Irazu Volcano Costa Rica
The name Irazu comes from an indigenous origin, the real word is actually Istarú, which means Thunder and Earthquake Mountain, but with years the name it transformed to Irazú and it is the highest volcano in Costa Rica. There have been 23 eruptions since 1723, latest was during 1963 to 1965. It sent tephra and secondary mudflows into cultivated areas, killing at least 40 people and destroying hundreds of homes and some factories. The Irazu Volcano is an active strato volcano with an irregular sub conical shape at 3,432 meters above sea level and over 500 square kilometers of forest. The four craters at the summit of Irazu Volcan: the main crater, the Diego de la Haya crater, and two small craters more located on the northwest and southeast areas of the park. Plant growth is sparse within the rim of the craters yet, there is a secondary forest with patches of primary forest. Wildlife in Irazu is very scarce; near the summit you can see the rabbits, coyotes, armadillos and porcupine as well as weasels and tiger cats. If you are into bird watching, the usual species seen in the surroundings of the Irazu Volcano are hummingbirds, woodpeckers and mountain robins.
There are three different life zones in spite of the fact that the flora has considerably changed because of the eruptions: Premontane Rain Forest, Montane West Forest, and Montane Rain Forest, all of them lack vegetation around the craters. Tree species within these forests include: Black Oak, Alder, White Oak, Growing Stick, Miconia, Small Cedar, and Copey. The past eruptions have created visible scorched dead tree trunks near the summit and the high elevations itself avoids the vegetation from growing to tall and wide. The activity of the volcano changes constantly and abruptly. In the Volcan Irazu, Costa Rica shows very strong winds, it is recommended that you dress properly: boots, thick socks, and a warm jacket, sunglasses and a scarf will be incredibly useful. During the rainy season the Irazu Volcan appears to get cloudy before noon, so it is better to visit it in the morning, at any time of the day the temperature is quite cold. The facilities are open everyday until 3:00 pm and there is a lovely coffee area to rest and escape a bit from the cold while sipping a sweet hot chocolate or great coffee '>Costa Rica coffee /a>
Irazú Volcano’s history records that the first written information about its volcanic activity was from 1723. Diego de la Haya, who was a Spanish governor of Costa Rica and he kept recollection of an eruption from February of that same year. In his writings he explains how columns of smoke and ashes were thrown along with chunks of incandescent rocks while constant seismic activity. Ashes continued to drifting for the next two and all the people from Irazu area and all the way to San Jose began having respiratory issues, this long period of activity ended in 1966 when a rock plug solidified blocking the vent. As you can see the Irazu volcano is not just a Volcano, natural treasures and amazing history embraces every aspect of it. If you are interested in visiting this magnificent location, contact our travel advisors and request information about tours to the Irazu Volcano, directions or any other query you may have on the subject. They will gladly help you plan an unforgettable visit this beautiful Volcano.