Alajuela Province

Jeep & 4WD Tours

This tour is ideal for those who want to take advantage of their nights in Costa Rica to discover some of the country’s nocturnal wonders. You will begin your tour in the small town of La Tigra, located just 30 minutes from La Fortuna. Here you will meet a local family who has devoted part of their land to the natural regeneration of plants and animals.  Once you arrive, you will take the trail into a small patch of rainforest with some mirrored lakes, which facilitate wildlife observation. You can expect to see a variety of nocturnal birds and mammals, insects, amphibians, bats, and more. The trail will take you around the mirrored lakes to the frog sanctuary, which is an area dedicated to the regeneration and natural reproduction of frog species. Here you will discover countless species such as the dart frog and the bullfrog, the smallest and largest species in Costa Rica, as well as the spectacular Red-Eyed Tree Frog, and the beautiful Glass Frog. After the tour, a delicious Costa Rican dinner prepared on a wood burning stove will await You. You will enjoy your dinner viewing the lights of the valleys of San Carlos, before returning to your hotel in La Fortuna.

After being picked up from your hotel at your chosen time, you will start this exciting journey into the sloths' territory, which is within a small family-friendly eco-project just 5 minutes from La Fortuna. The project has a path of 1500 meters (a little less than a mile) which is suitable for adults, families, and children of all ages. You will venture into the forest for 2 hours, where you will be surrounded by plants, a river bordering the property and of course, the Guarumo Trees (Cecropia obtusifolia), which are the favorite food of sloths in Costa Rica. During this tour, you will learn about the importance of the sloths' protection, as illegal trade has grown due to its increasing popularity. Because of this, Ecoterra Expeditions, along with the Rodríguez family, are maintaining this privileged area to protect the sloths in Costa Rica. Your specialized guide will be an expert in locating these sloths, so you can be guaranteed of a sloth observation during your tour. It's important to remember that the sloth is a solitary animal and spends most of its time sleeping and resting on the treetops. The two-toed sloth and three-toed sloth can be observed in the route, and now and then, visitors may have the incredible experience of watching the mother with its offspring. Your naturalist guide will supply high-quality optical gear to provide a 100% satisfying observation without any impact to the naturally smiling sloths. At the end of this natural experience, you will be driven back to your hotel where you will be left understanding just why you cannot come to Costa Rica without seeing a sloth.

After appreciating the natural of beauty of Costa Rica and its rainforests above ground, this activity gives you the opportunity to explore what’s beneath the earth. A certified nature guide will take you on underground trails that lead through grottos and chambers on this half-day spelunking adventure. Enter a labyrinth of ancient underground rivers and sea beds, all accessible now after being hidden for thousands of years. Some of the most common rock formations inside the caves are stalactites and stalagmites, and yet they create the most amazing shapes. A great colony of bats inhabits the caves, as do a multitude of spiders and crabs. Experience a very different side of Costa Rica and get ready to get wet and dirty as you explore the astounding underground world.

The tour begins at your hotel’s lobby, where you will head to El Silencio Private Reserve, in order to reach as close to the Arenal Volcano as permitted by car. From there, you will begin a 1 km walk along a trail of volcanic rock (rated as only moderate in difficulty) to reach the observation point, which is the closest possible distance you can be to the base of the volcano. At the observation point, your guide will provide interesting information regarding the formation of the Arenal Volcano, its periods of activity, and unedited details of its major eruption in 1968, as well as giving you the opportunity to enjoy the incredible views of the Arenal Volcano and the Arenal Lake. Afterwards, you will begin your return trip down the same trail to the starting point. For the next stage of the expedition, you will change scenery and enter into the regenerating forest and small area of primary rainforest found at the base of the Arenal Volcano. This trail is about 1.5 km in length, and with a little luck, you will have the opportunity to discover a large variety of flora and fauna, including toucans, wild turkeys, orioles, wild boars, snakes, and monkeys. After the trails, your driver will be waiting for you with a delicious snack of tropical fruit, before returning you to your hotel in La Fortuna to enjoy the remainder of your stay. If you prefer, you can visit the hot springs of your choice for approximately 3 hours, for an additional cost. After having time to enjoy these natural thermal waters, you will be picked up in a modern mini-van to take you to your hotel.

Discover one of the most amazing sights in Costa Rica on a full-day tour of the Tenorio Volcano National Park, part of the Arenal Tilaran Conservation Area, including a 3.5-hour hike to the crystalline waters of Los Teñideros in the Celeste River. Marvel at the magnificent turquoise waters and surrounding nature of the Rio Celeste. Located on the flanks of the Tenorio Volcano, the river is unique in Costa Rica and astounds visitors with its natural beauty. A circuit trail of 4.2 miles (7 kilometers) will take you through the forest, passing scenic spots such as Los Teñideros, where the river acquires a different color due to the chemical reactions. Visit the mud-filled fumaroles of Las Ollas (“Cooking Pots”), legendary for their healing properties. Continue to a startling turquoise waterfall of the Rio Celeste, before heading back along the banks of the river, enjoying the bubbling water and the nature surrounding you along the way. Finish your tour of one of the most interesting places in Costa Rica with a delicious lunch.

Visit La Fortuna Waterfall, located in a Nature Reserve, famous for its height at 230 feet. Take a swim in its cool waters or stop to take photos.  Travel to a restaurant in La Fortuna Downtown for a delicious à la carte lunch. Choose from five options for your meal. Set off for Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park. Hike through the 3.1km trail, high above the tree canopy. Cross many hanging and stationary bridges and keep a look out for wildlife along the way. 

Popularly referred to as the Hule Lagoon, this 55 hectares (136 acres) diameter beautiful lagoon is located at the base of the Cerro Congo Volcano, 11 km (6.83 miles) from the famous Poas Volcano. This area is renowned for its excellent trekking trails due to the variety of scenery and terrain, from clay, to dirt, volcanic rock, and grasslands in a rainforest at 800 m above sea level. Depart from La Fortuna around 7:30 am, to drive 1.5 hours through the plains of San Carlos, on the outskirts of the Juan Castro Blanco National Park, until you reach the Hule Lagoon. On arrival, prepare for an expedition to the volcanic lagoons and begin a hike through the pastures that border the forest of the volcanic caldera of the Hule Lagoon. During the descent, head into the exceptional rainforest of the area where you will enjoy incredible views of the primary and secondary lagoons. Along the 8 km (5 miles) circuit trail, visit 2 of the 3 most important lagoons of the area, from 15 to 55 hectares in diameter. After this amazing and intense 3-4 hour hike, arrive at the main observation point, where you will savor a delicious traditional Costa Rican lunch.

This tour begins by descending the trail to the magnificent La Fortuna Waterfall, renowned for its high falls and its crystal clear waters. Along the trail, you will observe plants, trees, and animals, which inhabit the area like sloths, toucans, Orioles, butterflies, and more. You can choose to swim in its refreshing waters, take amazing photographs, or simply relax and take in all of the beauty of the La Fortuna Waterfall. At the end of the trail, we will enjoy a delicious fruit break to recharge your batteries. When you visit the La Fortuna Waterfall you not only get to enjoy this marvelous natural wonder, you will be helping to support the Development Association of the community. 100% of the entrance fee goes towards social projects to benefit schools, nutritional centers, the orphanage, recycling center, roads, security for our visitors and more.

Starting with a 7:30 AM hotel pick up, you will take a short drive to the sloths' territory, a beautiful area just 5 minutes from downtown La Fortuna. The project has a path of 1500m, a little less than a mile, suitable for adults, families, and children of all ages. You will make a tour of approximately 2 hours in the midst of plants and a river bordering the property. The specialized guides are experts in finding them, so you can guarantee a sighting. This sloth observation tour in Costa Rica guarantees the proper management of resources, respecting the space of the species, and preserving its natural habitat. The naturalist guide will supply high-quality optical gear to grant a 100% satisfying observation without any impact to the naturally smiling sloths. After this short hike, learn to milk cows. Next, taste-test homemade liquor, chocolate, and fresh milk as you see the alambique distillation process. Participate in the sugar cane extraction to obtain a delicious juice, and try it alone, with spearmint, liquor, or other of the farm's organic products. Visit a small archeological ranch to see ancient indigenous pieces and put them to work in the artisanal process of making chocolate. Finally, walk through and admire the orchid and medicinal plant gardens. Take a short 20-minute ride to the Peninsula Sector at Arenal Volcano National Park near the Arenal Lake. Take a 1.5-kilometer hike. Enjoy excellent views of Arenal Lake and Tilaran Volcanic Mountain Range from the observation bays along the trail. Walk up to the observation platform for a closer look at the volcano. At the end of the trail, enjoy a fresh tropical fruit buffet, then board your boat along the edges of this enormous man-made lake, observe the rainforest, islands, and aquatic birds. After 45 minutes on the boat, arrive at the Arenal Lake boat station sector.

A short 10-minute drive from La Fortuna, head to the Agro-ecological Farm in the small town of Agua Azul. As you arrive, enjoy a fresh fruit juice and an informative explanation of the farm’s main objectives, including promoting the sustainable use of natural resources and preserving Costa Rican traditions. After this warm welcome, learn to milk the cows. Have the opportunity to give it a try, especially any children will enjoy this experience. Next, taste-test homemade liquor, chocolate, and fresh milk while you observe the alambique, the artisanal liquor distillation process. Afterwards, participate in the sugar cane extraction to obtain a delicious juice and then try it alone, with spearmint, liquor, or other of the farm’s organic products. Visit a small archeological ranch to observe some ancient indigenous pieces and put them to work in the artisanal process of making chocolate from the cocoa fruit to delicious chocolate. Finally, walk through and admire the orchid and medicinal plant gardens. After the journey, enjoy farm-fresh favorites like coffee, cheese, tortillas, and more.