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La Fortuna de San Carlos Tours
Cloud Forest Hike - Water National Park: Juan Castro Blanco National Park
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Cloud Forest Hike - Water National Park: Juan Castro Blanco National Park

By Jacamar Naturalist Tours
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Ages 5-65, max of 15 per group
Duration: 24h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English, French, Spanish
More


  • Bottled water
  • Lunch
  • Professional guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
What's not included
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Souvenir photos (available to purchase)


Start:Traveler pickup offered.
  • Jacamar Naturalist Tours, Costado Sur de la, de, Iglesia Católica, Apartado Posta 40-4417, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, 4417, Costa Rica
Pickup details
  • EXTRA COST: Arenal Lodge. Arenal Observatory. Chachagua Rainforest. Hideaway Rio Celeste. Linda Vista Del Norte. Lost Iguana Resort and Spa. Magestic. Rancho Margot. Tucano. The Springs Resort and Spa. Volcano Gold. Villas Eco Arenal.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Infant seats available
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 15373P15

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
    • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
    • Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
    • May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
    • Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
    • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
    • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
    • Please inform the age of kids under 12 years
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 15373P15

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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Jacamar Naturalist Tours
      1,753
      Costa Rica
      Joined in February 2012
    • 526sujeyb
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      The most amazing ATV ever.
      The most amazing ATV experience ever, real mud, real action. David was a great tour guide, very knowledgeable of what he was doing. It was truly an adventure. We did it with Arenal Adventure and they are the best. The wash in the river was a plus. We have done this activity in other countries and this was by far the best we have ever done.
      Written December 7, 2024
    • I8984OYnicoles
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing Volcano, Waterfall & Hanging Bridges Tour!
      We spent a day with Carlos the Jacamar tour guide visiting the Mistico hanging bridges, the Fortuna waterfall and the Arenal volcano. Carlos was fantastic. He couldn’t have been nicer and was incredibly knowledgeable about each part of the trip, helping us spot wildlife in the Mistico park, telling us about the volcano and giving us a better appreciation for the amazing rainforest and Fortuna area. We also really appreciated that he translated everything into English for us. Carlos even hiked down to the waterfall with us knowing the walk back up the stairs is very tough on your calves!! The lunch that was included was fantastic as well. We also felt very lucky to get to see the volcano!
      Written December 5, 2024
    • 705orlyy
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing and highly recommended!
      Loved our trip . We started with the zip lines which were amazing with great views . After the zip line we got fruits and water bottle . After that , James , our guide took us for a one hour ride to water rafting . It was amazing and my 8 years old who did it first time loved it too . It was just our family of five in the boat and our guide James who was very professional and knowledgable and we felt very safe . After the tour we got local lunch which was tasty . We had transportation included from and to hotel . We also purchased photos from each activity to cherish the memories.
      Written December 4, 2024
    • TravelhoundPortland
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great guide in Melany
      We did three tours all in the same day through Jacamar. Melany was our tour guide and she was AWESOME! Cannot recommend her highly enough. Not only is she super knowledgeable, answering all sorts of questions re. botany, animals (particularly birds), and all things Costa Rica, she is just a great person to spend a day with. At the end of the day, it felt like we had met a new friend. We have done nature hikes in countries all over the world and it really special to have someone with you like Melany who gets as excited about spotting something as you do. We did the hanging bridges tour, the Arenal hike tour, and the waterfall. We enjoyed each of them. Do note, however, that you likely will not see nearly as many animals or birds on the Arenal hike. But you will see a ton on the hanging bridges tour. Doing all 3 in one day is definitely doable in one day if you are in shape. (I think we put in about 20,000 steps that day, but it was so beautiful, you hardly notice.) PURA VIDA MELANY -- it was great to meet you!
      Written December 1, 2024
    • meaganjones
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Recommend the tour and Diego.
      Diego was the best, we saw so many frogs, toads, and snakes. It was like a treasure hunt for creatures. Book this tour today!
      Written November 29, 2024
    • K9220HDelizabethp
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great tour
      We enjoyed this tour with Orlando and Samuel, who were very friendly and informative. We caught the "rainy season" perfectly and got drenched during our float, but we were all prepared to get wet and had a great time, and Samuel and Orlando kept us in good spirits! We saw some bats and howler monkeys up close, which was really really cool. I would recommend bringing a towel in the van and some open toed shoes for this, it was nice to change when we got to the end. All in all, a great and fun tour!
      Written November 25, 2024
    • slambiase
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Volcano and lake view hike
      We were happy that we got to see a Lot of animals and birds. It was a pretty short easy hike-walk with nice views of the volcano and arenal lake.
      Written November 18, 2024
    • M3146IFreneeh
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Small group great photos
      We very much enjoyed our tour. The group was only four people so we were able to take our time and ask questions. Originally the group was to be eight but our guide felt that was too many for a good experience Our guide Bernardo was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the rain forest. Only let down was instead of the full tour and dix hanging bridges we only did three due to maintenance. However it is good to know that the bridges are well maintained. The pictures Bernardo took for us using his telephoto lens were phenomenal. I highly recommend Jacamar Tours
      Written November 17, 2024
    • John I
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fantastic
      Fantastic experience with some of the best ! Definitely a great experience! We did the waterfall, the hike and the hanging bridges and felt like we experienced the glory of Arenal.
      Written November 15, 2024
    • Compass36410305334
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Night tour with Diego.
      We booked a night tour via Tabacon hotel with Jacamar tours- Diego was our tour guide. Thank you Diego for a night we will never forget!! Diego was professional, kind and patient! We learned so many new things and had the most amazing experience we could ask for, can’t wait to come back!
      Written November 13, 2024
    • Sherpa61291066315
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Bueno Vista zip line, water slide, horseback, hot springs
      We traveled with our 5 and 8 year old. It involved zip lining, water slide, cultural experience, horseback and hot springs. Our guides were Dixon and Jorge. Dixon navigated the roads nice and efficiently and Jorge guided us through the experience and encouraged our kids when they were hesitant. Those two did a wonderful job and we thoroughly enjoyed talking with them about their country and lives. They made the trip for us. The zip line is what you would expect. It instilled safety and enjoyment, even with the young children. The cultural experience was informative and memorable. The waterslide was pretty sporty and quite the experience as well. There were some children that really enjoyed it, it was a bit much for ours but our 5 year old did it and after the fact was pumped. Horse ride wasn’t much (I skipped it) my wife wasn’t all that impressed. The hot springs were spectacular. If I could have spent more time down there, I would have taken advantage of that. It was a great place.
      Written November 10, 2024
    • travelersp2018
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Volcano tour on horseback
      It was a cloudy day and the volcano was not so clearly visible, but Alberto, our guide, made sure we saw as much as possible and learned about the area. He stopped along the tour to make sure we had photo opportunities and to make sure we all could hear his guide and ask questions.
      Written November 9, 2024
    • jvk50
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      An amazing bird tour!
      If you are a birdwatcher or just love birds, this tour is for you. We took the private tour and glad we did. We had personal attention and went at our own pace. The guide was excellent. We saw so many birds. He took pictures with his camera (which he shared with me) and my camera. My husband uses a wheelchair. The guide made sure my husband saw what we saw.
      Written November 9, 2024
    • jvk50
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A great private guided tour
      We would highly recommend this tour. The guide was excellent. Her education background was biology. You see so much more with a guide rather than wandering on your own. She knows what to look for, what has recently been seen in the park which helps her locate things, and does not hurry you. We took a private tour because my husband has mobility challenges. We walked at our pace. My husband rented an electric scooter from the park. Part way through the tour, the scooter died but a park employee quickly brought him another one that worked just fine.
      Written November 9, 2024
    • injoy2911
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Delicioso!
      Our tour started with included transportation from our hotel. We then got to do a small tour of the farm, which included harvesting yucca, oregano, peppers, and culantro. During the tour/harvest, we saw toucans and heard howler monkeys. We then moved into a beautiful open air kitchen. The food was delicious, and the chef and guides were so nice! David, Alicia, Oscar, and several other staff were outstanding! We highly recommend this experience!
      Written November 8, 2024
    See all 1,753 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles5 reviews
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    Jessica H
    16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This hike was amazing! Jairo is a wonderful, friendly, extremely knowledgeable guide. From the drive there to the 3 hour hike to the home cooked lunch at the end we enjoyed it all. We hiked through beautiful forest to overlooks and the stunning crater lake only seeing a couple other visitors. We saw cool insects, birds, and so many plants. Highly recommend the hike and Jairo!
    Written September 22, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Mark R
    New York49 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Mar 2018 • Couples
    We have done a lot of birding in Costa Rica, but had never been to Juan Castro Blanco. We asked our hotel, and none of their naturalists had been there before. They recommended Hugo of Jacamar. It was a great recommendation -- Hugo is one of the top naturalists we have met in Costa Rica. He is experienced, knowledgeable and very friendly.

    JCB is not an easy place to explore, because it is remote and not completed as a national park. Hugo probably knows JCB better than anyone. First he took us to a private location bordering the park, where we did some excellent birding and had a tasty breakfast at El Congo. Then we went into the park itself. The park's infrastructure is not yet completed. But is has some excellent cloud forest birding. Hugo told us that it was probably similar to Monteverde fifty years ago, before development kicked in. As a result, the trails were rustic, but there was nobody else there and we did some great cloud forest birding.

    A memorable day of birding, thanks to Hugo!

    Thank you,
    Mark & Susan
    Written March 17, 2018
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    SuttonHall
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Dec 2018 • Couples
    We did a birdwatching tour in Guancaste - I was amazed by how many different species we saw. An incredibly wide variety, and a number of uncommon ones as well - everything from a laughing falcon to owls to bats and mot-mots and a roseate spoonbill. Even a very large crocodile.... The guide was very knowledgeable and nice - it starts early, but we were the only ones even in high season, so you might score a private tour!
    Written January 3, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Emily G
    Los Angeles, CA39 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Highly recommend booking any jacamar tour, they take care of you very well!!
    We did a tour to the cloud forest, and because it is not the most popular tour in La Fortuna, we have a completely private tour!!
    José is the best tour guide. If it’s possible, try and request him. He is amazing!!! Knows SO much about Costa Rica in all aspects from nature, economy, culture, everything!!!
    He picked us up at 7:15 right on time. He drove my family and I 1.5 hours to the cloud forest, and taught us so much about Costa Rica on the way!!
    Unfortunately the weather wasn’t the best to hike as it poured rain, and he was so nice and kept apologizing even though it’s not his fault it was raining. On the hike he taught us a lot about the ecosystem, different plants, animals, and answered anything we asked.
    The lunch at the visitor center is AMAZING… we were expecting something like a sandwich or salad, No, it was a delicious hot meal!! I got a Casado with grilled chicken and it was one of the BEST things I’ve eaten in this trip.
    José was telling us that to be a tour guide here it’s a long process with many many certifications, classes, exams. They are incredibly knowledgeable and work really hard to make sure they are providing accurate information.
    Again, if you can try and request José to be your guide!!! He is the best!!!
    Written April 17, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    Cloud Forest Hike - Water National Park: Juan Castro Blanco National Park provided by Jacamar Naturalist Tours

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