Costa Rica » Monteverde Cloudforest » Guide to Activities and Attractions

The village of Monteverde is a disorderly assortment of supposedly ‘eco’ facilities and access to the forest has become highly commercialised.

There are guided natural history walks in the Monteverde Reserve and the adjacent Santa Elena Cloud Forest, where there is also the excellent Sky Walk on light suspension bridges that give a marvelous perspective on the forest.

For adrenalin, you can zip along Sky Trek’s steel cables strung between platforms high in and over the forest.

Ziplines are springing up in many parts of Costa Rica. Those at Sky Trek are the longest and highest.

The Twilight Walk takes place in the Bajo del Tigre Trails, a sector of The Children’s Eternal Rain Forest (CERF).

The CERF is a private reserve and is cared for by the non-profit Monteverde Conservation League. Guided walks run everyday 17:30-19:30 from CERF (turn off near to the Cheese Factory) tel: 645 5923 or ask your hotel to make arrangements for you.

The humming bird gallery is well worth a visit to watch the dozens of multihued 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.

Horse riding and mountain biking can also be arranged locally – just ask at the front desk at your hotel.