Spotlight: San Gerardo de Dota
The entrance to San Gerardo de Dota is completely unassuming. It’s one of those turnoffs where, if you blink, you might miss it. But trust us, you don’t want to. Just a couple of hours' drive from San José, down a winding path (which could barely be called a road) off the Interamerican Highway, lies one of Costa Rica’s best-kept secrets. San Gerardo de Dota is not flashy, nor loud. Just a small family farm turned town in the depths of a ravine, and that’s precisely its charm.
Located at over 2.200 meters above sea level, this misty valley is all cool mountain air, clouds, rainforest, rushing rivers, and so much more. It’s the kind of place where time slows down and an internet connection feels so much less important. The Rio Savegre runs through the heart of the valley, offering trout fishing, riverside hikes, and icy cold waters for the bravest. Birders, who are the real regulars here, for one magnificent reason: the elusive Quetzal.
This forest is one of the best spots in the country to see the Quetzal in the wild. Local guides can help you spot one (or several), along with trogons, tanagers, and hummingbirds flitting through the cloud forest canopy.
But San Gerardo isn’t just for the binocular crowd. It’s perfect for anyone craving nature minus the crowds. You can hike to remote waterfalls, sip locally grown coffee at a family-owned lodge, or simply sit close to a fire-pit wrapped in a blanket as the fog rolls through the trees.
There are no mega-resorts here - only cozy mountain cabins, rustic lodges, and hosts who’ll probably remember your name. The food is hearty and local (lots of trout, locally sourced ingredients, and homemade bread), and the place is all about peace.
If you’re lucky, you’ll get some sunny mornings and wake up to the call of birds. If not, you’ll still wake up surrounded by one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful, well-kept landscapes.
Go ahead, slow down, take the detour. San Gerardo might not be on everyone’s itinerary, but that’s the reason why it should be in yours.
