Los Quetzales National Park Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Los Quetzales National Park (Parque Nacional Los Quetzales) is a mountainous rainforest southeast of San José, the capital of Costa Rica. It is a large, remote wilderness that is popular among naturalists and bird watchers who come to the park to see a large population of the reclusive resplendant quetzal, a majestic colorful bird with green and red plumage and remarkably long tail feathers who thrive in the rainforests of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula.

It is a large national park covering an area of more than 5,000 hectares (12,000 acres) and it is surrounded by a far larger protected area called the Los Santos Forest Reserve. Los Quetzals was established in 2006 by carving out part of the Los Santos Forest Reserve. The park also borders the Tapanti National Park.

The park protects an area of the Savegre River which flows down the Cerro de la Muerte through the Valle de San Gerardo de Dota.

Mountainous with dense forest. There are numerous streams feeding into the nearby Rio Savegra.

Bird watchers come to see the bright green and red quetzals, but there are more than 200 other kinds of birds that make their homes in the lush rainforest, including trogons, hummingbirds, tanagers and a host of other highland species.

Fog and rain are common in the rainforest though periods of somewhat dry overcast conditions are what most people experience. Bring a coat because the park's elevation makes temperatures a relatively cool mid-50s to low 80s F. The average rainfall is 79 to 118 inches annually.

Map of Los Quetzales National Park

The northeast edge of the park is highway 2, Carretera Interamericana Sur, which is part of the Pan-American Highway. From anywhere in the Greater San José Metropolitan Area, head to Cartago on the east side of San Jose and continue south on highway 2 toward Pérez Zeledón. The park is 59 km south of Cartago and will take about 1-1/2 hours to drive. The park road is on your right.

The park allows only 100 visitors to enter the park at a time. Arrive early to avoid having to wait in line.

• Entrance fee: US$10
• Hours: Daily, 8am - 4pm
• Official park web site

Bring good hiking boots because you'll be walking. There are two main trails: one is a short paved route that is an easy walk, the other is a 4 Km dirt trail that is well cleared but is a bit more demanding and can be slippery when it rains (and it's a rainforest, so expect it to rain every day).

• Spectacular nature

• Hike
• Birdwatch

There is no store at the park.

• 9.616795-83.819131 Chesperitos, Carr. Interamericana Sur (across the highway from the park entrance), ☏ +506 2206 4854. Daily 5am - 9pm. Popular stop for travelers driving from San Jose towards Panama and very convenient for visitors to Los Quetzals. Known for their buffet breakfasts and hot chocolate or coffee. (updated Mar 2024)

There is no place to buy drinks in the park. Bring a reusable water bottle. You probably won't stay more than a couple hours, so one liter per person should suffice.

There are no places to sleep inside the park boundaries, but eco-lodges, cabins, and rustic campgrounds are available close to the park boundaries. Lodging is available nearby in San Gerardo de Dota, usually several kilometers off the main road on very twisty, narrow, but highly scenic mountain roads.

• 9.57904-83.8004411 Trogon Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, ☏ +50622938181. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Comfortable lodge with clean rooms and friendly service. On-site restaurant with WiFi available. US$135. 

• Dress appropriately: long pants and long-sleeve shirts can protect you from mosquitos and other insects as well as from other animal risks, a hat and raincoat are likely to be needed
• Watch where you walk or put your hands: The rainforests are home to a number of venomous snake species as well as poisonous frogs (who secrete toxins through their skin)

• Cartago
• Tapantí National Park
• Chirripo National Park