Private Tour

Poas Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens Private Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

6 hours

Mobile ticket

This tour combines the raw power of an active volcano with the serene beauty of lush rainforest and waterfalls, all in a single day. You’ll witness the dramatic landscape of Poás Volcano from a safe and accessible viewpoint, while learning fascinating stories about its eruptions and natural history.

At La Paz Waterfall Gardens, you’ll get up close to Costa Rica’s extraordinary wildlife, from colorful butterflies and hummingbirds to rescued monkeys and jungle cats. The trails, gardens, and waterfalls are carefully designed to immerse you in nature, creating unforgettable moments for photography, exploration, and discovery.

Additional Info

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time

Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants

The traveler needs to bring a rain jacket

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Entrance fee to Poas Volcano & La paz waterfall gardens

Buffet lunch

WiFi on board

All Fees and Taxes

Air-conditioned vehicle

Port pickup and drop-off

Bilingual tour guide

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

What To Expect

Poas Volcano

Poás Volcano is one of Costa Rica’s most iconic natural wonders. The main crater, nearly 1.5 km wide, is among the largest active craters in the world. Visitors follow a short 0.5 km trail (about 10 minutes each way) to reach the overlook, where breathtaking views reveal the immense power of this active volcano. Along the way, your guide will share fascinating facts about Poás —from its last major eruption in 2017, to the acidic lagoon inside the crater, and how volcanic gases shape the surrounding ecosystem. You’ll also learn how scientists monitor the volcano daily to ensure safe visits, and why the fertile volcanic soil supports such rich biodiversity.

30 minutes • Admission Included

La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Discover one of Costa Rica’s most complete nature attractions. Walk through trails leading to five stunning waterfalls, explore Central America’s largest butterfly observatory, and enjoy the Hummingbird, Orchid, and Bromeliad Gardens. Visit the Frog Pond, Serpentarium, Insect Exhibit, and the wildlife sanctuary where you can see monkeys, sloths, jungle cats, toucans, and more. La Paz combines waterfalls, wildlife, and rainforest into one unforgettable experience.

4 hours • Admission Included

Options

Poas Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens Private Tour

Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

15 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Wonderful day trip from...
Stella G,
Mar 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Wonderful day trip from San Jose. The Pao Volcano was stunning and La Paz Waterfall Gardens we beautiful. Our guide, Maryi, was excellent. She shared a lot of information about the history and geography of Costa Rica and was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna. Our driver, Jose, was great, too. I highly recommend this trip.
The rain did not "dampen" our spirits...
Nadeen G,
Feb 25, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We three had a spectacular day with Mario (an excellent driver) and Margie (knowledgeable, charming and oh-so-patient). The weather did not cooperate but that did not "dampen" our spirits (even though our Poas Volcano group shot has nothing but an expanse of gray behind us) as we learned from Margie. The La Paz Waterfall Gardens were exceptional - a truly lovely botanical environment and the fauna were interesting and well taken care of (which is not always the case). Our buffet lunch was tasty and the rice pudding so good. And then there was the walk to the waterfalls - oh, my - they are lovely. And Mario and Margie were kind enough to honor our request to stop for strawberries to take back to our hotel. A full day outing that exceeded our expectations.
Volcano & La Paz Waterfall private tour
V7656RTjohnw,
Feb 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Tour guides were great. Only disappointment was the heavy fog which set in above the volcano. Waiting for it to move out but it was very thick. The waterfall and the Peace Lodge where we stopped for lunch were great! Butterfly house and animal rescue were great! Wish we could have seen the volcano but that was nothing the tour could control. Private tour definitely better than taking large group tours on a bus.
Don’t miss the La Paz Waterfalls and Gardens
Rosanne K,
Dec 13, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
A fantastic tour! Even though the Poas Volcano wasn’t visible due rain and fog it was still a great experience. The La Paz Waterfalls are powerful and majestic. The Gardens were the highlight of the trip. We saw an amazing collection of animals (all of them are rescues) in a serene setting. The gardens had monkeys, reptiles, amphibians, sloths, all kinds of jungle cats ( including a jaguar), exotic birds and butterflies that we would not have been able to see otherwise. The lunch was delicious as well. Highly recommend this tour.
Great volcano and waterfalls tour
Deborah C,
Oct 9, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
Poas Volcano is very impressive and there arse some nice waterfalls in La Paz. Our guide Roxana was knowledgeable and kind. We surely enjoyed our Sunday tour.
Best Tourguides ever
Nicole H,
Apr 15, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
Best Tourguides ever! Thank you, we had a wonderful day, made great experiences and the organisation was fantastic- we hope to see you again- pure vida!
Worth a Look
Bill W,
Mar 8, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00
Despite it being too cloudy to see the crater's volcano, we very much enjoyed the tour. The Waterfall Gardens had many animals and birds to see, and the waterfalls themselves were quite picturesque. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly, and spoke English very well. Be prepared for long travel times, as the roads can be slow if you end up behind large trucks or buses making frequent stops.
Breathtaking and stunning
stephencD431KV,
Feb 10, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This experience was incredible. The care from Nuria and Edgar was wonderful. The falls were breathtaking and worth the many stairs. The volcano was hard to see due to cloud cover but we got a couple of good photos when the clouds broke. No lagoon for us as the volcano had erupted with hot gases and heat the month before our visit. It was still an interesting site to see. Lots of flora and fauna. Meal at La Paz Waterfalls was plentiful and nice variety. The animal preserve was so much fun and very well maintained. The toucans and hummingbirds were flying around us..one word WOW.
Outstanding, best tour ever!!!
Explorer13953736672,
Dec 16, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Amazing tour! Gorgeous views. Marco was wonderful. He was informative and funny. We never felt rushed or pressured to move along. Thank you for giving us the best tour that we took during our week long stay in beautiful Costa Rica!!!!!
Amazing experience
Nkunjumon,
Jun 24, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a wonderful time with our tour guide Cristian A and driver Don Mario. They were very friendly and welcoming. They went above and beyond to ensure we had a good tour. Highly recommend!