There are some travel experiences you picture perfectly in your head: sunshine, clear skies, dramatic views, and maybe a little triumphant pose at the summit. My recent family trip to the Irazú Volcano in Costa Rica was not any of those things, but it was absolutely unforgettable. After years of dreaming and a few false starts, it was finally time for my first volcano hike!
If you follow our journey here at lifetime-insight.com, you know that my wife, Nicole, and I share our life as a Swiss and Costa Rican couple. This September, we were lucky enough to be back in Nicole’s beautiful homeland for two weeks to visit her family. While we cherish the quiet family time, we also make sure to squeeze in some trips to get to know her country even better. This time, it was a proper family mission: we were heading to Irazú, the highest active volcano in Costa Rica, standing at 3,432 meters.
This trip meant a lot to me personally. Years ago, during a bigger trip to Central America, I visited a few countries famous for their volcanic peaks. Unfortunately, back then I was dealing with a recurring foot and leg injury, which meant I could only look at those magnificent peaks from afar. I never got to experience a volcano up close, and certainly not a hike. This time, I was healthy, ready, and determined to make this my official first volcano hike.
The Unexpected Start to Our Volcano Mission
The day started early. We were up at around 6:00 AM, practically buzzing with anticipation. We had packed our snacks, our boots were laced up, and we had secured the entry tickets the night before. All we were waiting for was our Uber. We deliberately chose not to drive our own car because the roads leading up to the volcano are notorious for being challenging, and honestly, none of us wanted to deal with that stress. We much prefer starting our adventure relaxed, ready to embrace the day. For those who love to plan every detail of their trips and life, you might enjoy reading about Why I Have My Whole Life in Notion, which is how I keep track of all our complex travel details!
We had booked tickets for the very first entry group, scheduled for exactly 8:00 AM. The drive to the volcano took a little over an hour, but to our pleasant surprise, there was no traffic jam at all. This meant we arrived well ahead of schedule, pulling up to the main entrance gate at about 7:20 AM. Our Uber driver dropped us off, and off he went.
And there we stood.
We were alone in front of a completely closed gate. The environment was beautiful but brutally cold. It was intensely foggy, freezing, and a strong, biting wind whipped around us. This was not the sunny, tropical Costa Rica I expected. Just a few minutes after our arrival, we witnessed a beautiful moment of nature: a couple of wild coyotes casually walked around nearby. It reminded us that we were truly in a wild, remote area.
A Lesson in Kindness and Bureaucracy
The freezing wait continued until another car finally pulled up. We were hopeful, thinking the park staff had finally arrived. No such luck. It was another early-bird visitor, a man from Spain who now lives in France. Luckily for us, he had his own rental car. He was a genuinely nice guy, and seeing us shivering, he immediately let us wait inside his warm car. It was such a generous act of kindness that saved us from freezing solid before the park even opened.
When the park staff finally arrived and opened the gate around 8:15 AM, we ran into our next hurdle: a ticket mix-up. We had assumed the 8:00 AM ticket meant we were part of an organized tour, but it turned out the ticket was just for general park entry. We were on our own to explore the volcano area.
But first, we needed to warm up! We went straight to the small shop and cafeteria. The lovely smell of fresh pastries and hot drinks was exactly what we needed. Nicole and her family ordered their coffee, but I opted for a hot, sweet, and warming Agua Dulce, a perfect local comfort drink. Nicole and her parents were so cold they even bought gloves to cover their fingers! My fingers were freezing too, but I stubbornly insisted on keeping my hands free to control my camera.
Black Sands and The Illusion of the Hike
When I pictured my first volcano hike, I imagined a grueling ascent. Instead, we discovered that the parking and entry area are actually on top of the volcano, and there isn’t much “hiking” involved, more walking along established paths around the craters.
The landscape was truly unique. We walked along the paths, taking in the black volcanic sand that stretched out like something from another world. Even with the persistent fog, the views over that dark, mysterious field were amazing. Unfortunately, the main crater was completely obscured by the fog. It was like looking down into a vast, white, empty void.
After walking around the accessible area, we retreated to the cafeteria once more, hoping the rain, which had started coming down, would pass.
Chasing the Summit Through the Fog
Even though the weather was worsening and the rain was getting heavier, Nicole and I decided we had to push for the highest point. We saw a path leading up to the true summit of the Irazú Volcano, and we weren’t going to quit just yet. We held onto the desperate hope that if we just climbed a few more minutes, we might pop out above the cloud line.
After just a few minutes of hiking in our now-soaking-wet clothes, it became too much for Nicole’s parents. They wisely turned around and headed back down. But for Nicole and me, the challenge had been set. We continued upward, determined to complete what felt like the proper my first volcano hike.
When we finally reached the very top, the weather hadn’t changed at all. It was actually worse. The fog was so thick that if I hadn’t known I was standing on a volcano, I would never have believed it. It was so windy and foggy, it was really not that nice.
And yet, despite the lack of a view, we were still laughing. We were together, drenched, and standing on top of the highest volcano in Costa Rica. It was a completely different kind of beauty, a rugged, intimate, and challenging one. It reminded me a lot of the initial cultural shock and adjustment Nicole went through when she moved to Switzerland, where the reality is often different from the expectation (You can read all about that experience in our post: Living as an Expat in Switzerland: An Interview with My Costa Rican Wife). Adjusting to the unexpected is part of the journey!
This was Irazú Volcano. It didn’t give us the sunny views we wanted, but it gave us a great story and a deeper appreciation for the chaotic beauty of nature. The photos and videos still turned out amazing, just in a moody, foggy way. Next time we meet Irazú, hopefully, we can actually see a little bit more. Until then, we’ll cherish the memory of our fog-drenched, freezing-cold, first volcano victory.
Did you enjoy this story about our travel moments in Costa Rica? We have many more stories about our intercultural life and how we adapt to challenging situations. If you sometimes struggle when things don’t go according to plan, you might find comfort in our reflections on Sunday Reset Ritual: The Mental Recharge That Keeps Us Going.
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