Most tours are 3-4 hours, and you'll learn about plants and animals and of course the history and geology of the volcano along the way. When you get to the viewing point you'll be sitting on large volcanic boulders looking up only a few hundred meters to where the volcanic rocks go shooting from the top and tumbling down the face of the cone. If you're lucky you'll hear the rumble of the massive mountain. It's a little frightening but hearing and seeing the eruptions is a good sign. It means that the volcano is releasing pressure.
Most tours start before sundown and return at night for the best viewing.
In addition, you can arrange to visit the Tabacon hot springs directly after the tour. Cost of admission to the spring is additional. The tour van will wait a couple of hours to bring you back to the hotel. Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge. About 60-miles north of La Fortuna, the refuge offers a network of rivers and marsh terrain perfect for spotting birds and reptiles.