Hike Through Rainforest to Barva Volcano Crater
By Eric Robinson
Your closest volcano from San Jose (and Adventure Inn) is Barva, inside Braulio Carillo National Park. Drive uphill from Heredia to Sacramento, where the dirt road begins and follow the signs. Without a 4WD, you’ll want to leave your vehicle outside the park entrance and walk along the picturesque mountain road. The entrance fee of 600 colones for residents, and $7 for tourists is used to maintain the park.
Rated a moderate hike (which left me a bit breathless), it will take four or five hours to reach the crater and return. The trail is wide for the most part, well marked and easy to navigate. During the green season, it is muddy in places. You will pass through tropical rainforest with rich green-grey mosses clinging to and hanging from the established trees. The beautiful views out over San Jose and the Central Valley far below make the slightly uphill walk to the crater all worth while.
Unlike neighbouring and expansive Poas Volcano, Barva’s crater is only about 160 meters across. It has laid dormant for three hundred years, and is now filled with water, making it a lovely quiet pond surrounded by lush rainforest. At the top is a wooden platform to view down into the crater. There is another path leading down to a small platform beside the water. This is a good time and place to rest, have your picnic lunch, and take in the sensory overload. When you finally leave, you can be confident it is mostly downhill from here.
At any time of the year, but especially the green season, it is best to go early in the morning before the afternoon clouds roll in. It can be drizzly and cool at times so dress for extremes, rainwear plus layers. Hiking boots are best, plus a couple of liters of water, and sunscreen. Just like the Boy Scouts, be prepared!
March 22nd, 2008 at 4:35 pm
You may want to check out James D. Brausch’s Costa Rica HQ, a guide for those wishing to visit or live in Costa Rica. Who knows, you might like some of the sights that James mentions and could probably recommend them to your guests at the Adventure Inn.
In one of his entries, James highly recommends Finca Mequengue Falls near Limon on the Carribean coast. To view some photographs, go to CostaRicaHq.org/Maquengue
Among the places James also mentions are Tabacon, Xandari and Costa Rican National Parks like the Arenal Volcano and the Chirripo National Parks. To get first hand information on these wonderful places and other bits and pieces about Costa Rica, visit James’ CostaRicaHQ.org.
March 24th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
I’m not sure if you are working for CostaRicaHQ just trying to get free advertisement or what. I just checked out the tour you mentioned on that page and it seems ok, but rather pricey for what you get. Nowhere does it mention transportation from San Jose either, which almost everyone would need. Unless you are actually in the area, you wouldn’t be able to take this tour. If you are looking for a list of tours, you can view our list, which include transportation to and from Adventure Inn as well as meals at http://www.adventure-inn.com/tours