Journey Through Lava Fields in Arenal National Park

Arenal Volcano is one of Costa Rica's most visited natural landmarks, locatedin the northern lowlands near the town of La Fortuna. The area sits within a more than 29,000-acre national park and offers visitors access to lava fields, rainforest trails, and some of the country's highest biodiversity. For travelers planning an Arenal Volcano hiking adventure, the volcano and its surrounding park provide well-maintained routes through a remarkable landscape that is both geologically and ecologically significant.

What Awaits on a Hike Through Arenal's Lava Fields

Rising nearly 5,500 feet above the surrounding rainforest, Arenal Volcano is the centerpiece of one of Costa Rica's most celebrated national parks. The volcano last erupted in 1968, and the hardened lava fields that were left behind have since become a living example of ecological recovery — where ferns, bromeliads, and young trees push through ancient rock to reclaim the land.

The terrain shifts from open, rocky pathways with panoramic views of the volcano's cone to dense primary rainforest where the canopy closes overhead, and howler monkeys swing from tree branches. Trails wind past waterfalls, natural swimming holes, and viewpoints overlooking Lake Arenal — the largest lake in Costa Rica. The volcano's peak is most visible early in the morning, before clouds from the Caribbean side move in and cover it.

Experiencing an Arenal Volcano Hiking Adventure on a Small Group Tour

One of the biggest decisions any traveler makes when planning a Costa Rica trip is how to move around the country. Large tour buses can feel impersonal, and self-guided travel often means missing the context that knowledgeable tour guides bring to your travels. A small group adventure tour in Arenal addresses both of those limitations.

Gondwana Ecotours keeps group sizes intentionally small to protect both the experience and the environment. Smaller groups mean:

• Less environmental impact on sensitive trail ecosystems

• More flexibility to pause, observe wildlife, and move at a natural pace

• Direct access to knowledgeable local guides who can answer questions in real time

• A genuine sense of community among travelers with shared values

The tour moves through Costa Rica with 24/7 support from local Costa Rican guides and a Gondwana trip leader — people who know where the sloths sleep, which trees the toucans favor at dawn, and how to read the forest for signs of wildlife activity.

The Arenal National Park Wildlife Tour Experience

The national park surrounding Arenal Volcano supports an exceptional collection of wildlife. An Arenal National Park wildlife tour gives travelers the chance to encounter animals in their natural habitat, iving freely in a primary rainforest that has never been cleared.

One of the most sought-after animals on a wildlife tour in Costa Rica is the monkey. Costa Rica is home to four species of monkeys, all potentially spotted in the Arenal region:

• Howler monkeys, whose deep calls echo through the forest at dawn and dusk

• White-faced capuchins, curious and often visible near forest edges

• Spider monkeys, agile and acrobatic through the high canopy

• Squirrel monkeys, smaller and social, traveling in large troops

Sloths are also highly popular with tourists, and a skilled guide can spot them camouflaged high in the cecropia trees. Both two-fingered and three-fingered sloths inhabit the region. Bird life is equally diverse — toucans, resplendent quetzals, and great green macaws, among the most endangered parrots in the world, have all been documented in and around Arenal National Park.

Beyond Arenal: Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula and Corcovado

The tour also travels south to the Osa Peninsula, where Corcovado National Park protects over 100,000 acres of lowland tropical rainforest. The park is home to jaguars, tapirs, scarlet macaws, and more than 400 bird species. Exploration happens on foot through primary forest, by boat along jungle rivers, and while snorkeling in the Pacific. Travelers stay at Corcovado Wilderness Lodge, which is accessible only by boat, signaling just how remote the destination is.

What Makes This an Ecotour?

During an Arenal Volcano hiking adventure, travelers meet local Ticos — Costa Rican people — who share their knowledge of conservation, sustainable land use, and the Pura Vida philosophy. Accommodations are eco-lodges chosen for their environmental standards and community relationships. The tour is structured to direct spending into local economies and support active conservation initiatives.

How Small Group Ecotourism Benefits Costa Rica

Costa Rica has built one of the most respected conservation models in the world, and responsible tourism is central to how it functions. A small group adventure tour in Arenal — or anywhere else in the country — generates economic and environmental benefits that larger, mass-market tours cannot replicate.

Small group operators rely on local infrastructure: regional guides, locally owned lodges, nearby markets, and community-based transportation. In areas like the Osa Peninsula, where sustainable tourism is one of the only viable alternatives to logging or large-scale agriculture, that spending directly funds forest preservation.

Many of Costa Rica's best naturalist guides grew up in the communities surrounding the parks they now protect. When travelers book with an operator like Gondwana, they're supporting careers that make conservation financially worthwhile for the people living closest to the land — a genuine alignment between local livelihoods and intact ecosystems.

What You Can Learn on an Arenal Volcano Hiking Adventure

An Arenal Volcano hiking adventure or an Arenal National Park wildlife tour is the kind of experience that changes what travel can mean. Gondwana's Costa Rica ecotour offers the expertise, the access, and the operational practices to make that possible for travelers who are ready for an immersive – and once-in-a-lifetime – adventure!

To uncover more insights about the Arenal Volcano and to receive an up-to-date itinerary of our planned activities for this trip, please download our travel brochure here.