3-6 January 2019

San Gerardo is located in the Talamanca mountain range, south of Cerro de la Muerte (literally : mountain of death), named after the peasants who froze to death while transporting their crops to San José. This small village is famous for its birdwatching in this mountainous region and more particularly the resplendent Quetzal, on the edge of Los Quetzales National Park. Located at an altitude of 2000 to 3000 meters, the park is crisscrossed by streams and lakes and offers numerous hiking opportunities.

We stayed at the Savegre Hotel located in a huge private nature reserve that connects with national parks. This accomodation is comfortable but expensive. As is often the case in Costa Rica, here you pay the price for the incredible beauty of the site and the well-maintained hiking trails.

The crowds in this huge hotel are scary on arrival, but once on the trails, a real paradise awaits you; the forests are very old, the peace is guaranteed and the bird watching unforgettable ! In addition to the mythical Quetzal, you can discover a multitude of species in very good conditions that you will find it difficult to observe elsewhere.

The surroundings of the Savegre River are also remarkable. The landscape is unique and typical species of this environment such as the American Dipper are present.

This place is more than recommended for its magic forests. Moreover, the cool nights and temperate days offer a break from the tropical torpor.

The only downside is that, apart from the large number of ordinary tourists, the rather friendly employees are not treated very well at the Savegre Hotel.

The other visited regions:

 -Arenal Volcano and Heliconias Rainforest Lodge (Red-eyed treefrog and other tropical beauties)

- Palo Verde National Park and Rancho Humo (Pacific coast dry forests and swamp)

- Tarcoles river and Carara National Park (American crocodile)

- Osa peninsula, Punta Marenco (dream beaches)

- Osa peninsula, La Tarde (our favorite place! Sloth and snakes)

- El Copal biological reserve (Lots of Tangaras and very big Terciopelo)

- Cahuita National Park (tropical beaches, racoons and poison frogs)

- Selva Bananito (snakes portraits and few nice birds)

- Tortuguero National Park (little Amazonia)

- La Selva (biological station with an intense natural wealth)