Rincón de la Vieja is an active volcano located in the northwestern region of Costa Rica, near the city of Liberia in the province of Guanacaste. The volcano has a complex system of nine craters and a variety of geothermal features, including hot springs, mud pots, fumaroles, and geysers. It is surrounded by a national park that offers visitors a range of outdoor activities, such as hiking, horseback riding, zip-lining, and white-water rafting.
The national park is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna, including over 300 species of birds, monkeys, jaguars, and tapirs. The park’s trails lead through a range of ecosystems, from dry tropical forest to cloud forest, offering visitors the opportunity to see a variety of landscapes and wildlife.
One of the park’s main attractions is the Las Pailas trail, a 2.5-mile loop that takes visitors past a series of fumaroles, boiling mud pots, and hot springs. The trail is relatively easy and can be completed in a few hours, making it the most popular option for visitors who want to explore the park’s geothermal features in less than a day.
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Plan your visit
Hours and Entrance fee:
The park is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to 3pm. The entrance fee is $15 USD for non-residents and $5 USD for children. Residents and nationals pay ¢1000 colones and their children pay ¢500 colones. You can purchase your tickets online in the SINAC official website.
Stay:
There are some options for staying close to the park like eco-lodges, cabins, and a hotel. Rincon de la Vieja is also very close to Liberia so you can stay in Liberia which has significantly more options for various tastes and budgets.
How to get there:
The best way to get to Rincon de la Vieja is from Liberia. From Liberia you can take a local bus or a take taxi to the park. The easiest way to get to Liberia is to take a domestic flight from Sansa Airlines departing from San Jose, Nosara or even Tamarindo. You can buy your tickets online in the Sansa Airlines official website and the price for a ticket from San Jose costs $118 USD. The other option is to drive or take a bus to Liberia. Since Liberia is the biggest city in Guanacaste there are plenty of bus options coming from different towns and cities across the country. Below you will find the information for the bus departing from San Jose.
Bus option from San Jose to Liberia:
Take the Pulmitan de Liberia bus from San Jose to Liberia. Tel: 2256-9552. The journey takes about 4 hours and 30 minutes. You cannot purchase the tickets online so you have to buy them physically at the bus station. For updated information take a look at the Pulmitan de Liberia Facebook page.
Departure time options from San Jose: Every hour from 6am to 8pm.
Return time options from Liberia: Almost every hour from 3am to 8pm
