Parque National Los Quetzales
Parque National Los Quetzales
Parque National Los Quetzales
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Duration: 2-3 hours
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4.0
141 reviews
Excellent
73
Very good
31
Average
19
Poor
12
Terrible
6
j-and-i-inGermany
Mainz, Germany91 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Although four of our guidebooks had little or nothing positive to say about Quetzales National Park, we stopped at the entrance to the park and asked about the trails. The friendly and helpful park ranger told us that there is a 500-meter surfaced path and a 2-kilometer "natural" trail. She also added that currently no fee is charged for using the park.
We had recently had our fill of muddy, slippery trails, and we opted for the surfaced path. It was wonderful: the vegetation is very very beautiful and at over 3500 meters very different from that in parks and reserves at lower elevations. The path is wonderfully designed and constructed and makes it easy to take in the wide range of flora. It was midday, we did not have a guide, and, as we had expected, we did not see much in the way of birds or mammals.
We recommend that anyone passing by the entrance to the park (on the Interamericana) consider stopping at least long enough to walk the beautiful, short, surfaced trail..
We had recently had our fill of muddy, slippery trails, and we opted for the surfaced path. It was wonderful: the vegetation is very very beautiful and at over 3500 meters very different from that in parks and reserves at lower elevations. The path is wonderfully designed and constructed and makes it easy to take in the wide range of flora. It was midday, we did not have a guide, and, as we had expected, we did not see much in the way of birds or mammals.
We recommend that anyone passing by the entrance to the park (on the Interamericana) consider stopping at least long enough to walk the beautiful, short, surfaced trail..
Written 23 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michaël van Kuilenburg
Nieuwegein, The Netherlands61 contributions
Mar 2024 • Friends
Early start in de morning with the guide called Michael ( like me) so it couldn't go wrong. And he was a briljant guide with an excellent eye. A lot of people with ther own guides were trying to see the quatzal. Our guide was the first to spot this wobderful bird and he took pictures through his spotting scope: beautful.
Thank you Michael.
Thank you Michael.
Written 12 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Meli Burgos
San Jose, Costa Rica375 contributions
July 2020
I probably went there on the worst day possible because it was pouring rain so I did not get to see too many birds. They have 2 trails one is paved and easy to walk, the other one not so much. Again, it was raining so much that on the second trail we thought about turning back multiple times because it was almost impossible to walk through it. I do love green open spaces so I finished the second trail. Overall it ws a good hike :)
Written 2 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Texasholdems
Ohio17 contributions
Jan 2022
The short, paved trail by parking lot is OK for a short walk (stretch your legs), but it's only 0.3 miles long, so hardly worth the stop or the $40 ($10 x 4 of us) for a 10 min walk. With that said, we did see 10 species of birds at 10 AM, although we saw 16 species at Restaurante La Georgina down the road, and got lunch + coffee for $5/each. If you're already in that area, and want to pay $10 each for a short walk, go for it (and consider it a donation to future park improvement). The parking lot was a safe place to leave your car.
The negative part of my review is mainly reserved for the one other trail, a 1.5 mile straight dirt path through second growth mostly hidden behind bamboo-lined trail. The trail had little visual interest, and we saw no birds (which is challenging since we saw 305 species elsewhere during our 2-week Costa Rica trip). I'll leave some pictures to give you an idea. It was not worth the time to "hike" this dirt path to nowhere (although perhaps fine if nothing else to do and trying to get your 10,000 steps). It would be nice if the the trail was a loop and passed through sections of trees not overgrown with brush/bamboo.
The negative part of my review is mainly reserved for the one other trail, a 1.5 mile straight dirt path through second growth mostly hidden behind bamboo-lined trail. The trail had little visual interest, and we saw no birds (which is challenging since we saw 305 species elsewhere during our 2-week Costa Rica trip). I'll leave some pictures to give you an idea. It was not worth the time to "hike" this dirt path to nowhere (although perhaps fine if nothing else to do and trying to get your 10,000 steps). It would be nice if the the trail was a loop and passed through sections of trees not overgrown with brush/bamboo.
Written 18 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laura G
53 contributions
Dec 2020 • Couples
Firstly the most important:
The region 'Los Quetzales Nationalpark' is definately worth a visit!! Just not the "official park".
We are not the most critical travellers! But the official Nationalpark Los Quetzales really had hardly anything to offer. Two short trails with nothing special to see.. one with a 15 minutes walk.. the other approx 45 minutes. Enterance 12$ per person.
However we really recommend the valley San Gerardo de Dota!
You have very nice trails starting from the Savegre Hotel ($10 per person). The trails are between 1hr and 4hrs. A very nice jungle, you walk past/by rivers, have two view points and on the big route an old and huge Oak tree.Â
Also further on in the valley you find a trail that leads to two waterfalls (you can find them on the app "maps me").
We can also recomend the 20min walk starting from the Unicorne Lodge (google finds it) that leads along a nice river and ends at a very nice waterfall.
Also we highly recommend to book a morning Quetzal observation tour. We stayed at the Unicorne lodge and as they plant trees that the birds feed on we were able to see MANY of them between 5.30 am and 7.30 am! It is their main feeding time of the day.
We can recommend a guide, as he will bring binoculares and many interesting information.
So; yes..! Come and see the region of Los Quetzales Nationalpark.. but not the official park enterance :-)
Written 14 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ticogringoteam
Heredia13 contributions
July 2021
We went there yesterday the ''universal trail'' is super short less than 0,3 mile, 1 ranger was very nice the other 2 just rude unhappy dudes. The other trail we didn't walk but is 1,2 miles. I don't imagine a foreigner paying (what the crazy costarican gov charge them) for that lame experience. stay away and go to San Gerardo. You can pay to walk the nice trails of the Savegre lodge (same forest) and their parking lot is full of freaking quetzals.
Written 4 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anna B
Devizes40 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
The National park by the ranger station is not where you will see birds in the San Gerado de Dota area. We stayed down in the valley at the Dantica and saw far more birds than at the official national park. The entry is 10$ plus tax to walk 2 short there and back trails with very little in the way of wildlife and absolutely zero views of the park itself. Save your money and walk the trails of the Dantica or Savegre. Undoubtedly the most disappointing national park we visited in Costa Rica, in every way.
Written 11 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
vpexplores1
Oxford, UK126 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
Anyone can enjoy the scenery, but the altitude may cause some shortness of breath. There are plenty of birds, but without a guide you are likely to miss most of them. We were fortunate to be shown birds by Raul from the La Sevegre and discovered people without a local guide missed seeing the quetzals. He can be contacted through the hotel and was able to assist by taking photos on our phones through his scope.
Written 19 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Eric S J
Singapore, Singapore54 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
Others have accurately described the main 1.6-km-out (and the same back) trail, Ojo de Agua, as fairly disappointing. But if you ignore Ojo's "end of trail" sign and keep going (on a trail marked on AllTrails as "access restricted"), you can go another 2.2 km until Ojo meets the gravel road to Providencia, which you can then walk 4.8km (~400m vertical) back up to the trailhead. The second half of the walk out is slightly rougher, but better, especially the last fifth. And the gravel road walk ain't half bad; on the road today we encountered six vehicles going down and three going up and all waved. (One in both directions was a green jeep we suspect of being a sort of local bus between Providencia and Chesperito's 1, the truck stop across Hwy 2 from the trail entrance ... I bet it'd stop for you if you wanted it to.)
Some sources have described a trail heading over from Ojo to San Gerardo de Dota. We looked hard for that trail today and couldn't find a trace of it (in addition to having been told by the ranger at the park entrance that it doesn't exist).
Some sources have described a trail heading over from Ojo to San Gerardo de Dota. We looked hard for that trail today and couldn't find a trace of it (in addition to having been told by the ranger at the park entrance that it doesn't exist).
Written 2 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
_r_staveren
Heenvliet, The Netherlands34 contributions
Feb 2020
Thanks to our guide Michael Granados Romero we had an amazing day at parque national Los Quetzales. He brought us to a private property where we had the luck to spot and photograph several Quetzales (male & female). Definitely book Michael Granados Romero as your private guide instead of booking a trip with the hotel. It is worth your money (not even much more expensive).
Written 19 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Como esta el estado de la carretera para llegar al Parque Nacional?
Written 17 September 2020
Do you have a suggestion for a guide and how to get in touch with him/her?
Written 20 February 2019
You can arrange a guide directly through the park. Our guide was Michael but I imagine they are all good. They do work together when looking for a quetzal.
Written 21 February 2019
Hello,
Does any one recommend a specific tour company for someone not staying in San Gerardo?
Thank you,
Cris
Written 9 October 2018
Hi! Would you mind sharing where and how you booked the guide for your trip? I am heading there next week - and even though it isn't the mating season anymore, I'm hoping to try to see a Quetzal while I am there.
Written 3 August 2018
Our trip was through Overseas Adventure tours
Written 12 April 2019
Hi Karen...did you find a guide to take you around Los Quetzales park in Costa Rica? Also, what time did you hike? We are coming down from the airport in SJ and will be near the park around 1pm, but I am not sure if that is too late to see anything?
Thanks,
Laura
Written 16 July 2018
1.00PM is quite too late, you need at least a full day, and you have to take car about the traffic, the trans-american route is full of trucks and very often, not possible to ride more than 30 km/hours, it doubles the ride time.
Best is to stop 2 nights, and ask for a local guide at the hotel you arrive, then hike the other day and leave after the second night.
Written 16 July 2018
Pueden recomendarme algún guÃa (tour guiado ) para visitar el parque ?
Written 15 October 2017
Es tipo caminata en un sendero, no hay guia.En estos dias para ir tenes que averiguar si hay paso a ese lugar por la tormenta.
Written 16 October 2017
Avant d'arriver à San Gerardo, on traverse un petit pont métallique. Le rendez-vous a lieu 200m plus bas sur la route. On observe les oiseaux de la route
Written 13 February 2017
Were you actually in the Park or on the Rd. to San Gerardo or to La Provedencia? Google has the Park covering the whole of the Los Santos Forestry Reserve from Cerro de al Muerte to Santa Maria about 10 times the actual area of the Park so it is hard to know from the many reports if they were actually in the Park or in the area Google has.
Written 6 January 2017
We were at Trogon Lodge, on the road to San Gerardo de Dota, a steep 30 minute drive down from the top of the Inter-American Highway. So, within the park, but on the "strip" with all the hotels (which means one hotel each half kilometer), but not in the backpacking areas or more rustic areas.
Written 7 January 2017
We would like a bilingual guided tour of the park on 2/11/17 for two. How much is the cost? When and where do we meet? We will be at Savegre Hotel.
Written 20 July 2016
Speak to the people at Savegre; I'm sure they can arrange it for you.
Written 21 July 2016
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