If you’re planning a trip to Costa Rica, you likely have two very popular tourist destinations on your list of places to visit, La Fortuna and Monteverde.
La Fortuna is known for its proximity to the magnificent Arenal Volcano with its serene lake, hot springs, and space-like volcanic rock formations. Monteverde is another must-see destination for anyone who wants to experience the beauty of the cloud forest. In Monteverde, you might be looking forward to adventure activities like ziplining, hiking, or visiting waterfalls.
Many travelers take the trek from La Fortuna to Monteverde, so it is worthwhile to know what to expect on your journey. Here is a detailed look at how to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde.
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La Fortuna to Monteverde Options
Getting from La Fortuna to Monteverde has a variety of unique options, unlike others throughout Costa Rica. Instead of a simple journey by car or bus, you can reach Monteverde by taking a boat across Lake Arenal or even doing a horseback ride through the jungle!
| Taxi Boat | ~3 hours, $30 |
| Rental Car | ~3.5-4 hours, $100/day |
| Shared Shuttle | ~4 hours, $70 |
| Private Shuttle | ~3.5 hours, $288 |
| Public Bus | ~4-5 hours, $10 |
| Horseback Ride | 4-6 hours, $160 |
La Fortuna to Monteverde Transportation (All The Details)
Okay, let’s dive in to all the details. Here are the 6 different ways to get to Monteverde from La Fortuna!
1. Taxi Boat (Or Jeep-Boat-Jeep)
Taking a boat ride across Arenal Lake might not only be one of the quickest ways to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde but also the most scenic.
You’ll wait at the pick-up location in La Fortuna and take a 25-minute van ride to Arenal Lake. From there you’ll take an approximately 40-minute boat ride across the lake. From there, it’s a 1.5 or so ride in the van to Monteverde (but factor in time to board both luggage and passengers). You should bring comfortable clothes and a rain jacket for your trip.
The car ride, especially from Lake Arenal to Monteverde, is very bumpy. You’re traveling in a van up a dirt road to a very mountainous region in Costa Rica, so expect that it won’t be a smooth ride!
The cost per person is $33.58 and pick-up times from La Fortuna are 8 AM or 2 PM. You can book a taxi boat from Arenal here!
2. Rental Car
Renting a car in Costa Rica might be the best way to go if you want to have the most control over your time. If you rent a car and you’re planning to drive from La Fortuna to Monteverde, it helps to know what to expect in advance.
To get from La Fortuna to Monteverde, you’ll need to travel the road from La Fortuna to Tilarán and then from Tilarán to Monteverde. The road is paved for a portion of the drive but also has plenty of unpaved dirt roads.
When you look at the time to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde in your navigation app, be sure to factor the time to drive slowly on unpaved and winding roads.
One of the benefits of renting a car is that you can make stops along the way. I highly recommend stopping at Viento Fresco Waterfalls, which is on the road from Tilaran to Monteverde.
3. Shared Shuttle
A great option for travelers who might feel intimidated to drive to Monteverde from La Fortuna themselves is to take a shared shuttle. Instead of navigating the roads yourself, you can sit back and allow a trained driver to take over.
That said, the road is bumpy no matter who is driving, so I might not necessarily expect to take a long nap in the car. The ride will likely be between 3.5 and 4 hours depending on the conditions of the roads, with a predetermined rest stop built into the schedule.
I like and have used the company Interbus and recommend their shared shuttle. The price is $70 for adults and $35 for children. They pick up from specific hotels in the La Fortuna area at a predetermined time of 8 AM (if your hotel isn’t on their list contact them to determine the best solution).
You will be allowed one carry-on bag and one large suitcase and will need to pay extra if bringing additional luggage.
4. Private Shuttle
If you’d like the luxury of traveling with only your private party, or you have a large group and prefer to split the costs, you might want to think of booking a private shuttle. This might be a great choice for families traveling with kids who prefer to avoid the hassle of driving or traveling in shared spaces in a bumpy car ride.
In addition to offering shared shuttles, Interbus also offers private van rides for up to 9 passengers at $288 per ride. This option also has more flexibility to choose your own pick-up and drop-off times and locations. The driver will stop at a predetermined rest stop to allow you to use the restroom, get a snack, or stretch your legs.
You can book a private shuttle from La Fortuna to Monteverde online.
5. Public Bus
Well-seasoned travelers, or perhaps solo travelers and backpacker types might be interested in using public transportation to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde.
The bus from La Fortuna to Tilaran leaves from the “Parada de autobuses” (search Google Maps) with the company Transpisa by 8 AM. Their schedules are posted here.
Go down to the schedule “horarios” for Tilaran and look at the drive from Ciudad Quesada to Tilaran, note where it says the bus will be in Fortuna (“en Fortuna”) at 8 AM. Catch this first bus because you’ll need to take a second bus when you get to Tilaran.
Fares are not posted on their site nor a place to buy tickets. Go in person to the bus station in Fortuna and ask how you can get a ticket (ideally 1-2 days in advance).
The bus from Tilaran to Monteverde leaves at approximately 1 PM from the Tilaran bus station (“Parada de buses Tilarán” if you’re searching Google Maps). When you get to the bus station in Tilarán, inquire about fares and be sure you have the departing time correct.
Generally, the bus is inexpensive and you do not need to bring more than $20 for fares. Don’t bring dollars, bring 10,000 colones in two 5,000 colones bills (they won’t always be able to give you change for big bills).
I live here and I still needed to do a deep dive to track all of that information down for you (it’s a bit confusing). Again, if you are a nervous or inexperienced traveler or you don’t know Spanish, I’d choose a different option from taking public transportation.
6. Horseback Ride
Lastly, for those craving the most adventure, you can choose to do a horseback ride from Lake Arenal to Monteverde. The experience will be unforgettable as you experience the beauty of traveling through the mountains of Costa Rica on horseback.
The journey begins with a pick-up at 7:30 AM from La Fortuna where you will take a bus ride to the town of El Castillo on the edge of Arenal Lake. From there, you’ll ride horses for about 3 hours until you arrive in the cloud forest of Monteverde.
You don’t need to be worried about your safety as you will be accompanied by a trained guide for the duration of the ride. They advertise that no horseback riding experience is needed for this adventure. Your luggage will be transported in a separate vehicle to Monteverde so no worries if you didn’t pack light.
Book your trip at least 5 days in advance and if you need to cancel, do so within 48 hours.
Arenal to Monteverde FAQs
- How long should I spend in Monteverde?
I live in Monteverde so I’m biased about how many amazing activities there are to do here, but most folks will enjoy spending 2-3 days in Monteverde. Monteverde will have the most diverse range of activities for families who love hiking, adventure activities like ziplining, and learning about wildlife and conservation activities in Costa Rica.
- What are the best things to do in Monteverde?
There are a ton of fun activities and things to see in Monteverde. Adventure junkies might love ziplining across the rainforest or seeing the canopy from high above on huge suspension bridges.
Wildlife enthusiasts can enjoy night walks, bird watching, and visiting sloth or butterfly conservation centers. When you’re in Monteverde you also can’t miss hiking activities like the El Tigre Waterfall hike or hiking through the famous Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. Don’t forget to stop for a coffee grown locally here in Monteverde and also perhaps do a coffee tour while you’re here!
- Will I need a car in Monteverde?
If you rent a car, you will have the luxury of being able to stay further from the central town of Santa Elena and perhaps somewhere more surrounded by nature.
Also, you will have the ability to see sights at your leisure without relying on transportation pickup times or bus schedules. If you want to stay somewhere in Monteverde immersed in nature or have a lot of activities on your to-do list, renting a car is the way to go.
- Do I need 4-wheel drive to get to Monteverde?
Monteverde is a mountainous region with several areas that have unpaved roads and driveways. In the rainy season, there is a chance that more rural areas in Monteverde can become muddy and difficult to navigate in a regular car. If you’re traveling from La Fortuna to Monteverde during the rainy season, it can’t hurt to think about getting a 4-wheel drive vehicle if you’re renting a car.
- Do I need to tip my shuttle driver?
Tipping isn’t as ubiquitous in Costa Rica as it is in the United States, but I think it is the appropriate gesture to tip your shuttle driver, whatever you can comfortably afford! The driver will be very appreciative of any generosity you offer.
La Fortuna to Monteverde Recap
There you have it! There are a diverse set of options for traveling from the famous region of the active Arenal Volcano to the iconic protected cloud forests of Monteverde.
No matter which option you choose, both of these cities are full of must-do activities when visiting Costa Rica. You will have an amazing time, and don’t forget to say “pura vida”!
Lindsay Gantz lives in Monteverde, Costa Rica with her husband who is Costa Rican. She helps visitors plan trips to Costa Rica and also organizes small group trips for solo female travelers. You can reach her on Instagram or by email at [email protected]
