Travel to the Central Valley & Highlands of Costa Rica

map of Central Valley Costa Rica

Many travelers do not consider travel to Costa Rica's interior. It is a fabulous travel destination and my objective is to convince you of this.

Because it serves as the main population center of Costa Rica, the Central Valley & Highlands produce much of the world's coffee. Tourism remains low-key throughout this region and there are some opportunities for a visitor to explore the authentic side of Costa Rica by exploring this region.

There are four major population centers in this region, including Alajuela, Heredia, Cartago and Turrialba. Throughout the area, visitors will find good roads and an excellent public transportation system. It's possible to explore the area via public transport.

Central Valley Travel highlights

  • Whitewater rafting on Rio Reventazon & Pacuare: Two major rivers in the Turrialba area offer guided white water rafting and kayaking on Class III-IV rapids.
  • Rancho San Miguel: Offering a dramatic display of horsemanship, this stable has night time horse shows.
  • La Paz Waterfall Gardens: This is the world's largest butterfly enclosure show casing an aviary, snake and frog exhibits. There are hiking trails, waterfalls and a theme park.
  • Poas Volcano National Park: Drive into this national park and park near the summit of this volcano, then walk to the crater rim and enjoy the views.
  • Bosque de Paz Rain Cloud Forest: A rain forest that gets a lot of rain, visitors can view great birds and wildlife in this remote destination.
  • Flor de Mayo: A private breeding center for endangered macaws, visitors can book an appointment to visit this facility.
  • Zoo Ave: A zoo that offers close up encounters with animals and birds, this place is great for visitors to see monkeys and big cats.
  • Los Angeles Cloud Forest Reserve: A mountain-crest mist-shrouded forest, this spot is great for sloth, monkey and bird viewing. There are nature trails and a short zipline canopy tour.
  • Irazu Volcano National Park: Offering magnificent views from the top, the drive to this volcano is scenic.
  • Cafe Britt: Workers dressed in outfits provide theatrical skits about coffee and offer you your favorite beverage.
  • Las Fiestas de Palmares: A 10-day beer and carnival festival with a parade, fireworks, discotheques, live music, dancers and fried local food, this festival is one of the biggest events in the country.
  • Barva Volcano & Braulio Carrillo National Park : A steep road from Barva de Heredia takes visitors to Barva Volcano. The approach road is in terrible condition and cars are forced to park 4-km (2.5 mi) before the ranger station.
  • Sarchi: A center where crafts and woordworking traditions are preserved and displayed for sale.

Alajuela

Alajuela is Costa Rica's second city behind San Jose. It has a rich colonial history and an attractive town center. Although not as beautiful as the historic cities of Nicaragua, Guatemala or Mexico, this town has an attractive city center of crumbling colonial buildings.

Travel sights in Alajuela

  • Parque Central: a pleasant to relax and enjoy the mango trees.
  • Cathedral: stone throw from the Parque Central, this building suffered severe damage in an earthquake in 1991.
  • Iglesia La Agonia: A baroque-looking church built in 1941, this is six blocks east of Parque Central.
  • Flor de Mayo: A successful breeding program for green and scarlet macaws, this facility can be visited by appointment.

Learning in Alajuela

  • Spanish language courses are offered at the Fundacion Castillo language school.

Festivals & events in Aljuela

April 11 is the anniversary of the Battle of Rivas, which was a battle won by a young hero from Alajuela — Juan Santamaria. The battle of Santa Rosa climaxed at Rivas on April 11, where Santamaria was shot and killed after torching William Walker's stronghold. This celebration has a parade, civic events and firecrackers.

La Garita

About 12-km west of Alajuela on the Pan-American Highway, this area is important as it is the junction of highway 3 and leads to Atenas, Orotina and Puntarenas. On Highway 3, about 3.5-km (2 mi) east of the Pan-American Highway is the Zoo Ave.

Zoo Ave

A fabulous zoo, this is a must-see as it offers 59-hectares (660-acres) of grounds where rescued or injured wildlife has been housed. This is one of the only two zoos in the world that has resplendent quetzals on display. Macaws fly freely at this zoo and dozens of other species are on display. Visitors will see crocodiles, turtles, monkeys, tapirs, peccaries, and wildcats.

There is a breeding center at this zoo but is off-limits to visitors. Visitors can watch video shows and presentations.

Rancho San Miguel

About 3-km (2 mi)  north of La Guacima, this ranch raises Andalusian horses and has a museum related to horses. The ranch offers a one-hour show called the Fantasia Ecuestre, where horsemanship is set to Spanish music. This is a must-see show and tickets can be arranged by calling 506.438.0849 or emailing the ranch. Visitors can arrange for transport and dinner, as well as, horseback riding lessons.

Butterfly farm

Twelve kilometers south of Alajuela, in the town of La Guacima, is a butterfly farm; the first in Latin America. The complex has caterpillar and butterfly displays where visitors learn about breeding, survival rates, the stages of the butterfly's cycle and the importance of butterflies to nature.

The butterflies are busiest when it's sunny and in the morning, so it's best to visit early in the day. There are 2.5-hour tours in English, German, Spanish or French and run three times per day.

Volcan Poas National Park

A popular tourist site, Volcan Poas National Park is one of the most visited parks in Costa Rica. This park is one of the few places in the world where a visitor is able to look into an active volcano without hiking to the top of one. Poas continues to be active but had its blowout in 1953. Three craters resulted from the blow. One is large and two other are smaller. One of the smaller has a lake. Clouds gather around the mountain by 10 a.m. It's advisable to visit early.

There are a number of facilities for visitors at this park, including a visitor center where one can find a small museum, coffee shop, souvenir shop and informative videos shown hourly.

The best time to visit is during dry season. The winds change rapidly, so if there is cloud cover, a hike up to another crater may give enough time for the clouds to pass. Returning to Poas after the hike gives visitors a chance to see the volcano under clear skies.

Hiking in Poas National Park

There is a map of the nature trails available at the visitors' center. From the visitor center, there is a paved road that leads to the crater lookout. From the lookout point above the crater, there is an overview of the volcano. The main crater is 1.5-km (1 mi) wide and 300m (1,000 ft) deep and is one of the largest in the world. It is believed to be active in 40-year cycles and rarely erupts. Currently, it is producing acid-like rain and sulfurous gases. Visitors are advised to stay up to 20 minutes because of these conditions.

There are two trails that branch from the lookout. Each offers about a 30-minute hike through dwarf cloud forest. The forest is dwarfed because of the acid-like rain and sulfurous gases, as well as, freezing night temperatures. Birds, especially hummingbirds are plentiful. The landscape is dotted with beautiful wildflowers and many kinds of moss, bromeliads and ferns.

This route continues for 4-km (2.5 mi) and leads to nearby La Paz Waterfall Gardens. En route to these impressive waterfalls (five in total), there is a butterfly observatory which is one of the largest in the world.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens

A beautiful wildlife park built around a scenic series of waterfalls at Montana Azul, the waterfalls spray visitors while standing on the observations platform. This park is about 4-km (2.5 mi) north of Vara Blanca. The park features trails, gardens and one of the most photographed waterfalls in Costa Rica. The gardens highlight butterflies, hummingbirds, snakes, frogs, and trout. There is also an orchid display and birding tours are offered. Be sure to check out the traditional farmhouse on site and the great restaurant.

Grecia

On route to Sarchi, there's a terrific little place called Grecia which has been voted the cleanest town in Latin America. This tidy little place has a beautiful church called the Cathedral del las Mercedes. This metal church was imported from Belgium in 1897.

If you're interested in snakes, there's the Serpentario El Mundo de las Serpientes (World of Snakes) in Grecia. It's near the church and is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sarchi­

Vividly colored wooden ox-carts are still in use around the country. Costa Rica's most famous craft center, artists showcase their woodworking traditions. Sarchi­ is a crafts center heavily geared toward the tourist trade where visitors can see artisans painting traditional ox-carts designs and creating household furnishings out of tropical hardwoods. Around 1910, as legend has it, a campesino (peasant) was crossing the Beneficio la Luisa when it occurred to him to decorate his ox-cart wheels with colorful mandala-like design inspired by ancient Moorish decoration.

The art form caught on. Originally each district in Costa Rica had its own special design and locals could tell by looking at the cart where the driver lived. It was also said that each cart had its own distinctive "chirrido" or song of the wheels, by which people could identify who was passing by through listening.

As late as 1960, the most typical mode of transportation was the ox-cart since it was the only vehicle that could transport agricultural products through the rugged Costa Rican terrain. The father of president Oscar Arias Sanchez made his original fortune hauling coffee by ox-cart to Puntarenas. The painted carts are still in use today in villages as close to the capital as San Antonio de Escazu.

About 15-km (9 mi) up the road from Sarchi is Zarcero. This town has a unique sighting in Costa Rica. In the Parque Central is a museum of topiary where the park gardener has clipped and pruned the bushes and hedges into a whimsical garden of amazing creatures such as birds, elephants, oxen, cats and more.

Bosque de Paz Rain Cloud Forest

From Sarchi, there is a turnoff about 100m east of Rio Rojas and the road heads north. This scenic route weaves along through the cloud mountains and is possibly one of the most beautiful drives in Costa Rica. The 400-hectare (990-acre) reserve can be accessed via the valley west of Bajos del Toro and has 22-km (13.75 mi) or hiking trails that lead to waterfalls and lookout points.

About 7-km (4 mi) north of Bajos del Toro is a 200m (660 ft) waterfall called Catarata del Toro. This waterfall has 500 stairs leading to the bottom of it. There's a restaurant and entrance fee. Buses and taxis leave from Sarchi­ regularly.

The Bosque de Paz Reserve has a lodge that offers bird watching and nature tours.

Palmares

Las Fiestas de Palmares is a 10-day festival with a parade, fireworks, discotheques, live music, dancers and fried local food. This festival is one of the biggest events in the country. It takes place in mid-January in the tiny village of Palmares. The number of people attending can reach upwards of 10,000 people. Don't plan to stay in Palmares during this time but catch a bus from San Jose.

Los Angeles Cloud Forest Reserve

A private reserve about 20-km (12.5 mi) north of San Ramon, this center has a lodge and dairy ranch that was once owned by ex-president Rodrigo Carazo. This reserve has nature trails and short boardwalks that lead to views of the cloud forest. It is adjacent to the Monteverde Cloud Forest and less busy than Monteverde. Occasionally ocelots have been spotted in this reserve. There are two short hiking trails and one more difficult trail.

There are naturalist guides, horse rentals, zip lines and hotel/spa available at the reserve.

Juan Castro National Park

Created in 1992, this 143 sq. km (90 sq. mi) park protects Volcan Platanar and Porvenir. The slopes of these volcanoes are the headwaters for five major rivers which originate here. This is one of the most important watersheds in Costa Rica.

The park is federally protected but still privately owned by various plantation families. Only the land that has been purchased by the government is open to visitors. In El Sucre, at the main office, visitors will find the official entrance to the park and pay fees for day and camping use.

The rivers of this park are full of trout. Fishermen frequent the park. There isn't much access to the park which means that there are few visitors. This also means that the opportunities to view wildlife increases exponentially.

Heredia

The high tech capital of Costa Rica, Heredia is more than a suburb to San Jose. The most modern and most traditional of Costa Rica's economies reside side-by-side in this city. Heredia is also the historic coffee-production center of the region.

Although it is only 11-km (7 mi) from San Jose, Heredia is a world away. The high-tech corporations have made this city a cosmopolitan center, while the more traditional and charming elegance of the past has been retained.

Travel sights in Heredia

  • Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepcion: Built in 1797, this church is on the Parque Central.
  • El Fortin: On north side of Parque Central, this last remaining turret of a Spanish fortress is the official symbol of Heredia.
  • Casa de la Cultura: On the northeast corner of the park is the former residence of President Alfredo Gonzalez Flores which houses a historical exhibit and art shows.
  • Universidad Nacional: Located six blocks east of the Parque Central, this campus offers a great marine biology museum

Learning in Heredia

Cafe Britt

Midway between Heredia and Barva is the Cafe Britt. The is a visitors chance to learn about Costa Rican coffee and how a plantation is run. This company roasts, packs and exports specialty coffee around the world. It also welcomes visitors to have a look at their fields and gardens. Cafe Britt offers entertaining tours and staff wear traditional costumes. There are also multimedia presentations available for visitors to watch.

Barva

Only 2.5-km (1.5 mi) north of Heredia is Barva, a town dating from 1561 and is packed with 17th and 18th-century buildings.

Travel sights in Barva

  • Cafe Britt Finca: Just 1-km (0.8 mi) south of Barva is this highly recommended tour of a plantation offering organic coffee-growing. The tour gives visitors the chance to learn about coffee-bean harvesting. Cafe Britt operates a daily shuttle that will pick up visitors in San Jose.
  • Iglesia San Bartolome is the landmark building in this town.
  • Museo de Cultura Popular: About 1.5-km (1 mi) east of Barva, this farm house was restored into a museum showcasing tools, period costumes and Tico food.
  • INBio: The National Biodiversity Institute is a private research center that was formed in 1989. It catalogs the biological diversity of Costa Rica. There's a collection of high-quality attractions at the biodiversity exhibition halls, including wildlife viewing stations, a butterfly garden, an aquarium, a working farm, a medicinal plant garden and a sugar mill.

Barva Volcano & Braulio Carrillo National Park

Braulio Carrillo National Park is a primary forest that occupies about 445 sq. km (170 sq. mi) of land near San Jose. It's about 20-km (12.5 mi) from San Jose with a highway that makes it easily accessible. It may only be minutes from the highway, but it is peaceful and beautiful. To travel inland and see this park is worth the effort. Braulio Carrillo has an extraordinary biodiversity due to its steep altitude and lush lowlands. It contains the massive Barva Volcano.

Braulio Carrillo contains five forest habitats where orchid and fern varieties number in the hundreds. Many, if not most, of Costa Rica's bird species can be found in this park. There are a number of short hiking trails - one which climbs to a lake and the extinct Barva Volcano.

Brauilio Carillo covers a vast territory and contains huge canyons, many waterfalls, swift rivers, virgin forest and misty mountains. Much of the treasure in this territory is hidden, including the views and the wildlife. It's best to book a guide to show you the national park.

Hiking in Brauilio Carillo

It's possible to climb to the Barva Volcano in 4-5 hours, as the trail is well-maintained. From the western side of the park, there are signed tracks to climb to the summit. The terrain is muddy and visitors should be prepared for rain.

From the ranger station there are several hiking options on shorter trails and one of these include a one-hour hike to Laguna Barva (2,900m/9,500 ft). Hikers are rewarded with a scenic view of this beautiful green lake.

Rainforest Aerial Tram

The Rainforest Aerial Tram gives visitors a bird's-eye view of Braulio Carrillo. It's a 90-minute ride that is 1.3-km (1 mi) long and about 35m (100 ft) above the forest floor. This tour of the forest's treetops lets visitors get up close to the steamy air and see elusive wildlife.

Nearby the Aerial Tram is a Tropical Frog Farm (6km/4 miles past the tram) that displays more than 2000 colorful poison-dart and red-eyed leaf frogs. The red-eyed frog has become an omnipresent symbol of Costa Rica.

The creation of the national park was a result of a need to build a highway to Costa Rica's deep sea port of Puerto Limon. Built in 1987, the highway had only feasible route to Puerto Limon, which was via a route that passed between Barva Volcano and Irazu Volcano — an area which was virgin rainforest. The Costa Rican government decided to bisect this area with a highway but would conserve 48,000-hectares (118,000-acres)  around the highway in a national park. This national park protects the watershed for San Jose.

Moravia

Only 6-km (3.75 mi) north of San Jose is a coffee center called Moravia. Moravia is a famous production center where beans were packed and transported to Europe and North America.

A visit to Moravia from San Jose is a popular day trip. The Parque Central has several interesting stores around it, including Artesania Bribri which sells work from the indigenous Bribri people.

The Mercado de Artesanias Las Garzas offers arts and crafts stores and is 100m south of the town hall.

Cartago

Founded as Costa Rica's first capital city in 1563, the stunning riverbank setting of this city was the seat of the first government. Unfortunately, the eruption of Irazu Volcano destroyed the city and the government moved to San Jose in 1823.

Cartago was rebuilt and is a modern city with an important religious site. On August 2 of each year, there is a pilgrimage to Cartago where pilgrims come to the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles.

Travel sights in Caratago

  • Basilica de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles: This church has a formal Byzantine grace and has fine stained-glass windows. Jammed on August 2 and on holy days, this church is a perfect for experiencing the aura of La Negrita — small statue of an indigenous representation of the Virgin Mary.
  • Las Ruinas de la Parroquia: Built in 1575 as a shrine to St. James the apostle, this church was destroyed by the 1841 earthquake and rebuilt a few years later when it was destroyed again in the 1910 earthquake. The ruins are a popular spot for picnicking.
  • Elias Leiva Museum of Ethnography: Visitors will find a few displays of historical artifacts at this museum
  • Kirieti Indian History Museum: There is extensive documentation of history at this museum.

Irazu Volcano National Park

From the summit of Irazu Volcano National Park reaching 3,800m (11,000 ft), it is possible to see the Caribbean and the Pacific. Costa Rica's highest volcano, Irazu has been silent for the better part of 30 years. It erupted in 1994 unexpectedly but quieted. In 1963, it erupted upon US president John F Kennedy's visit to Costa Rica when it continued to spew ash for two years. Although active in the past, it has been relatively silent recently.

It is an easy half hour travel to Irazu Volcano National Park from San Jose. Visitors can reach the top ridge, walk along the rim of the main crater and look across at the gorgeous green lake. The park was established in 1955 and protects 2,309-hectares (5,700-acres) of land around the base of the volcano. The main crater is 1,050m (3,465 ft) wide and 300m (990 ft) deep. The secondary crater (Diego de la Haya) is 690m (2,280 ft) wide and 100m (330 ft) deep. There is a third crater which is smaller and slowly being colonized by vegetation.

There is a small information center and this site with a coffee shop. Cloud cover starts around 10 a.m. and it's best to visit early. It can be windy at the summit and there's a possibility of rain and is advisable to bring rain clothes.

Hiking

There's a 1-km (0.4 mi) trail that leads to a viewpoint over the craters. Located behind the bathroom, there is a trail that is longer and steeper and gets closer to the craters. Along this trail, it's possible to see the bird species called volcano junco.

Turrialba

A modest mountain town, this is one of the best white water travel destinations in the world. It has successfully fought off the Costa Rican power company to prevent the latter from damming the Rio Pacaure. The battle is temporarily over. However, the river is still at risk at being dammed. This world-renown white water rafting river is a must for adventure seekers.

Rafting and kayaking in Turrialba

East of Turrialba on Highway 10, there's a serpentarium in Parque Viborana where 100 snakes are displayed in cages. Visitors can enter the boa pit. Tours begin with a lecture.

This travel destination also offers honeymoon & wedding packages and is a unique wedding destination for the truly adventurous.

Monumento Nacional Arqueologico Guayabo

Although this is not as impressive as the Maya or Aztec sites, this is Costa Rica's most important archaeological site and is 19-km (11.5 mi) north of Turrialba. This site does not have pyramids but has unearthed sophisticated infrastructure and mysterious petroglyphs.

The aqueduct system at Guayabo is an important find and is thought to have served more than 20,000 people in AD 800. Rocks were used from as far away as Rio Reventazon. There are no written records of this site and it is not possible to give credit to a specific historical group.

Most of the ruins are still waiting to be uncovered. The site was declared a national monument in 1973.

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