The Irazú Volcano (Spanish: Volcán Irazú) belongs to places that rank among places worthy to see when you are in Costa Rica. Today I would like to share with you our recent experience with one day trip to this interesting Volcano.

Let´s start with some basic information. It is Costa Rica´s highest volcano with the height of 3,432 meters. It is also one of the most active, with a history of frequent eruptions. The last noticeable activity came in 1996, and since then Irazú has been a quiet giant.

The volcano has several craters, two of which are the principal attractions. The smaller crater, Diego de la Haya, has a beautiful unusual lake with bright greenish yellow coloring that is caused by rainfall dissolving the minerals along craters walls. I believe this lake really contributes to the attendance of this place since it is really amazing.

The wildlife there is often difficult to see because of the constant volcanic activity, but many small animals make their home within the parks perimeters. We were lucky and see at least one.

When to visit:

To avoid the wettest months, the best time to visit is during March and April, although cool temperatures and high winds are common year round. The park is open 7 days a week from 8 am to 3 pm and it is recommended to visit early in the morning as swirling clouds are known to overwhelm the summit later on in the day.

How can you get there?

Irazú National Park is an easy day trip from most locations in the central valley. The drive up through the hills provides an excellent opportunity to see the Central Valley below.

We took a bus that stops in Cartago once a day in the morning and goes from San Jose. You pay something about 4 dollars for return way bus ticket and the entrance is around 10 dollars for non residents of Costa Rica.

We had a chance to visit the Irazú Volcano few days ago and can recommend this place for a day trip. This is the picture of the smaller crater, Diego de la Haya, and its beautiful lake.

(By Marketa Sobotkova – Marketing Intern)