Costa Rica

General Information:

Location: 45 kms. (28 mi.) east of Cartago and 53 kms. east of San José

Weather: Moderate to warm days, cooling off at night. Rainy season runs May through November. 

Temperatures: 65-85° F year round

Altitude: 638 meters (2096 feet) above sea level

Read more about the Central Valley Tourism Region

About:

Nestled among the lush green hills of the Central Valley, Turrialba is a quaint town of 80,000 people that is best known as the whitewater capital of Costa Rica. Turrialba was once a thriving city, located along the railroad between San José and Limón. After a large earthquake hit in 1991 which destroyed the rail system, the government constructed new roads that bypassed Turrialba, effectively isolating the town.

The inhabitants of Turrialba stayed on, drawn by the beautiful scenery and fertile lands. The nearby Pacuare and Reventazón rivers gained popularity among kayakers and rafters and a burgeoning whitewater industry was born.  The town sits in the shadow of the active Turrialba Volcano, to which there is direct crater access. Turrialba is perfect for a day trip, with a variety of nearby attractions to suit all interests.

Places to See:

The Pre-Columbian ruins of the Guayabo National Monument

CATIE, one of the world's foremost tropical agricultural research centers. It encompasses over 2,000 acres and conducts research on plants/trees that have been collected from all over the world.

Turrialba National Park, home of Turrialba Volcano

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Things to Do:

Whitewater rafting and tubing, kayaking and canoeing down the nearby Pacuare River, where river-runners can choose to meander down the Corobici River (class I-II) or Pejibaye River (class II) on a leisurely wildlife watching expedition.

Rafters and kayakers can also run the high-volume Reventazon River, which has both a class II-III and a class IV section to choose from.

Visitors can hike or ride horseback to the crater of Turrialba Volcano and spend the night in one of several cozy lodges. Temperatures drop to the 40's at night, so come prepared with warm clothing. Lodges along the slope of the volcano can also arrange mountain bike trips as well.

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Places to Stay:

There are many luxury hotels and rustic lodges in the area. Many of them offer visitors guided treks and horseback rides through the mountains and to the volcano crater.
 

Getting There:

Buses depart from San José (Calle 13, between Avenidas 6 and 8) every hour on the hour, between 8am and 8pm. To visit nearby towns, Terminal Turrialba (on the corner of Calle 2 and Avenida 2) has buses to La Suiza, Santa Cruz and others. Buses depart from Avenida 4 to San José hourly from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Nearby: