Irazu Crater Pixabay Public Domain
Irazu Volcano National Park
Deep within the Cartago Province, your group will find Irazu Volcano National Park, the perfect spot to learn about volcanism up close and personal and enjoy breathtaking rainforest beauty. The park sits along Central Valley, within the Cordillera Central range. This national park is one of the most visited in the country, and once you are here and see it for yourself you’ll understand exactly why!
Irazu Volcano is considered to be one of the highest volcanoes in Central America at 3432 meters above sea level, an impressively monumental landscape point for Costa Rica. Irazu is considered to be active, though it last erupted back in the 1960s. 1963-1965 proved to be a trying 2 years for the area, with ash clouding the surrounding cities air and debris flying down the volcano side. Today the most that is seen activity-wise at Irazu are a few small earthquakes here and there.
While here check out the panoramic view of Central Valley on a hike along La Haya, Playa Hermosa, or La Laguna, the landscape along the way considered to be cloud forest and upland rainforest. Onion and potato farms turn into dairy farms the further along you get, which then turn into the scorched remains of trees from the eruption. You will most likely see rainforest junco and rainforest hummingbird along the way, also. The real sight to see here is the view of the 2 craters left behind after the last eruption, both a testament to nature’s power and beautiful addition to the landscape.
Before you go be sure to stop at the small on-site visitors’ center, a spot in which you can learn all about volcanism, both locally and throughout the world.
