Monteverde, COSTA RICA
Airing Date: Jun 16th, 2003
Travelling to faraway places as a tourist only gives you a glimpse of what a country and culture has to offer. There's much more to see if you look through the eyes of a local.
If you head to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve you can explore the forest with a local by your side and discover just why this place is such a treasure to the Costa Ricans.
The Moneteverde Cloud Forest will amaze you with its thick layer of clouds above the treetops. As the winds sweep up to the Continental divide, it condenses to form clouds that bathe the forest in a constant soft mist. As a result, the 30 000 hectares of pristine forest receives up to four metres of rain every year.
The best way to see the cloud forest is with a professional guide like Samuel. He makes sure you don't miss anything and what he can't see with his x-ray vision, he whistles out of the woodworks.
There are six different life zones within the protected park, including over 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, 120 species of amphibians and reptiles and 2500 species of plants.
The most common animals are the Howler Monkeys and the beautiful Resplendent Quetzal birds. If you're lucky you may even spot a jaguar, although they camouflage so well that chances of spotting them are quite low.
But trudging through the jungle on the ground level isn't the only way to explore the dense forest. Tourists can also get an aerial perspective.
The Skywalk consists of various platforms and suspension bridges high up in the tree tops, where an entirely different world lives.
There are six bridges in total, including one which is 240 metres long. You can cover the skywalk in about an hour and an half, but the longer you take, the more you'll see.
For a few thrills and spills you can't go past the Sky Trek. This thrilling ride is a canopy adventure with a system of trails, suspension bridges and zip lines that give you access to a world of incomparable beauty. Through jumping, flying, and gliding, you can experience what it is like to be an inhabitant of the canopy. The highest slide is 120 metres off the ground and flies you across the sky like a soaring bird.
You'll need to allow at least a couple of days to explore Monteverde Cloud Forest. Most visitors base themselves in the village of Santa Elena, where The Hotel Fonda Vela is a a popular place to stay.
The facts
Travelworld has 7 night packages with Adventure World starting from $3750 per person twin share from the east coast. This includes flights with Qantas and TACA, transfers, accommodation, breakfasts, and day tours featuring the Monteverde Reserve walk and Sky Trek. Skywalk will cost an extra $70 for adults and $23 for kids.
Travelworld
Tel: 13 14 35
Adventure World
Tel: 02 9955 5000
Swiss Travel
Tel: 0011 506 282 4898 (international)
Costa Rica Tourism Board
Hotel Fonda Vela
Tel: 0011 506 645 5125 (international)
