Overview

The pleasingly conical volcano Arenal rises from a skirt of thick forest and the waters of Lake Arenal. Once famous for its eruptions of molten lava, it erupts infrequently nowadays (nothing since 2010) The landscape here is ruggedly beautiful and comprises one of Costa Rica’s many conservation areas, protecting a territory of amazing biodiversity which contains half the known species of birds, mammals and reptiles in the country. It is also popular among adventure-activities enthusiasts, and visits are serviced in the formerly dozy town of La Fortuna. Cloud forest, waterfalls, caves and thermal pools – this is a diverse and captivating region.

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Holidays Arenal and the north

Discover our range of holidays taking in the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica. Book now with Journey Latin America.

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Private Journeys

Costa Rica

Costa Rica Wildlife Discovery

15 days from £5,020pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

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Costa Rica

Explore and Relax in Costa Rica: Volcanoes to the beach

11 days from £6,500pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

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Costa Rica

Family Costa Rica: Jungle walks and turtle spotting

14 days from £3,610pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

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Costa Rica

Luxury adventures in Costa Rica

8 days from £3,200pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Things to do

Enjoy soaking in hot springs, riding on horseback or following a nature trail at the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica. Book now with Journey Latin America.

Where to go when - our guide to Arenal and the north

Arenal

The weather in Arenal and the north is wide and varied

Situated three hours north from the capital is this region of lush cloud forest, sparkling lakes and gushing waterfalls, overlooked by the pleasingly conical volcano Arenal. Although this area sits at 1,000m above sea level, its temperatures remain high all year round, with highs of 32°C.

View our Arenal and the north weather guide

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Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Charlotte
    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Millie
    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

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