Travel Blog Costa Rica

Tenorio Volcano National Park

This wild Costa Rica park has an area of 31 794 acres that lodge two volcanoes, numerous rivers, waterfalls, thermal hot springs, and a lagoon. Tenorio National Park is located about 3.7 miles from Cañas on the Interamericana Norte area. Tenorio Volcano is a relatively active volcano with multiple craters that displays fumaroles, hot springs, and mud pots activity. The other volcano, Montezuma Volcano, is dormant and has one set of twin craters. One of the greatest assets Tenorio National Park has is Celeste River. Rio Celeste has emanations of sulfur and precipitations of calcium carbonates that give it an incredible light blue color to its water. This unique national park is surrounded by primary cloud forest and rainforest, with multiple life zones such as: very humid tropical forest, very humid tropical forest, transition to premontane,   premontane pluvial forest, very humid premontane forest, and low mountain pluvial forest. The average temperature at Tenorio National Park is around 75 F with 200 inches of annual precipitation. Tenorio Volcano stands at 6286 feet over sea level.

Tenorio National Park is on of those parks in Costa Rica that don’t get the affluence of tourists that other national parks get, but is definitely a recommended natural destination if you are into a hiking tour into the wild. Trails inside this amazing national park lead to picnic areas, swimming areas, as well as trails to Tenorio Volcano and Montezuma Volcano. Volcan Tenorio summit is surrounded by virgin forests and a small lake surrounded by epiphyte covered cloud forest. Tapirs and pumas are known to frequent the summit of Tenorio Volcano. The climb to the volcano’s summit can take about a two day trip. The hike to see the hot springs, mud pots, and the Celeste River takes around five hours. To make the best out of your visit to this wild and abundant national park and also to be safe, we recommend that you take a guide with you when you visit Tenorio Volcano National Park.

Turrialba Volcano National Park

Turrialba Volcano National Park is 40 miles east from San Jose with an area of 3900 acres. This National Park contains the densely forested Turrialba stato volcano, which is part of the Irazu Volcano massif. Turrialba Volcano is an active volcano with three main craters. The main crater of Turrialba Volcano is the deepest and most active of the three continuingly releasing sulfuric steam and vapors. The average temperature at this National Park is 60 F with annual precipitations ranging from 120 to 150 inches. This Costa Rica Park contains a very moist montane forest and a cloud forest, saturated with moisture and mosses, ferns, and bromeliads. This interesting National Park homes a great variety of hummingbirds, monkeys, weasels, coyotes, hundreds of butterflies, and around 200 bird species including the jilguero and yiguirrillo. Probably the most unique characteristic of this interesting Costa Rica volcano is that is one of the few volcanoes where you can go down one of its craters. Turrialba Volcano, along with Irazu Volcano, is among Costa Rica largest volcanoes. Currently the road that leads to the volcano has been fixed so 4wheeldrives automobiles can reach almost the summit of this ancient volcano and have a great view of the three craters.

Once in the Turrialba Town check out whitewater rafting tours to Reventazon River and Pacuare River, as you will not be disappointed with the great whitewater rafting these two rivers offer.

Poas Volcano National Park

Poas Volcano is among the most active Costa Rica volcanoes and records of its continuing activity have been dated back to 1828. You will find the view of this Costa Rica volcano absolutely spectacular and the fact that it is so close to San Jose makes it a perfect one day tour that is definitely recommended. Poas National Park was created in 1971 and it has an approximate area of 16000 acres. This Costa Rica volcano also has the uniqueness of being among one of the three volcanoes in the continent that can be reached by road and its crater is among the largest in the world. Poas Volcano belongs to the strato volcano clasification with almost a mile long diameter and 984 feet deep crater which is constantly bubbling and steaming with geyser-like eruptions.

At Poas Volcano National Park there are four different types of natural habitats, the stunted or dwarf forest which is the more predominant of the four habitats and the one to be found around the crater, habitats of little or no vegetation at all, arayan areas, and cloud forest areas. Among the flora that can be found at Poas National Park are mosses, lichens, bromeliads, cypress, small cedar, and small cypress. The fauna of Poas Volcano is not as plethoric as it is on other Costa Rica National Parks, but it is still amazing. Sooty robins, quetzals, emerald toucanet, marmots, shrews (one of the smallest mammal of the world), bats, around 79 bird species overall are part of Poas Volcano National Park wonders.

The average temperature at Poas Volcano ranges from 45 F to 70 F. It can get cold, so it is recommended to go prepared with a good jacket and long pants. This beautiful Costa Rica National Park receives an annual fall of 140 inches of rain, so be prepared for rain also. During the dry season (December to April), especially during the early morning, is probably the best time of the year to visit Poas Volcano National Park. It usually gets cloudy later during the day and the crater cannot be seen. But don’t despair if you cannot make it during the early morning and the view is cloudy, Poas is a windy region so while you look around the well marked trails of the cloud forest and stunted forest the view of the crater could clear.