Travels to Arenal and La Fortuna
I woke revitalized and a little later than usual as I had no early morning tour. Sitting on my terrace enjoying a steaming cup of coffee, I watched the inn’s 20 beautiful horses wander freely on pastures overlooking Arenal Lake.
The sky was gray and misty, the perfect sort of weather for nesting inside and reading a book, or catching up on emails with in-room wireless. But this trip was not about lounging indoors; today I would once again indulge in one of my favorite activities and ride one of La Mansion Inn’s sturdy criollo horses …
Location: Arenal and La Fortuna, Northern Region »
Activities: Horseback Riding, Sunsets »
Refreshed after a good night’s rest and hearty breakfast, I was eager to visit El Congal, a private nature reserve covering 450 acres of primary and secondary forest located on the other side of Lake Arenal, west of the volcano.
Named for the congo (howler monkeys) that inhabit the reserve, El Congal is known for its biodiversity, impressive views and variety of microclimates. I met the reserve’s manager Alejandro, and his brother Johann, my naturalist guide for the day. En route to the lake, they explained that the protected reserve had been in their family for …
Location: Arenal and La Fortuna, Northern Region »
Activities: Bird & Wildlife Watching, Horseback Riding, Private Parks & Reserves »
This morning Christina and Suresh Krishnan, the friendly owners of Desafio Adventure Company, greeted me with big smiles. A well-known and respected tour operator, Desafio is renowned in Arenal for its Class III to V whitewater tours on rivers that Suresh helped pioneer some fifteen years ago.
Today I was being treated to a personalized Community, Culture and Conservation Tour, a brand new excursion that Desafio offers, which allows visitors the opportunity to connect with the local community and learn about promising projects in the area. I was excited to partake in such a unique tour, …
Location: Arenal and La Fortuna, Northern Region »
Activities: Bird & Wildlife Watching »
