Savegre Valley

“Serene in early morning”

The Savegre Valley is the upper drainage of the Río Savegre above San Gerardo de Dota, a cloud forest environment at 2,200 metres that is recognised as one of the most reliable quetzal observation sites in the world outside protected reserves. The valley floor holds the wild avocado trees — Persea drymifolia — on which the quetzals feed, and during fruiting season from January to July the birds descend from the upper forest to these trees on a schedule that local guides know with precision. The Savegre Lodge and the adjacent private reserve have maintained the valley's forest intact for decades, creating a continuous habitat that extends from the valley floor into the cloud forest above. The river running through the valley is cold enough to support the introduced trout population that local lodges manage for fly fishing. The sounds of the valley at dawn — the quetzal's distinctive two-note call, the river over rocks, the wind in the cloud forest canopy — constitute a sensory environment that is very specific to this altitude and ecosystem.