› Flußüberquerung
› Volcano Arenal in Costa Rica is one of the ten most active Volcanoes in the world
› The waterfall from Rio Celeste
Don`t miss the hanging bridges close to the Volcano Arenal.
Morning atmosphere in the jungle.
EXCURSIONS IN COSTA RICA
Many of the sights to see in Costa Rica lie in the area near our chalets.
A trip to the active Arenal Volcano is an absolute highlight when visiting Costa Rica. Nobody leaves costa Rica without seeing it, and an eruption is an experience that cannot be compared to. Arenal is not only the youngest and most active volcano in Costa Rica, but also one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Lava flows regularly from the slopes to the valley and glowing pieces of rock with diameters of up to 7.5m can be shot 300m into the air. At the foot of the volcano is the city of La Fortuna on one side, with the largest inland lake, Lake Arenal, on the other side. Up until the first ascent in 1937 nobody believed that the approx. 1 670m high mountain was of volcanic origin, as it was completely overgrown. The volcano was inactive for over 400 years, and now grows yearly by several meters as the lava piles up around the crater. It’s approximately an hours drive from our chalets to the Arenal Volcano.
A visit to the Rio Celeste is also highly recommended. This sky blue river flowing through the tropical rain forest, is in the Tenorio National Park, north of the Arenal Volcano The river is famous for it‘s unnaturally turquoise-blue coloured water. This is caused by the meeting of the headwaters of two rivers with different mineral compositions. You can see this natural wonder on one of the hikes through the park. Local legend is that the creator washed his paintbrush in the Rio Celeste after creating the sky.
For those who’d like to follow the tracks of the original inhabitants, a trip to Farallones Hieroglyphics is recommended. The Farallone wall paintings are undeciphered characters carved into a large massif. Experts claim that an ordered graphical representation can be seen in the characters, althought the meaning is unclear. The past, present and future are represented.
The Vientos Frescos Waterfall is also around the corner. Surrounded by exquisite fauna and flora, these five waterfalls lie close to each other.
For those who love warm water, the Tabacon and Baldi hot springs are nearby. There you can cross hanging bridges, where the animal and plant life can be observed from close-up.
After an hour long journey, partly on a bumpy dirt road, we arrive at the Venado Caves, which belong partly to a private farm. Well-equipped and dressed in old clothing, with sturdy shoes and a torch, we hike through a river and end up at an opening in a cliff. This leads directly to limestone caves with bizarre stalactites and stalactite formations. In some parts it‘s really narrow, and in others really low so that you have to crawl on all fours. With a little luck bats can be observed from close-up. Hobby geologists and cave adventurers will get their money’s worth!
This trip takes us to the refreshing Maravilla Waterfall and past a deserted gold mine, to an old extinct volcano that’s only purpose is to be taken by storm. It’s not easy to conquer the volcano – only experienced climbers, equipped with good climbing boots will be rewarded after 3-4 hours of secure climbing on igneous rocks, with a 360 degree panoramic view of the lowlands and an incredible view toward the Gulf of Nicoya.
A small, desolate, idealy situated island on Lake Arenal can be reached by cayak or swimming in the mild, late afternoon sun. A comfortable tent, camping gear and sleeping bags, a campfire, food for you to barbecue and drinking water await you. If the weather is good, the twinkling starry sky soon stretches over the camping spot like a second tent. Exotic primeval forest noises and an unforgettable night are guaranteed. Breakfast is brought to you in the morning. Once reinvigorated it’s time for the return swim (return by cayak is possible on request).
- Surf & Reit Chalets rated "excellent" by 2 travelers