Description
There are two ways to look at a cloud forest: from above, as the birds see it, and from within, among its branches. This private tour to Monteverde offers both perspectives in a single day, pairing a panoramic aerial tram with a guided walk across hanging bridges.
We leave the Central Valley early and head northwest, passing villages, pastures and dry forest before beginning the climb into the Tilaran Mountains. Along the way we stop at one of the largest fruit stands in the country, an explosion of mangoes, pineapples, papayas and exotic fruits well worth tasting. On arrival we pass through Santa Elena, the charming town that serves as the base for exploring the region.
The first highlight is the aerial tram. Open gondolas rise gently above the canopy, gliding over epiphyte-laden trees to a station high on the mountain. There we spend fifteen to twenty minutes at a lookout from which, on clear days, you can take in the Continental Divide, plus Lake Arenal and Arenal Volcano on the horizon.
After lunch in Monteverde, we head into the forest on a hanging bridges trail, a two- to three-hour guided walk at different levels of the canopy. Your guide will help you discover tiny orchids, tree ferns, hummingbirds, tanagers and, with a little luck, a resplendent quetzal or a howler monkey. The drive back, with the sun setting over the Gulf of Nicoya, rounds off a day that blends excitement, calm and unforgettable scenery.
