Doka Estate, Poás Volcano & La Paz Waterfalls tour from San José

Coffee plantation, volcano crater & wildlife sanctuary tour with waterfalls – explore diverse ecosystems

This 12-hour guided tour from San José combines three distinct Costa Rican landscapes in a single day: a coffee estate with breakfast and production tour, the Poás Volcano crater viewpoint, and La Paz Waterfall Gardens with a wildlife sanctuary and lunch. A bilingual guide leads small groups, and the tour includes all entry tickets, both meals, and hotel pickup and return from San José.

Step-by-step itinerary

Doka Estate, Poás Volcano and La Paz Waterfalls

• Pick up from San Jose hotels
• Depart to Doka Estate Coffee Tour
• Enjoy breakfast buffet
• Take guided coffee tour
• Travel to Poás Volcano
• Visit Poás Volcano viewpoint
• Travel to La Paz Waterfall Gardens
• Visit wildlife sanctuary
• Enjoy buffet lunch
• Walk to see five waterfalls
• Return to San Jose hotels

The Experience

The day starts early—pickup runs between 6:00 am and 7:30 am from San José hotels—and begins at Doka Estate with a buffet breakfast before the coffee tour itself. You'll walk through one of Costa Rica's most established plantations and learn how coffee moves from plant to cup, moving through the production process at the pace of the operation. The drive from San José takes about an hour after the last hotel pickup.

From there, the route climbs to Poás Volcano, roughly 40 minutes away through strawberry farms and ornamental plant nurseries. The walk to the crater viewpoint is short and paved—no scrambling required—and opens onto the active crater itself, where you can watch fumaroles rise and see the crater lagoon and the vegetation that rings it. The landscape shifts as you descend toward La Paz, another 45 minutes through livestock country that frames the journey itself as part of the day.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens splits into three parts. First comes the wildlife sanctuary, where toucans, sloths, felines, butterflies and snakes move through the forest canopy and ground cover. Then a buffet lunch of typical Costa Rican food. Finally, a walking path descends past five separate waterfalls, each one framed by the lush forest around it. The return to San José takes roughly an hour and a half, arriving back at your hotel by early evening.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and return transport from San José in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
• breakfast buffet at Doka Estate.
• coffee plantation tour.
• entry to Poás Volcano.
• entry to La Paz Waterfall Gardens and wildlife sanctuary.
• lunch buffet at La Paz.
• all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availableNot for heart conditions

Operated by Willy Tours CR

Is this one for you?The early start and full 12-hour day mean you're moving between three sites with built-in meals and guide-led stops, so the itinerary holds together without you planning the transitions or timing. Choose this if you want to see volcano, waterfall and coffee culture in one outing and don't want to arrange separate transport or figure out how the pieces fit.

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Top questions

What's the coffee tour actually like at Doka Estate?

Doka Estate is a working plantation where you walk through the production process after breakfast, learning how the beans move from harvest through roasting. It's one of Costa Rica's most established coffee operations, and the tour is guided by someone who works there or knows the estate well.

Can I see inside the Poás Volcano crater?

Poás Volcano is active, and you reach a viewpoint at the crater rim where you can observe the crater lagoon and fumaroles rising from it. The walk is short and paved, suitable for most visitors, and the view opens directly onto the crater itself.

What animals might I see at La Paz Waterfall Gardens?

The wildlife sanctuary at La Paz holds toucans, sloths, felines, butterflies, hummingbirds, snakes, frogs and monkeys. The animals move through the forest, and the sanctuary is built around the five waterfalls that give the gardens their name.

How early do I need to wake up?

Hotel pickup happens between 6:00 am and 7:30 am, depending on which San José hotel you're staying at. The tour departs one hour after the last pickup, so the earliest you'd leave your hotel is 6:00 am.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The walks are short and mostly on paved paths or established trails. The Poás Volcano walk is described as easily accessible. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, though it's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health due to the elevation changes and full-day pace.

What meals are included?

Breakfast is a buffet at Doka Estate before the coffee tour, and lunch is a buffet of typical Costa Rican food at La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Both are included in the tour price.