A February 2001 trip to Monteverde by nmagann
Quote: Santa Elena is near the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Differences between a cloud forest and rain forest include everything from altitude, vegetation, climate and humidty. The Monteverde Cloud Forest itself is also set up to be an instructional institution.
Overview
Attraction
Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 6, 2001
Butterfly Farm Santa Elena Monteverde, Costa Rica
Skywalk Santa Elena Monteverde, Costa Rica
Unlike other canopy tours, you needn’t go on all the 11 zip lines offered, as there are parallel trails below. Some people do become scared or just tired. There are also 3 suspension bridges and an observation tower. The bridges, trail and tower offer the only real sightseeing on this trip. Even if you didn’t have to watch where you were going to avoid hitting a branch or your pulley, you were moving too fast to seethe flora and fauna. This is a ride for fun and adventure. It is located near the Santa Elena Reserve, costs about $35 for the 2-½ hour activity with tours from 7:30-2:00. Reservations can be made via www.monteverdeinfo.com, mundunet@racsa.co.cr, www.skywalk.co.cr
Outdoor Canopy Adventure Santa Elena Monteverde, Costa Rica
There are 9 short trails from ¼ mile to nearly 2 miles in length with a maximum gain of 500 feet. Maps of trails are provided at the entrance.
The cloud forest doesn’t offer the variety of flowers seen in a rain forest. Instead you find fascinating strangler figs, oaks, bamboo, magnolia and even some evergreens. A couple of trails, Sendero Brillante and Sendero Pantanoso (meaning swamp trail), pass through the continental divide with great panoramic views. You can in fact, see the ocean.
The Sendero Rio is an easy mile hike to a waterfall while El Camino with its sunlight is trail for bird and butterfly enthusiasts.
Sendero Bosque Eterno and Sendero Bosque Nuboso have fantastic examples of the strangler figs. They are quite large in height and widths making one feel quite dwarfed.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Monteverde Monteverde, Costa Rica
Member Rating 3 out of 5 on March 6, 2001
Ecological Farm Santa Elena Monteverde, Costa Rica
There is a second trail, which lead to Laguna Botas that was formed as a collapsed cone that is continually filled with fresh rainwater. The vegetation surrounding it is such a contrast to Poas, which is less a mile away, it is outstanding. The only real way to grasp this is by getting a postcard that indicates how close these two are to each other.
The entrance fee is $8 and it is open from 8:00a-3:30p. There is a very extensive visitor center that includes slide shows, flora and fauna identification, current monitoring of activity, a Richter scale and much more.
Poas Volcano Poas Volcano National Park Monteverde, Costa Rica
nmagann Ventura, California