Monteverde Cloud Forest

Santa Elena Reserve

Butterfly Garden

Hummingbird Gallery

Sky Walk

Sky Trek

Monteverde is a very popular destination for birdwatchers and nature lovers. Monteverde was Started by a group of Quakers from Alabama and passed on to the Tropical Science Center. At an altitude of over 4000 feet, Monteverde has six different ecological communities. This private preserve was created to protect the forest surrounding the Monteverde town and watersheds. Monteverde is well known for its 400 species of birds, its 100 species of mammals, its 20 species of reptiles and over 2,500 species of plants. In this park you will enjoy the Resplendent Quetzal, three-wattled bell bird, bare-necked umbrella bird, Ornate hawk-eagle, Sunbittern and Great green macaw, the famous Golden toad, orchids, bromeliads, epiphytes, as well as baird's tapir, Jaguar, Ocelot and other bigger mammals.

Santa Elena Forest Reserve, a 765-acre reserve located 5 kilometers northeast of the nearby town of Santa Elena, has 9 kilometers of trails, with one leading to a look-out point over Volcán Arenal. There are usually local guides on hand, or you can hire one before hand through your hotel. You can rent books at the reserve. The yellow silky flycatcher, yellow-throated finch, black-thighed grosbeak, spangled-cheeked tanager, and silvery-throated jay are common in this reserve. Mountain deer, pumas, and peccaries are also occasionally seen at the Santa Elena Forest Reserve. This reserve is owned and maintained by the Santa Elena high school, and youth groups from all over the world help develop trails and the visitors center. The Santa Elena Forest Reserve is a community-run effort that should be a model for conservationists trying to integrate sustainable development with wilderness preservation.

 At the Butterfly Garden, you can see all the different species of butterflies that inhabit the zone, including the beautiful blue morpho. You will see more butterflies on a sunny day than on a cloudy one. Guides give a fascinating explanation of the habits of each species, with ample botanical information as well. At the entrance is a free exhibit about the butterfly's life cycle.

The Hummingbird Gallery near the entrance to the reserve, exhibits Michael and Patricia Fogden's photographs from around the world. The Fogden's spend months at a time with sloths, frogs, snakes, insects, and birds, trying to get just the right shot. You'll never see better wildlife photographs. They also sell beautiful and inexpensive Guatemalan textiles, T-shirts, and high-energy snacks for the trail. Don't miss the Fogden's spellbinding slide show about Costa Rican rainforest wildlife, presented at the Hummingbird Gallery. The entrance fee goes to preserve and enlarge a quetzal habitat on the Pacific slope.

SkyWalk takes you up to explore the tops of the trees, a world which is very close but yet unknown to most, the canopy of the cloud forest. SkyWalk is a complex of suspension bridges and platforms constructed within cloud forest. The principal objective is to offer a different observational perspective of tropical forest, as a new alternative in tourism for nature lovers.

Sky Trek is a system of trails, suspension bridges, and zip lines that offers visitors the opportunity to observe, and appreciate tropical vegetation from different vantage points. Sky Trek is similar, in a way, to other canopy tours in Costa Rica, but incorporates some significant differences, such as being of larger scale, with more zip lines and platforms, longer trails, and suspension bridges. Further, the construction is of the highest quality, utilizing protective and secure materials, including metal platforms  with mesh-covered steel rails which prevent falling or sliding. The Trek consists of 2 suspended bridges, one of 80 meters long (265 feet), and one of 60 meters. Three platforms above the canopy, connected by zip lines. A canopy observation tower, 22 meters high ( 8 story or 72 feet). 10 cables system, the longest is 427 meters long (1,400 feet), and 127 meters high (417 feet).Sky Trek Costa Rica offers a total stretch of 2 kilometers (1.25 mile!) of cables.

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Monteverde Cloud Forest

Monteverde is a very popular destination for birdwatchers and nature lovers. Monteverde was Started by a group of Quakers from Alabama and passed on to the Tropical Science Center. At an altitude of over 4000 feet, Monteverde has six different ecological communities. This private preserve was created to protect the forest surrounding the Monteverde town and watersheds. Monteverde is well known for its 400 species of birds, its 100 species of mammals, its 20 species of reptiles and over 2,500 species of plants. In this park you will enjoy the Resplendent Quetzal, three-wattled bell bird, bare-necked umbrella bird, Ornate hawk-eagle, Sunbittern and Great green macaw, the famous Golden toad, orchids, bromeliads, epiphytes, as well as baird's tapir, Jaguar, Ocelot and other bigger mammals.

Monteverde Cloud Forest

Monteverde is a very popular destination for birdwatchers and nature lovers. Monteverde was Started by a group of Quakers from Alabama and passed on to the Tropical Science Center. At an altitude of over 4000 feet,  Monteverde has six different ecological communities. This private preserve was created to protect the forest surrounding the Monteverde town and watersheds. Monteverde is well known for its 400 species of birds, its 100 species of mammals, its 20 species of reptiles and over 2,500 species of plants. In this park you will enjoy the Resplendent Quetzal, three-wattled bell bird, bare-necked umbrella bird, Ornate hawk-eagle, Sunbittern and Great green macaw, the famous Golden toad, orchids, bromeliads, epiphytes, as well as baird's tapir, Jaguar, Ocelot and other bigger mammals.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

This large reserve is one of the most outstanding wildlife sanctuaries in the Americas and includes eight distinct ecological zones. It protects more than 400 species of birds and over 100 species of mammals. In addition to the spectacular Resplendent Quetzal, you may see the endangered Bellbird, or Emerald Toucanet. There are also 30 species of hummingbirds. Even though the Reserve personnel will provide you with a self-guiding pamphlet we strongly encourage you to take one guided tour. The guides at the reserve very knowledgeable and will  point out flora and fauna that you would probably not notice yourself. Mornings are the best time to observe  wildlife.

Santa Elena Forest Reserve

Santa Elena Forest Reserve, a 765-acre reserve located 5 kilometers northeast of the nearby town of Santa Elena, has 9 kilometers of trails, with one leading to a look-out point over Volcán Arenal. There are usually local guides on hand, or you can hire one before hand through your hotel. You can rent books at the reserve. The yellow silky flycatcher, yellow-throated finch, black-thighed grosbeak, spangled-cheeked tanager, and silvery-throated jay are common in this reserve. Mountain deer, pumas, and peccaries are also occasionally seen at the Santa Elena Forest Reserve. This reserve is owned and maintained by the Santa Elena high school, and youth groups from all over the world help develop trails and the visitors center. The Santa Elena Forest Reserve is a community-run effort that should be a model for conservationists trying to integrate sustainable development with wilderness preservation. 

Butterfly Garden

 At the  Butterfly Garden,  you can see all the different species of butterflies that inhabit the zone, including the beautiful blue morpho. You will  see more butterflies on a sunny day than on a cloudy one. Guides give a fascinating explanation of the habits of each species, with ample botanical information as well. At the entrance is a free exhibit about the butterfly's life cycle. 

The Hummingbird Gallery

The Hummingbird Gallery near the entrance to the reserve, exhibits Michael and Patricia Fogden's photographs from around the world. The Fogden's spend months at a time with sloths, frogs, snakes, insects, and birds, trying to get just the right shot. You'll never see better wildlife photographs. They also sell beautiful and inexpensive Guatemalan textiles, T-shirts, and high-energy snacks for the trail. Don't miss the Fogden's spellbinding slide show about Costa Rican rainforest wildlife, presented at the Hummingbird Gallery. The entrance fee goes to preserve and enlarge a quetzal habitat on the Pacific slope.

 The SkyWalk

SkyWalk  takes you up to explore the tops of the trees, a world which is very close but yet unknown to most, the canopy of the cloud forest.  SkyWalk is a complex of suspension bridges and platforms constructed within cloud forest. The principal objective is to offer a different observational perspective of tropical forest, as a new alternative in tourism for nature lovers.

Sky Trek

Sky Trek is a system of trails, suspension bridges, and zip lines that offers visitors the opportunity to observe, and appreciate tropical vegetation from different vantage points.

Sky Trek is similar, in a way, to other canopy tours in Costa Rica, but incorporates some significant differences, such as being of larger scale, with more zip lines and platforms, longer trails, and suspension bridges. Further, the construction is of the highest quality, utilizing protective and secure materials, including metal platforms  with mesh-covered steel rails which prevent falling or sliding. The Trek consists of 2 suspended bridges, one of 80 meters long (265 feet), and one of 60 meters. Three platforms above the canopy, connected by zip lines. A canopy observation tower, 22 meters high ( 8 story or 72 feet). 10 cables system, the longest is 427 meters long (1,400 feet), and 127 meters high (417 feet).  Sky Trek Costa Rica offers a total stretch of 2 kilometers (1.25 mile!) of cables.

The system is integrated with a gorgeous Cloud Forest trail 2.5 kilometers long (1.5 miles). Tours last between 2.5 and 3 hours, not counting transport from Monteverde

Monteverde Cheese Factory

The famous Monteverde Cheese Factory sells delicious cheddar, jack, Gouda, and other cheeses for less than San José prices. You can also buy great homemade whole-wheat bread and rolls, fresh milk, and cajeta (scrumptious milk fudge)

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