Spread along both banks of the RÃo Savegre, Parque Nacional Los Quetzales covers 50 sq km of rainforest, cloud forest and premontane forest lying along the slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca. At an altitude of 2000m to 3000m, Los Quetzales is all jagged peaks and glacial lakes. True to the park's name, the beautiful quetzal is here (best spotted during the March to June nesting season), along with trogons, hummingbirds and sooty robins.
Two trails are open for birders and hikers – the 4km (round-trip) Ojo de Agua and the longer Sendero Zeledonia, which includes a 400m accessible paved section near the ranger station.
The entrance is just past Km 76 on the Interamericana. Any bus along this route can drop you off at the ranger station, though most people arrive in a private car or coach.