The cloud forests, to be exact. Only 1% of all forests on the planet are classified as “cloud forest” and Monteverde, Costa Rica is the largest one. Categorized by the presence of consistent fine mist and low-hanging cloud over the forest canopy, a cloud forest creates an incredible eco-system that supports a tremendous number of mammals, reptiles, birds and plants.
Cloud forests produce a Goldilocks climate – not too hot, not too cold. As much as the plants obviously thrive (they grow on average two metres a year), it is pure heaven to hike here. A delightful 17-18 degrees, with almost constant shade and a steady breeze, Monteverde was our sustaining cool break before we plunge back into the heat.
Monteverde has an interesting history. In the 1950s, 44 Quaker families moved here as a refuge from the growing military industry in the U.S., and the fact that Costa Rica had disbanded its own army. In keeping with their pacifist principles, as well as being attracted to the climate and the farming potential in the Monteverde area, the Quakers bought 1400 hectares. They wanted to help develop the country and began the laborious process of clearing land, learning about dairy farming and making cheese. They started the Monteverde Friends School where children continue to be taught to this day.
In 1972, the Monteverde Reserve was established by the Quakers and a coalition of scientists from the Tropical Science Centre (TSC), the first Costa Rican non-governmental environmental organization. Without the efforts of these two groups, the Monteverde cloud forest might have been lost.
They began with an initial plot of 810 acres; the park is now over 35,000 acres. There are six ecological zones, each with its own micro-climate and ecosystem.
We are staying in Santa Elena, a charming little town within the Monteverde region and about 5 km. from the park. It has just enough shops and restaurants and is pretty without being fancy. We haven’t actually seen fancy in Costa Rica yet – everyone comes here for the natural attractions.
The main centre has a number of murals depicting their most famous residents. We’re hoping to be be to see this toucan up close, perched on a branch.
Although this warning sign obviously comes from tourist transgressions, interestingly, there are no similar signs in the parks.
Which brings me to a fine point about how we are visiting the parks in Costa Rica. With the exception of mandatory guides in Corcovado, most of the parks have the option of taking self-guided tours. The advantage of a guide is the certainty that you will see more and learn more. The downside is that you cannot set your own pace and if the group is large, that might take away from the experience.
Somehow, lining up to squint into a telescope to see a blurry bird or animal is not quite the same thrill as spotting it two branches over.
So far, we have opted for self-guided and in the case of the cloud forest walks, it has been heavenly. The Japanese practice of “forest bathing” could also have been created here; that exquisite magic of being enveloped in a green, moist silence, broken only by birdsong.
There are at least three cloud forest reserves in Monteverde, with the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve being the premier one. The park opens at 7:00 am and we grabbed a local bus at 7:30; by 8:00 am we were on our first trail. They have an excellent system of controlling visitors by giving you white plastic cards that you scan upon entry and then drop into a box on the way out. This helps to monitor numbers.
At any given time, they only allow 250 people in the park and they also “suggest” trails to begin with, to help disperse visitors onto different paths. Although there was a small lineup to get in, within minutes we found ourselves alone on the trail.
I wish I could regale you with stories and photos of animal and bird sightings, but the whole time we have been in Monteverde we have seen green, green and more green. Jungle plants, fantastic trees, vines, a few flowers here and there. It was an amazing experience to be in that environment; to be so enveloped in the sounds and smells and soft humidity of the jungle, but it might not translate into the most scintillating photos. You can scroll down quickly if you get tired of looking at trees.
Our host told us that while she loves to go into the jungle, she almost never sees anything. She has never seen the resplendent quetzel – that prize catch among birders and tourists alike. (Photo borrowed from the internet). Still, we’re not giving up hope – we have two more stops in Costa Rica and I have my heart set on seeing a sloth, at the very least.
There are a number of trails in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, none of them difficult. We spent about five hours in the park and here are some of the highlights:
Hanging bridge.
Waterfall.
Strangler figs. These vines grow from the treetops down to the ground, tightly encircling the host tree until it hollows out and becomes a refuge for animals and other plants.
The plant on the lower left with the shiny leaves is called heliconia and closely resembles a banana plant. It is one of several endemic plants, found only in Monteverde.
Big trees. Many trees of this size are between 100 and 500 years old.
Big plants.
Epiphytes – the non-parasitic plants that attach themselves to other trees or plants – lichen, orchids, bromeliads
Another popular reserve is Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, 8 km. out of town. This reserve had an entirely different feel to it – less open, far more wild and rustic. It is a smaller park and there are fewer visitors. The paths were narrow, and for the most part, required a bit of attention as there was a lot more elevation.
We went there today at 7:00 am, along with one other couple – we were the very first people there.
We were sure we would see birds or animals – we walked quietly and slowly and stopped from time to time, but after a while we just gave in to the solitude and beauty of the place.
Many parts of the trails were muddy; this park seemed to have much denser canopy in parts. The log stepping stones were much appreciated.
We’re guessing these might be poisonous – we decided against doing a taste test.
There was a lookout tower that promised views to the Arenal Volcano on a clear day.
We climbed up three flights to discover gale force winds, and zero visibility as far as being able to see the volcano. Still, the views of the landscape and the canopy below were beautiful.
After five hours of wandering around the jungle, it was time for a rest. The sign indicated that this bench was intended to give preference to older adults. We have always noticed this care and attention that Latin Americans exhibit toward their older citizens. It is neither patronizing nor fussy – just a matter-of-fact approach in countries that value all generations.
And our time in this mystical, magical place has come to an end. We loved the fresh, clean, oxygenated air and the sense that jungle creatures were all around us as we walked.
We walked over 20 km. in the two days, gained and lost 1200 feet in elevation, and yet didn’t feel tired. The cloud forest revived us.
Our next destination is Arenal/La Fortuna, home of volcanoes and hopefully sloths. Our host promised a sloth family lives around the corner from us.
Leaving Ourselves Behind 
Excellentblog Ginny. Glad to see Steven took a small break and sat on the bench provided for seniors. nice to relive our time in Monteverde National Park. I loved the monkeys. We saw 3 different kinds. A beautiful clean country to have a perfect vacation. Keep on enjoying.
Glad you are there and not home with our snow and freezing rain. I’m staying inside with a cozy fireplae aglow.
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Lyn, we got photos of our grandkids playing in the snow, which was heart-warming, but my idea of winter is one or two photogenic snowfalls, and then I’m done. we do feel happy to be here in our shorts and flip-flops!
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Hi Ginny: Jeff and I were in Costa Rica in 2014 and we were fortunate enough to see the resplendent quetzal. We arose at 5am one morning and met with a bird watching guide. To everyone’s surprise, the guide spotted one ( a rare occurrence) and we were able to have a good look through his telephoto lens. I remember getting back to the lodge we were staying at in Monteverde, and everyone there went crazy over the photos. It was certainly a memorable moment in our trip. Enjoy!
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You are so lucky! That’s the crazy thing with wildlife – you never know what is watching you, and you could miss an encounter by 5 or 10 seconds. That happened once on our Corcovado tour – just the first few people to get to the scope saw a particular bird, and then it flew off. They’re not particularly cooperative.
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Ah Ginny and Steve, having virtually travelled with you this last trip I am relieved we have reached Monteverde. With your positive slant on your adventures, I hated to admit on this public forum that I found the beach in Costa Rica too damned hot to enjoy. Ocean was lovely for swimming but not refreshing. So now we are hiking in Monteverde with you I feel refreshed. Am poised to pack our bags for the Real Thing. Cannot wait to see where you are taking us next.
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Oh no, I think you’re allowed to say the beaches in Costa Rica are too warm – that’s not blasphemy.
Now we’re in La Fortuna, and have a rainy forecast for the entire time we’re here. I guess this is when I discover if I’m made of sugar.
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Now that is pleasurable hiking! We can feel the mist and see the intense green through your writing….a wonderful reprieve from the cold & snow. Thoroughly enjoying your blogs & photos from beautiful Costa Rica. Keep on truckin’ 🥾
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So enjoying your travels. So many people speak of Costa Rica as a bit of paradise and now I’m seeing why. Would love to be embraced by that green in the cloud forest. It looks cool judging by your jackets. But perfect for hiking as you say.
Putting a fire in here. It’s snowing lovely light snow. ❄️❄️
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Robin – I can just see you all cozy in your place. Does your lake freeze at all?
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Hi Ginny, yes, the fire is on every day. 🙂 loving it.
The lake is frozen now but it will thaw soon. Winter here isn’t really winter, really…. . The locals all have their noses out of joint as for the past few winters the ground doesn’t even freeze. It’s cold then it rains, it’s cold then it rains, and on it goes. The upside is the sound the ice makes as it thaws is fun. 🙂
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I think we’re in store for more cool-ish hiking for the next few days, which is always preferable. I’m guessing you and a certain small boy have been out sledding, am I right?
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Thank you for continuing to share your awesome adventures!👍😁
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I’m so glad you’re along for the ride!
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Really very interesting. I had never heard of a cloud forest before.
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Neither had I, Bill. It sounds vaguely Asian, like a panda bear might appear in the mist.
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So nice. The Japanese really get it right when they talk about forest bathing – monkeys, quetzels, sloths and toucans are exciting, but simply being out immersed in green is so satisfying (as long as you’re not being bitten by bugs or jungle cats, or mired in quicksand, or punctured by spears or darts, or…).
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Funny you should mention quicksand. We were trying to sidestep some muddy patches, and for some reason I thought of quicksand and then I thought of Dad talking about its perils when we were kids. I was terrified I would accidentally step into an innocent looking piece of ground, be swallowed up and never seen again.
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I remember that too. Also once on Twilight Zone and once on Bonanza, so be careful what you say around children. Mind you, we’re both still here…
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Pictures are beyond beautiful as always. Especially the one of you, Steven. I just turned greener as I read about each photo. We are basking in the minus temps here. Brrrrrr. Your experiences are mind blowing. Be safe.
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We’re pretty lucky, and we sure don’t take that for granted. My mother adored winter – right up until her late 80s. I completely missed that gene – I’m a bit afraid of extreme cold. I remember once walking across the Commons with my head down against the sleet. Every time I looked up to check my progress it felt like I was no further ahead – a bit of a Dr. Zhivago scenario.
Are you and Terry going to Mexico at some point this winter?
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<
div dir=”ltr”>Thank you so much for these wonderful blog posts. I don’t comment, but I enjoy and delight
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Ella! How nice to hear from you! I am touched you are reading the blogs. Hope all is well in your world. xo
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The cloud forest sounds absolutely heavenly and I think I would just love to walk its trails. However, I will have to be satisfied with reading about your experience and looking at your gorgeous pictures. (I, for one, never grow tired at looking at trees!)
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I’m with you, Heather. What kind of person doesn’t like trees? :>)
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We also stayed in Santa Elena, but that was 15 years ago! We did actually take an early morning tour in the rain, didn’t see too much wildlife but learned how to identify the calls and cries of wildlife and birds. It allowed us to hike by ourselves but know what we were hearing. We really loved Costa Rica and are enjoying your blog from cold and snowy Gabriola. It certainly sounds as though it has changed immensely since then.
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I imagine Costa Rica has changed so quickly from when you guys were here. We’re in La Fortuna right now, and the town is cute, but very touristy. We’ve talked to other friends who were also here a number of years ago and they’re also commenting on the huge changes. I guess it is inevitable, but on the plus side, this country is dedicated to sustainable living and they are extremely protective of their parks and working at expanding them.
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Looks amazing Ginny & Steve! I’ve always wanted to go to Costa Rica. Love the cloud forest (that’s my kind of hiking, perfect temperature). Keep on enjoying your adventures, it’s fun to tag along virtually!
💛
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Sue – great to hear from you! I could definitely see you here – no gorillas, but plenty of their little cousins (yes, I know monkeys and gorillas are not related!)
Thanks for continuing to tag along – hope all is well in your world. xo
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