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bubbling hot mud

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The drive to Ricon dela Vieja was fairly uneventful apart from arriving at the ranger station La Pailas to discover that they have closed their camping area for good.  Luckily there was a lodge 3km away that had a camping area -at $5 pp/pn was un poco expensive, but we did have a pool and bar to use.  A really nice place with lovely views and may birds to look at. 

On our first day we went  on a circular walk from the las pailas ranger station that went past fumaroles, bubbling mud pools and a vlocanito and also through a nice forest.  we saw a troop of white faced monkeys playing in the trees.  A really nice walk - and topped off by there being a lovely water hole just 10 minutes from the ranger station to cool off in - nice and deep for diving and jumping and rapids to play in.  we spent three hours here.

Cooling off after hard days walking

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After a surprisingly comfortable and not too hot night in the tent we got up early to do "possibly the best walk in Costa Rica" - according to the rough guide.  One  guide book we looked at said not to attempt this walk without a guide - this is rubbish. the paths were well marked and although steep the walk was easy to complete in a day, with time for a dipin the water hole atthe end.  Although I can see how you might get lost if the top was in cloud.  We walked through rain forest for about three hours (all steadily uphill but not steep) and then emerged into a volcanic landscape of barren rock.  a steep climb up to the vocano's active crater rewarded us with views of lago nicaragua on one side and the pacific ocean on the other.  In the crater itself there was a hot lake and sulfurous vents.  There were two ways up to the crater, both steep, but the shorter one involved some ropes -so take your pick.  you return tothe ranger station along the same path through the forest - this bit was a little tedious and very hot.  The walk took about 4 hours up and 3 hours down.