This volcano in Turrialba, Catago, Costa Rica is one of many interesting craters in the entire region, although it has not shown activity since 1866, it still proves its magnificence while sleeping. This volcano gets its name from the Spanish settlers, when they saw the smoke coming out of it, pouring all over the highest summit, they decided to call it "Torre Alba" (Dawn tower or white tower).
Location
Cartago Province. This the last volcano in the Central Volcanic mountain range system.
Altitude
3340 meters (10,959 ft.)
Description
Turrialba Volcano
This large, extinct volcano stands to the northeast of Irazu, rising out of the same base like a slightly shorter Siamese twin. Its chilly summit holds three craters, but, since there are no paved roads to the top, it receives few visitors. Nature lodges located in the area offer horseback excursions to the top. It is a stratovolcano 3,340 m high with three craters. On its flanks there are several lava flows, one of which passed close to the town of Turrialba. The last eruption occurred in 1864-66 and nowdays there is solfataric activity. The access road that starts in Pastora de Santa Cruz, although grit-covered, is very steep in the upper part and so four-wheeled drive vehicles are required.
Turrialba shares a foundation with Volcan Irazu, which is why they are often identified as twin volcanoes. Turrialba features three well-defined craters as well as others misshapen by volcanic activity.
The Turrialba Volcano is 3 329 meters high and the last major eruptions were in 1856. About 134 years ago this magnificent volcano has only shown smoky activity, letting the experts know that underneath the Volcan Turrialba has a magma body that gets cold gradually and from this body, the heat and volcano gas is expired. The summit of the volcano in Turrialba has three craters: the east crater, the central crater and the west crater. On the East Crater there is a trail used by the cheese producers that have their activities and live by the North East side of the volcano. The Central Crater is the biggest one and the one with the most smoke activity. This crater used to have sulfur deposits where the locals extracted it for different purposes. The West Crater is the smallest one of them all.
The central crater is the deepest, at approximately 50 meters. On its slopes are two possible cones, Tiendilla (2,791 meters above sea level) and Armado (2,750 meters). Current activity consists of gas and steam eruptions with sulfur deposits. The average temperature here is 16 degrees Celsius, and rainfall varies between 3,000 to 4,000 millimeters per year. OVISCORI-UNA maintains a permanent monitoring station at the volcano.
During 1864, in Turrialba, Costa Rica the volcano proved its size and magnificence by erupting ashes for five days in row. The ashes where first reported in the Cartago area and then reports came all the way from Grecia, Alajuela to the Corinto Port in Nicaragua. These eruptions came from the Central and West craters. After those eruptions the Volcan Turrialba has been in a dormant state.
Turrialba Volcano
At this Volcano in Turrialba, Costa Rica you can behold one of the few wonderful lush and calm cloud forests. The amazing vegetation includes flower gardens and a diverse variety of plants and trees. The forest is a green site on the slopes of the mountains. The outskirts of the Turrialba Volcano are very developed, and the people are kind and easygoing. The town of Turrialba, is a typical Costa Rica town. It is a departure point for rafting tours on the Atlantic rivers of Pacuare and Reventazon where there is also great hiking down to the crater of the Volcano.
Another great activity of the Turrialba Volcano is horseback riding through the green pastures of the mountains. The lodges and hotels of the area have entirely peaceful mountain accommodations, and are full of the traditional decorum of the old Costa Rica towns. If would like to visit the volcano in Turrialba, our expert travel advisors will gladly arrange lovely accommodations in one of the warm and lovely hotels and mountain lodges of the area. The travel advisors can also help find unique tours in the area so you can take full advantage of the many wonders of nature around the asleeping volcano.
While in the area, make sure you get a taste of the wonderful Costa Rican traditional food like picadillos, chorreadas and gallo pinto; combined with the cheese made in the area, there will be a riot in your mouth. The cold breeze and wooden ranches transport you to the Costa Rica of yesteryear, you'll find many a great way to find out about the many cultures of this amazing country. Visit the Turrialba Volcano and take home with you something most visitors miss: tradition, culture, lovely sites and great cuisine.
To get to Turrialba Volcano National Park from San Jose, take the highway toward Cartago and Irazu Volcano. Take the exit toward Pacayas and continue until La Pastora. The road makes a double left, and you can continue until you reach the cafe Danza con Nubes, where you will be able to park. From the cafe, there is a well marked trail that leads to the Turrialba volcano's scenic overlook.
To get to Turrialba Volcano National Park from San Jose, take the highway toward Cartago and Irazu Volcano. Take the exit toward Pacayas and continue until La Pastora. The road makes a double left, and you can continue until you reach the cafe Danza con Nubes, where you will be able to park. From the cafe, there is a well marked trail that leads to the Turrialba volcano's scenic overlook.
Costa Rican Volcanoes 
