Back

Poas Volcano and La Paz waterfall gardens

COS_PoasVolcano_Shutterstock_253647520

Visit the La Paz Waterfall Gardens and the impressive crater lake at the top of Poas volcano, stopping at a coffee farm along the way.

A desolate expanse of rock rises up on all sides to enclose a surreal, milky turquoise lake at the top of Poas volcano. Within the crater you can often see misty fumaroles of smoke, hinting at the volatile energy that forged this harsh, ruptured landscape.

Driving out of the capital towards Poas, the scenery and climate begin to change as coffee plantations and strawberry farms gradually transform into dense forest. En route, stop at a coffee estate for breakfast and a tour demonstrating the traditional techniques used to produce Costa Rica’s renowned coffee.

We’ll visit the viewing platform at the summit of Poas to look down into the vast bowl of the crater – it’s an incredible panorama and one of Costa Rica’s most famous sights. Next we’ll continue on to the idyllic La Paz Waterfall Gardens for lunch and a guided walk through the forest to reach a waterfall plunging through tropical greenery. There are four more falls within these enchanted gardens, as well as a butterfly observatory, serpentarium, bird house and hummingbird feeders where you can photograph the tiny birds at close range.

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

  • Alex
    Alex Walker - Travel Expert

    A globetrotter since her childhood, Alex spent a year studying abroad in Guadalajara and has returned to Latin America countless times since then.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Paul Winrow Giffin
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

0 1 2 3 4 5