Greetings to my fellow CR lovers!Will be making my 4th trip to CR in late March and will be staying 7 days with the time split b/n Monteverde and Arenal(having a mid life birding crisis!)Has anyone driven the route b/n MV and Arenal around the lake and through Tilaron? I would like to know how much time to alot and find out any interesting stops along the way.I will have my own transportation and have previously visited both areas. Also would like to know if anyone has done the overnight camping to one of the cabins located within the MV cloud forest? Thanks for any input and Pura Vida!

Budget 4-5 hours including stops, take your time, and relax. If you get there earlier, you get there earlier.

Along the way there are several nice places to stop and shop (Toad Hall, Lucky Bug) and eat. It's a lovely drive for the around the lake part.

Just make sure you have a vehicle with a high clearance for the road between Quebrada Grande and Santa Elena.

Also: Watch that turnoff right before Quebrada Grande!! If some guy approaches you selling maps, you missed your turn.

The drive is much shorter than 4-5 hours. You can get pretty exact driving times from this route planner: www.yourtravelmap.com/costarica/travelmap/

Tilaran or Nuevo Arenal are good options for a short coffee break.

It is much shorter than 5 hours for sure, but if you relax and take your time it makes it more enjoyable. Especially on the terrible road after Quebrada Grande.

You will love Monteverde! The first time we made the drive I had a fight with my husband because at some point it is very much like a cow path! I actually got out of the car and started walking with my wheelie bag - quite funny now ...the second time we still missed the turn and we have come to admire the entreprenural spirit of the kid with the maps - we always give him a couple of dollars. Enjoy the ride you will see many birds and animals along the way - it is truly part of the adventure!!!!