Depart from San José to the Irazú Volcano, is an active volcano in Costa Rica, situated in the Cordillera Central close to the city of Cartago. Its name is believed to be a corruption of Iztarú, which was the name of an indigenous village on the flanks of the volcano. In Costa Rica it is known by the name of "Colossus" due to the catastrophes that it has provoked in the past.  The volcano's summit has several craters, one of which contains Diego de la Haya, a green crater lake of variable depth. It is the highest active volcano in Costa Rica. From the top it is claimed to be possible to see both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on a clear day; however, such clear days are very rare indeed, and it is typical for the volcano's summit to be covered in cloud for much of the time.

The mission of the University of Costa Rica 's Lankester Botanical Garden is to promote conservation, enjoyment and sustainable use of the epiphytic flora through scientific research, horticulture, and environmental education. Internationally recognized for its noteworthy collections of epiphytes, the Lankester Botanical Garden was established in 1973 as a center for the exhibition, conservation and research of tropical epiphytic plants, with a special interest in orchids. On 11 hectares , the field collections, collections in greenhouses and secondary forests host over 3,000 species of plants.