How to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde

If you love nature, and are planning to visit Costa Rica, chances are, visiting La Fortuna (hello, Arenal Volcano!) is on your wish-list. In all likelihood, you’ll also want to visit Monteverde to explore the cloud forests, see incredible wildlife, and enjoy exhilarating hikes. With that in mind, read the Rough Guide to how to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde.

How to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde

Happily, travellers hoping to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde have a few modes of transport to choose from. What’s more, there are options to suit all budgets.

First up — and arguably the best way to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde — is to get a boat across Arsenal Lake. A vehicle can collect you from your hotel and drive you to the lake. 

From here, you’ll enjoy a scenic 30-minute boat crossing, and finish your journey with a couple of hours on the road.

You also have a few options done entirely by road — a shared shuttle service, taking a public bus, or driving yourself in a rental car.

Planning a longer trip around Costa Rica? Before you go, arm yourself with tips on getting around Costa Rica. 

How far is La Fortuna from Monteverde? 

Though the distance between La Fortuna and Monteverde is just 73 miles as the crow flies, there’s no simple direct road between them.

Having to navigate rugged mountain landscapes, curved roads, and some dirt tracks, means making the journey by road will take a minimum of 3.5 hours — more details on the road route below.

Considering visiting Costa Rica? Take inspiration from our customisable Costa Rica itineraries.

What's the quickest way to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde? 

If you’re looking to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde via the quickest means, you’ll want to take a scenic water taxi across Arenal Lake.

The taxi-boat-taxi journey takes around 3 hours in total. This includes a taxi pick-up from your accommodation, a 30-minute boat ride, and 1.5 hours on the road when you disembark the boat on the other side of the lake.

The second fastest way to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde is to drive yourself in a rental car, or to book a private taxi. This takes in the region of 3.5 to 4 hours.

Next, there’s the shared shuttle option — a road journey with a duration of 4.5 hours.

Lastly, the slowest option is to take a public bus. This has an epic eight-hour journey time.

Thinking of spending longer around La Fortuna to explore Arenal Volcano? Check out the best Arenal volcano tours, and the best Arenal Volcano hikes.

When you want to unwind, the area’s not short of fabulous Costa Rican hot springs, either.

By taxi boat

Duration: 3 hours | Cost: from $27

Taking a taxi boat isn’t just the quickest way to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde. It’s also most scenic, relaxing way to make the journey. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also very affordable.

There are typically two lake crossings a day – morning and afternoon. Your chosen operator will collect you from your La Fortuna accommodation and drive you to Lake Arenal.

After 20-30 minutes on the road, you’ll reach the awe-inspiring lake and board a covered boat. Then follows a relaxing ride of around 30 minutes, which serves splendid views of Arenal volcano and majestic mountains.

Once you've reached the other side of the lake, a car or mini bus will meet you and make the transfer to Monteverde. This road journey takes 1.5 hours.

By shared shuttle bus

Duration: 4.5 hours | Cost per bus: from $40 to $200 (shared between passengers)

Another scenic and affordable way to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde is via a shared shuttle bus.

Taking around 4.5 hours, the winding route delivers jaw-dropping views as you drive around Arenal Lake and head over the mountains.

Just be aware that you’ll most likely stop off to collect fellow travellers along the way, adding up to an average journey time of 4.5 hours.

Given that both La Fortuna and Monteverde offer access to some of the country’s top nature spots, you’d do well to read up on the most beautiful national parks on Costa Rica.

By public bus

Duration: 8 hours | Cost: from $7

On a budget? Booking a seat on a public bus is the cheapest way to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde. But given that it takes eight hours, this option isn’t for the impatient.

The 8am bus from La Fortuna will get you to Tilaran in around two hours. You then have to wait a couple of hours to board the 1pm bus to Santa Elena, a town that neighbours Monteverde.

Note that this arrives in Santa Elena around 4pm, by which time you’ll have missed the last local bus to Monteverde. So, you’ll have to take a taxi to your Monteverde accommodation.

Planning to get active during your trip? Discover the best hikes in Costa Rica. 

By rental car

Duration: 3.5-4 hours | Cost: from $50 a day

If you fancy the freedom of the open road, consider using a rental car to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde.

Just be aware that you’ll need a 4WD, as the drive can be pretty darn tricky, with rugged mountain territory to navigate.

As for the route, from La Fortuna, take Route 142 to Lake Arenal. You follow the lake’s north shore for around two hours to the town of Tilaran. This section is well-paved and, at times, feels like you’re driving right in the jungle.

After taking a pitstop in Tilaran, you get onto Route 145, which twists and turns up into the mountains. Note that some sections are unpaved.

Route 145 turns into Route 606, which takes you into Monteverde.

Thinking of taking a trip to Costa Rica? Discover the best things to do in Costa Rica, and read The Rough Guide to Costa Rica before getting into the nitty gritty of planning. 

Alternatively, say goodbye to the hassle of planning by booking one of our customisable Costa Rica trips, or talking to a Costa Rica local expert.