Irazú Volcano in Costa Rica

The Irazú Volcano is another active volcano in Costa Rica. This stratovolcano is a tall conical shaped volcano composed of multiple layers of hardened lava. Irazú is a volcano in the Central Volcanic Mountain Range of Costa Rica. It is located 32 km north of the city of Cartago in the district of Santa Rosa, in the cantón of Oreamuno.

The summit of this volcano is at an altitude of 3,432 meters above sea level. It's the tallest active volcano in Costa Rica. Access to this volcano is very easy from San José where there are buses that go to the summit every day. It's a highly visited tourist spot. On a clear day it's possible to see both the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean from the summit. However, it's unusual to see a clear day on the summit as most of the time it remains covered in clouds.

The temperature near the volcano can range from 17º C to 6º C. The active crater is over 1,000 m in diameter and has a depth of 180 m. It has a colored lake that is constantly changing. In 1569, there used to be indigenous people living in the area called Istarú or Iztarú. In the language of that time, the name Istarú meant Thunder Hill. It is believed that over time the name was transformed to the one we know today.

The most recent eruption began in 1963 and after that it continued to be active until around 1965. This period started the same day that the President of U.S.A John F. Kennedy began his official visit to Costa Rica. During this eruption the volcano covered the capital and most of the central highlands of Costa Rica with ash. Since the 1963 eruption the volcano has remained more or less inactive without any major eruptions.

The Irazú Volcano National Park has an area of 3,432 Ha. This is the most visited park of the Central Mountain Range by both national and international tourists. The park's vegetation is mainly wasteland. This vegetation has become accustomed to the constant eruptions of ash and soil acidity. Wildlife in Irazú is very scarce. Some of the animals that have been recorded are coyotes, armadillos, porcupine, wild rabbits, pizotes and wild cats. Some birds have also be seen such as: Yigüirro, Woodpecker, Goldfinch, Brown Owl, Yellow Breasts and small populations of gray bowerbirds. The climate is very wet and cold. It has a short dry season (December to April) and a longer rainy season (May to November). Often the mornings are clear and during the day the cloudiness increases. This park is open every day including holidays. It is a great place to visit in Costa Rica.