The restless one: after most of a decade of ash eruptions that closed the park, Turrialba's summit is open again to small guided groups, crossing ash-grey slopes and dead forest to the rim of an active crater.
Turrialba, at about 3,340 metres, woke in 2010 after more than a century of quiet. Its ash eruptions reached San José's airport and closed the park for years.
The volcano reopened in August 2026 after rain damage, following most of a decade of eruptions. Visits run as a seven-kilometre guided route from Monte Calas up to the active summit, through high pasture, then across slopes of grey ash where the gases have killed the forest, to a viewpoint over the steaming crater. The drive east from the city takes 2–2.5 hours via Cartago.
Entry is limited and guided, so reserve through the official SINAC platform. Conditions change quickly with the volcano's activity and the weather, and the route can close at short notice. Check the status the week you go.
Your guide sets the pace and decides how far the group goes on the day.
Leave the city before dawn and drive east through Cartago and the dairy farms on the volcano's flanks.
Check in, receive a safety briefing and equipment, and set off with your group.
Climb through pasture and páramo scrub, with views over the Caribbean lowlands.
Cross slopes of grey ash and bleached trees killed by volcanic gas.
Reach the viewpoint over the steaming crater for a short, supervised stop before returning.
Reserve a guided slot on the official SINAC platform; group sizes are limited and slots fill at weekends.
Check the national volcano observatory and park announcements the week of your visit; closures follow any change in activity.
A car or day driver is essential; there is no public transport to Monte Calas.
San José practical notes →Wikimedia Commons photographs are used under their licences.
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