Doka Coffee Tour, Poás Volcano & La Paz Waterfall from San Jose

Three ecosystems in one day: coffee farm, active volcano, and a waterfall garden with five animal exhibits

A full-day guided tour from San Jose that starts at Doka Coffee Plantation with breakfast and a tour of how the beans are processed, moves to Poás Volcano National Park to see the active 2,708-meter crater and its gas emissions, and ends at La Paz Waterfall Gardens where you walk past an aviary, the country's largest butterfly observatory, hummingbird gallery, serpentarium, and frog, monkey and cat exhibitions before lunch. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. The tour operates with a live guide in English or Spanish and requires a minimum of two travelers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. La Paz Waterfall Gardens2h
2. Poas Volcano National Park30m · entry included

Coffee tour, volcano, and waterfall visit

• Enjoy breakfast at Doka Coffee Plantation
• Take guided tour of coffee plantation
• Visit Poás Volcano National Park
• Walk to Poás Volcano crater viewpoint
• Admire crater and gas emissions
• Explore La Paz Waterfalls park attractions
• Walk beautiful path at La Paz Waterfalls
• Visit aviary, butterfly observatory, and galleries
• Enjoy buffet lunch at La Paz Waterfalls

The experience

The day starts with hotel pickup and a drive to Doka Coffee Plantation, where breakfast waits and a guide walks you through how Costa Rica's coffee is processed and produced. You learn the techniques experts use to turn the beans into one of the country's best coffees, then move on to Poás Volcano National Park. The volcano sits at 2,708 meters and is still active. You'll spend 40 minutes total in the park: 10 minutes walking to the crater viewpoint, 20 minutes at the viewpoint itself watching the crater and gas emissions, and 10 minutes on the walk back out. A guide explains the volcanic activity and the different ecosystems the park protects.

After the volcano, you head to La Paz Waterfall Gardens. The park is built around a walking path that passes five separate animal attractions: an aviary, the largest butterfly observatory in the country, a hummingbird gallery, a serpentarium, and exhibits of frogs, monkeys and cats. You move through at your own pace, and at the end of the day a buffet lunch is served. The whole tour runs 10 hours from pickup to drop-off, with transportation and both meals included.

What’s included

• Breakfast at the coffee plantation.
• a guided tour of Doka Coffee Plantation with instruction on coffee processing.
• entry to Poás Volcano National Park with a guide explaining the active crater and volcanic ecosystems.
• entry to La Paz Waterfall Gardens with access to the aviary, butterfly observatory, hummingbird gallery, serpentarium, and animal exhibitions.
• buffet lunch.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in San Jose.
• transportation between all three sites.
• a live guide in English or Spanish.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (3 to 10 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortInfant seats availableNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Destination Services Costa Rica

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're staying in San Jose without a rental car: hotel pickup means you don't arrange your own transport to any of the three sites, and the 10-hour day packs three separate ecosystems into one outing with all meals and entry fees settled in advance.

Traveler reviews

4.76★★★★★★★★★★

37 verified traveler reviews

5 ★32

4 ★3

3 ★1

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 10 years); Infant (under 3).

What exactly happens at the Doka Coffee Plantation on this tour?

At Doka Coffee Plantation, you start with breakfast and then take a guided tour where you learn the techniques used to process and produce Costa Rican coffee: the guide walks you through how the beans are handled from harvest to the final product.

How long do I actually spend at Poás Volcano?

Your total time in Poás Volcano National Park is 40 minutes: 10 minutes to walk to the crater viewpoint, 20 minutes standing at the viewpoint to see the active crater and gas emissions, and 10 minutes to walk back out.

What animals and attractions are at La Paz Waterfall Gardens?

La Paz Waterfall Gardens has five animal attractions you walk past on a path through the park: an aviary, the largest butterfly observatory in Costa Rica, a hummingbird gallery, a serpentarium, and exhibits of frogs, monkeys and cats.

Does this tour include meals?

Yes, breakfast is served at the coffee plantation and a buffet lunch is provided at La Paz Waterfall Gardens at the end of the day.

What's included in the price besides the guide and meals?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in San Jose are included, along with all transportation between the three stops. You don't arrange your own way to any of the sites.

What should I bring on this tour?

Bring a rain coat and/or sweater, comfortable walking shoes, and a camera. The weather in the highlands can shift, and you'll be walking at the volcano and through the waterfall gardens.