Chato Volcano

Such a great place. I absolutely loved this hike and the lagoon. It’s THE highlight of La Fortuna for me. Goes through the dense rainforest. So interesting and beautiful. I can see how some people can call it ‘difficult’ but if you hike regularly and you are fit , you are fine. It’s a really fun and adventurous hike.

We started the hike at Arenal Waterfall Lodge, then went through the trailhead. You have to go through a path that says private property to get to the off roading trail that takes you down to the volcano crater. It took us 3.5hrs total, with little breaks. It was insanely difficult since it isn’t a trail but a path that has been created from erosion and people walking through it. It’s also pretty remote as we saw no other people throughout the hike. The way down to the crater is the most difficult because you’re practically just sliding down muddy rocks (attached a picture of my legs that got destroyed) Only mentioning this because we read reviews online and it didn’t prepare us for how difficult it is!! Glad we got through it but I wouldn’t do it again haha. Didn’t even go swimming at the crater because the water was murky and creepy lol.

To get there you need to pass through the trailhead and buy entry bracelet for 15$ or 8000 CRC. We tried going around it from La Fortuna waterfall parking lot but got stopped by a security guard right away. From the entry fee booth there is a circuit trail and Chato is a detour from it. The path to Chato from said circuit is not that tough actually, but you will likely get wet and surely dirty. We some some Toucans and the caldera pool is just amazing, and generally it seems like authentic jungle experiences compared to more expensive tours

This hike is intense but completely worth it.Expect to get verrry muddy when climbing. The climb up was almost nonstop too but personally it adds to the jungle hike experience. The hike down into the crater is not an easy feat but once you get to the water, it is so peaceful and swimming in the crater was a cool worthwhile experience. Make sure to not wear sunscreen to preserve its beauty. Sloth viewing is near impossible. Its supposedly free but we had to pay a small amount to get through the hotel property

A tough and muddy hike but so worth it for a swim in the crater lake! Make sure to get up early as the hike is illegal so SINAC (environmental agency) and police officers are sometimes guarding the path. They caught me on my way down but let me off with a warning and told me to not come back to the national park. (I did the hike in April 2024)

A challenging hike that is definitely worth the sweat! There was an adorable wild dog that followed me all the way to the lake and all the way back down. Requires a $15 wristband from the Green Valley lodge at the bottom. I’m a rock climber so I didn’t find it as difficult as other reviewers led me to expect, managed to go car to car in under 3 hours and only needed half a liter of water. Bring swimming trunks for the lake in the crater!

The hike is beautiful and very rewarding. It is muddy, but you will enjoy a lot of fun. Don´t pay money to the lodge, it is a scam. There is a beautiful, well-maintained path with bridges and stairs which is completely FREE. Just go to the parking lot by the waterfall, followed the path to the "La Fortuna" sign and you will see a few stairs to the jungle. It is an official path to climb the volcano. First, you need to cross a small river (bridge) and after a few minutes, you get to the meadow (don't be scared of cows, they are friendly). Then there is an intersection, I recommend going straight to the jungle (not to the right, even if there is an arrow). Soon you will find stairs and a bridge, so you can be sure that you are on the right path. After some time both paths will become one anyway, but the straight one is nicer. And then just climb and enjoy :)

The hike is highly recommended, but should be done in good weather. In fog, the lake is hardly visible. The hike can be done as described in the other reviews, but the name of the Green Lagoon Lodge has changed to Arenal Waterfall Lodge. The entrance fee for the "Observatory Hike" is $12.