Travel
Irazu Volcano National Park: Things to do, see and eat
Irazu Volcano is the highest volcano in Costa Rica, but it actually doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to visit. It´s an ideal option for families and elders.
Easily accessible and close to the city, it’s one of the favorite destinations for one-day tours that leave from San Jose. It’s also a popular spot for locals to visit over the weekends.
Usually, when we are driving to San Jose, we see a lot of mountains that surround the beautiful landscape of the central valley. We always try to figure out which mountains are one of the 3 volcanoes: Poas, Barva, or Irazu because they are next to each other.
The ones that are the most popular with the tourists are Poas Volcano and Irazu volcano, which are currently actives volcanoes.
If you are planning to a volcano during your time in Costa Rica, we’ve got you covered with these travel guide tips to help you plan your own visit.
General information
Entrance fee and schedule:
Make sure you buy your ticket online before you get there at Sinac’s Website.
You will have to create a username and password and then inside the website choose the wildlife area Parque Nacional Irazu – Sector Crater because also there is another area that you can visit that it´s called: Sector Prusia but here you can´t see the volcano.
Select the schedule that you prefer and payment. You will have to present this at the entrance.
- $15 per person for foreigners
- $5 per child (2-12)
- Open every day from 8:00 am until 3:30 pm. Try to get there by 2:00 pm at the latest.
COVID Regulations: Basically the same as the rest of the country, wear your mask and wash your hands. The place is wide open so we saw people without masks inside the crater.
Parking Lot:
- They charge 1100 colones per car, which is around $2, and you pay at the souvenir shop inside the park. You can pay with card.
Weather:
- The weather is much cooler than other parts of Costa Rica because of the elevation. When we visited in June, it was around 8 ℃ (around 46 ℉). That day was sunny in the morning and rained in the afternoon. For that reason we recommend to visit as early as you can.
Altitude:
- 3432 meters (11,260 feet). Some people has felt altitude sickness in this national park.
Type of forest:
How to get to Irazu Volcano from San Jose
If you are in San Jose, you will have to drive to the east side to Cartago providence. From there, it will be 32 kilometers (19 miles) to the volcano entrance.
Depending on the traffic, it will take 1.5 or 2 hours from San Jose. You can find directions on Waze.
What to do in Irazu Volcano National Park
The Irazu Volcano is divided into two sections where the craters are located and also the Prusia sector, which is more popular for locals to go hiking.
The last period of strong volcanic activity took place between 1963 and 1965 with a lot of ash and volcanic dust that reached the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.
In the main area of the National Park, there are three main craters on the top.
After you park the car, there are restrooms and a coffee shop with some picnic tables. Then you can start walking on a 300-foot paved trail and see the craters.
The park is not too big, so the map at the main entrance will be enough to understand where you need to walk.
Diego de la Haya crater: To your right this is the first crater that you will see. It’s an inactive circular crater, 690 meters in diameter and 80 meters deep.
Not much to see, honestly.
Main Crater: “El principal” is active and almost circular. It’s 1050 meters in diameter and 250 to 300 meters deep.
There is where you will see a temporary lagoon that used to be greenish yellow and now is a green-turquoise color.
The new color of the lagoon made me want to swim in the 230 meters across and 14-20 meters deep of beautiful turquoise pool on that sunny day at the volcano.
Of course, that will only happen in my imagination! But I love the new color of the volcano lagoon that changed few years ago.
Playa Hermosa: After you walk the craters, you can explore walking on the opposite side of the craters. This area, called “Hermosa beach,” is very flat, and if it’s rainy it will be a little muddy. It’s surrounded by beautiful vegetation typical of the cloud forest.
Highest viewpoint: You can walk or drive to this area.
We drove from the parking lot and it’s on your right. You can park there, and if it’s sunny like the day we went, you can see the volcano lagoon and also there is a building that looks abandoned but we saw some people taking pictures from the top.
If the day is cloudy, it might not be worth it to go.
Things to do around Irazu Volcano area
Stop in one of the restaurants on the way to the Irazu Volcano
After our visit to the volcano, we were hungry. Right outside the National Park entrance, you will see some locals that sell coffee and empanadas in some sort of food truck.
There are also some souvenirs and fresh products that they produce in the area.
Tip: If you don’t want to carry food, buying inside the park is quite expensive. You might want to buy something here and take a snack to eat later in the picnic area inside the park.
We stopped for lunch in one of the restaurants that are on the way to the volcano that is popular because of all the papers they have on the walls. It’s called: Linda Vista.
Los sueños del Irazu restaurant is another option just down the route from the main entrance.
There are several options along the way. Wherever you see tourist buses will be a good sign that the tour guides trust that place. We also visited Mi Tierra Restaurant one — it is very popular in the area.
So take the chance to try the local food, because this area produces vegetables with a good quality of volcanic soil.
Visit Sanatorio Duran
This is a popular place for locals to visit during the weekends, especially youth that are looking for pictures in this “haunted” looking place with an interesting vibe.
When you are going down the volcano, you will see to your right infrastructure with space to park the cars and a view of what looks like a huge old mansion. Well, if you keep driving and take a right at the next turn, you will get to Sanatorio Duran Farm, a historical building with a lot of myths that locals love to visit.
Visit Prusia Sector
Here is another popular place that locals love to visit to take pictures, run trails, or just hike.
Unfortunately, this area is part of the National Park, but with a different administrative office, so they will charge the entrance fee again.
Remember to book online at Sinac entrance as we mentioned before.
They have 10 trails (around 16 kilometers).
There is a camping area, picnic areas and a forest with a lot of pine trees. For Costa Ricans, this is very different than the rest of the tropical forest.
You can enjoy hiking here, and if you like photography, I think you would like it.
If you are looking for animals, this might not be the place for you.
Enjoy the Landscape
The drive to the top of the volcano is gorgeous. You can stop and take pictures on the way.
Some people go to the flower fields if they are accessible to take pictures. However, technically you are on private property, so it may not be the best idea. At least you should pay the entrance fee — some of these places offer access for $2.
If not, you will still get nice spots with beautiful landscapes to enjoy and take pictures!
Other recommendations
- What to wear: Dress warmly and bring a rain jacket, umbrella or poncho in case it starts raining. Wear long pants, for sure.
- The best time to visit is in March and April.
- Sunscreen will be a good option. Even when there is high elevation, the sun rays are more perpendicular and we got burned that day.
- Try to get there as soon as the park opens. Around 9:30 most of the tourist buses arrive, and also if you get early you can enjoy your time around the area and visit other places.
If you are interested to learn more about other National Parks that we have visited similar to Irazu Volcano, check the links below:
Last updated on June 4th, 2020
Turrialba Volcano is not the first one to come to your mind when you think to hike a volcano in Costa Rica.
The names of Arenal and Irazu Volcano always show up first and are always busy with tourists.
However, Turrialba Volcano is the second tallest volcano in the country after Irazu Volcano, and in the last few years, it has frequently been in the news because this is one of the most active volcanoes in Costa Rica!
Between 2015 and 2016, Turrialba was responsible for shutting down San José International airport because of an explosion that launched ashes, gases, and incandescent rocks 13,000 feet into the air.
So, yes, this buddy has kept people busy during recent years, causing the closure of Turrialba Volcano National Park, which is now focused on monitoring and investigation.
But no worries. There are other ways to visit and explore the area through local tourist projects. Maybe you won’t see the crater, but you can get pretty close and still be safe.
How To Get to Turrialba Volcano
There are 2 common ways to get to this volcano. We took this route:
From San José, take the highway#2 toward Cartago and Irazú Volcano.
Take the exit toward Pacayas and continue to La Pastora.
When you arrive at the Torre Alba soda, turn left and drive up non-stop until you reach Hacienda La Central.
Google maps:
General Information about Turrialba Volcano National Park
The National Park is closed until further notice. But there are other places nearby where you can see the volcano.
- Altitude: 3340 meters – 10,919 feet, the second tallest volcano in the country.
- Weather: Temperatures around 16 Celsius (around 60 Fahrenheit).
- Wildlife: Located in the tropical cloud forest. It’s hard to see wildlife on the trail that we did, but there are species like coyotes, skunks, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, opossums, sloths, weasels and puma. Birds like woodpeckers, hawks, goldfinches, tanagers, and hummingbirds.
About Hacienda La Central
The small village of La Central is located at the entrance of the Turrialba Volcano National Park.
It has a few farms, a school, and the Hacienda La Central, the closest private property that has a local tourist project where visitors can hike an area close to the volcano.
It became popular with locals that want to visit the area responsibly since the Turrialba Volcano National Park was closed back in 2012.
There are other tours that promote going beyond the limits of the National Park, but of course we totally discourage you from taking those tours that are risky.
Hacienda La Central is a farm owned by a Costa Rican family who has been dedicated to farming and cattle.
The main cattle field is called La Central, which today is where visitors meet, as it is near the school, chapel, dairy, grocery store, and the Danza con Nubes cafeteria.
It is a small restaurant, a perfect place to eat one of the typical dishes or just have a coffee, a “freshwater” or an excellent hot chocolate. Its small lawn terrace is the ideal place to observe the Turrialba volcano.
This used to be the meeting point before the ascent to the crater of the Turrialba Volcano began.
Our experience
We made a day trip to this area that has incredible views, especially if you visit during the dry season (December until April).
The light of the sun was perfect to take some pictures, and we got there around 8:00 am. Our hike was arranged to start at 9:00 am.
There were people waking up from their tents, since locals like to camp there.
We went to the restaurant and had a cup of coffee and a hot chocolate. We saw some vendors setting up their products like gloves and wool hats and food also.
More cars were arriving and at 9:00 am. A staff member from Hacienda La Central called everyone’s name and gave us some information about the hike.
It’s 6 kilometers long and it’s a loop.
They took us through a cattle field where you can see views of Irazu and Turrialba volcano.
Then the guide took us to a spot called: “El Hoyo” (The Hole) where there was a small canyon with a river that has changed its color to orange because of the iron from the volcano.
From there is the coolest part of the hike where you can see the contrast of the vegetation and the volcano ash — green and gray.
Nature tries to start over again, but with the ashes and materials from the volcano, it’s hard to see life there. The trees are like paper and it smells strongly of sulfur.
We hiked about 20 minutes more through old buildings like an old dairy farm. Then we saw the limits where the Turrialba Volcano National Park area starts. So we were still in a safe area.
It was a big group — mainly locals — and everyone seemed surprised that Ligia was hiking with her 8-month pregnant belly and asking her why!? But the hike is not difficult at all. So everyone can do it.
When we finished the hike we were hungry enough to eat a big tortilla and continue to our next place to visit in the area.
Important things to take into consideration
- Hike Difficulty: Easy but there are no paved trails. Ligia was 8 months pregnant when she did it.
- Vehicle: Sedan is possible during the dry season but we definitely recommend renting a 4WD to Explore Costa Rica.
- Camping: For adventurers or enthusiasts of active volcanoes, you can set up your tent there and spend the night to observe the volcano’s eruptive night activity.
- Costs: Hike tour ₡ 5000 ($10 US) per person (groups larger than 5 people). / Camping ₡3000 ($6 US) per night per person / Parking Lot: ₡1000 ($2 US)/ Use of Picnic area: ₡ 1000 ($2 US)
What to bring?
- Rain Jacket
- Snacks
- Water
Contact information
To make your reservation, you can contact them directly and ask for Hugo who speaks English
Contact: 506- 8414-4682 or [email protected]
Related reading
- Guayabo National Monument
- Irazu Volcano
Last updated on August 17th, 2020
There are many ancient ruins sprinkled all around Central America, and Costa Rica is no exception. Even if it doesn’t have places like Tikal or Tulum, Costa Rica has places for people that are looking for cultural tours.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but when I’m in nature or visiting a historical place, I love trying to imagine what it used to be like “back in those days.”
Even when it’s hard to picture it, it’s still fun knowing that the ground we’re walking on was once a busy city street or a marketplace to trade stuff. Or that the crumbling ruin I’m looking at used to be the tribe chief’s home.
Knowing a bit of history not only helps me imagine what it used to be like, but it is also integral to understanding its cultural significance.
A brief history of Guayabo Archaeological Site
More than just watching old rocks (as some people like to write in reviews on Tripadvisor) this place is an awesome place to learn history.
Some people might tell you that Costa Rica doesn’t have culture, but the more we explore, the more we learn more about our country.
So, here are the 5 main facts we think you need to know before visiting Guayabo National Monument:
- The archaeologist that discovered this place back in 1968 was Carlos Piedra Aguilar, known as the grandfather of archaeology in Central America. He thought that it was an indigenous cemetery. Only a small percentage (around 20%) has been excavated.
- On the grounds of Guayabo, there have been signs of life dating back from 1,000 B.C. to 1,400 A.D. It was a village for around 2,400 years in total. Researchers aren’t entirely sure of the exact population of Guayabo, but they believe that it mostly influenced by the South American native tribe called the Chibchas. Because of the tropical weather, they couldn’t find bones to do tests and determine the DNA of the population.
- There is evidence that Guayabo back in those days was a city, let’s say like the San José of today. It was an important spot to do business between the people from tribes from North and South America.
- Nerdy fact #4: The Guayabo National Monument was designated in 2009 as a World Heritage of Civil Engineering according to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). This is because of the technology used to design a network of aqueducts to transport water from a spring in the mountains to the city.
… And this blog post would be done if the idea was just to share the most interesting things to learn about this place in a short “listicle” style.
However, my friend, our goal is to share deeply about must-see places that are not that touristy — places you can’t find a lot of information about.
It’s easy to find those facts above on other websites, but we’re going to walk you through what we did when we visited Hacienda La Central and Guayabo National Monument, because these places might fit with what you are looking for.
Best ways to visit
The Guayabo National Monument is located in Turrialba, where there is also a town that hosts an active volcano (Turrialba Volcano) and the Pacuare River, home of one of the world’s best whitewater rafting adventures.
Take in consideration if you want to do whitewater rafting and also visit the volcano and the ruins will be a better place to stay in the area at least one night.
Tip: We recommend to do the volcano and Guayabo National Monument the first day, then stay in Turrialba and do whitewater rafting the next day.
But if you are looking for more like a one day tour that you can do easily from San Jose, you can do what we did.
1. General Information:
The land is under the protection of SINAC, same institution that managed the National Parks in Costa Rica. The primary difference lies National monuments have objects of historical, cultural, and/or scientific interest.
- Schedule: They open daily (including holidays) from 8:00 am until 3:30 pm
- Cost: $5 per person Foreign Adults and kids + Tour Guide service cost (Depends on the number of people)
- Access: The monument is located 30 minutes from Turrialba Downtown (around 10 miles away). However, we came from another route that has a road paved for most of it and gets unpaved for a small sections, we always prefer recommend a 4×4 to be safe.
- Parking Lot: They don’t have one. We have to leave the car outside on the street in front of the entrance and a “wachiman” like we call the guys that help to park and take care of the cars will help you to park in exchange of few coins at the end.
2. Visiting in the morning or afternoon?
Since we visited during January that is dry season we took the chance to do it during the afternoon and prefer to hike near the volcano in the morning.
Since the hike at Guayabo Monument is easier even if it’s raining in the afternoon is better than do the hiking at Turrialba Volcano when its raining.
3. Should you hire a tour guide?
It’s a very personal decision.
However, we read reviews from other people that was worth it since is place with a lot of history.
The tour guide went beyond our expectations. Martin Umaña was his name and let me tell you he has a heart of anthropologist that really take you back 3000 years ago and just make your visit very special.
On top of that, we love to support the local association of guides since we know they make a leaving from visitors.
We would have never learned all this information without one.
They have a office next to the window ticket where you pay your entrance. Also you can learn more about them here: Link
4. Trails:
The trail that we did was around 1.6 kilometers (less than a mile).
It’s pretty easy to walk. It will take around 1 hour and a half.
There is a small hill to get to the Lookout point but nothing too strenuous.
The trail is like a loop and pretty easy to follow.
Top Tips for visiting
Where to eat?
Picnic areas or just a couple local restaurants before
What to wear?
- Comfortable clothes,
- Closed shoes
- Rain Jacket/ umbrella
- Insect repellent
- Bottle of water
- Cap/ sunblock
- Walking stick *Optional
Our Visit to Guayabo National Monument
Preparing for our visit
- Wake up early:
Since we didn’t planned to stay overnight, we wanted to kick to spots in one day.
We arranged with Hacienda La Central to take the 9:00 am hike and explore the Turrialba Volcano area.
So we left San Jose around 6: 15 am and got to Hacienda La Central around 8:00 am and was perfect to have some extra time to get breakfast.
Our hike there finish around 11:30 am and rush it a little bit and just grabbing a sandwich to have lunch on the way because we need to be at Guayabo National Monument before 1:30 pm.
After hiking Turrialba Volcano at Hacienda La Central, we took the route and drive for around hour and a half down to the town Santa Cruz de Turrialba and then we got to the Guayabo National Monument.
From Hacienda La Central to Guayabo National Monument was around 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Booking uSure in advanced
We contacted the local Association of Tour Guides uSure and made the reservation to took the tour with a Tour Guide and settle our approx arriving time at 1:30 pm.
Take in consideration that Guayabo close at 3:30 pm so the latest tour will be around 2:00 pm, if you get late they will do a shorter trail of 800 meters.
If you have Whatsapp it’s easier to do the reservation or send a email to them.
As locals, they required a wire transfer of the entrance into their bank account in advanced but we saw people just walk in and were able to pay as they walk in.
However, they highly recommend if you want the tour in English to book with at least 8 days in advance.
Exploring the monument:
After we bought our entrance across the street we saw a little grocery store, use the restrooms and also families were having lunch in the picnic area.
We hear that you can camp there, if you are interested I am sure the uSureCR the local association can help you with more information.
So our tour guide, Martin Umaña was there waiting for us and we started the tour talking about the wildlife of the area.
We did spot wildlife like the Toucans, white-faced monkeys and we are sure that in the 573 acres of land that belongs to the monument there is a lot of wildlife protected.
Then we got the explanation of the artistic manifestations found in the area like the monolith (rock) with the shape of Jaguar and snake.
The tombs, the aqueduct, the mounds and just learning more about pre-columbian history the time went fast.
We left the place with a lot of new information about our ancestors surrounded by a nice atmosphere and the view of the Turrialba Volcano at the back.
Guayabo National Monument, definitely is a nice historical spot of Costa Rica. That you can do in a short visit in the middle of the nice countryside. Good for a day trip including other spots around!
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