Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Valle de Orosi
This straight-out-of-a-storybook river valley is famous for its mountain vistas, hot springs,
a lake formed by a hydroelectric facility, a truly wild national park and coffee - lots and
lots of coffee. A well-paved 32km scenic loop winds through a landscape of rolling hills
terraced with shade-grown coffee plantations and expansive valleys dotted with pastoral
villages, all set against the backdrop of the region's two volcanoes, Irazú and Turrialba. If
you're lucky enough to have a rental car (or a good bicycle), you're in for a treat, though
it's still possible to navigate most of the loop via public buses.
The loop road starts 8km southeast of Cartago in Paraíso, heads south to Orosi, then
doubles back northeast and west around the artificial Lago de Cachí, passing the historic
church at Ujarrás en route back to Paraíso. Alternatively, from Orosi you can branch south
into Parque Nacional Tapantí-Macizo Cerro de la Muerte, an end-of-the-road national park
with superb river and mountain scenery.
Paraíso Area
Though the village of Paraíso isn't all that its name implies, it does lead to the wonderful
Valle de Orosi beyond.
About 3km west of Paraíso, the University of Costa Rica runs the tranquil 11-hectare
Lankester Gardens
( 2511-7939;
www.jbl.ucr.ac.cr
; adult/student US$7.50/5;
8:30am-4:30pm)
; take the main road west towards Cartago and look for a pink monolith
marking the turnoff. Founded as a private botanical garden by British orchid enthusiast
Charles Lankester in 1917, it was turned over to the university for public administration in
1973. Orchids are the big draw here, with more than 1000 species at their showiest from
March to May. Other attractions along the meandering loop trail include a Japanese
garden, a bamboo tunnel and sections dedicated to palms, ferns, cacti and bromeliads. This
is one of the few places in the country where foreigners can legally purchase orchids to
take home. Guided tours in English and Spanish can be arranged with prior reservation;
the garden is wheelchair-accessible.
From downtown Paraíso, the road north to Turrialba meanders 3km before branching
right to
Finca Cristina
(
2574-6426, in USA 203-549-1945;
www.cafecristina.com
; guided tour
per person US$15;
by appointment only)
, an organic coffee farm (look for the white sign up
