Best Hanging Bridges In La Fortuna Reviewed

In La Fortuna, you’ll find two more extensive hanging bridge facilities: Mistico Hanging Bridges Park and Sky Adventures (Arenal Park). Mistico is a better choice for families, but the crowds are a turnoff, especially during touristy months. Sky Adventures packs more activities into one trip, but the trials are wilder than Mistico’s. 

La Fortuna is a favorite town for the best hanging bridge experience in Costa Rica. However, many visitors are often confused about which hanging bridge is better. 

In this article, you will learn about two of the best facilities in La Fortuna for experiencing hanging bridges, what you can expect from these tours, and precautions to make before making a decision.

Key Takeaways

• The hike at Mistico is a two-mile (3.2 km) loop along concrete paths. They also have a one-mile (1.5 km) trail that is handicapped accessible. On the other hand, the hike at Sky Walk is 2.5 miles (4 km) and crosses five large suspension bridges. The jungle evenly distributes each one.
• Mistico can feel a little theme park-like during peak tourist months (generally mid-December to early April). 
• Sky Adventures is in El Castillo (30 minutes from downtown La Fortuna). They also have a location in Monteverde.
• The Sky Walk hike and hanging bridges feel wilder in comparison to Mistico, which is the easier of the two primary options in La Fortuna.

Let’s now take a closer look at these two main hanging bridge options so you can determine which trip to take and what to expect when you do.

Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges

The Mistico Hanging Bridges Park is part of the bigger Arenal Volcano National Park near La Fortuna. In Mistico Hanging Bridges Park, there are six suspension bridges, ranging from 157 to 320 feet above the ground (46 to 48 meters). When you walk on these bridges, you can see the beautiful nature and jungle below.

Practical information about Mistico

• Address: 2km east of La Represa del Lago Arenal, La Fortuna de, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, 21007, Costa Rica

• Average hike duration at Mistico: 1 to 3 hours

• Contact: +506 2479 8282

• Best for: Couples and walking experience

• Website

• Budget: Starts from $26 to $32 per person.

The best time to visit Mistico hanging bridges

• Going early in the morning ensures a peaceful visit.
• Although you can see wildlife, it’s best not to have high expectations because of the park’s development and daily crowds.
• If you go during misty or cloudy days, the bridges are more beautiful, creating a more dramatic and atmospheric setting amidst the rainforest.

The worst time to visit Mistico Hanging Bridges is at night.

• If you can’t make it by 7:00 a.m.—or even earlier—when the park opens at 6 a.m., it might not be worth it. 
• Being in a big group might make you feel more crowded, and you might not enjoy it as much.

Mistico is hanging bridges—opening times. 

Mistico Park is open every day from 6 a.m. to 3:50 p.m., with the last entry at 3 p.m. You can stay in the park until about 5 p.m. before staff ask you to leave. 

To enter the park, you need to book a time slot in advance and arrive at the park at that time. 

The available entry times are 6:00 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 7:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.

I recommend you go as early as possible. Many people who enjoy it the most here are those who were in the first three time slots. 

Mistico hanging bridge ticket prices

You need to buy your tickets online before you go and choose a time to visit. Book early, especially if you wish to visit in the morning, as each time slot has a limited capacity.

The ticket prices are:

• $32 for adults
• $26 for seniors (65 years of age and older)
• $21 for teenagers (11–18 years old)
• FREE for children (6–11 years old)

The pros and cons of Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges are worth considering.

For a place as famous as Mistico Arenal hanging bridges, you can expect things to go either smoothly or really poorly. 

Before you decide to visit this facility, be aware of the pros and cons I experienced here:

PROS

• The hanging bridges are lots of fun.
• You get a magnificent view when it’s cloudy.

CONS 

• The paths are not very natural.
• It gets very, very busy.
• Spotting wildlife is not guaranteed, especially if you’re not with a tour guide.
• It’s one of the most expensive things to do in La Fortuna.

Final verdict: Who should go to Mistico Hanging Bridges?

Mistico Hanging Bridges is a solid choice if you’re looking for an easygoing or family-friendly walk with options to either lengthen or shorten the hike. If you hope to see waterfalls as well, this is an excellent facility to choose. 

Sky Walk La Fortuna

Sky Adventures offers tours where you can walk on hanging bridges in the Arenal region. These bridges are in a park close to La Fortuna. There are six bridges in total, with the longest one stretching for 774 feet (236 meters) and the highest one standing 197 feet (60 meters) above the ground.

Practical information

• Address: Sky Adventures, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, 21007, Costa Rica

• Average hike duration at Sky Walk La Fortuna: 1.5–2 hours

• Contact: +50624794100

• Best for: a less strenuous hike, especially with kids. Combined with other fun activities

• Website
• Budget: Starts at $44 per person. 

The zipline course and Sky Walk were both fantastic. The guides were friendly, fun, and knowledgeable about the area. 

The zipline was fast and exciting—it’s the best in Arenal! The Sky Walk was educational and adventurous. We walked through the jungle and crossed rope suspension bridges, which were very safe but also thrilling.

During our hike, we saw monkeys, snakes, birds, toads, and even a tarantula, which is a better wildlife experience than Mistico. 

Sky Walk La Fortuna opening times 

Sky Walk La Fortuna is open every day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the last entry at 5 p.m. You can stay in the park until about 5 p.m. before the staff asks you to leave. 

To enter the park, you need to book a time slot in advance and arrive at the park at that time. 

The available entry times are 8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m..

Sky Walk La Fortuna ticket prices

The ticket price for Skywalk Hanging Bridges depends on the experience you want. In addition to the hanging bridge walk, they offer other activities. 

As of the time of writing, the ZIPLINES, TRAM, and HANGING BRIDGES package cost $109. Here, you’ll enjoy amazing views of the Arenal Volcano and Lake with ziplines, hanging bridges, and an aerial tram ride.

The hanging bridge walk alone costs $44 for ticket prices. It involves hiking the Arenal Rainforest with a series of hanging bridges and viewpoints to admire local nature.

They also offer the HANGING BRIDGES & AERIAL TRAM package for $74. It involves a bird’s-eye view of the forest and going deep into the forest on the hanging bridge walk.

If you’re not going on a tour, you can book your tickets in advance. 

How to Get to Hanging Bridges in La Fortuna

The direction in which to locate the hanging bridge in La Fortuna depends on the facility you want to visit. The Mistico Hanging Bridges are about 20 kilometers away from La Fortuna, and it takes around 30 minutes to drive there. The road is paved the whole way, and there are many extensive parking areas included in the entry fee. 

The Sky Walk Hanging Bridge facility is located near the town of El Castillo (30 minutes from downtown La Fortuna).

Mistico vs. . Skywalk Hanging Bridges in La Fortuna

Your choice depends on what you’re looking for. 

Honestly, the views at Mistico in Arenal aren’t unique; they’re just okay. However, you’ll get better views doing the zip line at Sky Adventures. 

When it comes to seeing animals, it also depends on what you want. Bogarin Trail is better during the day, while Arenal Oasis is better at night. But that’s just my opinion.

I visited Mistico during twilight in Arenal and Sky Adventures during the day in Monteverde. It’s hard to compare directly because we had a small group tour in one place, and it was dark most of the time, while the other was in daylight.

To give a recommendation, it depends on what you’re interested in. If you want to see wildlife, it’s best to go on a tour, because it’s hard to spot animals just by walking around. If you prefer being up high in the cloud forest, then you would choose Sky Adventure.

Overall, I preferred Mistico, but that might be because the tour was so good.

FAQs

Are Arenal’s hanging bridges worth it?

Absolutely, but only if you can get there early and avoid the crowds. When you go early, the park feels like it’s all yours. We didn’t come across another person on the bridges, and that’s what made it such a unique and enjoyable experience.

Do you need a guide for Arenal Hanging Bridges?

Well, the main idea of the hike along this trail is to see nature, especially wildlife, in an old rainforest. You can go on your own and still enjoy it and learn some things. But if you’re not super good at spotting wildlife, you might miss out on the most incredible stuff if you go it alone without a guide. 

How much time should I spend at Mistico Hanging Bridges?

At Mistico Hanging Bridges, your visit can last from 20 minutes to 2 hours, depending on where you want to go and what you want to see. Different paths lead to other destinations, so you can shorten your visit if you want or need to.