The activity package costs 11,000 colones and includes the hike, admission fee, parking, refreshments, and more.

The Central Conservation Area (ACC) of the National System of Conservation Areas (Sinac-Minae), in collaboration with the National Parks Foundation and the Auxiliary Committee of the Red Cross of Tierra Blanca de Cartago, will hold a sunset hike at Irazú Volcano National Park, Craters Sector, on April 12, 2025.

The activity is part of Earth Day celebrations and has an educational focus aimed at immersing attendees in the rich history and biodiversity of the country’s highest volcano.

Participants will have the opportunity to observe the characteristic flora and fauna of the area and experience the atmosphere near the volcano’s crater.

Reina Sánchez, administrator of the Irazú – Turrialba Massif, described:

“Attendees will be able to admire the volcano of tremors and thunder, a cradle of history and nature, surrounded by the majestic páramo ecosystem, which is characterized by a very humid and cold climate. From its summit, if atmospheric conditions allow, they will be able to see both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean, as well as a large part of the national territory.”

The package includes the hike to the highest point to watch the sunset, admission fee, parking, refreshments, and surprises; it costs ¢11,000 per person. For reservations and additional information, interested individuals can call 6003-5352 or email josseline.duarte@fpn-cr.org. Space is limited.

Minae indicated that the proceeds from this activity will be used to cover the needs of the protected area and thus improve operational management.

Irazú is an active volcano with a long history of eruptions and eruptive cycles, with landscape significance recognized both nationally and internationally. Its name originates from an Indigenous settlement that once existed on the slopes of the volcano called Iztarú, a word that meant “hill of tremor and thunder” to them. However, over the years, due to verbal communication, the name was altered to Irazú.

D+ Fact: Irazú Volcano National Park was established as a National Park on July 30, 1955, when the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) was created. This was done through Law № 1917 of July 30, 1955, published in La Gaceta № 175 on August 9 of the same year. Article 6 of this law established that “the custody and conservation of the areas within a two-kilometer radius around all volcano craters in the country are entrusted entirely to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute, and such areas are declared National Parks.”