Two cities that come up on many Costa Rica itineraries are La Fortuna and Monteverde. While both have similar activities offered, many people (myself included) choose to split their time between the two cities. After all, why not explore two cities if you have the option? Plus, I think La Fortuna and Monteverde feel very different so it’s definitely worth spending a little time in each.
Now that you’ve decided to visit both cities, you need to figure out how to transfer from La Fortuna to Monteverde. That’s where the Jeep-Boat-Jeep Tour comes in.
About the Jeep-Boat-Jeep Transfer
So what is the Jeep-Boat-Jeep Tour? It’s (almost!) exactly what it sounds like. You get a shuttle to Lake Arenal and take a boat across the lake. Then on the other side of Lake Arenal you get another shuttle to your final destination. The big caveat here is it’s advertised as a “Jeep-Boat-Jeep” but it’s really “Van-Boat-Van”. There were no jeeps, only 10+ passenger vans.
Why Take a Jeep-Boat-Jeep Transfer?
If you look on a map, La Fortuna and Monteverde look pretty close. It would seem like it should be easy to get from La Fortuna to Monteverde. The problem is Lake Arenal, Arenal Volcano National Park, and The Children’s Eternal Forest (a Costa Rican National Forest), sit right between La Fortuna and Monteverde. Because of this, there is no direct road sits between these two cities.
So in order to drive between La Fortuna and Monteverde, you need to drive all the way around the northern most tip of Lake Arenal. Google Maps puts this route at 3 hours and 20 minutes. However, I spent my fair share of time in vans and buses in Costa Rica. Google Maps feels like an optimistic estimate. Some people have reported it taking a entire day to drive from La Fortuna to Monteverde.
If you have a rental car, you’re out of luck. The only way to get your rental car from one city to the other is to drive around Lake Arenal. If this is you, I think there are better uses of your time. Rather than spend an entire day driving, use it to explore. Base yourself in either La Fortuna or Monteverde and explore that city more thoroughly.
However, if you’re not driving, you have another option. Tour companies in both La Fortuna and Monteverde offer a “Jeep-Boat-Jeep” Tour. Virtually any tour you take will be exactly the same, so it doesn’t really matter which company you pick. I used Interbus and booked ahead (before I even flew to Costa Rica). However, I met other people who have booked it the day before and had no issues.
What to Expect on a Jeep-Boat-Jeep Transfer
The shuttle picks you up directly at your hotel. The time may be slightly different than advertised, mostly because they are picking up other travelers as well (unless you’ve paid for a private transfer). However, in general, I found it to be pretty accurate, especially by Costa Rican standards. Once your van is full, you’ll continue on to Lake Arenal.
At Lake Arenal, you’ll be told which boat to get on and which van you need to look for when you get to the other side. I hope the vans are organized in such a way to optimize pick ups and drop offs, but I can’t prove that. So make sure you remember which van you need to get on. It may not be the van you that picked you up. Board your boat and enjoy the ride across the lake.
It is important to note that this is not a tour. It is just a way to get you from point A to point B. However, I happened to have an entire tour group on my boat so at one point, we detoured and stopped (although we never got off the boat) to see some wildlife. I don’t think this typically happens, so it likely just comes down to who else is on your boat.
On the other side of the lake, you’ll get off the boat and hop into an awaiting shuttle. From here, it’s a beautiful ride through the Costa Rica countryside until you finally reach Monteverde.
My Experience
When I did this in 2020 (less than a month before the world went in to lockdown), there were two time options. There was a morning slot or an afternoon slot. I chose the morning and I arrived with plenty of time to do things in Monteverde. I got lunch and then arranged a chocolate farm tour through my hostel. In the evening, I walked through the few streets of Monteverde and did a little shopping. I traveled from La Fortuna to Monteverde. However it is the same price to travel in either direction.
Prices
So how much does this cost? It was no more than any other door to door shared shuttle service that I did in Costa Rica. In 2024, the price is $59 per adult. This may seem like a lot, but consider this is door to door service. You’ll be picked up at your hotel in one city and dropped off at your hotel in the next city. For a door to door service that took about three hours, I felt that this price was worth it.
Final Thoughts
Whether you use this particular route or use a shared shuttle elsewhere in Costa Rica, you should be prepared to stop. At some point along the journey, you will have a twenty minute stop at a shop for snacks. It can be frustrating because you will just want to get on the road and keep moving, but it’s part of the process. If you know to expect it, it’s not so bad.
Continue Your Adventure
La Fortuna: One of the best activities is visiting Arenal Volcano and Fortuna Waterfall.
Monteverde: For a run down of all of the best things you can do in Monteverde, check out this Bucket List.
Manuel Antonio: This national park on on the southwestern coast is a favorite among travelers. Learn how to plan a perfect visit to Manuel Antonio National Park.
Itineraries: For the best introduction to Costa Rica, check out this 9 Day Itinerary.
Costa Rica Travel Guide: For everything you need to plan the perfect trip to Costa Rica, check out my Costa Rica Travel Guide.