Horseback or boat, Monteverde to / from La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano)

There is quite a distance between those 2 villages. By road it's 136 kilometers (84.5 miles)*. La Fortuna altitude is 350 meters (1178 feet), Monteverde is straddling the Continental Divide at 1,500 meters (4921 feet). Because of the mountain, there is no direct route. The road makes a detour by Tilaran.

The road from La Fortuna to Tilaran is in good condition, but the dirt road one from Tilaran to Monteverde is really bumpy. A 4x4 is recommended, especially in rainy season, or if you are 4 persons. It's 3 hours by 4x4, 4 hours by car (not possible in peak rainy season for a car), 8 hours by public bus. A taxi cost $110 US for 4 persons, make sure you get a 4x4. See route map

This is why we organize these shortcuts. They are not designed as round trips, they are a fun way to get there. For example, you could go to a Pacific beach, come to Monteverde, go to Arenal, then return to San Jose. You would enjoy a sea level ecosystem, a mountain cloud forest, an active volcano, and a city. Just enough to get you hooked, so you can plan an other trip to Costa Rica. We can arrange a round trip, either from Monteverde, or La Fortuna, if it suits your itinerary. See a horseback riding slide show made by two families that went with us.

For our exciting horseback adventure, we recommend more to go from Monteverde to La Fortuna, because going down 1,500 meters is easier on the horses, the views are nicer, and when you arrive to the Arenal Volcano, the hot springs are a good thing after a 3 hour horseback ride! This said, we also go from Arenal to Monteverde if it suits your itinerary.

Horseback Ride Lake Route

We do these tours from La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano) also. Part of your group can go by horseback, the others by taxi - boat - taxi, and you meet at your destination.

It includes transfers from hotels, tax, and shipping of your luggage by mini bus. Our horses are strong, well kept and fed.

If you have a car, and would like to do the horseback trip Monteverde - Arenal, we can arrange someone to drive your rental car around the lake, and meet you at the destination. We will provide you the name and copy of the drivers license of the driver so you can submit this information to your rental car company so the vehicle will be fully insured. Besides any additional costs your rental company may charge this service is $40. Or you can always drive around the lake, and do a local  horseback riding tour in the Monteverde or Arenal area.

Horseback Monteverde to Arenal (Lake Route) Times and Booking

Arenal to Monteverde by Horse, Boat and Taxi Times and Booking

Read the journal of an other guest

By Taxi - Boat - Taxi

Monteverde to A, is 1 hour. A to #3 is a nice 30 minutes by boat .#3 to La Fortuna is 20 minutes by taxi.

The Taxi Boat Taxi company can drop you at the hot springs or at your hotel. It normally leaves at 8:00 am and 2:00 pm, but we can arrange a different time for a party of 4, and up.

Taxi-Boat-Taxi Monteverde to Arenal Times and Booking

These trips run from La Fortuna also.

Taxi-Boat-Taxi Arenal to Monteverde Times and Booking

Private Taxi Boat Taxi Times and Booking

Costumer Feedback

- Ferguson Family, April 2009.

Our family had a wonderful time on the ride from Moteverde to Arenal.  It is fun for all ages.  My parents 68 and 70 and our daughters 5 and 7 rode with us. The views were spectacular looking over the lake toward the volcano.

- Teresa Powell, April 2009.

We had a great experience on the tour.   Everyone along the way from the transportation to the stables, to the guide for the actual ride and then the driver to our hotel were extremely nice and attended to our every need.  They all made the trip very enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone.  If we are ever in Costa Rica again, I will certainly call on your service to help us plan the trip.

Thanks again,

Teresa Powell,

- Brick Rule, April 2009.

I was particularly impressed with the Horseback Ride from Arenal to Monteverde. I counted seven different things that had to take place as planned that day, transferring luggage, meeting the boat, finding the horses, finding lunch etc. Everything happened just like it was supposed to happen.

Transportation to / from Arenal from other destinations in Costa Rica.

View from the starting point of the horseback part in Monteverde, #1 on the map: the Mirador Lodge

If you have any questions, contact us at: info@monteverdeinfo.com

Usually, people spend the night in front of the Arenal Volcano, because the lava is much more visible and spectacular at night. Map of the Arenal Volcano area

For your Monteverde Cloud Forest visit, you should plan at least 2 nights, because there is many things to do, travel takes time to come up here, and when you leave, the buses all have early departure, except a 2:30 pm bus for San Jose.

*Distances in Costa Rica are expressed in the metric system.

The conversion is easy, might as well learn it know, because when you will ask directions in Costa Rica, we will answer you metric. Think football! One meter = 1 yard. 1 kilometer = 0.62 miles. 1 kilometer = 1,000 meter.

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