Easy Wildlife Watching from La Fortuna

For wildlife watching in Arenal, by far the easiest and best way is to go on a river safari float ride. The most popular river for a boat ride is the Rio Penas Blancas, only a 20 minute drive from La Fortuna.

Rio Penas Blancas runs through the Tilaran Mountain Range and though some parts of the river has high class rapids, a good portion of it has very calm water, perfect for a leisurely boat ride. You have to go on a tour which is what we did recently with Jacamar Naturalist Tours. It’s an incredible place to see monkeys, caimans, reptiles and birds while floating down a beautiful lush river.

Penas Blancas Safari Float with Jacamar Naturalist Tours

We got picked up at 8 AM and by 8:45, we were already floating down a river as the drive to Rio Penas Blancas takes barely 25 minutes from La Fortuna town. The beauty about this tour is that you are in a raft, not a boat with an engine so you can get closer to the animals without disturbing them.

And without the loud sound of a…