Canyoning in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Canyoning in La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Canyoning in La Fortuna, with its waterfall rappelling and cavernous “falls,” proved to be Costa Rica’s greatest thrill of all

Beneath the mighty slopes of the Arenal Volcano in northwest Costa Rica lies the small town of La Fortuna. With a wealth of natural attractions nearby, including lush rainforest, extensive hiking trails, countless hot springs, and two gigantic volcanoes (Cerro Chato is also within easy reach), it's not the city itself that draws visitors to this leafy district of Costa Rica.

The streets, flanked by hotels, noisy cafes, milkshake shacks and restaurants, are a noisy and churning stretch of amenities designed primarily for tourists.

But just a few kilometers from the city center, a dizzying array of adventures awaits. The program includes rainforest hikes, white water rafting, canopy ziplining and waterfall jumping.

alt="Canyoning in the Arenal of La Fortuna Costa Rica">Atlas & BootsThe Arenal Volcano is easy to reach from La Fortuna

We visited La Fortuna as part of our National Geographic Expedition to Costa Rica. We had a free day and a plethora of activities to choose from, so we opted for a morning of canyoning in La Fortuna with local operator Desafio.

We stopped by their offices the day before to book our time slot and receive a brief briefing on what to expect and what we needed to bring with us. The next morning we were picked up from our hotel and driven for 20 minutes to Lost Canyon.

Wedged into a steep green jungle, Lost Canyon is home to the largest rappelling waterfalls in Costa Rica's wet and wild northern zone. Along (should that be down?) the canyon, there are a series of four plunging waterfalls to navigate, as well as several sections with other water challenges.

alt="Canyoning in the rainforest of La Fortuna Costa Rica">Atlas & BootsLush rainforest surrounds Lost Canyon

After donning harnesses, helmets, and thick gloves at Desafio's "Lost Canyon Ops Center," we paused for a safety briefing ("when we shout "let go, let go!") and were rushed to the start of the course in the "jungle sedan," more prosaically known as a Jeep.

The canyoning course started with a fairly quiet abseiling at a waterfall called The Baby before heading to the second largest waterfall known as Big Boy. This significantly larger waterfall required a less graceful mix of rappelling, freefall, and ziplining. Regardless of the technique, the result was the same: a screaming thrill!

After collecting ourselves at the bottom, we continued down the canyon, rappelling down smaller waterfalls, plunging into deep pools, rappelling down guided rappels, and climbing over canyon walls and river boulders before finally reaching the highlight of the activity: a 60 m (200 ft) waterfall.

There's a real adrenaline-pumping free fall here before the line tightens and whips you steeply down a zip line towards the canyon floor. With hearts racing and blood pounding, our group gathered at the base of the canyon to hike our way through the rainforest to the end of the course.

The camaraderie in the group was very special as everyone from 25-year-old teachers to 60-year-old retirees cheered and shouted their way through the course.

Back at the Lost Canyon Ops Center, we dried off and warmed up with a hot drink, some cookies, and lots of giggles as we swapped watery stories about our hopelessly clumsy descents and ungraceful splashes.

Canyoning in La Fortuna is incredibly fun, shamelessly exhilarating, relentlessly wet, and absolutely, utterly ridiculous. Of course we highly recommend it.

• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>
• alt=““>

Canyoning in La Fortuna: the essentials

What: Canyoning in La Fortuna as part of a 9-day National Geographic Expedition to Costa Rica.

Where: We stayed in a range of mid-range hotels, from the lavish grounds and comfortable rooms at Arenal Manoa in La Fortuna to simpler mountain lodge-style accommodations at Hotel Heliconia in Monteverde and even shipping containers repurposed as rooms at El Faro near Manuel Antonio.

When: The best time to travel to Costa Rica is the dry season from December to April. Plenty of sunshine makes it an ideal time to explore both the treetops and the coast. However, this is high season so expect more tourists and higher prices. The low season from May to July and November is also a good time to visit. It rains more, but it is quieter and the forests of Costa Rica are bursting with leaves.

How: Canyoning in La Fortuna can be booked directly with Desafio: desafiocostarica.com, info@desafiocostarica.com, +506 2479 0020 or through the office on Calle 472.

Canyoning in La Fortuna costs $99 per person for a four-hour activity and includes transportation to and from your hotel, all safety equipment, and a buffet lunch at a nearby restaurant after the activity. The photo and video package costs an additional $20 per person.

We visited La Fortuna as part of a 9 day National Geographic Expedition to Costa Rica. The tour costs from £1,199 and includes a Chief Experience Officer (CEO), all accommodation, transport between destinations, all breakfasts, some meals and numerous activities. Canyoning is an optional activity and not included in the price. For more information or bookings call 0800 440 2551 or book online.

We recommend using Bookaway to find bus, ferry and train tickets in Costa Rica. Book buses to La Fortuna here.

We flew to Costa Rica with British Airways. Book flights at the best prices through Skyscanner.

Disclosure: We traveled to Costa Rica with support from National Geographic Expeditions. All publications say this, but we really don't guarantee positive coverage. We say what we think – good and bad – so you can make informed decisions with honest advice. .