Children's Eternal Rainforest

About this tour

The Children's Eternal Rainforest, Costa Rica's largest private reserve, spans mountains and valleys between Arenal and Monteverde, encompassing 55,000 acres of lush primary and secondary rainforest. This vast expanse is home to Costa Rica's remaining jaguars, along with 120 mammal species, 440 bird species, and over 700 butterfly species. Established in 1987, the reserve is a collaborative effort by the Monteverde Conservation League and donors from 44 countries who contributed to acquiring the land.

The reserve offers three access points to explore the cloud and rainforest. During our visit, we’ll stop at the Pocosol Station near Arenal and the town of La Tigra. Its trails lead to various hidden wonders within the dense, wet premontane rainforest, including fumaroles, waterfalls, and lagoons. As the sun sets, visitors can relax on the station’s patio and observe an incredible array of birds, such as hummingbirds, tanagers, toucans, and oropendulas, fluttering around the area.

• Start Time: 7:00 AM
• Duration: approximately 6 hours
• Maximum attendants per group: 8
• Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian

1. Start

   We will meet at Concejo Municipal de Distrito Peñas Blancas. Transportation from La Fortuna is not included, but can be arranged.

2. Drive to the Children's Eternal Rainforest

   We will drive through a meandering dirt road through the depths of the rainforest with astounding views of the mountains, the Peñas Blancas valley, the Peñas Blancas river, the dam and more.

3. Pocosol Station Entrance

   We will arrive at the entrance of the Pocosol Station of the Children's Eternal Rainforest, the largest private reserve in Costa Rica. We will begin our quest for wildlife and to meet the best places of this station.

4. Pocosol Volcanic Lagoon

   We will head to our first destination, the Pocosol Lagoon, an extinct volcano that is now home to amphibians, aquatic insects and more.

5. Waterfall

   We will continue our walk to our second stop that will be at the viewpoint of the 150-foot waterfall.

6. Fumaroles

   Our last stop before heading back to the entrance, will be at the fumaroles where extremely hot water and volcanic fumes come out in the middle of the forest.

7. Back to the entrance of Children's Eternal Rainforest

   We will then make our way to the entrance. Throughout the whole tour we will be able to enjoy the biodiversity of the reserve.

8. Back to Peñas Blancas

   We will make our way back through astounding views of the Peñas Blancas river and the valley.

9. End

   Our tour will finish at Concejo Municipal de Distrito Peñas Blancas.