Near the city of Cartago in the central portion of Costa Rica, not far from the capital city of San Jose, guests can visit the Irazu Volcano and the national park of the same name.

 

The volcano rises 3,432 meters (about 11,000 feet) into the air and its name is believed to be derived from two tribal words: ara – which means point, and tzu – the word for thunder. The first recorded major eruption of Irazu Volcano occurred in 1723. Since that time, it has been minimally active, with the largest eruption since that time occurring in March 1963. Locals still note that this was the same day John F. Kennedy arrived in Costa Rica on an official visit to explore the country! That eruption lasted for two years and people that lived close to the mountain had to constantly sweep volcanic debris from their sidewalks and carry umbrellas to avoid falling ash.

 

The park that surrounds the volcano covers 2,309 hectares (about 5,700 acres) and is known for its strange lunar-like landscape. Nearly void of vegetation of any sort, this national park is worth a trip if just to photograph the unusual terrain. Strangely enough, it isn’t hot here, despite the presence of the volcano. The temperature averages around 7.3 degrees Celsius (45 degrees Fahrenheit) so outerwear is always in order.

 

Tour companies offer trips to the volcano but no additional activities are available inside the park. On a trip up to the volcano, you’ll encounter two craters – the 100-meter-deep Diego de la Haya, whose lake is often bright green, and a larger 300-meter crater. Guides say that from the top of Irazu, you can see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

 

Guests will find a snack bar near the entrance to the park, which sells coffee and hot chocolate as well as snacks to cold and hungry visitors. Public restrooms and picnic tables are also available. There is no camping onsite.