Resplendent Quetzal at Alajuela

Alajuela, the province and city just northwest of San José that serves as Costa Rica's main international gateway, sits in the Central Valley beneath the slopes of Poás Volcano, and it's here that the Resplendent Quetzal shares the surrounding forest with species such as Black Guan, Sooty species, and the endemic Poás Volcano Hummingbird. Photographers joining NaturesLens' Essential Costa Rican Wildlife holiday typically encounter this famous quetzal in December. Given Alajuela's position as the gateway to the country, it offers a fitting first opportunity to train your lens on this iconic bird before venturing further afield.