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Family Wildlife Adventures Website

Cordilleras Volcanoes

The volcanic mountainous spine running down the centre of Costa Rica is made up of various cordilleras, or ranges. The furthest north is the Cordillera Guanacaste, then the cordilleras of Tilaran, Central and finally on the border with Panama the largest, Talamanca. Each one has its own volcanoes, some active, others dormant or extinct.

San Jose

Located in the Central Valley, Costa Rica’s busy capital city has seen most of its colonial architecture destroyed by earthquakes, so now it consists of nondescript modern buildings, with a few exceptions such as the old market and the National Theatre. The gold and jade museums are well worth a visit; otherwise there is not much to detain one. When necessary to overnight here, we tend to use hotels on the city’s outskirts.

Finca Rosa Blanca

Costa Rica’s original boutique hotel, designed in a Gaudi-esque style with various grades of rooms and villas, all individually designed and creatively decorated. Good views over the Central Valley, a pool and imaginative cooking complement the décor and personal family-run ambience.

Savegre

Found just off the high altitude Cerro de la Muerte (Hill of Death) road, this lush and secret valley contains the resplendent quetzal and much more bird life besides. Trees drip with mosses, orchids and bromeliads, and majestic tree ferns grow surprisingly tall – a classic cloud forest habitat. Long walks can be enjoyed along forest trails to hidden waterfalls and beyond.

Cabinas Chacon

Owned by the original settler family, this small Tico hotel has nice simple rooms with heaters for the cool climate and an intimate, friendly atmosphere. The guiding is often done by family members and you are almost certain to see the quetzal.

Monteverde

A far more busy and developed area of cloud forest than Savegre, the Quaker settlement of Monteverde is best known for its private cloud forest reserve, where quetzals are often seen among other high altitude birds. One may also enjoy the gentle SkyWalk canopy walkway, or the thrilling long zip-lines of the SkyTrek, or perhaps visit the reptile exhibition.

Fonda Vela

A long-established and well-run hotel set within its own ample grounds well away from the busier parts of town. A welcome oasis.

Poas Volcano National Park

One of the most popular volcanoes, Poas boasts a scenic crater lake and active fumarole. Accessible by car, the summit has an observation platform for viewing the bubbling sulphurous mud below, after which one can stroll to the crater lake through the stunted woodland. Early morning is the best time to visit, or mist will obscure it.

Arenal Volcano

This is the most frequently visited volcano in the country. The town of La Fortuna has grown with the increasing tourism, attracted by one of the world’s most active and visible volcanoes. With clear weather and luck, you can observe huge boulders rolling down the mountain side and spectacular nocturnal pyrotechnics, accompanied by loud booming noises: sights and sounds that will stay with you forever.

Arenal Observatory Lodge

The closest lodge to the volcano, with remote setting and excellent views when weather permits, the lodge was originally a research station and offers a private wildlife reserve with marked trails. Spacious, light accommodation and swimming pool add to its attractions.

Irazu Volcano National Park

One can drive to the top of this 3,400 metres (10,000 feet) high volcano, with its dormant fumarole and extinct, green crater lake, winding through changing vegetation zones until reaching the moonscape at the summit. Seeing the clouds stretching below is wonderful – on a clear day, you can see both coasts.

Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park

The 14,000-hectare park contains the eponymous active volcano consisting of nine contiguous craters, geysers, waterfalls, thermal pools, mud pools, cloud forest, dry tropical forest with many mammals and birds, and a profusion of orchid species,

Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge

Almost bordering Nicaragua, the 10,000 hectares of this remote everglades constitute the main wetlands reserve in the country, protecting a vast array of waterfowl such as anhinga and neotropical cormorant, some crocodile, many caiman and also terrestrial fauna such as howler monkey and puma. The lake, the focus of the reserve, floods during the wet season and almost dries out in the “summer”.

Cano Negro Lodge

The only lodge in the area, it offers simple accommodation and boat tours of the reserve, a must for birdwatchers. One can also swim in the pool, hire bicycles or opt for a riding tour in the surrounding wilderness.