Cartago’s gorgeous Lankester Botanical Gardens

Posted February 3, 2023

There are certain weekends where we want to do something different and interesting with the family, but it’s impossible to figure out where to go so that it is not too far away and not too expensive. If you and your family like nature, photography and spending some quality time at a beautiful location; this one is for you!

The Lankester Botanical Gardens is located near ‘Paraiso’ in Cartago and it is one of the most scenic and stunning locations you will ever visit! This isn’t like any garden you have ever seen, so we promise this will amaze you and your entire family!

: Lankester Botanical, Cartago

: Lankester Botanical Gardens Costa Rica

: Lake house in Lankester Botanical Gardens, Cartago

The creation of these botanical gardens dates back all the way back to the 40’s when the founder, Charles H. Lankester, started to study in depth Costa Rica’s epiphytic plants. The actual garden wasn’t established until 1973 after many efforts from various institutions, making this one of the most active and important botanical institutions of the Neotropics.

The Lankester garden is an 11-hectare area that is dedicated to the exhibition and conservation on epiphytic plants and orchids. In case you were wondering, epiphytic plants are plants that grow harmlessly upon another plant. An amazing fact is that this garden is home to over 15,000 different species of orchids.

Whether you enjoy taking scenic pictures, admiring beautiful architecture, visiting places with different cultural backgrounds, or you just simply love to connect with nature; we guarantee you will absolutely love the Lankester Botanical Gardens! It is the perfect for the whole family to visit and get some quality-time without having to recur to the same weekend spots.

Make a day out of it! Get some outdoor time by waking up early and making you way to Cartago. On the way there you can stop for a delicious breakfast at a near-by typical restaurant. Once at the Lankester Gardens, you can walk around the many areas of the botanical gardens, learn about the amazing collection of orchids and plants, take a bunch of pictures and even picnic near the lake. Once everyone is ready, you can head down and make a quick stop for the afternoon coffee and snack!

If you want to visit the Lankester Botanical Gardens, Solid Car Rental has an office in the city of San Jose. Which is less than 1 hour away. For more information or directions do not forget to consult agent at the counter. You can also check our GPS rental service which will help you along the way.