CATIE Botanical Garden (Information Source CATIE Website. Tours, Hours, or Prices may change.)
The CATIE Botanical Garden, located 1km from Turrialba, maintains nearly 4,400 genetic samples that represent more than 280 species from all over the world. Here you can taste, smell and touch and incredible variety of tropical fruits. Undoubtedly 45 hectare Botanical Garden that offer visitors an unforgettable stay.
All the species conserved in the CATIE Botanical Garden serve to enrich genetic diversity, so that scientists, students and the public in general will be made more aware and encouraged to protect so many natural resource.
Tours of the CATIE Botanical Garden
1.Garden the Bio diversity Tours: Approximately 2 hours
Walk through this tranquil setting surrounded by the songs of the birds, the whisper of the gigantic Guanacaste trees and the imposing hundred-year-old ceiba, which is the kapok or silk-cotton tree. Here your will find species ranging from diminutive parasite plants and orchids to robust stands of bamboo. Get your camera ready to capture the multicolor palette of colors: bougainvilleas, heliconias, gingers and many more tropical beauties.
2. Collections: Approximately 2 hours
In the collection of exotic trees we invite you to discover a tropical habitat displaying more than 95 species of native and exotic timber, medicinal, ornamental and fruit trees. In the cacao collection learn about the huge variety of forms, sizes and colors of cacao fruit.
In the coffee collection you can admire 10 hectares (24.7 acres) of plants that come from Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala and others countries in America, Africa and the Asian tropics.
3. CATIE Campus Tour: Approximately 1 hours
Visit the main building and discover the history and mission of the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) as well as something about its work that has earned international recognition for excellence.
One of the most wonderful sites on campus is the lake. Here you can easily observe some of the more than 200 species of birds documented here, particularly water birds.
4.Combination of Tours: Approximately 2 - 5 hours
You can combine tours and components of larger tours to create a custom tour.
1. Garden of Biodiversity, collections, approximately 3 to 4 hours
2. Garden of Biodiversity, campus, approximately 2.5 to 3,5 hours
3. Collections, campus, approximately 2.5 to 3,5 hours
4. Complete tour, approximately 5 to 6 hours
