Have heard Monteverde has best canopy tour but we will be in La Fortana/Arenal area and these two were recommended:

1. Sky trek in Monteverde and Arenal
2. Costa Rica Arenal Canopy Tours

Have you done either???

My husband and I will have our two kids with us, daughter 12 and son 9. Son may have trepidation and #2 above already said my son can go with guide.

How far is La Fortuna to Monteverde by car? Maybe we should try the, "superman" in the Turi-Bari park? That one was described on this forum as one, very,long cable where you don't hold on, you just spread your arms and legs and fly! Sounds like one long cable and that is it where we want to go through foliage and see sights.

Is it difficult to take pictures with camera? This will be our first canopy ride. Will be in Costra Rica late April. Any advice is appreciated!!

Debbie

We just got back last week from Arenal and Monteverde. I recommend the Selvetura Park-amazing canopy zip lines (16 stations with the longest one 700 meters) and their sky walk bridges. Beautiful place and we even saw a Quetzal.Our two kids (11 and 7) loved it with the 7 year old going with a guide except for one short one she did by herself with 30 people loudly cheering.

We did the taxi/boat/taxi option from Arenalto MV which only takes 2 and a quarter hours comared to a 4.5 hour rough road drive around the lake. If you have a rental car they will drive it to MV for you for $25.

We got back last weekend and did the zip lines at the Arenal Paraiso, they have 11 lines. Our daughter is 13 and she also got cold feet at the first platform but the guides were very patient and talked her through it and she ended up having a blast. Fearless son,17 wound up doing the superman a couple times. As for taking pictures while on the cable you have to keep your braking hand behind the pulley and the other on the harness web otherwise you will end up spinning around while zipping down the line. They had a photographer along with us and took pictures of everyone on the tour,I just bought the CD for $25US and the shots of us zipping above the river are priceless. I would talk to the photographer before the tour and he could make suggestions as to the best shots for you. All of my pictures are either taking off or landing but they all came out great. Try the El Novillo Restaurante at Arenal, best steak I've ever eaten.

AKR1 and Bluesmoke2--

First, thank you for a reply and glad you both had a super trip!

AKR1-- If I want to look further into
Selvetura Park-amazing canopy zip lines, which may be in Arenal or Monteverde, do you have contact information inc. a website? I think Monteverde is too far to visit for our limited time in Arenal.

Bluesmoke2-- You wrote, "zip lines at the Arenal Paraiso", is this through HOTEL? We'll be at Hotel Arenal Paaraiso one night. Recall if your tour has a company name?

Maybe it is with my # 2 company above, "Costa Rica Arenal Canopy Tours?" This company gives choice of horse ride or tractor ride to canopy takeoff. Cost for this and zip tour is $50 (kids 20% off). I don't know if we need the horse ride as they already told me I cannot gallop or canter. There is another activity we will do and that is horse ride to a waterfall so don't need the horses to zip tour. How did you get to your starting point of canopy tour?

I'd appreciate hearing from both of you and anyone else of their canopy experience in Arenal area.

The Arenal Pariaso Hotel has its own zip line right there as well as a volcano heated pool with a swim up bar.

Enjoy

Selvatura Park is in Monteverde only right inside a cloud forest. Their website is http://www.selvatura.com/

Thanks both AKR1 and Jessie. Perhaps the Hotel Arenal Pariaso is what Bluesmoke2 talked about?

The Arenal Paraiso tour is at the hotel it cost $45US pp.

Bluesmoke2-- Thanks for reading my post again and replying.

ciaodeb, I answered your question on the other post. One more thing, Canopy Safari will take pics of you & sell the CD for $25 or so, They give special rates to families. They do a great job & trust me, a camera is very unwieldy on these things.

Thanks, Tully. I did read both your posts and appreciate your comments that swayed me towared Canopy Safari.