5 things to see at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is a majestic, ancient forest draped in green moss, hanging vines, bromeliads and blooming flowers hidden in the mountains along the continental divide. Trade winds blow from the wet Caribbean region bringing clouds over the mountains into the forest canopy. Like a dense fog, the clouds penetrate the forest collecting on leaves, mushrooms and thick, fuzzy moss. A green shag carpet of moss wraps around the tree trunks, drapes over the roots. Animals burrow in holes between the roots, seeking protection from the elements. Above, birds sing in the forest canopy.
read more closeA network of trails weaves through the misty mountain tops eight miles long past the more than 4,000 different plants species and 120 different mammal species living in the cloud forest. Inside the reserve's more than 8,500 acres of rainforest, there are more species of birds than all of North America combined including the resplendent quetzal – one of many secrets hiding in the forest.
The Waterfall
While the waterfall is by no means the most spectacular in Costa Rica, the trails that lead you to this humble, clear cascade are awesome in their scope and beauty. Towering three-hundred-year-old strangler fig trees with twisting roots and trunks the size of grain silos shade the trails. Meanwhile, the metallic call of the black face solitaire bird sounds reverberates through the forest. At the waterfall, there's a relaxing outlook for taking pictures. The waters come from the gathered condensation of the clouds that continually float through the forest and provide water for the valley below.
Walking Trail
For total immersion into the cloud forest, follow the Sendero Camino trail. It's a narrow path of small moss-laden steps and cement lattice that weave through the more verdant regions of the reserve; sure to evoke memories of the last time you watched Avatar or Fern Gully. You'll walk past fallen trees overgrown with mushrooms and flowers, underneath the roots and buttresses of trees that reach up hundreds of feet into the canopy all while the cool mountain breeze presses against your cheeks and rustles the leaves.
The Hanging Bridge
Taking a small diversion from the Sendero Camino, you'll find an auburn, sun-bleached bridge suspended 300 feet above the forest floor. The bridge hangs at canopy level revealing more than 70 different species of plants that can cling to just one medium-sized tree in the cloud forest. Among them, you'll find bromeliads, moss, liverwort and hundreds of species of orchids that only grow in the canopy. It's also one of the better places in the reserve to spot canopy-dwelling wildlife like howler monkeys and the elusive bell-bird, known for its loud, shrill, electric-buzzer-like call.
Continental Divide
The cloud forest is perched along the peaks of the Tilaran mountains; splitting Costa Rica into the Pacific and Caribbean regions. The habitat changes as you edge closer to the continental divide where trees twist and low, study shrubs grow in spite of the strong trade winds that roll through. From a thin ridge that protrudes out along the center of the divide, visitors have views of both the Pacific and Caribbean sides of the Costa Rica; on clear days you can even see the Gulf of Nicoya on the Pacific side.
The Resplendent Quetzal
The reserve is home to more than 400 species of birds like the colorful blue-crowned motmot, a flying turkey known as the black guan, the hard-to-spot bellbird and one of Costa Rica's smallest toucans, the emerald toucanet. No fowl is quite so revered though, as the resplendent quetzal; a beautiful species whose male has a brilliant ruby breast, a shimmering turquoise mohawk, and long, gallant tail feathers to attract females. The near mythical bird, attracted to the wild avocado fruit, appears most often between Dec. and June. It's possible to spot one wandering through the trails at the reserve, but the best bet lies with hiring a guide, $32 for entrance fee and guide, to help you find a Quetzal. Don't be surprised to walk the whole reserve just to wind up seeing one in the parking lot.
Best Hotel Deals in Costa Rica!
Get up to 30% off Hotels & Resorts worldwide compared to other major booking sites like Expedia and Priceline with our exclusive pricing ...