Puentes Colgantes Arenal, Mistico Park

I booked an 8 AM tour on Sunday the night before for a group of four. We were paired in a total group size of eight with our tour guide named Julio. He was extremely knowledgeable, funny, and enthusiastic in answering our questions. Because of him we were able to see many different animals and wildlife that we wouldn’t have been able to spot otherwise. You can tell he truly enjoys his job as his energy is just so rich and positive. While we were a group of adults, I personally felt like a kid again. The trail was beautifully maintained, yet it preserved the beautiful nature for the wildlife to prosper. I’m so grateful for the experience and to the owners of this park for conserving the land. The hanging bridges were also extremely safe and sturdy. Definitely book this to learn more about the wildlife in Costa Rica! You won’t regret it.

We booked an afternoon guided tour online in advance and received 20% off. We were so lucky to receive the best guide Jose when we arrived. He was so attentive to our kids and our whole group throughout the tour and found all of the coolest things throughout the forest. We saw 3 snakes, 2 tarantulas, 3 howler monkeys, one baby sloth, multiple lizards and blue Jean frogs. It wasn’t only what we saw but how Jose showed his love for nature and made the experience amazing for our kids. They said it was the best thing we did in La fortuna! Thank you Jose for the amazing experience!

We came on Sunday and had no wait. We parked on a lower level and a bus brought us up within minutes. If you have a reservation then you can park at the top. They offer guided tours but we just rented a stroller ($15) and followed the main trail which was very doable with the stroller and took us about 2 hrs. There are cobblestones on the trail so bigger wheels were much needed. Make sure you wear snickers, the don’t allow flip flops or sandals. We wore long sleeves to protect from mosquitoes and ticks but didn’t really see any.

This was definitely a good time. We did a self guided tour (aka no guide, we just walked through). We did pass a few guided groups though and the guides seemed knowledgeable and engaging. Up to you if you wanna pay the extra for a guide. The hanging bridges were thrilling and the park was clean and well kept. We didn't see much wildlife, just some butterflies, wasps, ants, a single poison dart frog and a squirrel. But definitely an enjoyable walk. One of the bridges and the waterfall view were unfortunately closed for maintenance while we were there.

We had a great ride at Paco’s Horses with patient and attentive guides and safe, steady horses. The fruit at the snack stop with volcano view was outstanding and seeing toucans and a coati a bonus. The hanging bridges were well laid out and a nice thing to have done as well in a well priced ‘offer’ package. We didn’t have a guide but didn’t feel we missed out as we had other wildlife viewing tours planned.

Very very glad I hired a guide for a private birding tour at 6:00 am. Saw so many things and learned so much. Donald’s knowledge, skill at locating. Bird calling, and ability to quickly set up the monocular wax incredible. Worth every penny i paid, saw many different birds, snake, monkeys, tarantula, frogs, and sloth. Great experience.

I joined a rainforest hiking tour as part of a day trip, and I’d definitely recommend going with a guided group. The guide was very experienced and helped us spot some wildlife that we probably wouldn’t have seen on our own. That said, self-guided hikes are also an option. The entrance fee is $32 USD in the morning and $28 USD in the afternoon (plus tax). Honestly, entrance fees in Costa Rica tend to be on the higher side. The hike itself took about 2–3 hours. We saw a few animals along the way, and overall, it was a nice experience—peaceful, scenic, and a good way to enjoy the natural beauty of the rainforest.

Beautiful park. Trails and bridges well maintained. Spotted lots of interesting wildlife. We paid for a tour guide through Viator which was WELL worth it. He:his network of guides spotted things we could not have, and he also had the binoculars on a tripod that he set up for us every time there was something to see. Mostly gentle walk with a more challenging detour to a nice waterfall. Go early!