Conservation
The forest and the lagoon come first; the visit adapts to them.
La Fortuna · Costa Rica
Private.Ecological.Volcanic.
Arenal Volcano Ecological Park is a private park 6 miles from La Fortuna, on the volcano's western slope. It is not Arenal Volcano National Park: it has its own entrance and its own trails.
Who runs the park
The people behind the park
Arenal Volcano Ecological Park is private land opened to visitors on one idea: a volcano is best understood by walking it slowly.
The people who work here look after the trails, welcome each group at reception and guide the forest and the lava flows. Every route follows the pace of the place, not the other way round.
How we work
Our philosophy
“Explain first, invite second, and never promise nature.”
A distinct place
A private park with its own entrance and its own experiences, separate from the National Park.
Small things matter
A mushroom, a frog or a footprint counts as much as the volcano. The visit is built for noticing.
No wildlife promises
Wildlife is free to move. The park shows what has been documented and never guarantees a sighting.
The trail is the experience
Color-coded trails list distance and grade at the gate, so each visitor can choose a pace.
Conditions change
Weather and visibility change within hours; the park says so honestly before you set out.
Simple hospitality
A clear welcome, calm answers and attention to detail from the ticket to the end of the visit.
What guides us
Core values
Honesty
What is confirmed is stated plainly, and nothing is promised beyond it.
Hospitality
A warm welcome without scripts and without empty promises.
Community
A park that grows alongside the people who live around it.
Our team
The people who look after every trail
Park management
Runs daily operations and the relationship with the families and groups who visit.
Naturalist guides
Read the forest, the lava flows and the night, and lead guided tours in English and Spanish.
Research and monitoring
Record field observations and coordinate the projects shown on the Research page.
Reception and hospitality
Guide arrival, the park map and trip preparation, in person and on WhatsApp.
THE PARK
The terrain and the feeling
From the family trail to the lava flows, from the rainforest to the volcanic lagoon: the park changes pace with every step.
Terrain
- Lava-flow trails
- Rainforest
- Volcanic lagoon
- Volcano lookouts
Ways to visit
Our commitment
Social responsibility
A private park is still part of a wider territory. Three commitments guide how it operates.
Habitat care
Visitors take out what they bring in, never feed wildlife and keep music off the trails, so animals keep their routines.
Environmental education
Naturalist guides explain the volcanic landscape on every guided tour, and the Arenal guide does the same before the visit.
Open research
Research projects and their results are shared on the Research page once they are verified, never before.
Research and conservation
Research in the park
Neotropical otter monitoring
Focus: otter · lagoon and streams.
Guapote in the lagoon
Focus: guapote · volcanic lagoon.
Species interrelations
Focus: how the park's species interact.
Ready to walk the lava?
Choose your ticket or ask the team to help you prepare the visit.