Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges (Sky Adventures): Everything You Need To Know
Nikki Solano
Last updated on July 8th, 2024 at 03:17 pm
Written by Nikki Solano
Nikki is the CEO of Pura Vida! eh? Inc. (Costa Rica Discounts), and the author of the guidebooks Moon Costa Rica (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 editions) and Moon Best of Costa Rica (2022 edition) from Moon Travel Guides. Together with her Costa Rican husband, Ricky, she operates the Costa Rica Travel Blog, created the online community DIY Costa Rica, built the Costa Rica Destination Tool, oversees the brand-new (summer 2023) Costa Rica Travel Shop, and designed the Costa Rica Trip Planning 101 E-Course. Also, Nikki wrote the Costa Rica cover feature for Wanderlust Magazine's sustainability-focused Travel Green List issue, showcased Costa Rica destinations and experiences on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel show and podcast/radio show, and served as the Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist, a luxury travel brand. Want to show your appreciation for her free article below? Thank Nikki here. ❤️️
Want to know our pick for the BEST HANGING BRIDGE in Costa Rica? It is featured on DIY Costa Rica!
We know the Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges well because we’ve been exploring them for years
As we mentioned in our related blog post Sky Adventures Arenal Park: Zip-lining, Hanging Bridges, And Tram Rides In The Rainforest, we’ve explored La Fortuna and its hanging bridges for years, dating back to the mid-2000s. In that article, we detailed the Sky Adventures Arenal Park‘s entire Arenal operation, including the Arenal Sky Trek Canopy Ziplining Tour, Arenal Sky Tram Aerial Tram Ride, Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges, Arenal Sky Limit Obstacle Course, Arenal Sky River Drift Tubing Tour, Arenal Sky Wild Kayaking Tour, Arenal Sky Wild Biking Tour, and additional on-site offerings, from parking and lockers to dining opportunities and camera rentals. If you’re interested in learning about the various tours, activities, and services that are available at the Sky Adventures Arenal Park, please see the article referenced above. If you’re merely interested in learning aboutthe Sky Adventures Arenal Park‘s Sky Walk Hanging Bridges, please continue reading below.
The Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges experience
Sky Walk trailbeautiful stream encountered during the Sky Walk trailview of Lake Arenal from the Sky Walk trailsteps down from one of the Sky Walk hanging bridgesSky Walk trail signageEl Encanto WaterfallArenal Sky Walk trailArenal Sky Walk trailgiant tree encountered along the Arenal Sky Walkbathrooms encountered along the Arenal Sky Walk trailview of Lake Arenal from the El Millon viewpointEscondido WaterfallArenal Sky Walk hanging bridgeNikki; at the El Millon viewpointRicky; at the El Encanto Waterfall
In stark contrast to the Sky Adventures Arenal Park‘s Sky Tram and Sky Trek activities, both of which invite participants to spy on the rainforest from above, the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges provides a unique opportunity to explore Costa Rica’s rainforest from within.
More specifically, if you visit the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges, you’ll be able to stroll through roughly four kilometers of dense, secondary forest amid much of Costa Rica’s biodiversity. Spotting wildlife, especially a wide variety of tropical birds, is common. Though you’ll cover plenty of solid ground as you make your way along the park’s trail, most impressive are the long, metal hanging bridges you’ll cross high above the forest floor. In the very least, you’ll be amazed by the majestic beauty of the Arenal region’s lively rainforest as you make your way across each bridge, completely immersing yourself in nature.
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges trail
The Sky Walk Hanging Bridges at the Sky Adventures Arenal Park consist of four suspension/hanging bridges and four small, non-suspension/hanging (i.e., stationary) bridges. Here’s how the suspension/hanging bridges compare with one another according to bridge length and height:
The length and height of the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges at the Sky Adventures Arenal Park
Bridge #1 (Guarumos Bridge): 127 meters long / 46 meters high Bridge #2 (El Yucon Bridge): 143 meters long / 70 meters high Bridge #3 (La Quebrada Bridge): 136 meters long / 20 meters high Bridge #4 (El Pizote Bridge): 35 meters long / 10 meters high Total distance traveled over the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges: 441 meters Highest height reached while traveling over the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges: 70 meters
The Sky Adventures Arenal Park offers one trail and it’s roughly four kilometers long. It’s a circular trail that departs from Sky Adventures‘s operations center and loops around the back of the park before returning to the trailhead.
The Sky Walk Hanging Bridges trail provides a moderate hike through secondary rainforest. It has uphill, downhill, and flat sections, and requires short ascents and descents up and down steps. Along the way you’ll encounter several features that are unique to the Sky Adventures’ Arenal Park, including the El Millon Viewpointand the El Encanto and Escondido Waterfalls (see below for details). Our favorite part of the hike is the second half of the trail, which courses through a remote area of the park that’s noticeably quiet and provides optimal wildlife-spotting opportunities.
El Millon Viewpoint
One of the first features you’ll encounter not long after embarking on the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges trail is the El Millon Viewpoint. The viewpoint consists of a large, flat observation deck that extends out over the treetop canopy and provides a panoramic view of the rainforest. It also overlooks Lake Arenal. Make sure you have your camera handy when you approach the viewpoint. You won’t want to miss capturing some breathtaking landscape photos from the spot.
El Encanto and Escondido Waterfalls
Roughly halfway along the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges trail, at the very back of the Sky Adventures Arenal Park, you’ll come across two tall, narrow, neighboring cataratas (waterfalls): Catarata El Encanto and Catarata Escondida. Though swimming is not permitted in either of the waterfalls, you’re able to get close enough to each to snap selfies and capture calendar-worthy waterfall photos. The faint touch of cooling mist that brushes your skin as you hike past the cascades provides a welcome, refreshing relief from the dense rainforest’s humidity.
Hanging bridge sway and how to minimize bridge movement
A common question we receive about the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges is whether the bridges sway when people cross them. The quick answer to this questions is: “Yes, the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges move when you walk across them.” The more elaborate answer to the question is: “Yes, the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges move slightly when you walk across them, but they don’t sway greatly from side to side as you may envision a rope bridge doing. What you’re most likely to feel when you walk across a hanging bridge is a teetering beneath your feet as the bridge’s metal floor panels adjust to your footsteps.”
To best minimize movement as you cross a hanging bridge, walk in the middle of the bridge to avoid shifting your weight to either side. Hold onto both sides of the bridge with your hands for support (again, to avoid shifting your weight to one side if you happen to lose your balance when you walk), and walk slowly. The faster you walk, the more the metal floor panels will teeter from side to side. If possible, don’t cross a hanging bridge when other people are on it. Sometimes the steps of another hiker at the opposite end of the bridge can cause the entire bridge to move.
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges tour guide requirement
The Sky Walk Hanging Bridges Tour that is operated by the Sky Adventures Arenal Park is a guided tour. This being said, it is not a requirement to explore the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges with a tour guide.
Instead of paying the Sky Adventures Arenal Park the cost of their guided hanging bridges tour, you may pay them their hanging bridges entrance fee, which permits access to the hanging bridge trail for unguided use. Regardless of whether you experience the guided Sky Walk Hanging Bridges Tour or explore the hanging bridges on your own, an advance reservation for the Sky Adventures Arenal Park is required.
Tours of the Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges
At the Sky Adventures Arenal Park, you can explore the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges as part of a standalone tour (either a guided tour or an unguided/self-guided tour). Combo tour options include coupling the hanging bridge experience with a ride on the park’s Sky Tram Aerial Tram or ziplining as part of the park’s Sky Trek Canopy Ziplining Tour. Note that because the Sky Trek Canopy Ziplining Tour automatically includes a one-way tram ride (see above for details), if you reserve a combo tour that joins the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges Tour with the Sky Trek Canopy Ziplining Tour, you’ll get to ride the Sky Tram too.
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges duration and tour times
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges Unguided/Self-Guided Tour duration
At least 2 hours (or longer, depending on the speed you hike and how many stops you make along the way)
Arenal Sky Walk hanging bridges Guided Tour duration
Approximately 2.5 hours
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges Unguided/Self-Guided Tour times
8:00am, 9:00am, 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm
How much it costs to tour the Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges Unguided/Self-Guided Tour costs
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges entrance fee (unguided/self-guided tour) per adult (18 years and older, or 25 years and older if currently a student with valid student ID)
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges entrance fee (unguided/self-guided tour) per student (13-17 years, or up to 24 years if currently a student with valid student ID)
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging BridgesGuided Tour cost per adult (18 years and older, or 25 years and older if currently a student with valid student ID)
$44.00 (includes Sky Walk Hanging Bridges entrance fee), or $33.00 if using a Pura Vida! eh? discount discount available here
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging BridgesGuided Tour cost per student (13-17 years, or up to 24 years if currently a student with valid student ID)
$37.00 (includes Sky Walk Hanging Bridges entrance fee), or $27.75 if using a Pura Vida! eh? discount discount available here
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges Guided Tour cost per child (5-12 years)
$31.00 (includes Sky Walk Hanging Bridges entrance fee), or $23.25 if using a Pura Vida! eh? discount discount available here
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging BridgesGuided Tour cost per child (0-4 years)
$0.00 (includes Sky Walk Hanging Bridges entrance fee) details here
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges age and weight limits
There is currently no minimum age limit or maximum weight limit imposed on individuals who want to explore the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges at the Sky Adventures Arenal Park.
Young travelers and travelers with disabilities
The Sky Walk Hanging Bridges are family-friendly. If you plan to travel with kids, it’s important to know that children (ages 0-4 years) are welcome to explore the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges at the Sky Adventures Arenal Park for free with a paying adult.
Unfortunately, the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges at the Sky Adventures Arenal Parkare not wheelchair accessible.
Are you trying to decide between the Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges and the Mistico Park Hanging Bridges?
If so, don’t miss our comparison of the two attractions in our related blog post:
Do you have questions about Sky Adventures’s Sky Walk hanging bridges, or want to how to best incorporate a visit to these hanging bridges into your vacation? No problem! When you’re ready, make an appointment here to communicate with me (Nikki) privately and we can discuss these and other topics to get your questions answered fast and your Costa Rica trip poised for success. Pura vida, amigos! 🙂
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Summary
Article Name
Arenal Sky Walk Hanging Bridges: Everything You Need To Know
Description
We've been exploring the Arenal Sky Walk hanging bridges for years. Here's everything you need to know to plan your visit!
