Monteverde

A walk through the cloud forest, a walk over hanging bridges or a canopy tour where you fly like Tarzan above the cloud forest. These are possibilities when visiting Monteverde. Monteverde owes its fame to the cloud forest reserve and the farming community founded by American Quakers in the 1950s. The Reserva Biológica de Bosque Nuboso de Monteverde (Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve) is a private cloud forest reserve (10,100 ha) managed by the Tropical Science Center in San José. It is intersected by well-marked trails and is home to an enormous wealth of animal species, including jaguars, ocelots and quetzals (the sacred bird of the Maya).

Monteverde was founded by a group of about 40 Quakers from Alabama who refused military service in 1951 and decided to settle in Costa Rica, which had recently taken a pacifist course. Monteverde's pleasant climate and fertile, inexpensive soil suited their agricultural ambitions. They bought 1580 hectares of land to turn it into grazing land and focused on dairy production, the results of which can be seen in the current cheese factory. Monteverde cheese is for sale in every supermarket. Despite the poor condition of the access roads, Monteverde is one of Costa Rica's most popular tourist attractions. The village stretches for several kilometers between Santa Elena and the reserve, but the cool climate and beautiful views make it pleasant to walk here. Yet some visitors go home disappointed, only a limited number of people are allowed in and booking is necessary in high season. So prepare well so that you know what to expect. Go with a guide to see the most birds and plants or follow one of the many trails from the visitor center that allow you to spend the whole day on your own. It is best to set off early in the morning, before the afternoon clouds and fog often set in. You can also visit the cloud forest of Santa Elena, it is less crowded here and you can see the same flora and fauna. However, the road to the entrance is even worse than the last kilometers to Monteverde Park. In Monteverde you can visit the cheese factory of the Quakers. There is also a frog house and a snake house, an orchid and a butterfly garden.