The Monteverde Cloud Forest is a unique ecological region, located not far from the Arenal Volcano. Cloud forests occur only in specific tropical mountain areas and because of their unique weather conditions, hundreds of plant and animal species can be found in cloud forests and nowhere else on earth.

 

The Monteverde Cloud Forest spans the continental divide, which means it’s situated on both the Atlantic and Pacific slopes. It’s located only 10 degrees north of the equator, but despite it’s proximity to this imaginary line, the cloud forest is actually quite chilly, with an average high temperature of about 18.5 degrees Celsius (65 degrees Fahrenheit). Thus, a jacket and long pants might be in order when exploring Monteverde.

 

Visitors to Monteverde will find that the best way to explore the area is via a canopy tour. These tours take guests into the tops of the trees on a wild and crazy adventure that you won’t soon forget. Guests use zip lines to travel from tree to tree and wear specialized equipment to ensure their safety. On each tree along the tour, guests can stop on a platform and view all there is to see in the treetops and below. Guides teach the proper procedures for braking, etc. and are with you every step of the way on this once-in-a-lifetime unique tour of beautiful Monteverde. There are a variety of canopy tour companies from which to choose and many offer transportation from local hotels.

 

For visitors who prefer to stay on the ground, both hiking and horseback riding are quite popular at Monteverde as well. About 20 km of trails run between Monteverde and neighboring Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, all offering excellent opportunities to view native wildlife, plants, and trees, including some of the 450 species of orchids found here. Horseback riding tours are offered by a number of outfitters in the area and usually take 2 to 3 hours to complete.