The country of ecotourism par excellence is not only fauna and forest. One of the greatest attractions of Central America are the Costa Rica volcanoes, existing thanks to the fact that the country is built on top of the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, on which most of the world's volcanoes rise.

Three volcanic mountain ranges cross Costa Rica: the Guanacaste Range, made up of volcanoes of such importance as Arenal or Rincón de la Vieja; the Central Volcanic Range, home to the well-known Poás, Barva, and Turrialba, and the Talamanca Range, which has a single volcano.

Arenal Volcano

In total, lava reserves number in the hundreds, although only 5 of these craters are considered active. National Parks have been established around many of them where it is possible to carry out many activities. ecotourism activities.

Volcanoes of Costa Rica: Jewels to discover a land of fire

Nattule has chosen seven of them for you so that you can discover the life that surrounds fire:

1. Poás Volcano

Near the city of Alajuela, 20 kilometers west of San José, stands this active volcano whose last eruption was documented in 1953.

At 2,700 meters high, it has three well-differentiated craters. The main one opens on a lunar-like plain that remains devoid of vegetation due to the constant sulfur emissions it produces. With 1.5 kilometers in diameter, it is considered one of the largest Costa Rica volcanoes and remains occupied by a lagoon of acidic and boiling waters.

Poas Volcano © ForeverInfinite

The Sombrilla de Pobre trail, one of the three that the Poás Volcano National Park has, will take you to a spectacular viewpoint from where you can observe this crater. The route is done in 10 or 15 minutes along a path in which there is an abundance of Gunnera insignis, a plant with enormous leaves that in Costa Rica was used as an improvised umbrella. Hence the name of the road.

The other two trails will allow you to enter the heart of the cloud forest that occupies the rest of the 5,600 hectares of the Park. Walking through them you can enjoy a wide variety of bird and plant species. Among the first, the quetzals, yigüirros or hummingbirds stand out. Of the latter, you can see bromeliads, gunneras, cypresses and orchids, among others.

Gunnera insignis © Jacob Schantz

The Laguna Botos trail takes 30 minutes and takes you to another of the volcano's craters, this time dormant. The beautiful lagoon with crystal clear waters that occupies it supplies the rest of the Park and is the source of one of the most important rivers in the country, the Sarapiquí. Finally, the Escalonia trail takes you directly to the visitor center.

A bus leaves from San José daily at 8 in the morning and arrives at the entrance of the National Park in 2 and a half hours, after stopping in Alajuela.

Botos Lagoon © Miss Michelle

2. Arenal Volcano

Since 1968, after more than 500 years of inactivity, the Arenal volcano began to expel lava and ash, it has been considered one of the Costa Rica volcanoes more active. Also, for this reason, one of its greatest tourist attractions.

This majestic 1,600 meter high volcano is located within the Arenal Volcano National Park, in the northwest of the country. Around it, a rainforest of more than 12,000 hectares extends that has exceptional wildlife, where animals such as sloths, deer and quetzals share space.

Arenal Volcano © David Giambalvo

To visit the Park, the best option is to settle in the town of La Fortuna de San Carlos, located 3 hours by car from the capital, San José, and just 10 kilometers from the impressive volcano. The almost perfect conical shape of Arenal is the first sight you will see when you wake up from any of the many accommodations in this town.

Some people find this volcano similar to Teide; so you can get an idea by flying over with this tandem paragliding activity in Tenerife the impressive National Park that surrounds our volcano.

Quetzal

The Arenal Volcano National Park has 3 marked trails that you can follow as you like. The one in Coladas will take you to an area where you can still see the solidified lava from the great eruption of 1992. From this place, the closest to the volcano, you will have magnificent views of the largest lake in the country, Arenal.

The Ceibo trail gets its name from a 200-year-old ceibo tree more than 50 meters high that is located on one side of the road. It can be done in conjunction with the Coladas trail, adding 4 kilometers in total. The third trail, Heliconias, is only 1 kilometer long and starts right from the Park parking lot.

The area surrounding the Arenal volcano is also famous for its hot springs. You can visit the Tabacón River and take a bath in its hot waters, which are said to have healing and cosmetic properties. Another short and easy excursion to do from La Fortuna is a visit to the waterfalls of the same name, an impressive 70-meter waterfall.

La Fortuna Waterfall

3. Irazú Volcano

With the highest altitude of all Costa Rica volcanoes, the Irazú commands respect with just its name. The indigenous word Iztarú, from which Irazú was derived, meant mountain of tremors. Can you guess why?

The volcano is known for the long list of catastrophes that occurred in the area, reported since the beginning of Spanish colonization. Despite this, the Irazú remains inactive right now and it is possible to visit it following the trails of the National Park of the same name.

Irazu volcano

Although the vegetation is scarce due to the altitude (3,432 meters) and the fauna is almost non-existent, it is worth visiting this Park, since the volcano hides a couple of surprises. One of them is the bright green lagoon that occupies one of the four craters. The other, the impressive views from the top of the volcano. If you are lucky and the day is clear, it is possible to see the Pacific and Atlantic oceans on both sides.

The National Park is located about 32 kilometers northeast of Cartago, the former capital of the country partially destroyed precisely by the eruption of the Irazú volcano. From San José, the journey will take you an hour and a half through picturesque landscapes.

Diego de la Haya Crater © Ricardo Rojas Salazar

Some of the animals that you may see around the volcano, among the andean vegetation that covers it, are coyotes, porcupines, armadillos or wild cats.

4. Turrialba Volcano

The Turrialba volcano is not very popular among tourists who visit the Costa Rica volcanoes. In part, due to having to compete with his older brother Irazú, with whom he shares a base. On the other hand, due to its intense volcanic activity, which has led to the prohibition of access to it on several occasions. The volcano recorded one of its largest eruptions in September 2016, spewing clouds of gases and ashes that reached 3,000 meters in height.

Turrialba Volcano © Ricardo Rojas Salazar

If it does not show this destructive facet, however, the Turrialba Volcano National Park is a fascinating place of unspoilt nature and incredible views of the Caribbean coast. When you can visit, it is possible to reach the 3 craters by trails.

On the slopes of the volcano, covered in a green tropical forest, you will find many more plant and animal species than on the neighboring Irazú volcano. Up to 900 species of birds have been identified there, including Costa Rica's national bird, the yigüirro. In addition, the Park is also home to the source of the Turrialba River, the most important in the area, and its 100-meter-high waterfall.

La Pastora Waterfall © Ricardo Rojas Salazar

At the foot of the volcano is the city of Turrialba. This small town is located about 60 kilometers from San José and is the perfect point to begin your visit to the Park.

From the city you can also visit the pre-Columbian ruins of Guayabo, located on the southern slope of the volcano. This archaeological enclave was the main indigenous settlement in the country, which is why it is classified as a National Monument.

Guayabo national monument

If you like archaeology, don't miss the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors with this activity for a prehistoric weekend in Ciudad Real.

5. Rincón de la Vieja Volcano

In the province of Guanacaste, 25 kilometers northeast of Liberia, is this volcano surrounded by mysticism and legend.

They say that an indigenous princess fell in love with an enemy warrior. The princess's father, opposed to the relationship, threw the young man into the crater. To always be close to him, the princess retired to live next to the volcano and learned to heal with the local plants, a work that she also continued during her old age. For this reason, the local people began to call the volcano Rincón de la Vieja.

One of the craters of Rincón de la Vieja

If you have been curious, don't miss the opportunity to get to know this National Park, whose surroundings hold as much charm as its history. Despite being one of the most spectacular protected areas in Costa Rica, it is not as visited as other volcanoes, perhaps because it is not close to any tourist route.

Its greatest attraction is the mix of waterfalls, fumaroles, geysers and hot springs that you can find. In the sector located southeast of the volcano, you will discover everything. There are 2 trails to explore this sector, 3 and 5 kilometers. The longest, linear one, takes you to the Cangreja waterfall. In the shorter one you can take a circular walk through the pailas, small lagoons of boiling mud.

Crab Waterfall © Kaiki House

If you climb to the top, you will also witness the variety of landscapes that occur throughout the 14,000 hectares of the Park. On the Atlantic slope you can find tall forest and undergrowth dominated by palm trees. As you ascend, the forests are lower and the trees, twisted, are covered with moss. The summit, located at 1,916 meters, has very little vegetation.

In it you will find the 9 craters of the volcano, of which only one spews constant fumaroles. The negative part is that you may not have as good views as other volcanoes, since strong winds, fog and showers are frequent at the top.

Fog over Guanacaste © Nazareth

6. Barva Volcano

The Barva volcano is part of the Braulio Carrillo National Park, one of the largest in the central area of Costa Rica.

Despite not being far from San José (about 30 kilometers), it is not one of the most visited parks. Especially due to the irregular state of the road, which requires access by off-road vehicle.

Braulio Carrillo Park stands out for having lush vegetation, with more than 6,000 cataloged plant species. High mountains, rivers, canyons and lagoons also characterize its orography.

Vegetation of the National Father Braulio Carrillo © Audrey

But the best thing is the number of trails you have to explore the entire Park and access the places of greatest interest. The one that goes up to the crater of the Barva volcano is 3 kilometers long and the round trip will take you about 2 hours. You will reach 2,900 meters above sea level to find a beautiful lagoon of emerald waters surrounded by vegetation.

Path inside the Park

The longest trail is to Copey Lagoon, a swampy area close to the previous one. It is 5 kilometers long and requires a good physical level. The trails at the Vara Blanca viewpoint and at Cacho de Venado are shorter. They are perfect for enjoying the views and observing forest birds and primates such as the white-faced monkey, the golden spider monkey and the howler monkey.

Among the large mammals that live next to the Barva volcano, the tapirs, peccaries, pumas and the jaguar stand out, an emblematic species of the fauna of Costa Rica.

Barva volcano lagoon

Do you want to meet an emblematic species of our fauna? Join this activity to observe the Iberian lynx in Andújar (Jaén).

7. Tenorio Volcano

Around this volcano, in the north of Costa Rica, stands one of the best kept secrets in the entire country. The Tenorio Volcano National Park, although difficult to access, hides corners of great beauty and is considered a magnificent place for hiking and exploring the area's wildlife.

This National Park was declared in 1995, making it one of the youngest in Costa Rica. It has a great variety of environments, fostered by the influence of the Atlantic and Pacific slopes. In addition, it can boast the turquoise blue color of the waters of the Celeste River, due to the sulfur emitted by volcanic activity.

Tenorio Volcano © oscaracso85

The volcano itself measures about 2,000 meters and has two twin craters. From its top the views are impressive: you can see the Caño Negro Reserve, Lake Arenal and even the Great Lake of Nicaragua.

But if you want to know the Park in depth, it is best to follow the Misterios del Tenorio trail. After 3 kilometers you will end up at the Celeste River waterfall or the Blue Lagoon, prohibited for bathing due to the amount of natural chemicals it contains.

In addition, the Park is also home to abundant fauna and you may come across tapirs and howler monkeys along the way. It will be less fun to meet one of the wild cats that inhabit it: ocelots, jaguars or pumas.

Celeste River Waterfall

Access to the Tenorio Volcano National Park is not easy. In addition to the absence of public transportation, the shortest route from San José, through Quesada, is practically unpaved and has continuous slopes and loose rocks. There is another route, which crosses Cañas, in better condition but much longer.

This is probably the reason why the Tenorio volcano is not as visited as it deserves. If you dare to try, go ahead. Rent an SUV and go on an adventure. Destiny, without a doubt, will compensate for the bumps.

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The tiger treats grass better than the antelope. The feline's bad reputation is not always justified. The bad reputation of the volcano, either. In Costa Rica, far from being scary, they have become a tourist attraction. Volcanoes are no longer the hooligans of the mountain ranges. Now, instead of scaring, they brighten the traveler's day.

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