We will take the Pan-South Highway and start the ascent to the great “Iztaru”. The winding road will take you through fertile lands, cultivated with all kinds of vegetables and vegetables such as potatoes, onions and garlic, among others. At the top of the volcano, you can see the main craters known as Irazú, Playa Hermosa and Diego de la Haya.
This colossus is the highest volcano of the territory with 3432 meters (11000 feet) above sea level, whose last eruptive phase includes the period between 1963 to 1965 with strong gas and ash emissions that were perceived throughout the country. On a sunny day, both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans could be observed.
After the visit to the volcano, we will descend to the city of Cartago, the ancient capital of Costa Rica established in 1563 by the conqueror Juan Vázquez de Coronado, where a stop is made at the Basilica of the Virgin of the Angels, place of pilgrimage of many faithful, which is a tradition in force since 1635.
The next stop is the Lankester Botanical Garden, a research center of the University of Costa Rica, created for the protection and preservation of more than 800 species of orchids, as well as other plant species. In this place a guided tour is made knowing the different sections, such as bromeliads, cacti, heliconias, palms, among others.
Next, we will continue to the wonderful and scenic Orosí valley, surrounded by beautiful mountains, diversity of crops such as coffee, sugarcane, among others, which was one of the important establishments during the colonial era, witnessing various historical events by pirate attacks, earthquakes, floods, as well as the transcendence of the Franciscan orders entrusted to the process of evangelization and pioneers in the rise of the first Catholic churches in the country. On this tour we will visit one of the few colonial churches that still remain standing, followed by a delicious typical lunch at the best restaurant in the area.
