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The spectacular Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is a very important and popular ecotourism destination in Costa Rica. With its unique cloud canopy, this biological reserve located in Puntarenas province is 6 km east of the town of Santa Elena. Around a four-hour drive from the capital city of San Jose, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is one of the most stunning and breathtaking nature reserves in the entire world.
Unlike rainforests, cloud forests usually receive much less rain in comparison. However, because a cloud forest is situated at a higher altitude, it has more humidity and is therefore cloudier than a rainforest. This biological reserve sits at an elevation of between 1,200 m to 1,600 m, and is surrounded by a misty cover that supports a fantastic diversity of flora and fauna. Often creating a surreal environment, this reserve is considered to be among the most exceptional wildlife sanctuaries in the New World Tropics.
Encompassing eight distinct biological zones, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve covers an area of 26,000 acres (10,522 hectares), and is home to more than 2,000 species of plants and trees, 100 species of mammals, over 400 species of birds, and roughly 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles. When exploring the forest you will come across a variety of birds and animals including, bellbirds, guans, toucanets, jaguars, pumas and monkeys, as well as the golden toad, a toad species that is only known to exist here the in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
This unique landscape is also the habitat of more than 300 species of orchids and 200 species of fern. With views of both the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans, this reserve is filled with a huge array of lofty and soaring trees laden with stunning epiphyte plants.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest has excellent trails for hiking and exploration. However, this reserve is not meant for the weak at heart. A great way to explore the forest is to take a skywalk or a Rappelling Tour or Canopy Tour, where visitors can view the forest from a series of bridges and cables that offer a bird’s eye view of the reserve below. Due to the fragile nature of this reserve, a maximum of 120 people are allowed on a single trail at the same time, which are often bordered with exotic flowers such as ‘hot lips’ and a variety of ferns and plants.
A nature lover’s paradise, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is a great place for bird watching, especially during February through May, when plenty of birds nest and migrate here. Home of the beautiful quetzals and a number of hummingbird species, early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to bird watch.
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