Costa Rica Northern Lowlands Activities

ACTIVITIES IN THE NORTHERN LOWLANDS AND ARENAL VOLCANO

One of Costa Rica’s most remote regions, the Northern Lowlands were largely inaccessible from the majority of the nation up until the 1950s. Today, however, the Northern Lowlands are a major tourist destination, attracting visitors to it’s numerous activities and attractions including aerial trams, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, nature hikes, rafting and spelunking.

One of the biggest cities in the Northern Lowlands is La Fortuna, which is located near the foot of the famous Arenal Volcano. La Fortuna is the perfect place for tourists interested in exploring the volcano to take up residence, being a delightful tourist town where numerous tour operators conduct regular explorations of the infamous fiery giant. Accommodations are plentiful and range from cheap to more luxurious, while, closer to Arenal itself, the area’s naturally geothermically heated ground water has provided the perfect place for spas and hot spring resorts for natural healing.

Arenal Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the world and has been attracting tourists by the plane load since it’s first eruption in 1968. Some three thousand years old, the volcano is the most visited place in the whole of Costa Rica. There are numerous tours to the volcano itself, as well as other attractions and activities such as canyoneering, white water rafting, horseback riding (to Monteverde), an amazing rainforest river float.

Lake Arenal is Costa Rica’s largest lake, with it’s eastern vista dominated by the imposing sight of Arenal Volcano itself. There are activities all year round at the lake, including fishing, kayaking, sailboarding and windsurfing, in addition to numerous boat tours, with the area surrounding Lake Arenal also offering land tours via hiking, horseback and mountain riding. Arguably the lake’s biggest claim to fame, however, is the their Rainbow Bass sport fishing. Rainbow Bass make a delicious fish meal, but it is catching them that is the real sport! Lake Arenal is also something of a paradise for bird lovers, with numerous species such as hummingbirds, woodpeckers, kingfishers, toucans, aricaris and more all calling the lake home.

Also accessible via tour companies operating out of La Fortuna are places such as the Cano Negro National Park (Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Cano Negro), Catarata Fortuna, the Magil Reserve, Selva Verde, La Selva Biological Station and the Venado Caverns.

Cano Negro National Park is the home to more than twenty five thousand acres of lowland rain forest, swamplands and wetlands. An important habitat for crocodiles, freshwater fish (particularly tarpon) and waterfowl (including ducks, egrets, grackles, grebes, storks and cormorant), the park features an impressive, sprawling lake (Lago Cano Negro) and numerous fauna such as big cats (such as jaguars and ocelots), deers, monkeys, sloths and tapirs.
Catarata Fortuna is a tour operating out of La Fortuna which takes tourist on a truly spectacular horseback journey to an even more spectacular waterfall.

The Magil Reserve (now integrated with the Tenorio Volcano National Park of Guanacaste) protects over a thousand acres with a specialised wildlife habitat of montane rain forest and cloud forestes. It is one of the few habitats of the rare black panther, and the only place in the world to catch sight of the endangered and famous white eagle.
Selva Verde is a private reserve covering more than five hundred acres of lowland rain forest, featuring numerous wildlife, well-maintained trails and a spectacular butterfly park with over fifty species of butterflies.

La Selva Biological Station is a research station and wildlife park featuring more than four hundred species of birds, two thirds of Costa Rica’s mammal species and over half of the country’s varieties of butterflies.

The Venado Caverns are a treat for dedicated spelunkers. Formed out of solid limestone, the caves extend for over one and a half miles into mountain foothills, featuring stalactites, stalagmites and underground streams, all interconnected. There are even some strange wildlife treats in store for tourists, including blind fish, bats and a very odd species of transparent frog!

The Northern Lowlands and Arenal Volcano are a must see destination for any tourists interested in visiting Costa Rica.