Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Travelers who wish to do extensive hiking in the area are advised to collect maps before
they arrive.
Sleeping & Eating
Note that many of the lodges offer dinner with their accommodation and have access to
Parque Nacional Los Quetzales.
Ranchos la Isla & Restaurante Los Lagos
CAMPGROUND
( 2740-1009, 2740-1038; campsites per person US$5; )
If you're heading to Chirripó and are geared up for a little bit of camping, this attractive
property offers a handful of campsites on metal-roofed platforms alongside a small river.
The accommodating Chinchilla families go all out to make sure their guests are entertained
by guiding hikes to nearby waterfalls in the hope of spotting the elusive quetzal.
If you're looking for a hot meal, the on-site restaurant is a modest affair serving up
wholesome, country-style
casados
(US$6 to US$10).
Cabinas El Quetzal
CABINA
( 2740-1036;
www.cabinaselquetzal.com
; per person incl 3 meals US$69; )
This simple cluster of four family-run
cabinas
(cabins) has an elegantly homespun feel.
The included meals are lovingly prepared - naturally, fresh trout is on offer. The rooms are
simple and without frills (tile floors, small sitting areas, no TVs), but they're clean, com-
fortable and stocked with a pile of blankets in the likely event of a chilly night.
Some
cabinas
come with a wood-burning stove. There's a small playground and tons of
space for little ones to run around, and the riverside setting is a tranquil perch from which
to take in the fresh air.
Dantica Cloud Forest Lodge
LODGE
( 2740-1067;
www.dantica.com
; r/ste incl breakfast from US$189/217; )
Definitely the most elegant place in San Gerardo, if not the whole southern zone, this up-
scale lodge consists of lovely stucco bungalows with colorful Colombian architectural ac-
cents. The modern comforts - leather sofas, plasma TVs, Jacuzzis and track lighting - are
nice, but the stunning vistas over the cloud forest steal the scene.
