Arenal Volcano National Park
See Arenal Volcano map for location
We will add information, maps and photos to this page about the Arenal Volcano National Park in the following days.
A visit to the Park is included in our FULL DAY ARENAL 4 in 1 tour with transportation
Views of the lava from the road in front of the Park as of September 22, 2005 (still flowing in this direction as we update this page on Feb. 3, 2006). You can hire a taxi or drive to the entrance and see the volcano at night without going in the Park as it close at 4h pm. Local taxis charge $20 for a round trip from La Fortuna (or any hotel on the north face) and include a 1 hour wait so you can see the lava.
Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal: Ranger's station: 461-8499. Nice views of the volcano & of the actual lava flow activity because the Park is on the west side and lava is now flowing West & South-West (updated September 22 '05) after flowing more than 9 years mainly on the North face. Note that the flow can change direction anytime so just ask locals or call the Ranger's station for an update.
Short trails (3.4 km & 2 km) go through some young secondary forests & old lava from previous eruptions. The Park Rangers are keeping a sharp eye on the volcanic activity and will tell you which trails or opened or not and will not hesitate to evacuate the Park if they feel it's unsafe for visitors. So no worries about safety.
Opened from 8h am till 4h pm, entrance fee is $7 pp. If you do not have a car, you can take the 8h am bus in La Fortuna going to Tilaran and ask the driver to drop you off to the "Parque Nacional" from there it's a 2km walk to the entrance. To go back catch the Tilaran / La Fortuna bus passing where you got off @ 2h pm or simply ask for a ride to one of the visitors. A taxi is $15 one way from the village, about 20 minutes. If you drive it could be a side trip when doing the nearby Sky Tram / Sky Trek Tour offered on this site. See Arenal Volcano map for location
Part of the Area de Conservación Arenal managed by the Ministerio del Ambiente y Energía
Tel: 695-5908 - 695-5180 Fax: 695-5982
Apartado Postal #86, La Fortuna, San Carlos
The Arenal Conservation Area stretches 200,000 hectares along the northern spine of Costa Rica. It is an area that is crucial to the Costa Rican economy.
Lake Arenal is a human enlarged lake that supplies up to 40 percent of the country's hydroelectric supply. Windmills catch the wind that whips along the top edge of the Tilarán mountains on the west side of the Lake Arenal. Volcanic activity also is tapped for its electrical power at the Miravalles Volcano Geothermic Plant.
The region is also a major supplier of beef and dairy products for domestic and export as well as being one of the major tourist attractions of Costa Rica.
The high mountains of the Monteverde Cloud Forest area south of the volcano also make it ideal for the productions of some of the best coffee found in Central America.
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Reception / Ranger Station - Caseta de entrada
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Trails - Senderos |
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Information - Información
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Lookouts - Mirador |
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Toilets - Servicio sanitario |
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Parking - Estacionamiento |
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