Duration: Full Day · Price: From $250 USD per group of 1–4 · Difficulty: Easy
About this tour
The Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges are the most famous canopy walk in Costa Rica, and the reason is simple: a 3.2-kilometer loop carries you across sixteen bridges — six of them long suspension bridges strung high between the trees — through genuinely primary rainforest at the foot of the Arenal Volcano. Up on the bridges you are level with the canopy, where most of the forest's life actually happens: toucans and trogons, dozens of hummingbird species, sloths wedged into the cecropias, howler and white-faced monkeys, eyelash vipers coiled on branches, and, on a clear day, the perfect cone of Arenal rising over the treetops. A naturalist guide is what turns the walk into a wildlife experience — they carry a scope and spot the things you would walk straight past.
This tour is offered two ways:
**Option A — Full Day from San José ($250).** Early private pickup for the roughly 3-hour drive north to La Fortuna, a guided walk across the bridges — about 2 to 3 hours at an unhurried pace — and the return to San José by evening. A long but rewarding day, and the scenery on the drive, through the Central Valley and down into the Arenal lowlands, is part of it.
**Option B — Arenal Add-On with an Extra Night ($200).** If you are already doing one of our nearby tours — the La Fortuna Arenal Volcano day, Río Celeste, or anything within about a two-hour drive — we add Mistico as a relaxed extra day with one additional night's accommodation in the Arenal area, so you walk the bridges in the soft early light when wildlife is most active and crowds are thinnest.
Mistico is in La Fortuna, in the green lowlands below the volcano. The bridges trail is well built and manageable for most fitness levels, with some gentle slopes and steps; sturdy walking shoes and a rain layer are smart year-round. The Mistico Park admission and guided-bridges fee are paid on site and are not included in either price. Want to make more of the day? Mistico also offers a twilight night walk, dedicated birding, horseback riding, and hot-springs combos — just ask and we will fold one in.
What's included
- Private round-trip transport from San José (full-day option)
- Bilingual naturalist guide
- Bottled water
- Add-on option: 1 extra night accommodation in the Arenal area (budget, regular or luxury — confirmed at booking)
Not included
- Mistico Park admission and guided-bridges fee (paid on site)
- Lunch and meals
- Gratuities
- Personal travel insurance
Good to know
- The price covers private transport (full-day option) and your guide; Mistico Park admission is paid on site
- Full day from San José is a long day — about 3 hours each way; the add-on version is far more relaxed
- The trail is about 3.2 km across 16 bridges (6 of them hanging) and takes 2–3 hours at an easy pace
- Suitable for most ages and fitness levels — gentle slopes and steps, no technical sections
- Wear sturdy walking shoes and bring a rain layer; mornings have the best wildlife and clearest volcano views
- Optional extras at Mistico: twilight night walk, birding, horseback riding, hot-springs combo — ask at booking
- Photos courtesy of Mistico Park
- Free cancellation 48 hours prior