IRAZú VOLCANO, OROSI VALLEY & LANKESTER GARDENS
We take the Panamerican Highway South, to start ascending the large “Iztaru”. The winding road travels through fertile lands cultivated with all kinds of vegetables as we observe a lovely panoramic view. On the top of the Irazú volcano (1) you can observe the main craters and on a clear day both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans can be seen.
As we descend to the city of Cartago (2) we will stop at the Virgin of the Angels Basilica that according to religious custom is a peregrination site for many believers. After visiting the Basilica we will stop at Lankester Gardens, a University of Costa Rica Center for investigation that protects more than 800 species of orchids and bromeliads and countless species of other plants.
Internationally recognized for its noteworthy collections of epiphytes, the Lankester Botanical Garden was established in 1973 as a center for the exhibition, conservation and research of tropical epiphytic plants, with a special interest in orchids. On 11 hectares , the field collections, collections in greenhouses and secondary forests host over 3,000 species of plants.
The plant collections in conservatories come from botanical expeditions, donations, and exchanges with botanical institutions throughout the world. Most of the plants with reliable data as to origin have been collected and the associated information is added to the inventory and a database. They are also used as a basis for creating other reference collections such as flowers in liquid, dehydrated tissue for genetic material analysis, seeds, pollinaria, and other uses. The plant collections cultivated in conservatories are an essential resource for the Garden's researchers and researchers from other institutions that work on joint projects. They also provide useful material for public display and other educational purposes.
We will continue on to the Valley of Orosi where creation overflows in unparallel beauty. We will be able to visit one of the few remaining colonial churches and we will stop for lunch in one of the local restaurants.
During our tour we will be able to observe La Casa Del Soñador an example of Costa Rican primitive art.
