Poas Volcano, Doka, La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Come sip a cup of the “World’s Best Coffee” and enjoy a delicious breakfast while touring the Doka Coffee Estate. Revved up and ready, you’ll take a short walk to the summit of Poas Volcano with its stunning views. Combined with a visit to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, where you’ll again stop to eat, you will have completed a Costa Rican experience others have only dreamed about!

Your day will begin when you are picked up from your hotel and driven through scenic farmlands into the neighboring mountain range until arriving at your first stop. The order of the tours may change depending on daily scheduling, but you will have a chance to visit them all. A bilingual guide will accompany you through each activity to point out items of special interest and answer your questions.

The Doka Coffee Estate is world-famous for having won the “World’s Best Coffee” award two years in a row. As you walk through the property, you’ll learn every step of how the coffee bean is picked, germinated, harvested and roasted before being ground to perfection. You’ll learn about Doka’s special recipe involving an intricate roasting process and blend of beans. A hot breakfast will be served to you including their signature coffee.

Next stop: The Poas Volcano! This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Costa Rica because it is a visit to an active volcano. The geothermic activity becomes quite evident as you walk the well-maintained hiking trails to see geysers, fumaroles, gaseous sulphuric pools, and bubbling mud. It is a relatively short distance to the top of the volcano where on a clear day you can see three craters, one filled with shimmering blue-green water. This is an excellent spot for taking epic photographs. The visit to Poas Volcano is limited to 40 minutes by the park service, 10 minutes to walk to the viewing point, 20 minutes of observation time, and 10 minutes to walk back to the bus.

Typically the last stop will be The La Paz Waterfall Gardens. As you walk along the series of meandering trails you’ll come to five beautiful waterfalls, each easily viewed from strategically placed platforms. The largest fall, “Magica Blanca”, allows you to stand underneath and look through as the thundering water cascades over in front of you. This moment deep in the rain forest surrounded by nothing but Nature can be truly inspiring.

At the Gardens there is also a rehabilitation zoo created for a wide variety of rescued animals. They are brought to the center to be cared for, as well as prepared to be introduced back into the wild if they are able. Here you will see some of the most iconic creatures indigenous to Costa Rica such as monkeys, sloths, tropical birds and the ever popular red-eyed tree frog. Your guide, well versed in the natural history of the area will be sure to regale you with interesting facts about the wildlife you’ll encounter while walking the property.

At the La Paz restaurant within the Gardens, you will be treated to a delicious meal. The traditional or “typical” food of Costa Rica, as it is known, includes a hearty feast of rice, beans, salad, and choice of meat or vegetables.

This full day tour includes a bilingual guide, all entrance fees, breakfast, lunch, as well as transportation from Alajuela, Escazu, and San Jose. One way transport usually takes between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on the location of your hotel. Combined time of all three tours, breakfast, lunch, and round trip transportation is estimated to take between 9 and 11 hours.

Please wear comfortable walking shoes and bring along a jacket, as the altitude of Poas Volcano can make it quite chilly. You’ll also benefit from having rain gear, sun block, insect repellent, your camera and extra spending money to purchase souvenirs if you’d like.

Come immerse yourself gently in Costa Rica’s natural world to create memories that can last a lifetime ~

Please note that there are entry restrictions to Poas Volcano for people with heart problems, high blood pressure, pregnant women, children and people with disabilities.