Monteverde

Monteverde is a refuge located in Costa Rica's famous cloud forest, which is named justly seeing as how is almost constantly immersed in fog and rain. This constant abundance of moisture makes it one of the most bio-diverse places on the planet. As we hiked to the highest points of the refuge we watched the clouds role over the tops of the mountains as thought they were waves on the beach. Nearly every surface of the forest is covered in a green coat of moss, ferns, or leaves. Monteverde also lies along the continental divide that runs from northern Canada down to the tip of South America.

As part of our weekend stay in Monteverde we did a Canopy Tour in an area apart from the reserve. This unique form of ecotourism lets you take zip lines through and over to of the cloud forest. It was pioneered in Costa Rica and has understandably become an important and extremely popular activity for adventurers who make their way to Monteverde.

Within the same park as the canopy tour we visited a butterfly vivarium as well as a hummingbird garden. Within the butterfly vivarium we were able to take photos of a a few of Costa Rica's thousands of species of butterflies. The newly hatched ones from their cocoons would even climb write onto your hands. Other more lively butterflies would sporadically land on our clothes or let us sneak up close and take photos as they sucked nectar from fruit plates strewn about the greenhouse.

In the hummingbird garden we hung around different sets of feeders as the birds zipped between our heads and perched themselves within a few feet of our cameras. Monteverde is home to more than 20 species of hummingbirds most of which we were able to see at within the garden as they dipped their slim beaks into the feeders. Then just as we were about to leave one of the birds perched itself atop the feeder well with in reach of my hand, so I slowly reached out and touched it for a moment then ran away quickly out of fear that it might pluck my eyes out with its slender yet sharp beak.

Monteverde is truly one of Costa Rica's greatest treasures with an abundance of flora and fauna and a variety of creative ways to experience it all.

Hanging out on the Continental Divide.