From San Jose: Secrets of Guayabo & Irazú Volcano National Park

Recommended by 98% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

San Jose, Costa Rica

10 to 12 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

If you’re short on time in Central Costa Rica and want to see a lot in a day, this small-group tour is for you. From the capital you’ll visit a number of impressive natural and cultural sites. See two of Costa Rica’s most impressive volcanoes - Irazu and Turrialba - and visit the communities that live in their shadows. See how coffee is grown and harvested, and perhaps even sample a fresh brew.

Travel in comfort in an air-conditioned vehicle
Enjoy the cooler climate of the elevated central regions
Tour inclusions will be tailored to the weather and your interests
Experience a mix of natural, cultural, and culinary attractions

What's Included

Private transportation
Hotel pick up and drop off
Entrance fee to National Park
Entrance fee to Archaeological Site
Small-group tour
Biologist or certified guide

Lunch

(Lunch price can range from $8-$14pp)

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We pick-up from any hotel or location in San José City or surroundings. If you have any doubts about your hotel pick-up please contact us. If you are a SOLO TRAVELER please book through our website.

Operating hours
.6:30 am

Itinerary

Irazu Volcano National Park

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Turrialba Volcano

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Guayabo National Monument

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 12 hours of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Most travelers can participate
Mostly Sightseeing tour, but we can walk on some several stops
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.9

based on 44 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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The description of this...

Dmitri_G, Jan 2025

The description of this day trip is accurate, there is little to add. We happened to have rain all day, thus we missed most of the views, unfortunately. The lunch was good, I and my wife liked it. The trip was relaxed and I guess we might have seen way more than we did if the weather had been better.

Excellent sites, and a very friendly, knowledgeable guide.

Martin_S, Mar 2023

Our trip was perfectly tailored to our desires and abilities by a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. The sites were beautiful and interesting, and were not covered by our previous 12 day trip. Pura vida!

Volcanos and Back Roads

Helen_L, Mar 2023

Rigo really knows how volcanos work and took every effort to make sure we had the best views. He really knows the back roads so it really helps getting around. We had a great time. Thanks.

Volcano Wonderland

Kurt_E, Nov 2022

My nephew and I had a short stay in Costa Rica, so we wanted to see some nature on this tour. Rigo was our guide for the day and picked us up promptly at 630am for the trip to the volcanoes. It turned out to be a wonderful experience, as we were the only passengers, therefore able to ask a million questions. Rigo is so knowledgeable about nature, plants, animals and geography because it's his area of study at university. We spent the day at the volcanoes, traveling to the summit of Irazu and around other areas of lava flow and farmland. We can certainly recommend this tour, especially if Rigo is your tour guide!

Great authentic experience

Katarzyna_G, Jun 2022

If you’re looking for an authentic costa rican experience, away from cheesy tourist attractions, that’s a tour for you. Rigo has a broad knowledge of the area, is friendly and you can tell he loves his job. You will get to see Cartago province through the eyes of a local. Loved the sites, views, the whole vibe of Oropopo. Also - during that tour I’ve eaten the best lunch so far in Costa Rica. Can’t recommend enough.

Stunning natural and cultural sites!! Worth the expense

Erin_W, Apr 2022

Although expensive, the tour was money well spent. I had a great time and was in awe of the sites we visited! We got very lucky and the weather was gorgeous, providing great views of the volcanos!! Just wish I had brought some shorts to change into after the volcanos as it got very hot. My guide was friendly and informative, especially about local birds.

Response from Host, Apr 2022

Hi Erin, our guide Rigo always goes the extra mile to create the best experiences possible. Thanks for the recommendation, for the next time in the description of the tour we will recommend to bring some shorts to change, in case the weather turns really hot. Hope to see you again in our other experiences.

Knowledgeable day all around

CelinaSofie_C, Mar 2022

Amazing guide, who I ended up sharing the day with alone, as I was the only booked for the tour. He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, and it was a pleasure spending this experience with him, as he was sharing a lot of knowledge and in general a really nice guy. Be prepared for a lot of hours driving around in a car (and not much hiking, eg on the volcanic trails, which I had expected). We were a bit unlucky with the weather conditions, and couldn’t see Turrialba, a bit disappointing but the overall experience of the tour was great. Thanks Ricco!

Response from Host, Mar 2022

Thank you very much for your comments Celine! We will take everything into consideration and will also let Rigo know that he's doing an amazing job! Thanks for your support to our small company

Great Volcano Adventure

Mai_M, Jun 2021

What a wonderful way to see volcanoes from San Jose! Especially during Covid we felt very comfortable in our own private car & tour guide for this excursion. Jose was a fantastic guide with lots of information about everything we were looking at! Besides volcanoes we also stopped at a coffee plantation and the Basilica de Neustra Senora de Los Angeles. The drive was super scenic going through various climates from dwarf to cloud forests. You will have plenty of photo opportunities. Just ask when you see one! It’s worth the extra cost.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Hey Mai! How nice to open the inbox and see that our colleague José exceeded your expectations. We enjoy every time we guide this tour, so getting to see our guests do appreciate our effort is super valuable for us. BTW: Jose told me you saw some coffee already getting ripe. Thats because Turrialba due to its climate is one of the very few regions to actually have to Haverst of Coffee! Pretty unique due to the lack of a real dry season...

Excelente tour

Pablo_H, Mar 2025

Tour muy completo e interesante, los tiempos están bien y no se va a la carrera lo que hace que sea muy disfrutable, con la posibilidad de avistamiento de aves y otros animales durante el recorrido.

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