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The Central Valley
The central highlands straddle the three major mountain ranges above 300 meters and reach down the country from Orosà volcano on the North to the southern tip of the Tilarán Mountains on the Panama border. Before the turn of the century the people of the highlands called this midsection Tierra Fria which literally means cool ground. Up to 1500 mts the region is pleasant, almost spring-like all year, but as one rises higher the temperatures begin dropping up to the paramo above 3500 meters where frost is common most of the year. San José, the national capital and seat of the government, lies in the cradle of this Tierra Fria. Its importance has not changed in two thousand years. Periodically, two of the largest volcanoes would dump millions of tons of ash on the central valley and surrounding areas: the rich fallout of ash and debris have created one of the healthiest soils in the region: everything here grows quicker, greener and tastier. Virtually every part of the country is accessible within a four-hour drive from San Jose. Two-thirds of the nation’s urban population now lives in greater or metropolitan San Jose, whose population of 1.2 million represents 30% of the nation’s total. Nearby towns such as Heredia have become virtual dormitory towns from which many people commute daily into San Jose. Attractions/Activities: the city, coffee plantations, volcanoes and the INBioparque Institute proving the best introduction to Costa Rica natural wealth and, alone, worth a visit to San Jose. Horseback riding, hiking, and White-water rafting.
Poás Volcano Park
Poas is an indigenous name for a small prickly plant that has a bright yellow blossom and grows throughout the upper slopes of the two main craters. Poás’ main attraction is its active crater which incessantly emits varying amounts of visible steam and gaseous mixtures which permeate the surrounding air. Twelve hundred and forty feet below the rim, the craters open core looks like a placid lake, but in fact is the mouth of the volcano’s heated interior. An elfin or dwarf cloud forest surrounds the crater’s slopes and has several well-marked trails through the terrain that most slow walkers find mountable.
Irazú Volcano
Irazú Volcano National Park to the south has a totally different edifice which resembles a colder, more Spartan lunar landscape. Dormancy lends a more mysterious facade to the quiet crater. The gray landscape captures the overall visual concept of this volcano in a false reflection of a serene mountain top when in fact, its history is one of repeated destructive eruptions. Its name stems from two words of an indigenous language “ara” which means peak or mountain top and “tzu” which is thunder. Together, they best describe the volcano’s reputation, Thunder Mountain.
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