Fodor's Expert Review Mount Totumas Cloud Forest

Roughly 20 km (12 miles) outside of Volcán on a bumpy road, this majestic preserve at the foot of Mount Totumas is well worth the trek. It has three types of accommodations––a luxurious lodge, a cozy cabin, and a communal house. Overlooking the cloud forest is the main lodge with five rooms, a lounge, and restaurant where home-cooked meals are served with ingredients from the hydroponics greenhouse and organic farm. Constructed from reclaimed wood and encased in glass, it has views that stretch into infinity, and only fade when clouds spill over peaks and into valleys. Popular with couples and families, the timber-frame cabin sleeps seven, with a full kitchen, living room, and terrace draped in hammocks. Budget travelers can opt for the original 1940’s farmhouse with three bedrooms, communal kitchen, shared bath, and living room with a wood-burning stove. A network of well-marked trails is teeming with flora and fauna like monkeys, jungle cats, wild orchids, and birds ranging from quetzals and red-headed barbets to black guans and blue-crowned motmots. The knowledgeable owners have dedicated their lives to preserving this fragile habitat and La Amistad National Park, which it borders.