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Monteverde Cloud Forest Review

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Monteverde Cloud Forest

Phone: 645-5122
www.cct.or.cr

Category: Nature Preserves
Location: Monteverde Cloud Forest

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Fodor's Review:

In close proximity to several fine hotels, the private Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde is one of Costa Rica's best-kept reserves, with well-marked trails, lush vegetation, and a cool, damp climate. The collision of moist winds with the Continental Divide here creates a constant mist whose particles provide nutrients for plants growing at the upper layers of the forest. Giant trees are enshrouded in a cascade of orchids, bromeliads, mosses, and ferns, and in those patches where sunlight penetrates, brilliantly colored flowers flourish. The sheer size of everything, especially the leaves of the trees, is striking. No less astounding is the variety: 2,500 plant species, 400 species of birds, 500 types of butterflies, and more than 100 different mammals have so far been catalogued at Monteverde. A damp and exotic mixture of shades, smells, and sounds, the cloud forest is also famous for its population of quetzals, which can be spotted feeding on the aguacatillo (similar to avocado) trees; best viewing times are early mornings from January until September, and especially during the mating season of April and May. Other forest-dwelling inhabitants include hummingbirds and multicolor frogs.

For those who don't have a lucky eye, a short-stay aquarium is in the field station; captive amphibians stay here just a week before being released back into the wild. Although the reserve limits visitors to 160 people at a time, Monteverde is one of the country's most popular destinations. Come early and allow a generous slice of time for leisurely hiking to see the forest's flora and fauna; longer hikes are made possible by some strategically placed overnight refuges along the way. At the reserve entrance you can buy self-guide pamphlets and rent rubber boots; a map is provided when you pay the entrance fee. You can navigate the reserve on your own, but a guided tour (7:30 and 11:30 AM and 1 PM) is invaluable for getting the most out of your visit. A two-hour guided night tour starts each evening at 7:15—reservations are required—and the reserve provides transport from area hotels for an extra $2.

Cost: $13, plus $15 with guide services; $13 night tour
Open: Daily 7-4

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