Rincon de la Vieja Volcano

Rincon de la Vieja National Park is an impressive park surrounding two volcanoes, 25 kms northeast of Liberia, Guanacaste. The park ´s 14,090 hectares have been split into two sections, Las Pailas and Santa Maria. Las Pailas includes the volcano Rincon de la Vieja, complete with fumaroles, mud pots and steam vents, plus a number of waterfalls.
 
Rincon de la Vieja is a massive 600,000 year-old geological wonder with at least nine volcanic cones. The rim of the most active crater is 1,806 meters feet high with near-vertical sides denuded of vegetation. No less than 32 rivers flow down the mighty volcano that bridges the Continental Divide, and its activity once served as a lighthouse for ships at sea.
 
Rincon diverse´s ecosystem offer a variety of flora. Its high forested slopes feature gnarled, dwarfed trees in moss mats that provide the arboreal base for orchids and epiphytes. It hosts a large population of Costa Rica ´s natural flower, the guaria morada orchidm and in the center of the brushwood is an immense 800-year-old ceiba tree - the start of one of several canopy tours. Rincon de la Vieja is home to 300 bird species including crested guan, blue-crowned motomot and emeral toucanet, as well as a variety mammals such as collared peccariesm agoutis, ninbanded armadillos and several species of monkeys.