Two cities that come up on many Costa Rica itineraries are La Fortuna and Monteverde. While both cities offer similar activities, they have a different feel and many people (myself included) choose to split their time and visit both La Fortuna and Monteverde.
Just deciding to visit La Fortuna and Monteverde isn’t enough because there is no direct bus connecting the two towns. Instead, you’ll want to look at booking a tour that covers your transportation.
Here’s everything you need to know about taking the Jeep Boat Jeep from La Fortuna to Monteverde.
What is a Jeep Boat Jeep Tour?
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 are no jeeps, only 10+ passenger vans.
What to Expect on a Jeep Boat Jeep Tour
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 on the Jeep Boat Jeep Tour
When I did this in 2020 (just before the start of the Covid pandemic), 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.
Do You Need to Take a Jeep Boat Jeep Tour?
This all sounds great, but do you actually need to take the Jeep Boat Jeep Tour?
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 directly 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 and 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 and have to take the long route. The only way to get your rental car from one city to the other is to drive around Lake Arenal. If you find yourself in this situation, 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.
How to Book Your Jeep Boat Jeep Tour
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. While I used Interbus to get around most of Costa Rica, I booked this transport with Desafio Adventure Company.
I booked my tour before I arrived in Costa Rica. However, I met other people who have booked it the day before and had no issues (though this was in 2020 and things may have changed).
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does a Jeep Boat Jeep Tour Cost?
It depends on which company you use.
Interbus offers door to door transport from La Fortuna to Monteverde for $73 per adult (though it is not explicitly advertised as Jeep-Boat-Jeep). Meanwhile Defasio Adventure Company offers the Jeep-Boat-Jeep Tour for just $35 per adult. As virtually all companies offer the same transport, I’d highly recommend searching around before committing to one company.
It you look at this and say “Wow, even the cheap option seems expensive”, stop and think about what this all entails. This is a 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.
How long does Jeep Boat Jeep take from La Fortuna to Monteverde?
The Jeep Boat Jeep tour takes about four hours, so budget a half day for the activity.
When I did this, I departed La Fortuna in the morning. I arrived in Monteverde and had time to get lunch before taking a coffee farm tour in the afternoon.
Can You Take Jeep Boat Jeep from Monteverde to La Fortuna?
Yes! While many travelers will take the Jeep Boat Jeep from La Fortuna to Monteverde, the service also exists going from Monteverde to La Fortuna. Both services run with the same frequency, so no matter which direction you are traveling, you’ll be able to use this convenient service.
Final Thoughts
The Jeep Boat Jeep from La Fortuna to Monteverde (or Monteverde to La Fortuna) feels like a rite of passage for travelers in Costa Rica. If you’re visiting both locations, it’s inevitable that you’ll need to use Jeep Boat Jeep. The good news is that it’s easy, convenient, and a very scenic way to travel across Costa Rica.
Continue Your Adventure
More in Costa Rica: La Fortuna is beautiful and a highlight for is visiting Arenal Volcano and Fortuna Waterfall. In Monteverde, there are so many fun activities to do. Manuel Antonio National Park on the southwestern coast is perfect for beach lovers. For the best introduction to Costa Rica, check out this 9 Day Itinerary. For everything you need to plan the perfect trip to Costa Rica, check out my Costa Rica Travel Guide.
