Monteverde Cloud Forest Trips & Tours

If the name ‘cloud forest’ conjures images of leafy greens, exquisite mists and a great whack of juicy biodiversity, you would be absolutely correct. Costa Rica’s Monteverde region is famous for its cloud forest and the Monteverde Biological Preserve is one of the last remaining sections of native forest in Central America. The area encompasses a staggering six ecological zones and within them, 2,500 species of plants, more than 100 mammals, 490 butterfly and almost 450 species of birds. Wow, indeed. In terms of visiting, there’s the original Monteverde Reserve as well as the newer Santa Elena Reserve, the first community-managed conservation project in the country when it opened in 1992. Both hum with flora and fauna, including the aptly-named resplendent quetzal with its jewel-bright plumage, giant orchids that Darwin would be proud of, and a melee of sloths, morpho butterflies, toucans and poison dart frogs. The activities are just as varied, with canopy tours for a different and delicious perspective of the trees, strolls with encyclopaedic naturalist guides, and zip line experiences, horse-back rides and rafting for the adventurists.