Costa Rica » San Gerardo Cloudforest Guide

Despite its proximity to San Jose, San Gerardo remains possibly the least disturbed region of cloudforest in the country.

Here deserted forest trails wind through trees laden with bromeliads, ferns and orchids. The only sounds come from the babbling mountain streams and the abundant birdlife.

San Gerardo is home to over 170 bird species and is the best place in Costa Rica to catch a glimpse of the iridescent plumage of the Resplendent Quetzal, considered to be one of the most beautiful birds in the world.

Other common sights include humming birds, colourful butterflies and exotic frogs. Nestled in the Savgre River valley, San Gerardo is also rife with peach, plum and apple orchards, which form the small community’s main livelihood.

From San Jose, the road to San Gerardo curls through the Cordillera de Talamanca mountain range, passing over the Cerro de la Muerte. At 3,491m this is the second highest point in Costa Rica and its paramos vegetation is similar to that found in the Andes, with grassy swamps punctuated by thick shrubs.