Volcanoes Irazú and Poás, Costa Rica - experience two active volcanoes up close

We visit the active volcanoes Irazú and Poás near San José in the Valle Central of Costa Rica. Impressive volcanic craters, beautiful views, mystical cloud forests, and a menacingly steaming crater lake bring us close to Costa Rica's volcanic nature.

The Parque Nacional Volcán Irazú is located east of the capital San José, in the province of Cartago. However, we are coming from the opposite direction and have relied on the route guidance provided by Google Maps. This takes us along small, partly unpaved roads. We drive through clouds for a large part of the route, which doesn't make it any easier. But finally, we reach the national park and are now above the clouds, allowing us to see the volcano in all its impressive beauty.
At 3432 meters (11260 ft), Irazú is the highest volcano in Costa Rica. A strong wind is blowing, and the temperatures are cool despite the bright sun. We are lucky with the weather, as the volcano is often shrouded in clouds. It is recommended to book tickets in advance online. Access is restricted due to the small parking lot, and in good weather, the national park quickly becomes overcrowded.

We walk the small hiking trail to the main crater, the Crater Principal. The crater was once known for its turquoise or emerald green shimmering crater lake. Unfortunately, the lake disappeared after a landslide in 2019. Nevertheless, the play of colors on the ocher, rust-brown, and gray slopes of the volcano is impressive. The surface of the crater is characterized by bizarre rock formations and eroded volcanic ash, testifying to past eruptions.

In addition to the main crater, there are other craters. We look down into the deep "Diego de la Haya" crater, which was formed during an eruption in 1723. "Playa Hermosa," on the other hand, with its flat and sandy surface, is reminiscent of a lunar landscape. We walk along secured paths through the volcanic landscape and climb to the actual summit of the volcano. It's not really a long distance, but the thin air makes it strenuous. But the effort is worth it! From above, the craters lie at our feet. On clear days, from the summit of Irazú, you could see the coasts of the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean to the east simultaneously! But today, unfortunately, clouds are blocking the view. The best time to enjoy the view would be early morning, before the clouds have formed.

After Irazú, we visit the other large volcano near the capital, Poás. The Parque Nacional Volcán Poás is located north of San José in the province of Alajuela. Poás is one of the most impressive and most visited volcanoes in the country. It is known for its enormous main crater and its emerald-green or sulfur-yellow crater lakes.
Advance booking is also recommended for Poás. At the time of our visit in mid-February 2025, only the main crater, "Laguna Caliente," was open to visitors due to increased volcanic activity. Each visitor was given a helmet and required to attend a safety briefing. Time spent at the crater was limited to 20 minutes. All hiking trails around the crater were closed. But we were lucky to be able to visit Poás at all! The national park has been completely closed since the end of March 2025, and there have already been several lava eruptions.
Poás lies at an elevation of 2708 meters (8884 ft). Ferns, mosses, and epiphytes form lush vegetation. Mist drifts through the forests, creating a mystical atmosphere. It is cool, and the temperatures drop noticeably the higher you climb.
The view of the main crater is simply monumental. Poás has one of the largest and most active volcanic craters in the world, up to 1,3 kilometers (0,8 mi) wide. From the observation point, we look directly into the abyss. Deep below lies an acidic crater lake, whose color can vary from intense turquoise blue to emerald green to a bright sulfur yellow depending on volcanic activity and mineral content. During our visit, the lake was barely visible due to the strong fumes rising and the cloudy weather. Nevertheless, it feels like you're looking directly into the gateway to hell!

Since Poás is an active volcano, its activity is monitored, and there are shelters designed to save visitors in the event of sudden eruptions. Fortunately, the volcano waited until after our visit to erupt again!

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Visit in February 2025

Chapter:
00:00 Intro
00:39 Arrival
01:39 Irazú
09:11 Drive to San José
10:09 Poás
13:20 Outro