Monteverde Cloud Forest Ziplining & More
Monteverde is in the northwest of the country in the Cordillera de Tilarán mountain range and is home to farmers, artists, coffee roasters, naturalists, outdoor enthusiasts and the famous Cloud Forest. You’ll find all the mountainous ecotourism adventures here, and it is the best place to go ziplining over Costa Rica’s mountainous, lush rainforest. The climate is very wet with precipitation and moisture-filled clouds that hover over in the sky. The annual rainfall averages around 118 inches!
Travel Tip: Be prepared for wet weather! Invest in some waterproof pants, boots, tops, backpack, ect. You’ll be thankful when you’re in the first ten minutes of a 3-hour hike and the sunny day turns into a rainy stormy day.
Most people come to Monteverde to go to the Cloud Forest. There are tours for walking across the hanging bridges or ziplining above the jungle canopy. The small town of Santa Elena is a short drive and has a reserve that is worth checking out.
Getting Around
The best way to get around Costa Rica is by renting a car. The roads may be a bit questionable, but if you take it slow and smart, you’ll be fine. You can take shuttle vans, but they can add up. Taxis are always available in towns and are a good idea if you want to go into town for some food or a drink because the roads are rather narrow and could be tricky.
Ziplining through a Cloud Forest
Monetverde’s Cloud Forest is what it sounds like – waves of thick low-hanging clouds tangled in the leaves and branches of the forest canopy. If you head to the Monteverde cloud forest, the best way to explore is by zipline.
There are a few companies that offer zipline, tram and hanging bridge tours through Monteverde Cloud Forest, we used Sky Adventures. They’ll pick you up from your hotel and drop you off when you’re done.
When we got there, we were sized up for a helmet, given out safety harness and shown a one-minute safety video before we clipped in and did the first baby zipline. Then we were off to the forest!
The tour starts with an open-air gondola from the ground to the highest point of the mountain to an observation area with amazing views of the forests. We didn’t take in the view for too long, excited to get this ziplining going!
We find the first of the 7 ziplines and clip in. All of a sudden, I’m whizzing 70km/h (43.5mph) through the air looking down at the jungle canopy, crossing canyons, going from one mountain to another, and in between treetops. The 7 ziplines cables go up to 100m (328ft) in height and 750m (2460ft) in length.
Fawning Over Mini Orchids
After flying through the jungle, head into town and stroll through the world’s largest orchid collection. These aren’t the orchids you’ll find at the grocery store in the states. You’ll never look at those orchids the same again. I learned more than I ever knew there was to learn about orchids here.
The orchid garden has more than 455 different orchid species; some native to Monteverde, and a collection of miniature orchids, including the smallest one in the world. They have guided tours both in English and Spanish, but we just kind of walked around. And there aren’t just orchids, there are more than 120 other amazing native Costa Rican plants and flowers.
The orchid garden was started 32 years ago when “Papo” walked through the forest rescuing orchids that have fallen from trees in the forest and taking them to the garden to replant on trees. Throughout the garden, you’ll find orchids growing out of trees here and there.
Explore the Rainforest at Night
If you stay at a lodge, most of them offer night tours of the rainforest. Or check in town to find one. You’ll see some critters and nocturnal animals that you’ve only seen in books (from tarantulas to coatis to stick bugs).
Where to Stay
This gem is tucked on acres of a biological reserve, with trails through the jungle with plenty of animal sightings, amazing views from their restaurant and bar, delicious food and cute cottages.
Where to Next?
I went to Monteverde as the first stop of a northern road trip to Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna and turtle nesting in Tortuguerra. Check out our video of the trip!
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