Having a guide makes all the difference. Send as an e-mail. We saw a blue crowned motmotright next to trail and also some toucans. Arenal and Monteverde are two of Costa Rica's most popular destinations, each showcasing a piece of what makes the country so unique and so beautiful. Hanging bridges in Arenal. One thing to mention, there isn't anywhere to purchase or get water on the trails.

Horseback riding and ATV tours take you through the backcountry, through the pastures and the forest while coffee, chocolate and sugarcane tours take you to Monteverde farms to see how some of Costa Rica's major exports are produced. The dew-laden leaves and the vibrant green mosses of the Monteverde Cloud Forest and Santa Elena Reserve are something out of a story complete with fairies, Ents and maybe Ewoks, (depending on your canon).
Arenal has its share of rainforest including hikes to a lagoon atop on extinct volcano and a hanging bridge tour, but it neither compares to Monteverde.Whereas Arenal has whitewater rafting, Monteverde has the country's largest bungee jump and a slew of incredible, fast-paced, adrenaline-inducing canopy tours that take you soaring over valleys, through forests and swinging between trees like Tarzan. But the beauty of the grounds out weighs that.This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of This site uses cookies to improve your experience, to enhance site security and to show you personalised advertising. First of all....we went around 2:30pm and we were literally the only two people in the entire park! Hanging bridges in Arenal was a very nice walk, and we were able to see Howlers and sloths along the way. Print whole topic. It's only Arenal though, that has the access to three different rivers for whitewater rafting plus Lake Arenal, where you can spend your day fishing, kayaking, wakeboarding or learning to Stand Up Paddle. La Fortuna’s downtown core and the town’s outskirts (commonly called “Arenal”) are spread out over flat land. How can you compare the mists of the Monteverde cloud forest to the cooled magma of the Arenal Volcano? If you do rent a car to visit Monteverde, it helps to have four-wheel drive because there are a lot of dirt roads and they get muddy when it rains. Jesus, of course, pointed everything out. many in our group wanted to see monkeys and we ended up seeing three troops! There are six bridges in total, the longest of which spans some 984 feet. Central America ; Costa Rica ; Province of Alajuela ; Arenal Volcano National Park ; Things to do in Arenal Volcano National Park ; Arenal Hanging Bridges; Search. Look on at the majesty of Arenal Volcano's near-perfect cone while sweltering in the heat of its fury among several of the area's hot spring resorts including Baldi, Tabacon, Ecotermales and The Springs.Both Arenal and Monteverde have a variety of tours and activities to fill your days. If you have to choose one set of bridges to go on.....pick this one! Alberto kept a good pace and was very informative. Worth the money and a guide is not totally needed, just bring lots of water.this was a great experience... a guide makes all the difference and Alberto from Jacamar Eco Tours is great! Thorn Tree forum Interest forums Kids To Go. hongtraveler. 100% Aventura also has hanging bridges, ATV’s and horseback riding. COVID-19 Update: To limit the spread of the coronavirus, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Both have great views which are only reserved for monkeys or birds. Elevation. After riding on nearly every cable across nearly every canopy in both destinations, we feel that Arenal is slightly more family-oriented and offers better views while Monteverde features more adrenalin-pumping thrills. Sky Trek has hanging bridges and an aerial tram. Tours at both destinations offer pick-up from your hotel.Both Monteverde and Arenal offer comparably priced hotels that include budget and luxury accommodations. Show all posts for this topic. For 3 hours 5 of us learned about the symbiotic and parasitic life of trees, plants and animals, saw poisonous frogs, snakes, a toucan & macaw and lots of heliconias & epiphytes - in other words, the life of the forest. Print current page. Send as an e-mail. The bridges are solid and even for someone afraid of heights, easy to be on or cross over. Arenal has its share of rainforest including hikes to a lagoon atop on extinct volcano and a hanging bridge tour, but it neither compares to Monteverde. Hostels and affordably priced hotels are available in the town center of each location: La Fortuna in Arenal and Santa Elena in Monteverde.

! The hike is great, we saw monkeys, mackaw's, etc.

howlers were very active! Monteverde has better public transportation and is easier to get around for travelers without rental vehicles. It's only a four-hour trip between Arenal and Monteverde making them popular destinations to visit one after another.
Only draw back is that you do need to know there is a gradual climb involved in getting to each bridge as each one is a little harder. The people without just walked by all the cool plants and animals, not even knowing what they were missing. These bridges were amazing without a guide. And there you have it, the perfect 5 day Arenal and Monteverde itinerary.