Poas Volcano National Park Half Day tour from San Jose

Badge of Excellence

San Jose, Costa Rica

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

6 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover the beauty of the Poas Volcano on a small-group tour from San Jose. Ascend the imposing volcano and learn about the various crops grown on its slopes including coffee. Notice the changing vegetation as you make your way to the summit which stands at 8,885 feet (2,708 meters) and take in the views of the main crater surrounding area from the top.

Explore the Poas stratovolcano on a tour from San Jose
Learn about the geology and natural history of the volcano
Admire the views of the main crater and surrounding area
Enjoy a personalized experience with a maximum of 15 guests

What's Included

All taxes, fees and handling charges
Bottled water
Driver/guide
Professional guide
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Guaranteed to skip the long lines
Transport by air-conditioned vehicle
Breakfast

Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Travellers will be picked up at the Hotel or any other location in San Jose downtown, Heredia downtown or Alajuela downtown. The published pick up time is for hotels located in San Jose downtown. If your hotel or pickup point is located in Escazu, Santa Ana, Belen Heredia or Alajuela, the time will be different and we will indicate the most exact time exactly 24 hours from the tour date.

Meeting point

National Theater of Costa Rica
Avenida 2, C. 5, San José, Catedral, Costa Rica
Passengers who do not need pick up , can meet the group at National Theather in San Jose downtown or in front of Hampton Inn HOtel Alajuela

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.6:00 am

Itinerary

Poas Volcano

Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps

Infant seats available
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
Dress code is smart casual
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Supplied by

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)

Featured review

Ingrid_D

I really enjoyed the experience! Our guide Alexandro and our driver David were professional and friendly. The tour was well organised, it was a perfect mixture of waking in the beautiful nature and exploring other short stops like the coffee plantation or the strawberry shop. The breakfast included in the tour was really nice as well, we could choose from different options and try traditional food from Costa Rica. During the trip I felt safe and taken well care of. Our guide answered all our questions and I learned a lot from him about the nature and also culture of Costa Rica. As a solo traveller it was really nice for me to talk to the other members of our group and have fun during the day. I really recommend this tour to anyone who is looking for a nice and easy half day tour from San Jose.

Reviews

4.6

based on 70 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Poas Volcano

Charlotte_S, Feb 2026

Harlem was a wonderful guide. He was very knowledgeable and shared much about his homeland. Very friendly .

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Thank you very much for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear that Harlem was a wonderful guide and shared his knowledge and love for his homeland with you. We will gladly pass along your kind words. We hope to welcome you again soon!

Nice Half Day Trip

Stacey_C, Jan 2026

My family (son,10) enjoyed this trip. We left Santa Ana at 0650 but there were enough stops to stretch legs and have breakfast. We were unlucky as it was very rainy at the park but we enjoyed learning about the volcano and taking a hike. Arturo was a very nice guide and answered all our questions. This is not for you if you want to drive straight to the volcano and back.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad your family enjoyed the trip and that Arturo made it informative and enjoyable, even with the rainy weather. PURA VIDA !!!

Dumb schedule, wastes time in morning

Robert_B, Jan 2026

Don't book this tour...early pickup "6AM" (actual was 6:45) was advertised as getting to Poas early to maximize chance of seeing the crater. The trip wastes time at breakfast and gift shop at a coffee place, then mountain is more likely to cloud up by late morning. Find a private guide or tour that goes to Poas ONLY, or at least does the coffee plantation stop as an add on if there is time after good volcano viees.We got lucky in our last available 5 minutes and saw the vrater, otherwise it eould have been a complete bust.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We’re truly sorry to hear that the experience did not fully meet your expectations. We understand how important timing is when visiting Poás Volcano, as weather conditions can change quickly. While the coffee stop is intended to enhance the overall cultural experience, we recognize that some guests prefer to prioritize the volcano visit above all else. We appreciate your comments regarding the pickup time and itinerary, and we will take them into consideration as we continue to improve our tours. We’re glad you were ultimately able to see the crater, and we thank you for taking the time to share your perspective.

Fun 1/2 day tour.

Sandra_W, Jan 2026

This is the perfect tour for people who are focused on just seeing Poás volcano which was us. We got lucky and we were the only ones on the tour that day. Edgar, our guide was great! He gave us so much information about Alejuela and the volcano and was experienced so he knew the movements of the clouds as to when we might get a clear spot to see the crater. We were lucky. We got enough of a brief clearing in the cloud cover that we saw the bottom of the crater. You have to be patient. You also need to understand that there is no guarantee that you will see Poas. The clouds are unpredictable. We did also stop at a coffee plantation which was beautiful. I am glad we stopped. We are not big fans of gallos pintos so I could have skipped the breakfast. But we live in Costa Rica so someone visiting may want the experience.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you so much for sharing such a detailed review! We’re thrilled that the tour was a perfect fit for your goal of visiting Poás Volcano and that you were able to enjoy a private experience that day. Edgardo will be very happy to hear your kind words his knowledge and experience truly make a difference, especially with the ever-changing cloud conditions. We’re glad you were rewarded with a clear view of the crater and that you enjoyed the coffee plantation stop. We also appreciate your honest feedback about breakfast. Thank you for joining us and for your thoughtful perspective! PURA VIDA !

Great tour – relaxing, fun and educational

Ingrid_D, Nov 2025

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful and detailed review! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your experience and that Alejandro and David helped make your day memorable with their professionalism, knowledge, and friendly attention. It’s great to know that you loved the combination of nature, cultural stops, and traditional breakfast — as well as the sense of safety and comfort throughout the tour. We’re especially glad it was a positive experience for you as a solo traveler, and that you connected with the rest of the group. Your recommendation means a lot to us. We hope to welcome you again soon for another beautiful adventure in Costa Rica!

Take this tour!

Ezekiel_T, Aug 2025

Great tour guides Arturo and Armando! Fantastic breakfast and the sights of the volcano were spectacular!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour, the breakfast, and especially the volcano views. Arturo and Armando will be thrilled to hear your kind words. We hope to see you again on another amazing experience!

Amazing Experience

Tyson_T, Feb 2025

Tour guide Ronny was great, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about everything he did. Definitely a must take tour.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for your kind words! We’re glad Ronny made your tour enjoyable and informative. We hope you join us again for another amazing experience!

This was a gorgeous tour!...

Sydney_T, Jan 2025

This was a gorgeous tour! The tour guide was super friendly and took us not only to the volcano but also to a coffee plantation! They provided an authentic Costa Rican breakfast and it was amazing!

Response from Host, Jan 2025

Thank you for your comments, we are glad to know that the service and the excursion were to your satisfaction. Thank you for allowing us to serve you.

Patience is a virtue!

Janel_W, Nov 2024

Even though it was rainy, I enjoyed this tour and Edgar was a great guide. Coffee farm stop is a plus!

Response from Host, Nov 2024

Thank you for your comments, we are glad to know that the service and the excursion were to your satisfaction. Thank you for allowing us to serve you.

This is a must do when going go Costa Rica

tyleasha_l, Sep 2024

What a great time! First time tracking since the pandemic started and I was completely wowed! The views the information the guide made us feel so comfortable

Flexible and knowledgeable.

Susan_G, Sep 2024

Great guide who explained things so well. Took extra time to wait for clouds to clear to see the volcano clearly. Breakfast was in a small family restaurant with authentic food. Stopped at a strawberry stand because someone asked if we could. Great experience.

Just do it

Cherie_H, Aug 2024

Worth doing both the volcano and the lake. Long walk to lake but worth it. Take water if going to lake as walk is a bit longer than you think it's going to be. Take the same path out of the lake so you can return to the volcano. It looked totally different when going back. Both are really worth doing

Nice experience but a lot of walk .

monique_k, Aug 2024

The volcano . Nice experience. Need to walk to get to the site . If the weather is foggy, wait it will clear out fast.

Ricardo was the...

David_B, Jun 2024

Ricardo was the consummate guide. Seasoned, professional. Years of experience show through. Much knowledge of local botany, geology, history, volcanology.

Poas volcano - definitely worth a visit

Sophie_K, Apr 2024

I really loved this trip! Edgar was a wonderful guide and driver, sharing lots of information about the country and volcanoes. On the way there we made two short stops: one at a coffee farm, where he told us a little about Costa Rican coffee and the other one at a local restaurant for some delicious breakfast. The Volcano itself was very impressive, as it had just broken out a few days before the gases were quite intense and we were only allowed to stay for 20minutes. For me totally worth it to see an active volcano. For a half day trip the price is definitely to high though compared with other full day tours.

Response from Host, May 2024

Thank you for your comments, we are glad to know that the service and the excursion were to your satisfaction. Thank you for allowing us to serve you.

Volcanos and more!

Falyn_Y, Apr 2024

Our guide Ron was super knowledgeable of everything in the area and Costa Rica in general! He picked my mom and I up from our hotel and took us on an amazing adventure to see the volcano. We stopped at a coffee farm on the way up and also had a delicious breakfast at a small restaurant on the way. The volcano was very interesting to see and overall the tour was great. If you are in San Jose for a day or two before flying out this is a great tour to get out of the city.

Response from Host, May 2024

Thank you for your comments, we are glad to know that the service and the excursion were to your satisfaction. Thank you for allowing us to serve you.

Excellent

ngelF_M, Mar 2024

Very well planned trip, Charlton our guide was knowledgeable and a pleasure to talk to. He did the best but we could not see the caldera due to the clouds. It will be another time. A great experience overall

Response from Host, Mar 2024

thank you for sharing your comments. We are glad to know that Charlton did a good job and that the tour was to your satisfaction. Gracias

Awesome

Maik_F, Feb 2024

Ricardo was awesome and he has a huge knowledge about the vulcano and Costa Rica. I liked the time with him very much.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

It is good to know that you enjoyed very much the tour and that Ricardo did a great job. Thank you

Good trip. Worth a visit.

Keith_G, Jan 2024

Good trip. Interesting to see the active and extinct volcanoes. The hike up to the extinct volcano is about 900m vertical We were fine but less fit people were having problems. And it’s already 5700 foot altitude. Should have that info as part of the tour.

Response from Host, Feb 2024

Thank you very much for your comments and your suggestion... Pura vida

Book now! Seriously! This tour and tour operator are GREAT!

Meredith_P, Jan 2024

♥️♥️♥️ This tour is incredible and very worth going on! I booked it last minute after having talked to another tourist in Costa Rica that raved about it. I booked both the Poas volcano and La Paz Garden tour on separate days, but unexpectedly was unable to attend the La Paz. The tour operator reached out to me to make sure everything was okay and offered to combine both the Poas and La Paz tour together for me the following day. This worked perfectly and I was able to see everything I wanted even though I couldn't go on my original tour! Due to my limited time in San Jose, I just figured it was my loss, so I really appreciate them being so proactive and letting me know what my options were! The tour guides are very well read and educated and teach a lot about the political, economic and general infrastructure of Costa Rica, and are able to explain the Poas stratovolcano and how it was formed. I cannot recommend this tour and this specific tour operator enough!!!

Response from Host, Feb 2024

It is good to know you had such a good time during the excursion. Thank you for sharing your experience.

I would suggest to increase more time on Poás and remove the frills and this could be a great tour.

Sunil_B, Dec 2023

We had very little time on the volcano. The tour takes a lot of time on other stuff like coffee plantation and lunch on the way. We were doing this tour so that we can spend more time on Poás volcano but that was not the case. The tour guide was excellent and tried all he could in terms of making our tour memorable and full marks to that.

Response from Host, Jan 2024

Thank you for your comments and suggestions. We take into account the impressions of our clients to improve any detail in the quality of the service.

Fantastic day

Alison_R, Dec 2023

We had a great day seeing everything. Edgar was a great guide.told us lots of information. It was Lots of fun

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Hi Alison, we are happy to know you had such a great day with Edgar. Thank you for your comments..

Well worthwhile

Steve_D, Sep 2023

The tour was exactly as set out in Viator and we had a very enjoyable experience. Ricardo was knowledgeable and went out of his way to help make it a great experience for us.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

thank you for your comments. We are glad to know that Ricardo did a great job and that you enjoyed the tour.. Pura vida

Enjoyable

Darrin_E, Sep 2023

The driver was very helpful in everything we did. We would hire him as a private driver on our next stay in Costa Rica

Response from Host, Sep 2023

We are happy to know the tour was enjoyable and that the driver/guide did a great job. thank you for sharing your experience

Fabulous hakf day trip from San Jose to Poas Volcano...we even saw sloths!!

Kylie_C, Jul 2023

We were picked up from our hotel on tike. Roger our guide was extremely knowledgable, telling us all about the Volcano, flora and forna. Poas Volcano and Botas Lake were spectacular. The driver drive sensibly. We saw two sloths as well!!!!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

We are glad to know you had a great experience with the tour guide Roger. Thank you very much for your comments

Got a private tour with...

charles_b, May 2023

Got a private tour with my brother on accident so that was fun. The tour guide was really knowledgeable and a funny guy.

We added the extension...

IrmaLynn_R, Apr 2023

We added the extension for a full day experience, was it worth it!! This was our favorite tour. Edgar was WONDERFUL.

1/2 day tour

anthony_d, Feb 2023

I was super excited about this tour, I enjoyed the quick stop at the coffee plantation and enjoyed the included breakfast. But the weather was windy and misty at the volcano so wasn’t able to see the crater so that was a major bummer.

Great but could be Fantastic

CECILIA_Q, Feb 2023

It was a nice tour, they picked up on time and we have a nice trip to Poas VOLCANO. We stopped for breakfast but the waitress didn't speak English very well and he didn't understood when other tourists asked about other options for breakfast. I think they could do it much better. Unfortunately, the volcano area was very foggy but I enjoyed the walk.

Response from Host, Feb 2023

Hello Cecilia, thank you for your comments, we are glad to know that even though it was foggy during the time of the visit , you had a good time Pura vida

A memorable experience

Margie_P, Aug 2022

It was a overcast day but clear enough to see everything when we visited. We went on a 1/2 day guided tour that picked us up from our hotel in San Jose and it was great.