Visit to the Poas Volcano.
On your second day in Costa Rica, Caravan Tours will take you to the number one visited National Park in the country: Poas Volcano, located in the province of Alajuela.
You will travel through 3 different provinces this morning, San José, Heredia and Alajuela. The best time to visit Poas is early in the morning, with possibilities of less crowds and maybe even less clouds or rain, which will increase the chances to admire the active crater.
Meet your motor coach driver this morning. Certainly very professional and experienced. You will have the same driver during the length of the tour.
After you pass the city of Alajuela you will be going through a very picturesque country area, where is easy to be captured by amazing views of coffee fields, small villages, colorful fruit stands and some nice dairy farms.
It is also common to see some typical scenes of the daily life in Costa Rica´s country side. One of them is the oxcarts and its handler. These people are so proud of their animals and oxcarts and they are happy to wave and to get their picture taken!
The Oxcart is one of the symbols of Costa Rica.They once dominated the rural landscape of the central highlands, back in the middle of the 19th century. Sadly, they it is not common to see them in use today. The Oxcarts were used to transport coffee beans from the highlands to the harbor in Puntarenas on the Pacific coast, a journey that took between 10 to 15 days.
Every year in Costa Rica, the Christmas season is welcomed by the parade of Los Santos y Boyeros (The Saints and Ox-carts drivers). Approximately two hundred colorful hand painted oxcarts with their oxen join this festivity. Each oxcart carries a saint made of wood as a symbol of blessings to the oxcart, the oxen, and the handler. The Ox-cart is a symbol of Costa Rica’s rural heritage.
Today Oxcarts are a nice decorative item on the front yard of the houses. If you get to see one on the road that would be fantastic! As the route continues, you will notice that the higher the elevation, the more rural the surroundings.
Once you enter the National Park, you will inmediately notice the difference in the terrain and the vegetation around you. You are now entering the evergreen and lush Cloudforest!
When the bus reaches the parking area, be sure you follow the instructions, times and recommendations given by your Caravan Tour Director. Don't forget your gear and camera.
The Poas National Park offers different services, a small coffee shop, a souvenir store, restrooms, an information center, and a half mile paved path all the way from the parking area to the summit.
When you arrive at the summit, if the view is clear, you will be impressed by this huge crater. Your are literally at the edge of an active volcano. If it is cloudy, maybe a few minutes waiting will make a difference. Give a few minutes, you might get lucky! 
The Poas Crater is almost one mile in diameter and 300 ft. deep. The lake at the bottom changes its coloration from green to yellowish or gray depending on the activity. The sound of the gases, sulfur smell and fumaroles are constant. 
A phreatic eruption is a sign of the volcano's constant activity, but on a cloudy day, not much of a view of the crater, and not much to do about it. Don't be disappointed.
Even though mammals are not common, this kind of ecosystem creates habitats that are not found in many parts of the world.
More that 79 species of birds have been spotted in this 14000 acres area, including the Resplendent Quetzal, sparrows, finches, hummingbirds and robins. There is a couple of optional trails that you can take on the way back from the rim
Right by the crater, when you are heading back, you will see a sign on your left to Botos Lagoon, an extinct crater. This is a strenuous walk, only recommended for those in good physical condition. Consider that you are almost at 9000 ft. elevation. This steep walk takes almost 45 min. even though the sign says 25 minutes. It is worth the walk.
A delicious typical lunch. After your visit to Poas , you will be driving down back to Alajuela. Next stop will be for lunch at a very nice typical restaurant. You will be given different options for you to choose. A typical style dish will be served at the table by a very friendly staff. The views to Central Valley are wonderful. Have your cameras ready!
