Costa Rica » Monteverde Cloudforest Guide

The popular region of Monteverde combines the rich flora and fauna of the cloudforest with high-octane adrenaline.

Here you can choose to wander along the well-marked forest trails or make like Tarzan and whizz through the treetops on a zip wire. Numerous horse-riding tours are on offer and you can also hire mountain bikes to explore some parts of the reserve.

A well-maintained system of canopy walkways provides a unique view of the cloudforest; particularly interesting in this habitat where as much biodiversity can be found between the branches as on the forest floor.

The humming bird gallery is well worth a visit to watch the dozens of multicoloured species that gather at the nectar feeders.

On the other side of the village is the women’s co-operative, which was originally set up by eight female artists to help improve the lives of their families.

Now with around 90 members, it serves to enhance the social and economic welfare of local female artists. The shop is an Aladdin’s cave of handicrafts, wall hangings and ceramics, plus every conceivable kind of trinket made from the locally grown coffee.