Poas Volcano + Coffee Plantations & La Paz Waterfall Gardens Trip from San Jose

Great experience

Wonderful tour and the guides were fantastic. It was an excellent day. Our group was very small so the tour felt very personalized. Only suggestion is that they work to avoid high traffic times because we got stuck in traffic for over an hour on the way back

Perfect day trip

Wonderful day, scenery, wildlife, flora, fauna. Guide was very informative, generous of spirit, loves his job. Food and travel clean and welcoming. Thoroughly recommend…

Highly recommended Poas Volcano day trip

Had a wonderful trip with Ricardo as our guide.His knowledge was very good, and we learnt so much about Costa Rica.We never felt rushed. Would definitely recommend this trip 😊

Not the most successful tour for us sadly

We actually booked a half day tour to visit the Poas Volcano and were picked up from the hotel at 6.30am by an over enthusiastic guide called Fran - it was way too early in the morning for whooping! We stopped briefly en route at a coffee plantation (three generations) and then at a cafe for typical breakfast. Thought Fran would have sat with us but she went and sat with the driver which was odd. When back on the bus we were ‘up sold’ continuing our day with the tour bus and going to the La Paz waterfalls in the afternoon. Sadly the Poas volcano was cloudy and so we couldn’t see anything at all. Fran kept telling us that it can clear unexpectedly and so we kept our fingers crossed - nothing. Fran suggested we go visit a logon about 0.8 km away but this was also covered in cloud so saw absolutely nothing. That’s fine, “that’s nature” but it didn’t go down very well when we got back to the crater to be told by a smiling Fran that it had cleared for a few minutes whilst we were away (!!). Anyhow next stop the La Paz Gardens Nature Park or animal sanctuary - beautiful jaguars but in captivity, under the guise of conservation - who knows? Finally visited the waterfall trail to see 5 waterfalls of varying heights - pretty.

BEWARE of the overall TRIP TIME

Overall, it was a fantastic day! Keep in mind it's a whole day trip not just 6 hours. This tour company has difficulty relating the true overall time it takes for their tours. The challenge with the trip is the traffic, they do not allow for traffic. So this 6 hour trip started with a pick up at 6:15am and we didn't get back to the hotel till 6:30pm, luckily we did not have other plans. I would recommend this trip in a heartbeat, however just be prepared for it to take the entire day. Our guide Fran was fantastic!!

Good views, information, and experience

Great ride up, and experience at the volcano, coffee plantation, and good variety of touristy attractions at La Paz gardens.

terribly cold and windy...

terribly cold and windy and you couldn't see the volcano for the clouds Not worth it. Guide was very nice and knowledgeable.

Worth the time and money.

Our guide, Artu was awesome. He was extremely attentive and always gave us enough time to view the sites and his knowledge of the area was vast. We were lucky to have a clear day to view the volcano and the national park and waterfalls was just beautiful. We learned a lot about coffee on the plantation tour. So glad we fit that in.

First time in Costa Rica, not the last!

Loved the experience, we got lucky with visibility but was amazing! We had a great tour guide named Armando w/ Destiny Tours.

Great tour

Enjoyable tour, knowledgeable guide. Good choice for kids. I went with my 10 year old daughter. She enjoyed the animals at La paz and the volcano. Lots of walking and stairs, so consider your own kid's endurance. Overall very enjoyable.

Amazing Experience

What a great way to end our stay in San Jose. Ricardo was an excellent guide. He was very knowledgeable about the country, culture, animals, coffee process, plants, etc. We really enjoyed out day with him. He took great care of us. The volcano was covered in clouds, but he encouraged us to be patient and we were finally able to see it. What a view! The Animal sanctuary was great. My favorite was the Toucan. We got up close and personal. The waterfalls and fauna reminded me of Jurassic Park. I would not have been surprised to see a Brontosaurus raise it's head up out of the foliage.

Fantastic outdoors sister trip

Our tour guide was excellent, so knowledgeable and had to drive as well. He was even able to stop and show us specific things and keep us ahead of schedule so we got to see the volcano and rainforest before the rain picked up. Absolutely beautiful views and nature. Breakfast and lunch are delicious options as well!

Must do

What a great tour! Our guide and our driver were both fabulous. We enjoyed each stop and the everything was so beautiful. We highly recommend!!

A full day of views

Our guide was super knowledgeable and upbeat. He kept the tour interesting and we got to see so much in one trip! The breakfast and lunch were both so delicious. I highly recommend this tour.

La Paz Waterfall and Gardens does not disappoint

On our tour there wasn't a tour of how coffee is harvested and roasted but rather a look at the coffee bean plantation and grabbing a delicious cup to taste. Poas was elusive when we visited but it's all part of the adventure. Our guide Fran was super patient and tried several times in different areas to see if we could get a better look, which we all appreciated. Overall, the tour was a lot of fun and our highlight was the La Paz Waterfall and Gardens. The myriad of animals at this place was fantastic, such as Toucans, butterflies and the snake display area. Topping the day off with the beautiful waterfalls was a nice way to end the day.

I would do it all over again.

Our guide Roger was the best In the business. He loves his job and it shows. And, afterward made me want to get a job with him. All his attention to detail was perfect. Very generous man. Very kind man. If your lucky enough to have him as your guide you will know what I'm talking about. The sites and sounds were spectacular. The history is rich and deep in culture and is cherished to this day.

Amazing Day in Costa Rica

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and I learned so much about Costa Rica. From the delicious coffee to the stunning waterfalls, this was an excellent way to spend my Saturday.

Awesome adventure

Our guide Charlton and driver Christopher were friendly and knowledgeable. Our guide had an infectious enthusiasm and happiness that totally made the day wonderful. Doka is a fun experience that makes you appreciate what goes into you morning Coffee! We did not see Poas Volcano, as the cloud cover was too thick, but we tried. La Paz waterfall gardens are an amazing overview of Costa Rica. This tour with Destiny only as a maximum of 12 people… we actually had eight on our tour and it made for intimate experience an ability to ask all the questions we wanted. Highly recommend!

Amazing 1 day Tour

Edgar the guide was very funny, helpful, joyful, informative and full of great energy all throughout tour. Great time and great memories. Thank you!!!

What an experience!!!! Gotta try this during your lifetime!!!

This was a phenomenal tour!!! The sights are worth the lifetime of memories. It involves walking, climbing, hiking so it isn’t for the faint of heart, someone with weak knees or wheelchair bound persons. The meals included were tasty, plentiful and hardy for the day’s activities. Our guide Francini (Fran) was very knowledgeable, a sweetheart willing to make your experience as easy and wonderful as possible and our bus driver Daniel was kind, helpful and most serviceable. Originally our party was supposed to have 4 people but one wasn’t able to make the trip. This tour was so worth it, we know we’re coming back with our friend and will do it again with him. OUTSTANDING!!!

Big deception!

The places to visit are great, but the organization is a mess. As written in the presentation, the size of the group should be 10 persons, our was 18, and I do not thing it is an exception. From 10 or 12 different hotels scattered all around San Jose, so the pick up and drop off time waisted 4 hours, and the departure was late. I have asked for a tour in Spanish, no such thing, it was a mixed one. And the guide was simply a disaster, never saw something similar. Very poor level of information, except for the coffee farm, there he was a specialist. But for the rest, nothing, no information on art, culture, history, whatever you like. Worse, he was simply not interested on the Clients, he was playing bingo on his telephone whilst I was asking him something! Places to visit are great, but mind who book with.

San Jose Day Trips Delivered

I booked two day trips from San Jose with Destiny. The Poas Volcano & La Paz Waterfall and the Manuel Antonio National Park. Each was delivered as advertised. The tours were well run, pickup was prompt, transport was good, the meals were tasty with plenty to eat, and the package was a good value. The guides on both tours were more than competent and pleasant. I’ve got to give special nod to Franciny. Costa Rica was country number 71 for me, so I’ve been handled by more than a few tour guides. Fran would rank near the top. Charming, pleasant, attentive, informative with the right balance of education and entertainment. She's skilled with the soft discipline that keeps a tour well run for every member of the group. I enjoyed both days. Glad I did it. Very glad

Must go

Recommend. They are on time. And it feels like they give you enough time to see things. Before entering the waterfall you go through a small zoo like and see various types of animals. Then its the lunch. After that its the waterfall. Pls take umbrella or rain jacket. You will get wet especially if its raining too!

A Real Delight!

Wonderful trip with great tour guides. It was the highlight of our Costa Rican vacation. Your bus was new and comfortable. Tour guides were kind and knowledgeable.

Great day trip!

Great way to pack in a lot of site seeing in one day. Poas volcano is a very manageable day trip from San José. Our tour guide Daniel was outstanding!

Beautiful sites, Highly recommend

We had a great time on this day tour from San Jose! Edgar was our guide and Daniel was our driver. Edgar was very entertaining and informative. Stayed with the group throughout each stop and ensured no one was ever left behind. The Doka coffee stop had delish coffee and was relaxing. We had a beautiful clear morning and had perfect views of the Volcano crater. We were actually higher than the clouds and that was awesome! We stopped at a strawberry place where we sampled some super fresh strawberries, wine and cheese. Amazing! Finally we went to the La Paz Waterfall Garden and that was breathtaking. FYI there are a lot of steps but it was very much worth it. Plus we traveled with small group and we all became friends by the end of the day! The day was organized well and hotel pickup/drop off was appreciated. We definitely recommend! Thank you Dainel and Edgar!

A must do!

The tour was amazing and informative. Our guide Daniel was great, kind and helpful with a great sense of humor. We will definitely be back!

A wonderful day

We were lucky to visit the Poas volcano on a clear day, and the view into the crater was amazing. The waterfalls at the La Paz Waterfall garden were also fantastic— lots of platforms to allow you to get near the rushing waters of the three volcanoes. Our guide, Fila, was knowledgeable and friendly. I highly recommend this tour

Beautiful stops in Costa Rica

I’m rating this a 3 because the tour concept is amazing. All of the stops are incredible and we would do it again in a heartbeat. However, our tour guide would spend about 80 percent of the tour Spanish speaking and only about 20 percent in English so we definitely felt left out. He would give them all of the info along the ride so they knew what to prepare for and then rushed to give us the cliff notes as we were transitioning and couldn’t really soak it in.

Poas Volcano, coffee plantation and waterfall gardens

Carla and Mauricio were awesome. They were very knowledgeable about the area and also very accommodating. Anything we asked of them, they provided happily. They never tried to rush us or anything. Highly recommend to anyone!

Costa Rica Adventures

Me and my 3 friends enjoyed this excursion so much. The coffee plantation had such beautiful scenery, a great backdrop for picture taking. The Waterfall Gardens were Spectacular, I loved all the animals and all the lush forests. The Volcano was obsured mostly by clouds so we didn't get a very good view of the crater but it did open up for just a moment or two, so feel very fortunate that we caught a slight glimpse. So worth it. Our tour guides Karla, and Mauricio were the ABSOLUTE BEST!!! I don't think our trip would have been as enjoyable without them as our guides. They deserve to be recognized for all they did for us.

What a Wonderful Day of Discovery

The coffee plantation was super interesting. Our tour guide, Jose, knew a vast amount of the current and historical facts around Costa Rica's coffee industry. A very nice part of this triple tour. The walk up to the volcano was easy and needed after the bus ride there. The private animal refuge and waterfalls were beautifully hardscaped and landscaped. Very fun and a little more challenging if it is raining. But soooo worth the effort. The breakfast and lunch were very satisfying. The driver was very adept at getting around the San Jose traffic and this was a fun tour.

Unique

It’s was an amazing experience, specially the water falls. Oscar was great, very knowledgeable and resourceful.

Breathtaking scenes

This was an amazing tour! Our guide was so knowledgeable and explained so much history and culture throughout the day. Every stop was beautiful, plus he allowed for some extra stops for pictures and to buy fresh strawberries along the way. I highly recommend.

Amazing, eventful and last memories

We were celebrating our friend’s 40th birthday. I have to say our driver (Antonio) and tour guide (Oscar) did such an amazing with their professionalism and attentiveness. Viator has to be your go to with ALL of your planning. #Costa Rica Lilia F

Disappointed

The tour was suppose to be in English and the tour guy gave it in Spanish. My daughter and husband were clueless. It was a 10 tour which only lasted 8 hours. The other person on the tour paid 135.00, I payed 150.00 per each of us.

Amazing trip with the nature of Costa Rica

1. Poas Volcano - 95 / 100 It was awesome to visit. But depends on the weather condition, it could be better to see the volcano. And there is coffe shop, and try Chai latte. Perfect! 2. Coffee Plantations 85 / 100 If you are a big fan of coffee, you will love it. The coffee is good in cafe. Recommend to buy coffee products, not other shop in local. 3. La Paz Waterfall Gardens 110 / 100 Awesome! Dont miss it. Save time for this place. Feel the natural of Costa Rica! In general, I would like to recommend this trip. (4.5 / 5)

Fantastic

Very very informative and loved Oscar and Roger as our guides. They could answer all our questions we would throw at them. 5 thumbs up

Highly recommend this tour!!

I had originally booked the Irazu tour, and that one had to be cancelled the day before, so they arranged for me to go on the Poas tour instead. I'm not at all disappointed that I did! Our morning started out with a visit to the coffee plantation, and a full explanation of the coffee harvesting process and a free fresh coffee sample! We then had a great breakfast with some of the freshest strawberry smoothie drink I've ever had. The visit to the top of Poas was breathtaking and something I've never experienced before. Our visit to the La Paz waterfalls and animal sanctuary was a great finish to the day, and the lunch buffet at La Paz was all I could ask for on a busy touring day! I also want to add a personal thank you -- as the sole English speaker in our tour group, our guide went above and beyond helping me feel welcome and ensuring that he repeated everything in both languages. I had a great day touring Costa Rica, and would definitely recommend and look up Destiny Travel the next time I look at doing a tour here!

Un tour muy completo! Lo recomiendo

Un tour muy completo, los guías Edgar y Ricardo fueron muy puntualles, amables y atentos en todo momento, siempre mostrando respeto y compartiendo sus conocimientos y experiencia. Los 3 lugares que visitamos están increíbles!! En lo personal nos encantaron los jardines de la catarata de La Paz!!

Very nice day

We had a private guide Ronald from the Jacamar group. He was great. Even if the view of the volcano was invisible because of the clouds, the site was worth it. The visit to the falls and the coffee plantation were very pleasant. A long day but very enjoyable. Thanks to Ronald.

Volcán, cascadas y cafetales

Muy completo, visítamos primeramente un cafetal y disfrutamos un riquísimo café, después visitamos el cráter del volcán activo poas tuvimos mucha suerte en verlo muy claramente. Disfrutamos de una reserva donde vimos flora y fauna de la zona. Además vimos las cascadas… nos encantó su magia.

Muy bueno

Muy lindo lugar, lindo paisaje espectacular para unas hermosas fotos, mucha paz dentro de la naturaleza