Hiking Lovers (Hanging Bridges + La Fortuna Waterfall + Volcano Hike)

A fun and educational day

A full day of fun adventure! First off was the hanging bridges which was an amazing experience. Within the first ten minutes we saw two different types of toucans and a frog. We saw several different animals through the tour, and not one of them would we have spotted without the help of a guide and telescope. These animals are masters of camouflage. It was quite rainy this day and we bought a poncho at the gift store before the walk which was helpful. The rain made the experience even better… a true rainforest experience! After the hanging bridges we went to the waterfall which was beautiful. However it is a 500 stair climb back up, so depending on mobility and fitness this may deter some people but there were people of all ages and fitness levels doing it. Surrounding the water is quite rocky, so if you’re wanting to go for a swim bringing water shoes would be a good idea. After the morning two activities we had a delicious traditional lunch. The afternoon was a volcano hike. There’s three options for length and we selected the shorter hike as it was a cloudy, rainy day and the volcano was not visible. However, it was still educational and we enjoyed it.

Response from the operator: Thank you very much for your detailed and thoughtful review. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed such a full and adventurous day. It is wonderful to know that our guide helped you spot wildlife that might otherwise go unnoticed and that the rainforest atmosphere made the experience even more special. We appreciate your helpful notes about the stairs at the waterfall and the conditions around the water, as well as your comments about the lunch and volcano hike. Thank you for choosing Jacamar Naturalist Tours to share this day of adventure and learning with us.

via Tripadvisor

Incredible! Best in Costa Rica!

My wife, my two teenage boys, and I did two big tours with Jacamar Naturalist Tours. First, we did the Hiking Lovers day-long tour of Mystico Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal 1968 Volcano hike. Second, the next day, we did the half-day safari float down Rio Frio. Since we already reviewed the latter, we are going to focus this review on the former. These guys are amazing. We started the day at Mystico Hanging Bridges, and we saw so many unique birds, vipers, and spider monkeys. Our kids were very happy. Then we made our way to the La Fortuna Waterfall and had a great time there as well. Next, we had lunch at a private farm, which had a ton of toucans in the vicinity that we were able to see. The food was excellent. The tenderloins we had did not contain any fat and were delicious. We ended the trip with a walk through 1968 Arenal park around sunset. The black lava rock formations were incredible. The sunset over Arenal Lake was one of the best sunsets I have seen in my life, although keep your expectations reasonable please because we had very unique cloud formations on that day. The photos we took of the volcano from that location were better than any other photos we took of the volcano during our trip. So if you have a view of the volcano already from your hotel, similar to us, please do not underestimate how much better it will be on this tour and just do the tour if you have time. Our guide Jhersson was excellent. He had a vast knowledge of the plants, animals, and geography of the area. We only paid $760 for four people and we spent the entire day with these guys from 8am to 6pm. Considering how expensive Costa Rica is for your average traveler, this tour was a bargain. We had a 4x4 Mitsubishi Montero, and we could have done parts of this tour ourselves independently. As former backpackers, my wife and I felt silly booking a tour for something we could have done ourselves. But considering the efficiency with which we saw multiple sites, the vast knowledge we gained from our guide, and the sheer number of unique animals we spotted, we are very happy to have booked this tour. It was worth every penny. By the way, we also did a Pure Nature Safari Float with these guys on Rio Frio the next day, and it was the best thing we did in Costa Rica. If you do one thing in Costa Rica, do the float down El Rio Frio with Jacamar Naturalist Tours. If you have time to do two things, do the float and do the day-long hike that is the subject of this review.

Response from the operator: Thank you so much for this wonderful and detailed review. We’re truly honored that your family chose to spend two full days exploring Costa Rica with us. We’re delighted to hear that the Hiking Lovers tour was such a memorable experience for all of you. We’re glad it exceeded your expectations. Experiences like sunset views over Arenal Lake and encounters with wildlife in their natural environment are always special, and we appreciate your thoughtful and realistic perspective on how nature can surprise us. We will be sure to share your kind words with Jhersson. His passion for the natural history, wildlife, and geography of the area truly enhances the experience, and we’re happy to know his knowledge and efficiency made the day both educational and enjoyable for your entire family. It means a great deal to us that, after considering exploring independently, you felt the tour was well worth it. Thank you again for choosing Jacamar Naturalist Tours. We hope to welcome you back to Costa Rica for another adventure in the future.

via Tripadvisor

Great way to experience the rain forest, La Fortuna waterfall, and the area around Arenal volcano!

Our guide, Carlos, helped make this a great day! He was informative, professional, and personable. Family of five with three teens (17, 16, 13). Long day but well worth it. Highly recommend!

via Tripadvisor

Wonderful hiking excursion

Has a fantastic excursion with among the best guides we ever have had. Diego was phenomenal, a wealth of information, and fantastic with taking photos and videos of wildlife with our phones through his telescope. He was able to spot things we would have missed if we were on our own. Esteban was in training but was also wonderful and it was great having two guides for our small group. And Jorge our driver safely transported us. I should also mention lunch was at Jacamar company farm where they grown their own produce and was also fantastic. I couldn’t recommend this more. Great excursion!

via Tripadvisor

Excellent Tour Company in La Fortuna

We had two fantastic tours with Jacamar. We did a group hanging bridges tour and a private family day where we did a safari river float, waterfall hike, lunch at their farm and a volcano hike. We also used them for airport transfers. Every experience was 5/5. Communication ahead of time was excellent. All my questions were answered thoroughly and promptly. Both our tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Everyone engaged with our kids and their grandparents. The guides had something to share with everyone. Highly recommend this company without reservation.

via Tripadvisor