Our Quest for the Best ATV Tours in Costa Rica – A Tale of 3 Cities

3 Costa Rica ATV Tours Put to the Test By The Real Deal Team

This September, I had the opportunity to travel to 3 of my favorite weekend destinations in search of the best ATV tours in Costa Rica.  The best part was, it was the rainiest part of the rainy season, so all 3 destinations provided me with my favorite terrain…..wet and wild fun on muddy trails!  The 3 cities I visited were Jaco, Manuel Antonio & La Fortuna. Here is my review the top 3 ATV tours in Costa Rica I have experienced …..so far!!

Jaco ATV Tour – Vista Los Suenos 3 Hour ATV Tour in Jaco

Overall Best Off-Road Trails, Challenging Terrain & Panoramic Views

ATV Type: Fully Automatic Yamaha 450cc

Terrain Type: Nearly 100% Off Road Trails on Challenging Terrain

ATV Riding Time: 3 Hours Total Including a Small Hike to Waterfall

Before I begin, I should probably put it out there that I grew up in the Pacific Northwest of the US, so rainy terrain is my jam and I have a lot of experience riding ATVs.  My husband owns an ATV and had been a Private ATV guide in Mexico for several years.  We know our way around an ATV, we know how to ride safely, but we also like to test our skills when possible on challenging terrain.  Most guided ATV tours do not really allow that, which we completely understand.  But the off-road trails of the Vista Los Sueños Adventure Park was probably some of the most fun we have had riding ATVs in years.

We opted for the 3 Hour Jaco ATV + Waterfall Hike tour at the Vista Los Suenos Adventure Park.  The operation here is super professional. I was surprised by the number of people they had that morning, but they split the groups up into much smaller groups for each guide so you barely notice anyone else around.  At our departure time, there was a large family group in a combo of the ATVs and Buggies, there was a group of 3 more couples that were English speaking.  Then there was just my husband and me in the Spanish-speaking group.  So we basically got a private ATV tour!

We met our guide & went over all the safety regulations that were clearly listed on a large sign point by point in both English, Spanish, and funny icons.  (I took a picture and cannot find it anywhere, but loved their use of icons).  After that, they geared us up and took us to our ATV…a brand new fully automatic Yamaha 450cc. Excuse the cliche, but seriously, it was the Cadillac of ATVs. It was super luxurious AND super powerful.  So perfect for the challenging terrain we were about to explore.  But first, the coolest practice track I have ever encountered.

So once they assessed our ATV driving skills, we were off to hit the trails.  And wow, what an amazing labyrinth of trails crisscrossing each other, crossing over rivers, up on 2 wheels around technical corners, and maybe even catching a little air…shhhh.  Thank goodness I sprung for the professional photo package.  It was POURING down rain the first 45 minutes of our tour.  This was day one …I was not about to destroy my iPhone just yet.

Again, I missed capturing the first part because it was raining so much, but here is a little video of some of the trails through the river.

Some of the Best ATV Trails in Costa Rica

And the mud, oh was there mud to ride through!

Riding ATV’s in the Mud Can Get to be a Little Technical at Times

After playing around in the mud a bit more, we headed over to the waterfalls.  A hurricane had just passed through the area, so the bridge and stairs were a bit sketchy.

They were still safe enough to cross one at a time until they could get them repaired (which was in the plans for as soon as the rain stopped coming down 24/7). The falls were strong and it was a bit cold so we did not jump in, but we had a blast and took a few photos while there.

After playing around on the private trails again, we got off the private property briefly to navigate through the local Pueblo in order to access another dirt road that would take us to the top of the highest vista in Herradura.  And I can imagine the amazing view on a clear day…but this was our view on the way up.  By the time we got to the top, it was a complete white out of fog.  We could barely see across the clearing at all.

So we rode back down, which was incredible and a bit scary as I was on the back of the ATV feeling like we needed more breaks jaja.  Truth is our ATV was in perfect condition, I was just a bit freaked out going downhill.  It seemed really steep to me. I took video, but it does just not seem to capture it well enough.  But check it out….you can see a small spot of ocean!!

Going Down Was a Bit Scary as a Passenger Riding on the Back of the ATV

After we got back down, we went back into the Vista Los Suenos Adventure Park and rode our ATVs up the hill to the magnificent vista that the park is named after. The fog had cleared a bit and we had a slightly better view, but I was more enamored with the Toucans in a tree at the top.

After all that riding, I was super happy that we had the added buffet lunch included in our package.  YUMMY!  And kudos to the chef for the amazing salsa that actually had a little heat to it.  Something hard to find here.  For us, this was the perfect start to our mini-vacation and our Quest for the best ATV tours in Costa Rica.  Maybe a little too perfect even.  It was going to be really hard to top this ATV tour in Jaco for sure.

Here is the list of all the Jaco ATV Tours in Costa Rica to choose from.

Manuel Antonio ATV Tour – Fourtraxx ATV 3 Hour ATV Tour

Waterfalls, Palm Plantations & Local Villages

ATV Type: Semi-Automatic Honda 420cc

Terrain Type: Mix of Plantation Trails, Private Ranch Trails, & County Roads Through Small Pueblos

ATV Riding Time: 3 Hours Total With a Stop to Hike Through Rainmaker Park & Waterfalls

Next stop Quepos & Manuel Antonio for a revisit to the Original ATV tour in Manuel Antonio.  We had worked with this company many years ago and had very happy clients.  So we were happy they survived the Pandemic and they are back under new management. They have also teamed up with Quepo Canyoning which we opted for the Quepo Canyoning + Manuel Antonio ATV Tour Combo…the BOMB!! We were literally limited to just 2 days in Manuel Antonio, so I really feel like with the combo we absolutely made the best of our time and money. Not to mention, one heck of a waterfall rappel!!

We did the canyoning in the morning because the weather can get tricky for waterfall rappelling in the afternoons when the rains hit.  So our ATV tour did in fact get some rain, but not nearly as much as we had in Jaco, so we were thankful. But just to note, if you have more time, you can split up the activities into 2 days and still save money by booking them together.  We did not have extra time, so we crammed them in, but it was all well worth it.

So the meeting point for both tours is right downtown Quepos, or they will pick you up at your hotel.  We opted to meet because we had booked an Airbnb with a slightly perilous uphill drive that we did not want to ask a van full of people to ascend.  From there we headed out into local African Palm plantations to the basecamp where there are bathrooms, lockers, showers and the kitchen for the wonderful meal that is included with the tour after. Oh, and a foosball table too!!

Again, they geared us up with all the standard safety equipment and a reflective banner that we had to wear since we were going to be on public roads too.  The Honda ATV’s are semi-automatic. This means you need to shift down or up using a foot pedal.  It is really simple to figure out…. down to shift down, up to shift up.  But for some reason, I guess maybe they had too many clients strip out the gears or something, they had us put it into 4th and keep it there.  As it is the same model of ATV we have back home, my husband was a bit perplexed. Great for those that are nervous about shifting, but not so great on the wear and tear of the poor ATV.

We started out on a test track again to see everyone’s riding skills. There were 4 ATVs in our group and everyone was a good driver. So we were heading out down the road to the African Palm Plantations in a jiffy. The road out there is shared by cars, but I think we only passed on other car on the road on the way to the entrance to the trails.  As we came to the entrance, we immediately had to cross the river which was a lot of fun.

The ATV Adventure Starts to get Good When We Cross The River Into the Plantation

We crossed a couple of rivers and wound through the palm plantation trails picking up speed as we went along. Once in the plantations, it was fun offroad trails.

Still Muddy!! The ATV Trails Through the Palm Plantations Are Fun and a Good Place to Learn To Ride an ATV Comfortably

Oh, did we mention the unique road hazards?  Watch out for the Oxen and cart full of palm nuts crossing the road!

Then we made our way into the Rainmaker Reserve.  This was actually the highlight of the tour for me.  The place is spectacularly beautiful with multiple trails crisscrossing the property so you can explore many different regions.  When you enter the park, there is a map of the trails and walking sticks to help you with the somewhat steep terrain at times.  It wss yet again, rainy and wet.  So those sticks came in handy.

The trails to the waterfall take you down, but then back up.  So it is a good leg workout for you after being on the ATV for the last hour.   Although it was raining a bit, the forest was dense and provided some shelter.  It also kept us cool on the climb to the waterfall lookout point.

To get to the actual waterfall, we had to again cross a suspension bridge over the river.  This one was in better shape than the one in Jaco, but the hurricane had just passed through here as well.  To be cautious, the guide suggested we only cross one at a time.

Once we reached the other side, we could practically reach out and touch the waterfall.  The trail takes you right up to it.  The guide told us when it is not raining so much, the waterfall is much calmer and you can cross it and swim in the pools surrounding it.

After we stopped at the waterfalls, we hiked our way back up to the entrance of the park and enjoyed some cookies and fruit to recharge.  We saw some Aracaries (a type of toucan) and explored the gardens a bit before heading back to our ATVs.   The ride back followed most of the same trail, but we entered a ranch just before base camp which had great trails, and a stunning view of the verdant green area surrounding.

The ATV Trails Here Were Muddy But a Lot of Fun!

The ranch trails actually lead back into the base camp from the backside.  Best of all, we had the fortunate luck of arriving just in time for a troop of monkeys to cross in the trees above.  We watched for a bit, but we were all so wet and chilled that I found rinsing off and changing my clothes more appealing at that point.  In the end, we were treated to the most delicious Casado.  Everyone else was served a traditional Chicken & Rice dish that is very typical in Costa Rica.  But because I do not eat meat, I was treated to the most delicious meal of veggie in garlic & butter.

All in all our ATV tour in Manuel Antonio was a great experience.  The terrain and trails were very different than Jaco, but truly unique to the region.  We got to ride through some local pueblos which I love to check out when traveling.  Kids would come out to wave to us as we passed by, and the homes and gardens there are rustic yet gorgeous because of the natural gardens.  I think this ATV tour in Costa Rica  is great for those less experienced riders as well.  The terrain is not technical at all, so less chances for any sort of accident.  So if you are looking for an ATV tour in Manuel Antonio for all skill levels, we can most definitely recommend this one.

Here is the list of all the Manuel Antonio ATV Tours in Costa Rica to choose from. 

Arenal ATV Tour – Outback Quads 3 Hour Discover Arenal ATV Tour in  La Fortuna

Arenal Volcano, Waterfalls, Indigenous Cultures, & Lava Fields

ATV Type: Fully Automatic Yamaha 450cc

Terrain Type: Mix of Private Off Road Trails, County Roads, and Arenal Volcano Off Road Trails Up to Lava Fields

ATV Riding Time: 3 Hours Total Including a Small Hike to Waterfall, Stop at Indigenous Village, and Hike to the Arenal Lava Fields

After spending a few days on the rainy coast, it was time to venture into the mountains.  And there is no better way to spend your downtime relaxing after all that action than in some hot springs.  So we headed to Arenal for our 3rd and final ATV tour in Costa Rica that week.   In Arenal, we chose the 3 Hour Discover Arenal ATV Tour so we could get the most riding time in once again.  And wow, we discovered Arenal, from about every angle you possible could. It was amazing!!

As a matter of fact, the base camp for this ATV tour is across from the Montaña del Fuego Resort and has spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano, just as you are checking in.  We signed our waiver, got our safety equipment, and we were assigned to the same ATV we had in Jaco; a fully automatic Yamaha 450cc!

One thing I will give this company is that they are sticklers for safety.  I was really impressed with the instruction time, and they too had a practice course.  Not only that, if you were riding double and wished to drive the ATV at all, they had you repeat the practice course with the other person driving.  The practice was REALLY SLOW, but I appreciated it as the ride changed multiple times so I see why important to know their skills.  The most technical ride was toward the end.

Both Riders Go Through the Practice Course Slowly in Order to Drive the ATV at Any Point if They Want to Switch.

Practice course complete, we literally just crossed the highway directly into the private trails of the Montana del Fuego property.  The trails are a rocky mix of dirt and lava rock as we descended towards the river at the bottom.

The ride down was a good warm-up run and absolutely breathtaking foliage on either side. Like Jurassic-sized foliage.   I think we only rode a maximum of 20 minutes before reaching the river where we parked the ATVs and took a short walk to a small waterfall.

We hung out by the river, took some pics, and just chilled for a bit.  The guide took this time to speak to each one of us to see how we were feeling about the ride and if we were comfortable with the pace.  That demonstrated a lot of professionalism to me and I appreciated it.  When the horseback riding tour made its way to the waterfall, we decided it was time to go and get ahead of them.

Our ATV trail continued out onto the windy road leading out to The Springs Resort area.  The road was actually fun as well. It wound past green pastures, ranches and beautiful homes along the way.

Even the ATV Riding on the Street Was Breathtaking

This part of the ATV tour culminated at an amazing lookout point where you feel you are pretty much face to face with the Arenal Volcano.  Except when we arrived, it was right when the clouds passed over and blocked the view…again jaja.

Our next stop was back in the private reserve.  We hit the offroad trails again and made our way to a small Maleku Village replica.  Here we spent about 15 minutes learning a little bit about the plight of the indigenous in Costa Rica.  Here in this region, their numbers have been reduced to just under 600 total.  So it is very important to keep what local tradition, language and culture they have in tact.  So sustainable tourism is a great way to facilitate that while making a living at the same time.  I like that this Arenal ATV tour does its part to support that.

We also got to spend a little time shopping for some of the handicrafts.  I loved the masks, but we were short on crafts.  So, we settled on a couple of smaller hand-painted balls that I sent to my family as this year’s Christmas ornaments (family tradition).  Looking back, I wish I had brought more cash with me to purchase one of the masks though.  We also tried our hand at shooting a bow and arrow.

Trying Our Luck At Hunting…I Think We May Starve

From here we set off to the trails leading to the lava fields of the Arenal Volcano.  This was the wettest, craziest and most fun part of the tour.  You see the theme here. I think I am happiest when the trails are crazy muddy and wet.

We climbed up the hill on our ATV as far as we could, and we had to hike about 5 or 6 minutes from there.  Honestly, it was pouring rain and I was a bit wet and cold and was close to wanting to skip it.  Thankfully we were with a great group who were motivated.  So we said ok let’s do it.  Man oh man I would have kicked myself if we did not make that hike!!

The view from the lava fields was stunning!!  And we were so very fortunate as the sun finally came out just as we reached the top. Soaking wet and all.  From there we were right next to the volcano, and we could start to see clearly all the way to Lake Arenal and beyond.  It was a spectacular image now pressed into my memory I will always cherish.

The sun stayed out all the way back down the mountain and back to base camp.  It was a beautiful ride back that gave us time to dry off a bit and take in the breathtaking scenery once again.  Out of all 3 Costa Rica ATV tours I experienced, the Arenal ATV tour is by far and away the most scenic.  It was also a great mix of different terrain and activities.  You should not miss out on this ATV tour in Arenal if you are visiting La Fortuna.

Here is a list of all the Arenal & La Fortuna ATV tours in Costa Rica to choose from.

Which is the Best ATV Tour in Costa Rica?

If I had to pick my favorite ATV tour in Costa Rica, it would have to be the super muddy day at Vista Los Sueños, mainly for the circuit of trails they have there that are unbeatable.  But each of the ATV tours in Costa Rica have such unique terrain and things to see and do….you really could do and ATV tour in each city and never get bored.  As a matter of fact, that is our goal.  So stay tuned!  One of our other team is heading to explore more ATV tours in Guanacaste!