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Lake at the bottom of a volcanic crater surrounded by rocky walls.

Costa Rica · Poás & Irazú

The Orosi Valley in a day

Lookouts, colonial churches, Lake Cachí, thermal pools and rainforest on a short loop from Cartago.

9 places

  1. 1

    NatureOpen

    Orosi Valley lookout

    3 km south of Paraíso, on the road to Orosi58.7 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    9:00 to 15:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    A tourism board park with a panoramic view of the Orosi Valley, coffee fields and the Reventazón river, with lawns, picnic shelters and a playground.

    Source: Municipalidad de Paraíso – Mirador de Orosi · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Hours
    Daily 9:00 to 15:00, with limited capacity (Paraíso municipality).

    Nearby: Orosi colonial church and museum (2.4 km) · Ujarrás lookout (2.6 km) · Ujarrás church ruins (2.6 km)

    Sources: Municipalidad de Paraíso – Mirador de Orosi · Visit Costa Rica – Mirador de Orosi

  2. Orosi colonial church and museum2

    Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC0

    CultureOpen

    Orosi colonial church and museum

    Central Orosi, facing the square60.7 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    The Franciscan church of San José de Orosi, from the mid-18th century and still in use, with a small religious art museum in the former convent.

    Source: SICultura – Museo de Arte Religioso San José de Orosi · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    The museum charges no fixed fee; some sources mention a suggested donation.

    Nearby: Orosi thermal pools (0.4 km) · Orosi Valley lookout (2.4 km) · Ujarrás church ruins (3.9 km)

    Sources: SICultura – Museo de Arte Religioso San José de Orosi · La Nación – Templo y museo de Orosi reabren

  3. 3

    WellnessOpen

    Orosi thermal pools

    Orosi town and surroundings60.9 km from the centre

    Entry
    $15
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    Two popular pool complexes with warm thermal water in town: Aguas Termales de Orosi and Los Patios, used by local families.

    Source: Tripadvisor – Balneario de Aguas Termales Orosi · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $ · under US$15

    Tip: These are simple pools with lukewarm water, not volcanic hot springs; each closes one or two weekdays (it varies), so confirm before going.

    Nearby: Orosi colonial church and museum (0.4 km) · Orosi Valley lookout (2.8 km) · Ujarrás church ruins (4.3 km)

    Sources: Tripadvisor – Balneario de Aguas Termales Orosi · CRHoy – Descubra los tesoros de Orosi

  4. Tapantí–Macizo de la Muerte National Park4

    NatureOpen

    Tapantí–Macizo de la Muerte National Park

    12 km south-east of Orosi69.1 km from the centre

    Entry
    $10
    Hours
    8:00 to 16:00
    Booking
    Required

    Very wet forest at the head of the Orosi Valley, part of the La Amistad biosphere reserve, with four trails and a lookout over El Salto waterfall.

    Source: SINAC – Parque Nacional Tapantí Macizo de la Muerte · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $10 for non-residents over 13 and $5 for children 2–12.
    Hours
    Daily 8:00 to 16:00, including holidays.
    Booking
    Tickets online only through SINAC’s system.

    Tip: The main road (2 km, on foot or by bike) and the waterfall lookout can close because of natural hazards or staff shortages.

    Nearby: Casa del Soñador (Cachí) (8.1 km) · Orosi thermal pools (8.8 km) · Orosi colonial church and museum (8.8 km)

    Sources: SINAC – Parque Nacional Tapantí Macizo de la Muerte

  5. 5

    CultureOpen

    Ujarrás church ruins

    Ujarrás, Paraíso, by Lake Cachí59.9 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    9:00 to 15:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    Remains of one of the country’s oldest lime-and-stone churches, built between 1686 and 1693, in a park near Lake Cachí.

    Source: Municipalidad de Paraíso – Las Ruinas de Ujarrás · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Hours
    Daily 9:00 to 15:00, with limited capacity.

    Nearby: Ujarrás lookout (1 km) · Orosi Valley lookout (2.6 km) · Casa del Soñador (Cachí) (3.5 km)

    Sources: Municipalidad de Paraíso – Las Ruinas de Ujarrás · Wikipedia – Ujarrás

  6. 6

    NatureOpen

    Ujarrás lookout

    About 2 km east of Paraíso church58.9 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    9:00 to 15:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    A park overlooking Lake Cachí and the Ujarrás valley, with lawns, shelters with grills and a playground; it is adapted for people with reduced mobility.

    Source: Municipalidad de Paraíso – Mirador de Ujarrás · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Hours
    Daily 9:00 to 15:00, with limited capacity.

    Nearby: Ujarrás church ruins (1 km) · Orosi Valley lookout (2.6 km) · Casa del Soñador (Cachí) (4.1 km)

    Sources: Municipalidad de Paraíso – Mirador de Ujarrás

  7. 7

    NatureOpen

    Cachí dam and lake

    Cachí, Paraíso de Cartago61.5 km from the centre

    Entry
    Free
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A hydroelectric reservoir on the Reventazón river that forms Lake Cachí; there is a lookout by the dam and a road loops around the lake.

    Source: Wikipedia – Ujarrás · 2026

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: The valley loop (Paraíso, Orosi, Cachí and Ujarrás) takes half a day by car.

    Nearby: Casa del Soñador (Cachí) (1.1 km) · Ujarrás church ruins (3.8 km) · Ujarrás lookout (4.1 km)

    Sources: Wikipedia – Ujarrás

  8. 8

    CultureOpen

    Casa del Soñador (Cachí)

    Cachí, on the lake loop road62.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    Not stated
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A wood-and-bamboo house built by sculptor Macedonio Quesada, with carvings in coffee roots; his children keep a workshop and craft shop.

    Source: SICultura – Casa del Soñador · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources

    Tip: Published hours differ between sources: call before you go.

    Nearby: Cachí dam and lake (1.1 km) · Ujarrás church ruins (3.5 km) · Ujarrás lookout (4.1 km)

    Sources: SICultura – Casa del Soñador · La Nación – La Casa del Soñador se convirtió en punto turístico

  9. Lankester Botanical Garden9

    Photo: Rquesada, CC BY-SA 4.0

    NatureOpen

    Lankester Botanical Garden

    Dulce Nombre, Cartago, on the road to Paraíso54.8 km from the centre

    Entry
    $10
    Hours
    8:30 to 16:30
    Booking
    Not needed

    A University of Costa Rica garden and orchid research centre, built on Charles H. Lankester’s collection on a former coffee farm with a lagoon.

    Source: Jardín Botánico Lankester – Tarifas 2026 · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    2026 rates: $10 for non-residents and $7.50 for non-resident students, plus 2% VAT; under-5s free.
    Hours
    Daily 8:30 to 16:30.
    Booking
    No reservation needed.

    Nearby: Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels (3.7 km) · Orosi Valley lookout (4.1 km) · Santiago Apóstol church ruins (Cartago) (4.3 km)

    Sources: Jardín Botánico Lankester – Tarifas 2026

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