Located 6km west of La Fortuna, this is a well-manicured nature experience that includes frogs, turtles, snakes and crocs, all in their appointed places. The birdlife is also prodigious here. Excellent naturalist guides ensure that you don’t miss anything hiding in the trees, and there's a photography tour to help you capture it all. Discounted rates for children and students.
Arenal Natura
La Fortuna
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal
4.35 MILES
From 1968 until 2010, Volcán Arenal was an ever-active and awe-striking natural wonder, producing menacing ash columns, massive explosions and streams of…
Viento Fresco
17.08 MILES
If you're travelling between Monteverde and Arenal, there's no good excuse for skipping this stop. Viento Fresco is a series of five cascades, including…
Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde
15.49 MILES
This beautiful cloud forest reserve came into being in 1972, when the Quaker community (which had already set aside a third of its property for…
Butterfly Garden
16.02 MILES
Head here for everything you ever wanted to know about butterflies. There are four gardens representing different habitats; they're home to more than 40…
Jardín de Orquídeas
15.72 MILES
This sweet-smelling garden in Santa Elena has shady trails winding past more than 500 types of orchids. On your guided tour, you’ll see such rarities as…
Herpetarium Adventure
15.76 MILES
For those who prefer their reptiles under glass (or at least behind it), a guide will show you around and introduce you to more than 50 species of…
Nearby La Fortuna attractions
1. Mirador El Silencio
3.32 MILES
Set on 22 hectares, this private reserve about 11km west of La Fortuna is a mix of primary and secondary forest, filled with life, from vibrant blue…
2. Catholic Church
3.63 MILES
This prominent landmark oversees the central plaza of La Fortuna. The landscaped green is often dotted with outdoor art exhibits and souvenir stands, and…
3. Parque Nacional Volcán Arenal
4.35 MILES
From 1968 until 2010, Volcán Arenal was an ever-active and awe-striking natural wonder, producing menacing ash columns, massive explosions and streams of…
4. Catarata Río Fortuna
4.43 MILES
You can glimpse the sparkling 70m ribbon of clear water that pours through a sheer canyon of dark volcanic rock arrayed in bromeliads and ferns with…
5. Ecocentro Danaus
4.93 MILES
This center, 4km east of town, has a well-developed trail system that’s excellent for birding, as well as for spotting mammals such as coatis and agoutis …
6. Venado Caves
5.55 MILES
Two kilometers northeast of Venado (Spanish for ‘deer’) along a good dirt road, these caves are an adventurous excursion into an eight-chamber limestone…
7. Arenal EcoZoo
7.24 MILES
This snake house offers a hands-on animal experience, as in, handling and milking a venomous snake. It's home to a red-tailed boa (one of the largest…
8. El Castillo-Arenal Butterfly Conservatory
7.38 MILES
More than just a butterfly conservatory (although it has one of the largest butterfly exhibitions in Costa Rica). Altogether there are six domed habitats …