Sitting on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the many volcanoes in Costa Rica run down the central highlands of the country like a spine. While Costa Rica’s active volcanoes may put more visitors off than attract them to the country, they are responsible for the lush abundance of rainforests, and as a consequence the varied exotic wildlife that has made a home here. With this in mind, it is fair to say that much of what Costa Rica has become so famous and attractive for is down to it volcanoes. While some are off limits to hikers, others can be safely trekked upon for those of you that want to get up close and personal.
Why Costa Rica’s Volcanoes are So Special
This peaceful Central American country is home to some of the most picture perfect and violently active volcanoes on the planet. Sitting directly over where the Pacific tectonic plate and Caribbean plate meet, earthquakes and eruptions are common place for this otherwise placid nation. The intense activity that is going on deep under the soil of country makes its volcanoes unpredictable and intriguing. If you want the chance to see a volcano spewing out lava and smoke, want to visit a crater lake circled by towering trees, or a cauldron crater bubbling with sulphurous mud, you can see it all at one of Costa Rica’s volcanoes.
Rincón de la Vieja
Let’s start from north to south and take a look at some of the major volcanoes in scattered across the center of Costa Rica. The Rincón de la Vieja Volcano is one of the smaller active volcanoes in the country, reaching a height of 1740 meters. However this cinder cone volcano is among nine others in the Rincón de la Vieja National Park, and the views across the surrounding countryside from the top are astounding. The 10km hike is no walk in the park, with the majority of it following a beaten track that meanders through tropical forest, and the last 2km getting steeper and steeper as you reach the summit.
Arenal
Costa Rica’s picture perfect volcano, Arenal has to be the most famous volcano in the country. Whether it is because this 2028 meter high stratovolcano has a near perfect conical structure or because it has been spewing out lava on and off since 1968, is up for debate. Despite the fact that this active volcano has quieted down over the past couple of years, it is still strictly out of bounds for hikers, and that really is a good thing. That is not to say you cannot get close enough for a good view, as there are plenty of quite manageable hikes which circle around the volcano in the Arenal Volcano National Park that offer fantastic views of the one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
Poás
Poás Volcano is one of the country’s most frequently visited volcanoes due to it being just a one and a half hour drive from the capital San José, but don’t let the crowds put you off. The crater is a bubbling sulphuric pool, and often you can see geysers propelling water and steam high up into the sky. The great thing, or perhaps the worst thing, about visiting Poaz is that relatively no hiking is involved. You can literally be dropped off by car or minibus right next to the huge crater that stretches over 1km wide.
Irazú
The tallest volcano in Costa Rica, Irazú is another volcano where you can reach the crater without a great deal of hiking. A paved road leads most of the way up to the summit, and after that a truly wondrous sight awaits. A mineral-rich crater lake that changes color can be witnessed here, often switching between a sparkling green color to a scarlet red. It is found in the smallest crater on Irazú, which a depth of less than 100 meters, and has been named Diego de la Haya.
What to Expect
Visiting the peaks of any of the volcanoes in Costa Rica is best done in the driest season, which lies in between December and March. Even at this time it can be wet up there, and will certainly be much cooler than lower elevations. Pack a poncho or rain jacket, and make sure you are wearing a decent pair of hiking boots! As for valuables, don’t bother taking iPods, mobile phones, or a bundle of travel money. Leave all that stuff locked up safe along with your credit cards. All you should bring, if you must, is a decent camera to try and capture the amazing views, but the images you capture won’t even come close to the panoramas you will keep in your memory. So if you have relaxed on the beaches, explored the forests, and seen the wildlife, perhaps the next thing to surprise you in Costa Rica will be her ancient volcanoes.
Book A Customized Volcano Tour
Tropical Adventures is an organization that aims to help the communities in Costa Rica with a wide range of projects. While there are many ways you can contribute to our work and take part, another way to help is to work with us to organize a customized volcano tour. This would take in all of the peaks and craters mentioned in this article. Best of all, the commission and any profit for us from the tour will be ploughed back into community projects that will help keep them going just a little bit longer. Consider it a unique trip of a lifetime that also gives back!