Present day Costa Rica is the result of a complex volcanic activity that took place over 75 million years ago! As part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” Costa Rica is home to some of the world’s most mesmerizing volcanoes and boasts an amazing 112 volcanic sites throughout the country. Most of the amazing volcanoes of Costa Rica have been designated as National Parks or protected areas and are renowned for their unspoiled and unique beauty. The enormous craters of these magnificent natural wonders and the sulfurous lakes, occasional lava streams and thermal springs that result of the volcanic activity add up to many opportunities to enjoy all that is exciting about your Costa Rican vacation.
The enormous volcanic craters that dot Costa Rica’s mountain ranges provide for a wide array of exciting activities; including horseback riding, waterfall rappelling, canopy tours and, of course, relaxing in world class Hot Springs. There are some amazing tours that can be taken to explore some of the more famous of the Costa Rican volcanoes or a well developed trail system is available for those that are a little more independent. There are also some aerial tours available by helicopter and small plane. The astounding fiery fortresses that are Costa Rica’s volcanoes should be a must see for all those planning a vacation to this paradise. Easily accessible from the capital, San Jose, there are many ways to travel to see these fiery giants. However you get there, you will be amazed at the beauty and awesome power that are the volcanoes of Costa Rica.
Arenal Volcano
The most famous and active of all of the Costa Rican Volcanoes, Arenal is a mesmerizing display of ash and lava activity. Located almost 1500 feet above sea level, Arenal is part of the Tilaran Mountain Range and is nearest to the delightful town of La Fortuna. Arenal is categorized as one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world and regularly delights viewers with it’s spectacular displays of ash, lava eruptions and occasional rock avalanches, as well as the slightly ominous rumbling sounds that are emitted from this behemoth regularly. Lava eruptions have been known to travel down the slopes of Arenal at over 65 miles per hour and can reach temperatures of over 1000 degrees Celsius. This lava makes this area a prime location for thermal springs and all of the delightful spa activities that accompany them, as well as creating the paths for world class waterfalls, such as the La Fortuna Waterfall that flows along an ancient volcanic flow. A plethora of trails exist all over the Arenal Volcano National Park and there are many tours and activities available to visitors. Fascinating fauna and flora exist here in amazing quantities making this a prime location for viewing many different species of plant and animal.
The last major eruption of Mount Arenal Volcano was in 1968 and the area was declared as a National Park in 1994. A must see for every Costa Rican tourist, Arenal now boasts one active crater and one dormant as well as an enormous man-made lake that has become world famous for both it’s exceptional wind-surfing as for it’s amazing sport-fishing. There are also over 850 identified birds that reside in the Arenal area, making this a prime area for all those that bird watch. There are many ways to enjoy the area surrounding the Arenal Volcano and tours can be found for those that want to hike or to horseback ride. Arenal Volcano National Park should be on every Costa Rican tourist’s list: for its beauty, its diversity, its dynamic nature and the unbelievable force of nature that is the Arenal Volcano.
Irazu Volcano
The amazing Irazu volcano of Costa Rica has the distinction of being the highest volcano in the country, but also for being the only place in the Americas where it is possible to see both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans at the same time! The name Irazu was derived from the language of the indigenous people and means : a thunder” or “place that shakes”, which has been certainly true in the past! A major eruption in 1723 completely destroyed the capital at the time and the current Costa Rican capital of San Jose, was completely covered in heavy soot and ash after a 1993 eruption. Known by Costa Ricans as “Colossus” because of its 23 recorded eruptions since 1723, the volcano at Irazu is now considered stable and dormant and has become the leading location for strawberry cultivation and other farming and dairy pursuits.
Less than a sixty mile trip from San Jose, Irazu Volcano is a very popular destination for visitors. The summit has several interesting craters including one that includes Diego de la Hoya, a fascinating deep crater lake with beautiful green water. Transportation is readily available to the summit of Irazu, with roads running to the top, as well as weekly bus service from the capital. The views from the top can only be de-scribed as mesmerizing! An almost moon like, desolate landscape greets you as you near the summit and it is often foggy, but you can often break thru the cloud cover to find brilliant sunshine at the top of the trail. At almost 6000 acres, the park is chock full with interesting animal and plant species. The facilities include places to get food and drinks and locations for hiking and picnics. Worth visiting on your trip to Costa Rica, Irazu Volcano is a fascinating chance to see a volcano up close and personal!
Rincon de La Vieja
Located in one of the most beautiful areas of the Guanacaste moun-ains, Rincon de la Vieja is dated at approximately 600,000 years old. The name means "The Old Woman's Corner", which is a reference to a local story about a girl whose lover was thrown into the crater by her father and who spent the rest of her life as a recluse with amazing powers of healing. A combination of four major volcanoes; the Santa Maria, Orosi and Miravalles are the other three; the area surrounding these volcanoes is an adventure lover’s paradise consisting of four of Costa Rica’s most amazing national parks. Rincon de la Vieja is considered one of the most fasci-nating volcanoes in Costa Rica because of some of its unusual character-istics, which include, churning sulfurous lagoons, relaxing mud springs and fascinating fumaroles, as well as the main active crater. The entire vol-canic structure of Rincon de la Vieja consists of nine volcanic points and is spread over a nearly 250 square mile area.
The horseback riding trails in the area of Rincon de la Viejo are among the best in the country and some of the best surfing in Costa Rica can be found at Witches Rock on Playa Naranja. This is also an area well known for its white water tubing and awesome canopy tours. At nearly 1700 feet above sea level, Rincon de la Vieja offers spectacular vistas of all the surrounding landscapes and the amazing coastline. This area is reknown for its abundantly varied flora and fauna, which include an amazing amount of protected orchids including the national flower of Costa Rica; the Easter Lily (Cattleya skinneri). The area around Rincon volcano is also an excellent spot to view many monkey species, such as howlers, spiders and white faced and a plethora of phenomenal birds, such as the Great Curassow and Aracari Toucans. Exploring the magnificent parks that surround the Rincon de la Vieja should be on every Costa Rican visitor’s list, as should be enjoying all that this area has to offer. An amazing addition to your Costa Rican vacation!
Tenorio Volcano
The Tenorio Volcano of Costa Rica is a part of the Guanacaste Mountain Range, nestled between the regions of Guatuso, Upala de Alajuela, Canas and Tilaran. It is one of the most interesting areas in Costa Rica; rich in biodiversity and teeming with interesting plant life and animal species, such as the ocelot and umbrella birds. As part of the Arenal Tilaran Conservation area, the Tenorio Volcano became part of the National Park in 1995. The area is covered with waterfalls, lagoons and spectacular waterfalls, as well as a series of small geysers and thermal springs. Most of the elevated part of the park is covered with magni-ficent cloud forest, while the lower areas are rich, lush rain forest. The exclusive Puma can be seen in this area, as well as many other spectacu-lar species of flora and fauna. The Rio Celeste River and Waterfall are one of the primary attractions of the Tenorio Volcano National Park area; literally turned sky blue because of the chemical reaction from the sulfur of the volcano and the precipitation of calcium carbonate- it is truly an awe inspiring sight.
The Tenario Volcano area offers amazing vistas of the surrounding landscape and Lake Nicaragua. Home to the indigenous Maleku population, the area offers visitors a plethora of exciting adventure activities and opportunities for fascinating exploration. The hiking in the area is un-surpassed and because it is not as visited as some of the more active volcanoes in Costa Rica, there is a tranquility to the area that is not found in more developed parks. Often referred to as “The last Untouched Paradise in Costa Rica”, the Tenario Volcano area is certainly a stop that every Costa Rican visitor should plan to make.
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