🌋 Arenal Volcano Horseback: My Honest Review & Tips

The iconic Arenal Volcano is among Central America’s most famous volcanoes. Hiking to the summit is prohibited, but you can explore the base. Using a clear rating system, I share my honest review of horseback riding around it, along with firsthand tips.

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🍀 Lukiih’s Verdict

I highly recommend horseback riding around Arenal Volcano’s base. It was one of my trip’s highlights.

• If you take the path owned by Don Tobias (a well-known horse breeder in the area), you’ll pass through beautiful scenery, see wildlife (e.g., spider monkeys, sloths, etc), and learn about the town and volcano’s history. As someone who’s taken several horseback riding tours, I thought the Don Tobias guides exceeded expectations. They were knowledgeable and passionate about horses. The farm lets their horses take one-week breaks at a time where they roam free and saddle-less.
• The horseback riding tour around Arenal Volcano is expensive. At $100 for a 3-hour tour, this is one of the most costly tours I’ve ever booked while traveling.
• Minimal preparation is required. You don’t need experience riding horses, but you should book in advance, and wear long pants and closed-toe shoes in case your horse gets near a branch or tree. The tour operator will take care of the 10-minute transportation from La Fortuna to Don Tobias’s property.

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🏆 Where Does It Rank?

Horseback riding around Arenal Volcano ranks as the #1 experience I had in Costa Rica. Here’s how it compares to other things I did on my trip:

	Experience	Location	Overall Rating
1	🌋 Arenal Volcano Horseback	La Fortuna	7.3
2	🌊 Whitewater Rafting in Río Sarapiquía	La Fortuna	7.0
3	♨️ La Fortuna Hot Spring	La Fortuna	6.7
4	🌳 Místico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park	La Fortuna	6.6
5	🍫 Chocolate & Coffee Tour 🎟️	La Fortuna	6.6
6	🌳 Monteverde Cloud Forest Zipline 🎟️	Monteverde	6.5
7	💧 La Fortuna Waterfall 🎟️	La Fortuna	6.5
8	🌴 Manuel Antonio National Park 🎟️	Manuel Antonio	6.5
9	🍲 La Fortuna Town	La Fortuna	6.5
10	💆‍♀️ Nosara Outdoor Massage	Nosara	6.4
11	🌳 Monteverde Cloud Forest 🎟️	Monteverde	6.3
12	🦉 Monteverde Wildlife Refuge Night Walk 🎟️	Monteverde	6.3
13	🦥 Sloth Sanctuary 🎟️	Monteverde	6.2
14	🦋 Monteverde Butterfly Garden 🎟️	Monteverde	6.2
15	🧘‍♂️ Nosara Yoga Class	Nosara	5.8
16	🏖️ Playa Espadilla	Manuel Antonio	5.8
17	🤿 Playa Biesanz	Manuel Antonio	5.8
18	🚙 Nosara ATV Ride	Nosara	5.7
19	🚡 Arenal Volcano Sky Tram 🎟️	La Fortuna	5.6

🌋 10 Days in Costa Rica: A Unique & Active Itinerary

For more detailed tips on my experience, check out my trip planner below.

Costa Rica Trip Planner 2025

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• Up-to-date travel info
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• A simple budget tracker
• A starter packing list
• Fully customizable sections

Built in Notion, this is the tool I personally use to plan every trip. I genuinely love it and creating a Notion account is free.

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