Situated among the mist-covered peaks of the Talamanca Mountains, Los Quetzales National Park was established on April 25th, 2006; but was officially opened on July 09th. This park is lying 47 southeast of San Jose, and you can easily reach this park from Manuel Antonio. From Jacó it’s about a two-hour trip. The entrance to the park is on Cerro de la Muerte, just before the turnoff for San Gerardo de Dota. Most of the park area is around the both side of the Savegre river that emerges in the Cerro de la Muerte and get connected to the Pacific Ocean close to the Manuel Antonio National Park, is  surrounded by natural rainforest, breathtaking waterfalls, and beautiful canyons.

This park includes not only rainforests but also cloud forests. There are a lot of trees including Oak, Cypress and Aguacatillo. Vibrantly colored, from the miniature to the gigantic, Los Quetzales flora is some of the most beautiful in the world. There are almost all kinds of tropical flower species and more than 500 kinds of orchids grow at this area. Many can be found growing wild on the trunks of giant trees.

There are many trails inside the Los Quetzales National Park. But if you are a birdwatcher and looking for a great bird-watching opportunity, Ojo de Agua and Camino a Providencia are ideal for you. Resplendent quetzals, eye-popping parrots, dazzling hummingbirds and wonderful toucans can be found in the Los Quetzales National Park. The quetzal is one of the most bright colored birds to be found anywhere, easily competing with toucans and peacocks.

The official entrance, located on the Cerro de la Muerte, the highest point in the Costa Rican section of the Inter-American Highway, at around Km 75, before the exit for San Gerardo de Dota. Though bird-watching and hiking are the most popular activities in the Los Quetzales National Park, the park does not have public facilities. But there are a lot of companies in San Gerardo de Dota which offer birding and hiking tours.