Termales Hacienda Orosi

What to expect

Hacienda Orosi is a family business on a hillside above the Orosi valley in Cartago province, about 38 km (24 miles) southeast of central San José. It combines thermal pools with a small farm, coffee-country trails and a restaurant. It is one of the closest thermal pools to the Central Valley, so it works as a day trip from San José.

There are seven pools of thermal mineral water, and the hacienda puts them between 93 and 102°F34 and 39°C. That is a comfortable range: warm enough to feel on a cool, misty valley afternoon, but not so hot that you have to keep climbing out. The pools look out over the valley toward Cerro Barba de Viejo, and on clear days you can see the Irazú and Turrialba volcanoes.

The water rises naturally. The hacienda calls it thermal mineral water, and a January 2026 Teletica feature describes it as geothermal rather than volcanic in origin. The hacienda also makes a line of skin-care products from it, which it sells on site. Thermal mud is available as an optional body scrub.

Beyond the pools, the ticket includes:

• La Granja, the hacienda farm, with cows, oxen, horses, donkeys, peacocks, pheasants, ducks, geese, sheep, goats, pigs and rabbits.
• Coffee Tour Adventure, a hiking trail through the hills with giant sculptures, including a coffee basket, a traditional chorreador coffee filter and a cup, which are popular photo stops.
• Bird-watching around three lakes. More than 225 bird species have been recorded in the Orosi valley.

Getting there

The hacienda is at Río Macho, on the far side of the Orosi valley from Paraíso. Its address is 800 m southeast of the Río Macho hydroelectric station, on the road to Tapantí National Park.

• From San José: take the highway east to Cartago, continue to Paraíso, then take the road that drops into the Orosi valley. Drive through Orosi town and on to Río Macho, then follow the road toward Tapantí for the last stretch. It is about 38 km (24 miles) in total. Traffic around Cartago can be slow, so allow 1 to 1.5 hours.
• From the Caribbean or Turrialba: come in via Cachí and the south side of the valley.

The valley roads are paved but narrow and winding, and the drive in from Paraíso has wide views over the valley. Parking is included with the pass.

Do not confuse the hacienda with the older thermal pools in Orosi town itself, a separate business closer to the church.

When to go

The thermal pools are open every day from 9am to 9pm. The restaurant keeps the same hours, the farm opens 8am to 5pm and the Coffee Tour Adventure trail 8am to 3pm.

• Day pass (9am to 5pm): best if you want to walk the trail and see the farm properly.
• Night pass (2pm to 9pm): gives you the afternoon and evening in the pools, with only a short window (2pm to 4:30pm) for the farm and trail.

The Orosi valley is wet and often cloudy, especially in the afternoons from May to November. Mornings in the December to April dry season give the best chance of volcano views. Expect more people at weekends, when San José families drive out.

Prices and booking

Hacienda Orosi sells tickets on its website for a specific date, in Costa Rican colones (₡), with tax included. In 2026 both the day pass and the night pass cost:

Ticket	Price
Adults	₡30,000
Children 6 to 11	₡22,000
Children 3 to 5	₡5,500
Under 2	Free

Both passes include the pools, parking, Wi-Fi, one locker and one towel, thermal mud, the farm and the Coffee Tour Adventure trail. Tickets are not refundable, but an optional flexible add-on (18% extra) lets you change or cancel up to the day before. Separate cheaper tickets cover the farm only (from ₡4,500) or the farm and trail (from ₡9,000) without the pools.

For questions, the hacienda answers on +506 2203 2265 and on WhatsApp at +506 8562 8165.

Where to stay nearby

• Coffee Pickers Village is the hacienda’s own lodging: villas for 4 or 6 people among the coffee plants, with kitchens, TV and internet, plus access to the restaurant and pools.
• Orosi town, a few kilometres away, has small lodges and guesthouses and the colonial church.
• Cartago and Paraíso have more hotels, and San José is close enough for a day trip.

Safety notes

• Heat: the pools are warm rather than very hot, but long soaks still dehydrate you. Drink water.
• Mud: keep the thermal mud away from your eyes and rinse off fully.
• Trails: the Coffee Tour Adventure is a real hill walk. Wear proper shoes, not flip-flops, and carry rain gear in the wet season.
• Roads: valley roads are narrow, with sharp bends and fog in the afternoons. Drive slowly, especially after dark on the night pass.

Nearby stops worth adding

The colonial church in Orosi town, built in 1743, is a national monument and worth a stop on the way in. Tapantí National Park, up the road past the hacienda, has rainforest trails and is good for birding. The Ujarrás ruins sit beside Lake Cachí, and Irazú Volcano National Park is a classic morning trip from Cartago. If you are heading north to Arenal, see Tabacón and Baldi for hot river and big-resort soaks.