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Best of Monteverde
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
This Reserve was created in 1972 and is situated to 1440 m (4662ft) over sea level in Punta Arenas Province. It has 25,730 acres (10,415 hectares) . This place is one of the two protected areas in Monteverde and usually receives 200 000 visitors by year.
The reserve houses mosses, bromeliads, orchids (500 different types, ferns and a great quantity of giant trees. All this variety is possible thanks to the cloudy weather that exists in the zone. This climate is created by the continental divide at the northeastern side of Costa Rica in the Tilaran mountain range and warm air masses from the Caribbean Sea. Both phenomena originate rainfalls during all year and allow the forest to survive.
The animal life is also very abundant here , there are over 130 mammal species, 120 amphibian and reptile species and 500 bird species; amongst them are the quetzal, the bellbird, the black guan , umbrella bird, the jaguar and the howler monkey.
Into the reserve you will be able to do hiking, wildlife viewing and also camping in some special areas, where you will find ranger station, potable water and cooking suitable.
Best time for visit the reserve is between December and April, since this time is the dry season here. There are guides available and they speak Spanish and English besides the visitor center show educational videos.
The reserve opens from Monday to Sunday from 7:00 to 13:00 and admission cost $13 for adults and $6.50 for children’s less than 12 ages old.
Children’s Eternal Rain Forest
It situated in Punta Arenas province to 4.5 hours of Monteverde and has 22000 hectares (54000 acres). The private reserve’s scope is the conservation of the ecosystem, and the researching. The reserve belongs to The Monteverde Conservation League.
In this zone it can find more than 50% of total known species in the country, so the place is natural scenery for biological researching. This is the reason because San Gerardo Biological Station is installed here. This station can receive 32 persons and offers many facilities for visitors and scientists.
The reserve owns three kind of forest: seasonal evergreen forest, cloud forest and no seasonal rain forest (the most representative in the reserve)
Besides in the reserve there is an educational center for children and visitors, this center is located 3 Km from la Tigra as well as 2 shop stores in where you can buy souvenirs and collaborates with the tropical forest conservation.
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
This private park is located amongst Punta Arenas, Guanacaste and Alajuela provinces to 5 Km from Santa Elena town, and has 765 acres. This beautiful reserve was created in 1992 and is managed by Santa Elena Community. This reserve has almost same features as Monteverde Reserve, like the wet season that lasts from April to October and the rate of rain by year is 12 ft.
There are many trails that cross the reserve but the most important are four: Caño Negro trail (4.8 Km, 4 hours mainly tree view), Encantado trail (3.4 Km you will be able to see birds like quetzal and a variety of monkeys), El Bajo trail (2.6Km cross the forest, you would see some birds), Youth Challenge trail (1.4 Km, 45 minutes, it includes a tower with view to volcanoes and Nicaragua Lake).
The reserve offers to visitors an information office, gift shop and a small restaurant and open every day from 7:00 to 16:00.
Santa Elena Town
This small town was founded by American Quakers in the 1950s, and is famous for your cheese mainly the popular “Monte Rico” cheese .in the town you can find some attractions like the serpentarium and small art galleries.
In Santa Elena there are a great number of luxury hotels and lodges as well as banks, health clinics, souvenir stores and travel agencies.
Usually tourists, who visited the natural reserves, spend nights at Santa Elena Town.
Arenal Volcano
This volcano has been active since 1968 and is one of the few volcanoes in the world that has lava flowing every day. Actually you can arrive to volcano from Monteverde through the forest by car, public bus, taxi and horseback.
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