“My Best Acquaintances are Those With with Whom I Speak No Words”

I never tire of visiting The Arenal Volcano National park in Costa Rica. This is truly a place to reach out and touch nature, peaceful and quiet with only the sounds of the mighty Arenal huffing and puffing it’s  hot lava from it’s giant mouth. Each time I visit I learn something new and different and extremely interesting about the park and the ecosystem surrounding it.   A big question is :  why is there a cloud cover over the summit of the volcano–most of the time?   First, there is a lot of rain-all year round- in the San Carlos Valley where the volcano is located.  And also scientist say that the volcano creates it’s own ecosystem.  Constantly puffing not steam and hot lava rocks into the atmosphere.

So it is a lucky visitor who gets to see the entire volcano without the cloud cover.  The best time to see it is to get up at sunrise to see it when the cloud cover has not yet moved over it’s summit.  up until around 10 a.m. you may have a good chance of seeing it.   Also the north face of the volcano (from Lake Arenal) is a better chance of a better view.

People ask me, what month should I visit to be able to see Arenal Volcano.  March is a drier month, with less rainfall.  Although there is no dry or rainy season  around the volcano.  The lush rain forests  give testimony to the abundant rainfall…all year round.

This rainfall brings the beautiful tropical flowers and abundant crops this region is so famous for. There are papayas, pineapple, coconuts, bananas,  and platanos.  Plants grow so fast here that farms have been established to grow and export ornamental plants, many of them to the United States and Europe.

And there is the hot mineral springs that flow from deep inside the base of Arenal.  Such soothing waters!  A sure cure for the aching muscles after a long hike.

One of my favorite activities is to get up a 5:30 am as the sun is rising and go birdwatching. Early in the morning the birds are singing and flying through the trees.  I saw tow different species of Toucans.  I was hoping for a scarlet macaw but was informed that the scarlets are not normally found in this region.

And my other favorite activity is to take my digital camera and capture the Volcano, which is not an easy task.  My best photograph is from a boat on the Arenal Lake taken about 8:30 am. Lots of dark brown marine birds flew over and the volcano was in the back drop..with no clouds covering!  I got lucky.

When I visit Arenal Volcano National park,   I like to stay a least four nights or longer.  I always find interesting things to see and do.   From taking a hike inside the National park to a horseback ride on a farm near by.

Traveling to Costa Rica? I highly recommend the area of La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano National Park,  a unique place to visit!

If you are flying into the central valley of Costa Rica to the Juan Santa Maria International Airport, than by car you are three and one half hours from the Arenal Volcano.  If you fly into the Liberia International Airport in the northern zone of Costa Rica,  by car you are three  to three and one half hours from the Arenal Volcano.

Let’s say you have  two  full days to stay in this area and want to experience the activities that are the most fun.  First, I recommend the sky tram and canopy tour and do it first thing in the morning when the weather is usually best. This is offered by a company called Sky Trek and you can purchase it right at your hotel tour desk.   Or purchase it from  Sunset Tour Company in La Fortuna  located right on the town square.  Arrangements can be made for you to be picked up and delivered back  to  your hotel  by a shuttle service offered by Sky Trek tour company or by Sunset tours.

What exactly do I do on the Sky Tram & Sky Trek Tour?   You will be transported on a Sky Tram Gondola  on a smooth ride through the rain forest up to an observation deck high above the rain forest canopy. Along the way you have a gorgeous view of Lake Arenal.  Also you may see howler monkeys and a flock of colorful toucans.  At the top, from the observation deck,  the view to the south face of Arenal Volcano is magnificant!  It’s almost like you can reach out and touch the volcano.  You can hear is roaring and see the  hot molten rocks and fiery boulders shooting from it’s summit.

From the observation deck,  you can take a well marked path which leads you into the rain forest and hike for around 45 minutes.  The vegetation here is unique due to the high altitude.  One of the most interesting is the giant fern tree which grows to around eight fee tall.  Imagine a fern that size in your living room!

You can ride the Sky Tram gondola back down OR  you can take the more exciting route down, the zip line cables,  called the Sky Trek. It will definitely get your adrenalin going.  Once strapped into the safety gear,  you just zip from tree top platform to tree top platform.  It’s up and over the top of the rain forest canopy.  A beautiful experience!  Just like Tarzan and Jane!

If you are hungry after this great adventure, there is a small cafe right there on the grounds.  Also you can spend an extra thirty minutes and walk through the butterfly garden,  where blue morpho butterflies fly freely surrounded by a very large net.  Very interesting for butterfly lovers.

This tour takes approximately one-half day, and I highly recommend it.

Children have to be at least eight years of age to take the Sky Trek Zip Line Portion of the Tour.

The costs when I took it in 2009 was $65 per person.  Plus $8 if I wanted to be transported by the shuttle to and from my hotel.

What should I wear? Comfortable walking shoes like tennis or light weight hiking boots.  Temperature is cool because you are at a high altitude.  You will need a light weight rain proof jacket because rains frequently.  Take your money etc. in a pouch because if you take the zip line, it’s hard to handle a backpack.

costaricalearn.com   strives to help you make your vacation to Costa Rica more fun and more meaningful!   Ken and Ann Creed are the authors and videographer.  You can read more about Ken and Ann by clicking on “about us” at the top of page one.

The Arenal Volcano with  the Arenal volcano National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Costa Rica.   What is the Arenal Volcano like?  It is a hugh cone shaped volcano which almost constantly spews lava, hot gases,  and hot molten rocks from its summits.    But these are small eruptions.  Not big enough to cause danger to the surrounding  areas.

Tourist come here from all over the world to experience this unique ecosystem created by this vast volcano.  The Arenal sits in the middle of a vast rain forest, home to hundreds of colorful birds, giant trees and colorful flowering plants.  Also the howler and spider monkeys live here.

When did the Arenal Volcano have it’s last major eruption?  In the early morning of July 29, 1968 the Arenal violently erupted and buried the small village of Pueblo Nuevo, located at the base of Arenal’s north face, killing 86 people.

The Arenal Volcano National Park and the surroundings of La Fortuna have become almost like a Disneyland in these tropical rain forest.  Soft and hard adventure activities are offered by two major tour companies,  Sunset Tours  and Desfios Tours.   One of the most popular is the Canopy Tour, offered by two different tour companies.  so it’s hard to decide which one to take.

First,  the company called Costa Rica Sky Adventures. You get into a sky tram and are lifted up through the rain forest to a platform.  Here is a lovely view of the Arenal  Lake and a walking trail through the rain forest which takes around thirty minutes.  Then you get strapped into the zip line gear and off you go!  From tree top to tree top.  It’s great because you see both the Arenal Lake and the rain forest tree tops as you swing through the trees.   Upon return you can take a walk through a butterfly sanctuary and learn about the life cycle of butterflies.

Second, the company named Arenal Mundo Adventura  has a  canopy tour with eleven zip lines!  And believe me they are high above the rain forest canopy.  Great fun!  I saw a flock of toucans near by one of the platforms.  After the zip line you go to the Maleku Indigenous Spiritual House.  Witness a spiritual ceremony and also have an opportunity to purchase  their beautiful art work.

Both of these zip line are great fun so I don’t have a favorite.

learn more:  www.costaricaskyadventures.travel This shows the zip line in Monteverde as well as the one in Arenal.

learn more about arenal mundo adventura for the zip line tour:  go  to google and type their name.  I was unable to access them by searching their address any other way.

eyelash viper found in Costa Rica's rain forest.

Don’t  let the eyelash viper scare you!   We encountered him along the hiking trail, almost  brushing him as we passed.  Camouflaged in the jungle bushes, he was lazily taking the morning sun.  The Arenal Volcano National Park  is my favorite tourist destination in Costa Rica, if I can say I have a favorite.    I never tire of going there, over and over again.  always finding  something new.  But if I had just three days,  I can certainly tell you what to me is the most exciting!  First the zip line or canopy tour.   Very unique and unusual like  “Tarzan and Jane.”

I  choose Arenal Mundo Adventura for the zip line tour.  www.arenalmundoadventura.com It was a clear sunny morning with the mighty Arenal Volcano  was in full view.  What a sight!  We were transported high up into the canopy of the rain forest in a flat bed truck, kind of exciting since it bumped and squeaked all the way up the side of the mountain, almost drowning the sounds of the howler monkeys.   A large platform appeared before us, at the base of a rain forest tree, the biggest  I’ve ever seen, where we put on the “gear”.  Ken, my husband had a video camera and was set to capture it all.   I got a little scared when I looked down.  It seemed forever to the bottom,  where I imagined myself.  Visions of my husband collecting my life insurance ..  (Bad thoughts!)   My  turn came and I was zipped, moving easily along the cable,  high above the pristine rain forest canopy, passing  lush green flora and two waterfalls which seemed as tall  as skyscrapers.  Easier than I thought!    Eleven platforms later-  the end of the journey, and I must say I could have taken eleven more platforms.  WOWwww!

Next came  the tour of the Maleku Indian village. Sitting  on wooden benches inside the Spiritual House, we listened to  Twelve of the Maleku tribesmen and two women perform a religious ritual praying  for rain and good fortune,  in their own language of Maleku.   Beautiful hand painted mask were neatly displayed  inside the House of the Spirits.  I bought  a  small jaguar’s  face beautifully painted in multi colors of reds, green, yellows, and black.

Later that afternoon  we visited the Tabacon Hot Springs and Spa, a tropical fairyland.   Cascading hot waters coming down the side of the volcano set in the mist of a lush rain forest surrounded by tropical flowers and plants-zillions of them.     Sitting under the cascading hot water I was sure I had died and gone to heaven.   Dinner time came too soon.  Sitting in the  “land of make believe” we feasted on fresh baked chicken and five different picadillas  (a la Costa Rican)  while watching the old Arenal spit and sputter fire and hot lava rocks  from its summit.

Day two: Very early we set out to explore the Arenal Volcano National Park by  hiking  around it’s northern base.  Right where the infamous 1968 massive eruption destroyed a village killing 87 people.   Not a very good thought at this moment!   “You  are not to get off the trails”,   said our naturalist guide.   “It’s dangerous for snakes and other jungle creatures”.  Then, we heard the hissing and puffing of the volcano which seemed much closer to us that it actually was.  Out of nowhere came a band of howler monkeys starring us square in the eyes and even throwing tree twigs in our direction.  Didn’t want strangers invading their territory!   I got a very discomforting  feeling knowing  I  was at the mercy of this mighty  keg of dynamite… finally we arrived to the old lava rocks and were allowed to climb up  to the top.  My camera couldn’t  snap enough  of these huge black jagged  lava rocks, some two meters in diameter, and just plain weird looking!  We had been hiking now about 1 hours and the rain started to come down, unusual for March since this is usually a dry month around here.    So we started back to the park entrance and suddenly down a steep winding path thorough the rain forest our naturalist guide yelled freeze!  On a tree limb  along side the trail was a small  pinkish- yellow snake called an eyelash viper.  (photo above).  The naturalist guide told us to stay far away from it and it wouldn’t  bite us.  The eyelash viper  is  a very poisonous snake and its venom affects your central nervous system and cardiovascular system.  It’s  named eyelash viper because  the bristly weird looking scales above the eyelids  which resemble eyelashes. Gruesome!  Bet  you never seen one of these!

By the afternoon we were ready to take a rest and get ready for the early evening outing leading up a dirt gravel road to a place called El Silencio.  Here the  crater of the mighty Arenal seemed to reach out and touch us.  Big balls of fire were coming out of it’s cone shaped top,  just like fireworks on the fourth of July.

Our third and last day, I was not ready to think about going home.  I wanted to stay. We had to choose carefully what we wanted to do, among the many options:  Horseback ride to La Fortuna water fall  ( I don’t care much for horses)  Cano Negro Wildlife Reserve ( already been there)   Hiking to the Blue River  (guide said it was a tough hike and I’m chicken for tough hikes).  River float (seemed a little too sedate for me)  So, the winner was:  the Arenal Hanging bridges which are man made bridges high  above the rain forest canopy.  We were looking for more monkeys and colorful tropical bird, and luck we did have.   A group of howler monkeys were swinging thorough the rain forest, making lots of noise with their shrill howls.   Early morning was the best time to find birds and the jungle was a symphony of birds sounds.   And of course I had forgotten my bird binoculars!

For the full range of tours, descriptions, and  prices  of all the awsome things to do around Arenal go to the wonderful tour operator. (Office is  on the town square in La Fortuna).      www.sunsettourcr.com

The town is bustling with tourists, here to see the mightly Arenal Volcano’s eruptions and experience the many adventure outdoor activities.

Best place to catch one of these tours is Sunset Tours conveniently located on the town square.
You can pick from horseback riding, river rafting, hiking around the base of the volcano, rainforest expeditions, canopy tours, sky tram, visit a self sustaining organic farm, visit an indigenous indian village, bird watching, river floats to view allegators, monkeys, and water fowl. And much much more. Plus it is a photographers paradise.

How many days should a tourist stay in this area of La Fortuna? I recommend a minimum of 3 nights. I stayed seven nights and did not run out of things to see and do.

La Fortuna offers small hotels that are for the budget minded. And local restaurants offering typical Costa Rican dishes, lots of small shops to pick up local souvenirs and T shirts.