.40 per person and runs about 11 hours, hotel pickup included only within central La Fortuna.
Key takeaways
- Entry to the national park, the waterfall and the hot springs resort is included, along with lunch and a cocktail, so the headline price is close to the day's real cost.
- The soak is the final slice of a long day and the listing does not state how long you get in the water. If you want a springs-focused visit, the Morning Arenal Volcano Hike, Lunch and Natural Hot Springs River fits it into 6 hours.
- Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure. Cancel inside that window and you get nothing back, so confirm pickup time in writing first.
- Compare it with other hot springs tours in Costa Rica before you commit.
What the Price Actually Covers
At $92.40 this is one of the cheaper full day combos in the catalogue, and most of the day's costs sit inside the headline figure. The table below sets out each line from the listing itself.
What Is in the $92.40
The listing includes the hot springs resort entrance fee, national park entry, waterfall admission, round-trip hotel transport in the La Fortuna area, a bilingual guide, a traditional Costa Rican lunch with a beverage, a fruit break, a coffee break and one complimentary cacique cocktail. That is an unusually complete inclusion list for the price. None of the fees are billed separately afterwards.
The honest caveat is transport. Pickup outside the central La Fortuna area is not included, and no transport surcharge figure is published for hotels further out. If you sleep at an Arenal lake hotel or a remote lodge, message the operator before booking and get the extra cost in writing.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hot springs resort entry | Yes | Resort not named in the listing |
| National park and waterfall fees | Yes | Both admissions covered |
| Lunch and beverage | Yes | Traditional Costa Rican lunch, plus fruit and coffee breaks |
| Cocktail | One included | Other alcoholic drinks cost extra |
| Hotel transport | Central La Fortuna only | Pickup outside the area not included, surcharge not stated |
| Guide | Yes | Bilingual, Spanish and English |
| Breakfast and dinner | No | Listed as exclusions, plan both meals around the day |
| Gratuities | No | Optional, for guide and driver |
Sources: Río Negro Hot Springs, Hacienda Guachipelín, Hacienda Orosi and Rincón de la Vieja Volcano on Wikipedia.
La Fortuna Waterfall. Photo: Isabella Jusková bellaskova, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
The listing does not print a minute-by-minute schedule, but it names every stop in order. Here is the sequence with what each involves.
Morning: Waterfall and Bridges
The day starts with hotel pickup in central La Fortuna. No pickup window is published, and the listing says pickups commence before the tour start, so you must contact the operator to verify your exact time. The first major stop is La Fortuna Waterfall, reached over high hanging bridges and down jungle staircases. The listing describes mountain trails and wildlife watching through the morning, and admission fees are already paid.
This is the physically demanding part. Jungle staircases and mountain trails mean the moderate fitness requirement is not a formality. Travelers with poor cardiovascular health are advised against the tour, which tells you the descent and climb at the waterfall is real work.
- La Fortuna Waterfall with admission included
- High hanging bridges and jungle staircases
- Mountain trails and wildlife watching
Afternoon: Culture and Volcano
After the trails the route moves to quieter stops: a butterfly garden, a giant tree forest, el lago verde and a Maleku Indian village visit. Then comes the volcano segment, walking the lava rock fields and reaching what the listing calls the highest scenic Arenal viewpoint. Lunch is a warm traditional Costa Rican meal with a beverage, taken somewhere within this run of stops, though the listing does not pin it to an exact point.
Note what is not promised: a clear volcano view. The listing sells the viewpoint, not the weather, and cloud sits over Arenal on plenty of days. Treat any crater or cone sighting as a bonus rather than a guarantee.
- Butterfly garden and giant tree forest
- Maleku Indian village visit
- Lava rock fields and the highest scenic Arenal viewpoint
Evening: the Soak
The hot springs resort is the final segment. Entry is included and you finish with the complimentary cacique cocktail. The listing does not state how long you spend in the water or the return time to your hotel.
After roughly 11 hours on the move, the soak is a reward at the end rather than the main event, and if you want more water time the listing itself points to the shorter 6-hour hike-and-river alternative, the Morning Arenal Volcano Hike, Lunch and Natural Hot Springs River.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing states several exclusions and health limits plainly. Check them before you book rather than after.
Health and Fitness Limits
The operator does not recommend the tour for travelers with poor cardiovascular health, and at least a moderate level of physical fitness is required. The jungle staircases at La Fortuna Waterfall and the mountain trails are the reason. Infants must sit on an adult's lap, and there is no seat or age barrier beyond the stated bands: child 4-14, adult 15-55, senior 56-80. Wheelchair access is not stated at all, so assume it is not accommodated and ask directly.
If eleven hours of trails sounds like too much, the 5-hour self-guided Rio Negro Hot Springs and Oropendola Waterfall Combo and Lunch trades the guiding for a relaxed springs-and-waterfall day in Guanacaste.
Where You Sleep Matters
Pickup covers the central La Fortuna area only. If you are staying in Guanacaste beach towns, this is not your tour. Travelers based in Tamarindo or the Papagayo area should look at a Guanacaste combo instead, such as the Guachipelin Volcano Combo: Zipline, River Tubing and Hot Springs, which picks up from those towns.
Travelers starting from the capital without a car can consider the 13-hour Arenal Volcano and Thermal Hot Springs from San Jose, though that makes an even longer day of it.
Arenal Volcano above La Fortuna. Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
What to Settle Before You Book
Four things are worth locking down before your card comes out, all drawn from the listing's own fine print.
Cancellation and Pickup Times
Free cancellation runs to 24 hours before the scheduled departure time for a full refund. Inside that window there is no refund, and bad weather does not trigger one either, since the listing confirms no weather cancellation policy. Book at least two days ahead of your planned soak so the deadline never becomes a trap.
The listing also warns that hotel pickups commence before the tour start and that you must contact the local operator to verify your exact pickup time. Do that when you book, not the night before.
What to Bring
The listing includes lunch and drinks but says nothing about towels or lockers, so bring a towel and dry clothes for the hot springs stop. You need swimwear, secure shoes for wet volcanic rock on the waterfall trails, and cash in colones or dollars for gratuities, which are optional for the guide and driver. The minimum drinking age for the cocktail is 18.
Getting to the Start
If you sleep in central La Fortuna, round-trip hotel transport is included and you need nothing else. If you sleep outside the central area, pickup is not included, and no surcharge figure is published. Your options are arranging your own way to the meeting point, which is the Red Lava Office in front of Relax Termalitas Hot Springs, or getting the extra transport cost confirmed in writing before booking.
Public transportation options are available nearby according to the listing, which helps self-drive and walk-in travelers.
The Day, Stop by Stop
The listing names each stop in sequence but prints no clock times, so the hours below are left blank where the operator does not state them.
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Hotel pickup in central La Fortuna
Round-trip transport is included within the central La Fortuna area only. Contact the operator when booking to verify your exact pickup time.
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La Fortuna Waterfall
Admission is included. You reach the falls over high hanging bridges and down jungle staircases, the most demanding walk of the day.
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Trails and wildlife watching
Mountain trails, a giant tree forest and el lago verde, with wildlife watching along the way.
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Butterfly garden and Maleku village
A cultural and nature block: the butterfly garden, then a visit to a Maleku Indian village.
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Lunch, fruit and coffee breaks
A warm traditional Costa Rican lunch with a beverage is included, plus a fruit break and a coffee break during the day. The listing does not fix the lunch to a specific stop.
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Lava fields and Arenal viewpoint
Walk the lava rock fields and finish at the highest scenic Arenal viewpoint. Cloud cover can hide the cone, and the listing does not promise the view.
-
Hot springs resort and cocktail
The final segment, at a resort the listing does not name, with natural mineral hot water. Entry is included and the day closes with a complimentary cacique cocktail.
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Return to La Fortuna
No return time is published. The drive back to your central La Fortuna hotel ends the roughly 11-hour day.
What Works and What Does Not
An honest read of the listing, including the parts the operator would rather you skimmed.
What we genuinely like
- Entry fees for the park, the waterfall and the hot springs resort are all included, so the $92.40 price is close to the day's real cost
- Lunch, fruit break, coffee break and one cocktail are in the price
- Groups are capped at 12 per booking, small by combo standards
- Eleven hours covers seven different stops, more variety than any single-venue day pass
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
The honest downsides
- No return time and no soak length are published, so you cannot know in advance how much water time you actually get
- The hot springs resort is not named, which makes it hard to judge the pools before booking
- Pickup outside central La Fortuna is not included and no surcharge is stated
- Your group joins other groups on a shared bus, so the 12-person cap is per booking, not per vehicle
- The moderate fitness requirement is real: jungle staircases and mountain trails rule out less mobile travelers
- No refund inside 24 hours, and bad weather does not trigger one
Who it's NOT for: Travelers with poor cardiovascular health, anyone needing wheelchair access, and visitors who want a long relaxed soak rather than an eleven-hour activity day.
Questions About This Tour
How much does the La Fortuna waterfall, Arenal and hot springs tour cost?
The listed price is $92.40 per person, which covers the national park entry, the waterfall admission, the hot springs resort entrance, lunch, breaks, one cocktail and central La Fortuna hotel transport. Breakfast, dinner, extra alcoholic drinks and gratuities are excluded. Compare the figure against other Costa Rica hot springs tours before booking.
Which hot springs does this tour visit?
The listing says a hot springs resort with natural mineral hot water but does not name it. The tour office sits in front of Relax Termalitas Hot Springs, though the record does not confirm that is the venue used. Ask the operator directly if a named resort matters to you, or pick a listing that names its water, such as the Rio Negro Hot Springs and Oropendola Waterfall Combo and Lunch.
How long is the day and how much time do I get in the hot springs?
The tour runs about 11 hours. The hot springs are the final segment, but the listing publishes neither a soak duration nor a return time, so plan for the soak being the shortest slice of the day. If water time is the priority, the Morning Arenal Volcano Hike, Lunch and Natural Hot Springs River finishes in 6 hours.
Is hotel pickup included?
Round-trip transport is included only within the central La Fortuna area. Pickup outside that area is excluded and no surcharge is published, so confirm any extra cost in writing with the operator before you book. The self-drive meeting point is the Red Lava Office in front of Relax Termalitas Hot Springs, and Costa Rica hot springs tour lists the full details on this page.
Can I cancel if my plans change?
Yes. Cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time and you get a full refund. Inside that window there is no refund and bad weather does not trigger one, so book with at least two days of buffer.
Is this tour suitable for children or older travelers?
The age bands are child 4-14, adult 15-55 and senior 56-80, and infants must sit on an adult's lap. The operator requires at least moderate fitness and advises against the tour for anyone with poor cardiovascular health, because the waterfall approach uses jungle staircases and mountain trails. Wheelchair access is not stated.
Is this the best hot springs tour in La Fortuna?
It is the most reviewed listing on this site, with 2,589 verified reviews averaging 4.8, but best depends on what you want. This one trades soak time for variety across seven stops. A springs-first alternative within the same region is the Arenal Volcano and Thermal Hot Springs from San Jose if you are starting from the capital, or the shorter local hike-and-river option above.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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