Local Tours

Orosi Valley Self-guided Tours
In the center of Cartago lay the ruins of St. Bartholomew Temple, or Las Ruinas. The church was dedicated and destroyed by an earthquake in 1575, when Cartago was the capitol of and only city in Costa Rica.   The church was rebuilt and again it was destroyed by another earthquake in 1910. It is still widely believed that the church was destroyed due to a local priest who was thought to be a womanizer. It was believed that the church destruction was divine punishment and that the church should not be rebuilt.

Just a few blocks to the east of Las Ruinas, is the famous church, La Basilica de Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles. This unusual Byzantine style Basilica is one of the more classic churches in Costa Rica. A visit to this church should not be missed. One of the largest pilgrimages in Latin America takes place here on August 2nd each year. Nearly 25% of the central valley walks, some on their knees, in honor of La Negrita. La Senora de Los Angeles is the Patron Saint of Costa Rica. To attend this ceremony is a truly moving experience.

Volcan Irazu is located 20 miles, 32 km north of   Cartago.    The word Irazu is an Indian word Istarú meaning "mountain of rumbling and trembling." The drive up the slopes of Costa Rica's highest active volcano is magnificent with breathtaking views of the rich farmland and the major cities of the central valley below. The elevation of Irazu is a chilly 11,260-foot or 3,432 meters. The vegetation changes swiftly from dairy and vegetable farms to primary and oak secondary forests. Then the view changes to the bleak, lunar-like landscape, giving this volcano a unique appearance. A light jacket is recommended. The park office has many quality souvenirs and a coffee shop. Walk along the wooden fence to view one of the two craters. The crater is a shade of green that you will not find in your set of 256-count crayon box. Irazu is the only place in the Americas, where the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean Sea) can be seen from a single viewpoint. The road down can be taken to the statute of Jesus and then east for a ride through Turrialba or west back through Cartago.  

Lankester Gardens:
Lankester Gardens is a worthy 2 hour tour, and more if time allows. If you're a gardener or plant lover, Lankester is not to be missed. The 25 acre orchid garden was developed by English botanist Charles Lankester in 1917, but is now operated by the University system. The gardens are open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and displays hundreds of the 1,500 orchids that live in Costa Rica. Lankester Gardens will have orchids in bloom all year, with peak blooms from February to May. Many orchids are epiphytes, which means that they live on other plants receiving their nourishment form airborne sand, dust and rain. The sand that provides soil for these Costa Rican epiphytes comes on the trade winds from the Sahara Desert in Africa.   Lankester Gardens is located on the road between Cartago and Paraiso, approximately 2.5 km from the center of Cartago, turn right 300 meters after the gas station and follow the signs.

Orosi Day Tour
On the drive from Paraiso (Paradise) to Orosi, drive slowly. The road is narrow but has a great blacktop payment. Leaving Paraiso, drive 1.5 mile (2.4 km) to the Mirador Orosi. A Mirador is a lookout point. Managed by ICT, Costa Rican Tourist Institute, this free overlook gives fabulous views of the Orosi Valley. This is a great place for a picnic lunch or snack. Leaving the Mirador, the road snakes down the mountain, passing the hot water river, Rio Aguacaliente, and through coffee fields into the colonial town of Orosi. Orosi is one of the few colonial towns in the country to have escaped damage from earthquakes. Places of interest in Orosi are the quaint and charming church built in 1735, Iglesia de San Jose de Orosi, the small religious art museum next door, hot springs swimming pools, and coffee processing plant tour. Another quality coffee processor tour that is worthy of your time is Café Crisitina, an organic coffee producer. They have quality coffee for sale.
http://www.cafecristina.com

Leaving the coffee processor, the road makes a left or you can go straight. Going left, you head 50 yards and take a right to Tapanti Rainforest, Purisil Cloud Forest and Monti Sky Forest Preserve, which are discussed below. Going straight and not taking the right to Tapanti, you will drive a few miles before you cross a one lane wooden ridge over the Rio Grande de Orosi into the town of Palomo.   Many of the local restaurants specialize in serving the local rainbow trout. The road winds through coffee fields, past the town of Loaiza.    The La Casona del Cafetal is a restaurant on Lake Cachi in the middle of a working coffee farm. This is an excellent place to have lunch or a glass of wine and enjoy the lake view. They offer hiking and horseback riding. Just past the turnoff for La Casona del Cafetal, you will come to the Casa EL Sonador (House of the Dreamer), the local wood carvers. They sell primitive style woodcarvings from coffee wood. They are famous in Costa Rica for their wood carving of the Last Supper. Leaving the House of the Dreamer, you come to the Dam for Lake Cachi. There is a place to pull over and view the deep gorge that is dammed to form the lake. During the season, vendors sell sacks of large crawfish near the damn. Being from south Louisiana, we quickly purchase them.

Leaving the dam, the road goes nearby the small town of Ujarras.   Nestled in the trees sits the 325-year-old church, the oldest in Costa Rica, Nuestra Senora de la Limpia Concepción, built in 1681 of limestone. Damaged by a flood in 1833, the town and church was abandoned for higher ground. Many miracles are attributed to this beautifully landscaped church, which has its own pilgrimage. Leaving Ujarras, the road climbs up the mountain where you will find another incredible lookout, Mirador de Ujarras. This lookout offers spectacular views of Lake Cachi and the Orosi Valley.   Another good place for a picnic lunch or snack.

Tapanti National Park Tour - 1 day tour
When leaving the Orosi Coffee Tour, turn left. This road splits in the first 20 yards, take a right to Tapanti/Purisil proceed on the only road that goes in and out of this section of the reserve. The 6,080-acre reserve has been combined with the Macizo de la Muerte National Park to form the Tapanti Macizo de la Muerte National Park. This section of the park has many accessible well-marked hiking trails for the active traveler. One can take a trail that takes you through the “dripping forest” down to a cold water crystal clear stream, with the view of a highland 300-foot waterfall, Salto Falls. The dripping forest has shades of green moss and algae you will not see anywhere else. The park has over 300 bird species, including quetzals. The park is home to many types of wildlife, including the large jaguars, ocelots, tapirs, anteaters, jaguarondi, oncilla tiger cat and monkeys. In March, butterflies can be seen in abundance.   Tapanti offers the ability to visit a dripping forest, rainforest and cloud forest in one visit. There are many locations in the park to picnic, fish and bird watch. Take an umbrella and good hiking boots!
http://www.costarica-nationalparks.com/tapantinationalpark.html

On the road to Tapanti, you will pass the road to Purisil Park and Monti Sky Preserve.

Whitewater Rafting - 1 day tour
Just a few miles east of Orosi is Turrialba, renown for its whitewater rafting. Turrialba is considered the “whitewater” capital of the country. The Reventazon River and the Pacuare River make this town a rafting and kayaking heaven.   Tour operators offer 1 day and 2-day tours of the rivers. The Pascua section of the Reventazon River is only for the experienced river rafter or kayaker. The river has 20 class 4 rapids in a row! No roller coaster ride ever provided this surge of adrenalin. The other river, the Pacuare, is one of the most beautiful rivers in the world to raft or kayak. With only 2 class 4 rapids, there is more time to enjoy the natural beauty of the Costa Rican rainforest.   There is no other way to see this magnificent river, the wildlife and the mountain gorges except by raft.   Our favorite is Loco's Tropical Tours,   www.whiteh2o.com or   the phone 556-6035. Ask for Lee and the Paradisepeak.com discount!   Lee would pay me a commission, but we give it back to our clients.

Note: The key to an exciting, but safe rafting trip depends upon the personnel leading the rafting trip. Lee compensates his employees well and provides a positive work environment, therefore,   Lee has some of the best and most experienced rafting crews in the area.   

Eco-Tourism
Paradise Peak Real Estate Services supports the Audubon Society code of environmental ethics for nature travel. We believe that tourist can be a valuable friend in the effort to conserve natural resources.

Audubon Society of Costa Rica code of ethics for eco-tourism is:

• Wildlife and natural habitats must not be needlessly disturbed. Visitors should stay on the trails, avoid using machetes, and not collect plants. Some eco-systems, such as coral reefs, are particularly sensitive, and special care should be taken to avoid damaging them. Visitors should keep their distance from wildlife so it is not compelled to take flight. Animal courtship, nesting, or feeding of young must not be interrupted. Bird nests should be observed from a safe distance through binoculars. Nesting turtles should be viewed only with the assistance of a trained guide. Photographers also should keep their distance: foliage should not be removed from around nests, and animals should not be disturbed for the sake of a picture. Monkeys and other wild animals should not be fed, because this alters their diet and behavior.
• Waste should be properly disposed. Tour operators should set the example by making sure that all garbage is confined to the proper receptacles. Boats and buses must have trash cans. Special care should be taken with plastic items. No littering of any kind should be tolerated. When possible, tourists and tour groups should use returnable or reusable containers.
• Tourism should be a positive influence on local communities. Tourists and tour operators should make every reasonable effort to allow communities near natural areas to benefit from tourism. By hiring local guides, patronizing locally owned restaurants/lodges, buying local handicrafts, tourists can help convince residents that natural habitats and rainforests places are worth saving.
• Tourism should be managed and sustainable. Tour operators should encourage managers of parks and reserves, including the Costa Rican government, to develop and implement long term management plans. These plans should prevent deterioration of ecosystems, prevent overcrowding, distribute visitors to under visited areas and consider all present and future environmental impacts.
• Tourism should be culturally sensitive. Tour operators should give visitors an opportunity to enjoy and learn from Costa Rica's mix of cultures. Tourism should serve as a bridge between cultures, allowing people to interact and enrich their understanding of how other people live. Tours should be designed to take advantage of and not conflict with local cultural traditions.
• There must be no commerce in wildlife, wildlife products, or native plants. There are strict international laws prohibiting the purchase or transport of endangered or migratory wildlife. Tourists should be discouraged from buying or collecting any wildlife or plants, even if they are legal. Audubon does not tolerate trade in wild birds, feathers, stuffed birds or animals, sea turtle products of any kind, snakes, and lizards or their skins, coral, furs, or orchids, and other plants, except those commercially grown.
• Tourists should leave with a greater understanding and appreciation of nature, conservation and the environment. Experienced, well-trained and responsible naturalists and guides should lead visits to parks and refuges. Guides should be able to provide proper supervision as the visitors, prevent disturbances to the area, answer questions of the visitors regarding flora and fauna and describe the conservation issues relevant to the area.

Tourism should strengthen the conservation effort and enhance the natural integrity of places visited. Tour operators should collaborate with conservation organizations and government agencies in finding ways of putting the economic resources generated by tourism to work improving Costa Rica's environmental programs. Equally important, tourism's human resources, including visitors, should be linked with active conservation. Visitors should be made aware of Costa Rica's great conservation achievements as well as the problems.