Arenal Northwest Hike over the 1968 Lava Flows, with Optional Hot Springs

The route works the northwestern side of Arenal, the sector that took the brunt of the last eruptive period. The lava underfoot came out in 1968, during one of the largest eruptions recorded in Costa Rica, and it has had decades to settle into the ground you walk on. The trail crosses regenerating forest, a large block of petrified lava, steep sections and sandy soil, so the terrain changes several times over a short distance. Plants, wildlife and rock formations come with it. The guiding here is technical. The subjects are the eruptive history of Arenal, how volcanoes form, lithological cycles, the way forest re-establishes itself on lava, and the processes underground that produce all of it. The trail finishes at viewpoints over Lake Arenal and the volcano itself. Hot springs can be added to the booking or left out.