ATV La Fortuna: Best Arenal Volcano Off-Road & Jungle ATV Tours 2026

ATV tours in La Fortuna put you on the back roads, private farms, and jungle trails that ring Arenal Volcano, the country's most famous peak. Unlike the national park, this is working farmland and rainforest where guides lead small convoys across rivers, through mud, and up to viewpoints that frame the volcano, so an ATV tour in La Fortuna is as much about the scenery and the splashing as it is about the driving. This guide compares the best ATV tours in La Fortuna, Costa Rica by price, rating, duration, and what each ride actually includes.

The rides fall into a few clear types: short 2-hour guided loops on private trails, longer 3-hour rides with mud masks and river stops, two-person side-by-side UTVs for families, and combo tours that bolt on ziplining or hot springs. Prices run from around $105 for a shared guided ride up to $315 per group for an exclusive side-by-side, so the right pick depends on how much time, budget, and adventure you want. If you would rather fly through the canopy, our La Fortuna zipline guide covers the best canopy tours, and many operators combine the two.

Below you will find a side-by-side comparison of seven of the most-booked La Fortuna ATV tours, followed by editor's picks, what a ride is actually like, a price breakdown, and tips for booking. Compare the tours.

Here are the rides we think stand out most, depending on what you want from the day.

Best for value and views: Arenal Volcano ATV Guided Experience (Jungle & Maleku)

At around $105 with the most reviews of any La Fortuna ATV tour (634 at 4.7 stars), this 2-hour ride is the easy default. It runs on a mostly private jungle trail with photo stops framing the volcano and a visit to a Maleku indigenous home, so it mixes scenery and culture into a short, well-run loop. Hotel pickup, helmet, water, and fruit are included. We'd book this one first if you only have time for a single ride.

Best for mud and rivers: Guided ATV Adventure: Mud, Rivers & Nature

The highest-rated standard ride on the list at 4.9 stars, this 2-hour tour leans into the wet stuff: a crossing and swim at the Río Arenal, a panoramic viewpoint over La Fortuna and the volcano at El Alto de Monterrey, and an optional natural mud treatment. Children 6 and up can ride as passengers, with a maximum of 20 travelers. We'd give this the edge for riders chasing the muddiest, most adventurous version.

Best private and most relaxing: Private ATV & Hot Springs Combo

The only tour on the list with a perfect 5.0 rating (154 reviews), this 4-hour private trip pairs a 500cc 4WD ATV ride with a soak in natural forest hot springs, and the route can be tailored from easy family trails to harder off-road. It is more expensive (from $160) and meets at La Finca Lodge rather than offering hotel pickup, and we see this as a good fit for couples and anyone who wants the ride plus a reward at the end.

Best combo and best for thrill-seekers: Arenal ATV & Zipline Adventure (Rush Pack)

If you want two adventures in one morning, this roughly 4-hour combo pairs an ATV ride on private farm tracks with an eight-cable zipline circuit reaching up to 90 metres, plus lunch and hotel pickup, from $140. We'd shortlist this for travelers who want the most variety for the money.

Best for families and nervous drivers: Side by Side (UTV) Tour

Not everyone wants to pilot their own quad. This two-person side-by-side UTV lets a confident driver take the wheel while a partner or child rides alongside in the same vehicle, over the same private farms, rivers, and muddy patches. It is priced per group ($315 for up to two) rather than per person, with courtesy transfers from central La Fortuna. We'd lean toward this for families and anyone nervous about driving solo.

La Fortuna ATV tours do not enter Arenal Volcano National Park. Instead they run on private farms and rainforest trails in the volcano's foothills, which is what lets them include mud, river crossings, and off-trail fun that a protected park would never allow. It also sets expectations: the volcano is the backdrop for photo stops here, not a peak you ride up to, so come for the trails and the views rather than for closing in on the crater.

• Private farm and jungle trails: most rides spend the bulk of their time on private property (one operator advertises 90% private trails), winding through pasture, secondary forest, and muddy single-track with the volcano appearing between the trees.
• Río Arenal crossings: several tours splash through or stop at the Arenal River, and a few build in a swim. This is the wettest, most photogenic part of the ride.
• Volcano viewpoints: stops like El Alto de Monterrey open up panoramic views back over La Fortuna town and the near-perfect cone of Arenal, the prime photo moment of most tours.
• Cultural and natural add-ons: depending on the operator, you might visit a Maleku indigenous home, slather on a natural volcanic mud mask, or finish at forest hot springs.

Because the trails are private working land, conditions change with the weather and the season, which is part of why no two rides are quite the same. This is where tours really differ: a private or side-by-side booking lets you set your own pace, while a shared group ride moves at the speed of the convoy.

• Hotel pickup or meeting point: most tours collect you from your La Fortuna hotel and drive 15 to 30 minutes to the trailhead. A few, like the private hot springs combo, ask you to meet at their lodge, so check this before booking.
• Check-in and safety briefing: on arrival you sign a waiver, get fitted with a helmet (and usually goggles), and your guide runs through the controls and a short practice loop before heading out. If a rider does not look comfortable after that practice loop, they may be asked to ride as a passenger in a double ATV, so flag any nerves early and pick a two-seat or side-by-side option if you would rather not be put on the spot.
• The ride: you follow your guide in a small convoy across farm tracks, forest trails, river crossings, and muddy sections, stopping for photos at viewpoints and any cultural or mud-mask stops the tour includes.
• Active riding time: what typically happens is the time actually on the ATV works out to around 2 hours, even when the total including transfers and stops is listed as 3 to 4 hours. Most people don't realize the headline duration is mostly transfers, briefing, and photo stops, so a longer listed tour is not always more time in the saddle.
• Return: you rinse off the worst of the mud, then your guide drives you back to your hotel or meeting point.

Our experience (the mud is the point): Reviews consistently show that getting muddy is not a risk on these tours, it is the whole appeal. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes you do not mind ruining, and bring a full change for afterward. The riders who come dressed for it have the best time.

Our experience (rain helps the ride, hides the volcano): One pattern is consistent in reviews: a downpour makes the trails muddier and the ride more fun, but it also reliably hides Arenal behind cloud. Tours run in normal rain, so getting wet is fine, but if a clear volcano view matters, book a first or mid-morning start in the green season and treat a clean cone shot as a bonus rather than a guarantee.

ATV tours in La Fortuna generally cost from around $105 to $160 per person, with standard shared guided rides at the lower end and private trips, combos, and longer adventures at the higher end. Exclusive two-person side-by-side UTVs are priced per group, from around $315 for up to two riders.

• Standard ($105–$119): a shared, guided 2 to 3-hour ride on private trails, with hotel pickup, helmet, water, and fruit. The Jungle & Maleku and Mud Mask tours sit here at $105, with the Discovery Adventures ride at $119. What matters more than the headline price is the ride length and whether rivers are included, since tours at the same $105 can deliver very different amounts of trail.
• Mid-range ($140–$160): the sweet spot for variety. This buys an ATV-and-zipline combo (from $140), the highly rated Mud, Rivers & Nature ride (from $153), or a private ATV-and-hot-springs trip (from $160).
• Premium ($315 per group): an exclusive two-person side-by-side UTV with a private guide, ideal for families or anyone who would rather share a vehicle than drive solo.

Based on how these tours are structured, for most travelers the sweet spot is a standard $105 guided ride for pure value, or the ATV-and-zipline combo around $140 if you want two adventures in one outing. The best-rated departures fill up in high season, so it is worth booking your dates ahead.

See what an ATV tour in La Fortuna is really like, from the muddy farm trails and river crossings to the Arenal Volcano viewpoints, before you book.

La Fortuna is built for combining adventures, and ATV pairs naturally with two of the area's other signature experiences.

ATV and zipline: the Rush Pack combo links an ATV ride on private farm tracks with an eight-cable canopy circuit reaching up to 90 metres, plus lunch, from $140. It is the most efficient way to tick off two of La Fortuna's headline activities in one morning. If ziplining is the bigger draw, compare dedicated canopy tours in our La Fortuna zipline guide.

ATV and hot springs: the private ATV-and-hot-springs combo finishes a muddy ride with a soak in natural forest hot springs, a fitting reward and the highest-rated tour on our list at 5.0 stars. It is private and meets at La Finca Lodge, so confirm the meeting point when you book.

• Book a morning departure: afternoon rain is common, especially in the green season, so a first or mid-morning start gives you the best odds of volcano views and drier skies. The trails stay muddy regardless.
• Choose the longer ride if it is offered: where an operator sells both a shorter and a longer version, the extra hour is usually where the river crossings and the best terrain are. Riders who pick the longer option tend to feel it was worth it, while the shortest loops can be over quickly.
• Dress to get dirty: wear closed-toe shoes you do not mind soaking and clothes you can throw in the wash, and pack a full change plus a plastic bag for the ride home. Most tours provide a helmet and goggles.
• Check the minimum age and vehicle: the minimum age to drive is usually 14, and children under that ride as passengers in a double ATV or a side-by-side UTV. If anyone in your group is nervous about driving, the two-person side-by-side is the easiest option.
• Confirm pickup versus meeting point: most tours include hotel pickup, but a few private options meet at their own lodge. Check that your specific hotel or resort sits inside the included pickup zone, since some operators add a fee or decline properties that are too far out, and sort out transport when you book so there are no surprises on the morning.
• Bring a little cash: some rides offer paid extras like a scenic-views upgrade or photos, and tipping your guide is customary if you had a good time.
• Combine it with another adventure: ATV pairs well with ziplining or hot springs, and La Fortuna is compact enough to add a second activity the same day. Our La Fortuna zipline guide covers the canopy options. Heading to the central Pacific coast? Our Manuel Antonio ATV tour guide covers the equivalent off-road rides there.