As part of a larger tour to Costa Rica, I visited two eco-tourism destinations including the Monteverde Cloud Forest, and Arenal Volcano, both located in the northern part of the country. These two regions provide multiple opportunities for adventure while viewing wildlife and beautiful natural scenery.
Monteverde
Monteverde literally means ‘Green Mountain’, and no other name would be as appropriate for this region of Costa Rica. Situated about three hours northwest of San Jose, Monteverde is home to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, a major ecotourism destination and one of the rarest habitats on earth. Situated about 4,600 feet above sea level, the cloud forest is different from Costa Rica’s other rain forests in that it maintains a constant mist that appears like clouds.
The Monteverde area is considered one of the Seven Wonders of Costa Rica, and today attracts nearly 250,000 visitors per year. A number of tours can be arranged in the Monteverde area, including birdwatching, canopy tours (zipline and hanging bridges), ATV rides, coffee and chocolate tours, nature night walk tours, and others. Multiple types of tours can be organized through Viator.
This particular region of Costa Rica experiences lower temperatures and more rain, so visitors should pack accordingly. The rainiest period is between September and November, and temperatures range between the low 70s during daytime and upper 50s at night.
The town of Santa Elena is the gateway to the Monteverde region, and provides the greatest opportunity for lodging and dining. Here, visitors can find a range of accommodations, restaurants, galleries, shops and tourist agencies. We stayed at the El Establo Mountain Hotel which includes a series of lodges built along the side of a steep hill offering panoramic views and spectacular sunsets.
Monteverde Cloud Forest – the vast Monteverde Cloud Forest was established in 1972 by scientists and the local Quaker community, and comprises 26,000 acres of biodiversity and virgin and semi-virgin environment. It contains the world’s largest number of orchids, 58 species of amphibians, 134 species of mammals, and a major stop for migratory birds. The park includes six trails, a nature center, lodge, restaurant and gift shop. Bus service is provided between the reserve and the village of Santa Elena. It is open daily between 7am and 4pm.
A lesser known, and smaller cloud forest, is the Santa Elena cloud forest. Shuttles by reservation operate between hotels in Santa Elena and the reserve.
Canopy Tours – Monteverde is the canopy zipline capital of Costa Rica, and attracts visitors from all over the world. There are multiple opportunities for canopy tours, including zipline and hanging bridges. The hanging bridges offer a slower opportunity for observing the forests from the tree tops. As part of our tour package, we visited Selvetura Hanging Bridges and Canopy tours. We walked along a 1.9 mile trail that included eight bridges over a two hour period. The bridges ranged from 170 feet to 560 feet in length, and provided a great opportunity to observe the beauty of the cloud forest and the species that call it home. Selvetura also offers a zipline tour that includes 13 cables over two miles. The park also has a sloth sanctuary, butterfly garden, restaurant and gift shop.
Café Monteverde Coffee Plantation – we spent a fun afternoon at the Monteverde Coffee Plantation, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch, followed by a tour of the facility. This sustainable focused, family run operation is located next to the Monteverde Cloud Forest and is open daily between 9am and 5pm. The tour provided an overview of coffee production from seed germination to processing and roasting. We also tasted various samples of coffees. The plantation also has an organic vegetable garden, and farm animals including goats, pigs and hens.
Arenal Volcano Region
The area of Arenal, north of Monteverde, is dominated by the perfectly symmetric cone shaped Arenal Volcano. This region is abundant with hiking trails, lakes, hot springs, and waterfalls. The area is a popular location for adventure tourism including hiking, whatewater rafting, zip-lining, horseback riding, ATV riding, mountain biking and more. Most activities require guided tours which can be purchased through Viator. In the shadow of the mountain is the massive 18-mile long Lake Arenal. Water enthusiasts use the lake for windsurfing, wakeboarding, kayaking, fishing, and stand up paddling.
The charming town of La Fortuna is the jumping-off point for visitors to Arenal. There are many lodges, restaurants, bars, tourist operators, and shops in the town. A number of hot spring resorts are also located just outside and north of the town along Highway 142. We stayed at the Tilajari Resort located in a more rural area east of La Fortuna. This hotel sits above the Rio San Carlos, and includes a restaurant, pool, hot tub and tennis courts. One of my favorite things about the hotel is the abundance of tropical birds that feed on fruit posted on trees adjacent to the restaurant.
Arenal Volcano National Park – Arenal Volcano was Costa Rica’s most active volcano up until 2010. The large volcano stands at over 5,400 feet, dominating the surrounding countryside. After 400 years of inactivity, it began erupting in 1968, before entering a resting phase in 2010, but that could change in the future. There are two main trails forming a 2.5 mile loop. Trails through the forest allow for the viewing of wildlife, including monkeys, coati, lizards, bats, insects and rare birds, such as the Bare-necked Umbrellabird.
Hot Springs – The Arenal area is home to several hot springs, located near La Fortuna. These mineral waters are used as therapeutic baths and for relaxation, especially after a long day of hiking. We spent an afternoon at Eco Termales Hot Springs, where we waded through four separate pools ranging from 90 degrees to 106 degrees. An onsite bar allows patrons to bring their drinks to the pools. After bathing, we had a delicious buffet dinner at the on-site restaurant. A highlight of our stop here was seeing close up a baby sloth clinging to a tree right next to the restaurant.
Fortuna Waterfall – Located within a 200 acre reserve, this 200 foot waterfall plummets to a pool of crystal clear water below it that is available for swimming. It is located south of the town of La Fortuna, and requires a hike of 500 steps to the base of the waterfall.