hiking· Hiking· Misty· quiet
Laguna Botos
A beautiful crater lake located inside Poás Volcano National Park
4.5(2 reviews)
Poás Volcano NP
134 saved
A beautiful crater lake located inside Poás Volcano National Park
Laguna Botos is a serene crater lake cradled within an extinct volcanic crater, situated 1 km south of Poás Volcano's active summit and accessible via well-maintained trails through misty cloud forest. Its jewel-toned emerald waters stand in striking contrast to the sulfurous yellow lakes found elsewhere in the park, offering a cooler, fresher alpine experience at 2,700 meters elevation. The lake is best visited in early morning hours when mist clings to the forest canopy and wildlife activity peaks, or during the drier months (December-April) for clearer views. The surrounding ecosystem hosts endemic birds and forest flora adapted to perpetual cloud cover, making it a rewarding destination for those seeking Costa Rica's volcanic landscape without the mineral-laden waters of more famous crater lakes.
Hike well-maintained trails through misty cloud forest to reach an emerald crater lake fed by rainfall, situated 1 km south of Poás Volcano's active summit at 2,700 meters elevation. The lake's cool, freshwater alpine environment (around 10–14°C) contrasts sharply with the sulfurous yellow lakes elsewhere in the park; visit in early morning when mist clings to the canopy and wildlife activity peaks, or during December–April for clearer visibility.
Best Time to Visit
Visit December through April for the clearest crater views and driest conditions, arriving by 7:00am before clouds roll in by mid-morning; May through November offers lush, misty scenery with fewer crowds but unpredictable visibility—aim for early morning after overnight rain clears. The lagoon itself remains accessible year-round, but afternoon cloud cover is consistent regardless of season, making dawn visits essential for photography and visibility.
What Changes Through The Year
Dry Season (Dec–Apr)
December–April offers clearer views of the lake and surrounding cloud forest landscape.
What to Bring
Safety Considerations
Who This Is For
“The park gates open at 8:00 AM, but afternoon cloud cover typically obscures Laguna Botos by 11:00 AM—arriving within the first 30 minutes of opening provides the clearest views of the emerald waters before mist rolls in.”
Elena R.
March 2025
This is what the Poás crater often isn't — reliably open and staggeringly beautiful. The cloud forest around the lake is ancient and silent. Went at 7am and saw a resplendent quetzal.
Marcus W.
January 2025
The páramo ecosystem here is unique — nowhere else in Costa Rica looks like this. Bring good waterproofs, it can rain suddenly at any time.
Share what this place felt like. Every perspective helps someone find their way here.
Hidden Gems
Impossibly blue river deep in Tenorio Volcano
Waterfalls
A dramatic 70-metre waterfall, tropical rainforest, wildlife, and swimming
Viewpoints
A famous and accessible active volcano
Viewpoints
One of the most dramatic and iconic highland regions
Camping
The most biologically intense place on Earth — no services, no shade, no compromise
Living traditions near this place
♨️ Thermal Culture
Volcanic heat meets river current in the most accessible thermal zone
🪶 Indigenous Cultures
The last speakers of Maleku weave language into palm fiber
🏺 Slow Craft
The world's most ornate wheel, still painted by hand in the same workshops
🏔️ Mountain Foodways
The food that built the highlands