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Climate: Temperate and cool
Average Temperature: 65°F with 75% humidity
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Monteverde Region: Best Known For.....
Places to See in the Monteverde Region
Things to Do in the Monteverde Region
Best known for its rich biodiversity and cloud forests, the Monteverde
area is a must see. Nestled in the Tilarán Mountain Range with views
to the Gulf of Nicoya and of Arenal Volcano, Monteverde is a paradise of majestic greenery.
The area known as Monteverde
really consists of a few small towns (Santa Elena being the most
well-known) and of several private reserves and forested areas. The
unique thing about this area is that all the protected land and forests
are a private endeavors, not government mandates. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
is the largest of these private protected areas with more than 25,730
acres (10,415 hectares). More than 500 species of orchids cling to the
limbs of enormous fairytale-like trees while vines, ferns, mosses and
lichens fill every other available space.
Quakers
from the United States first settled here in 1951 and began a cheese
factory utilizing the 50 cows they had brought with them from the US.
Right from the start, they preserved a third of their property
(originally 3700 acres, 1500 hectares) in order to protect the
watershed above their new settlement. Today, the Cloud Forest reserve
is a valuable addition to the Arenal – Monteverde Protected Zone and
protects 8 different life zones.
The rain forests of the Monteverde
area house more than 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds
including 30 species of hummingbirds, 5000 species of moths and 2500
species of plants. It is a nature lover's paradise. The mere enormity
of the trees will humble you.
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The Monteverde Tourism Region is best known for:
Its private parks and reserves in the cloud forest, hiking, canopy tours (zip lines), the cheese factory and the elusive resplendant quetzal (a bird).
Hot Spots:
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Santa Elena (town), Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, Cheese Factory, and numerous
natural history museums
Places to See:
Museums:
Ranarium, Serpentarium, Butterfly Garden, Cheese Factory, Orchid
Garden, Sky Trek, Hummingbird Gallery and several art galleries.
Parks & Reserves: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, Children’s Eternal Cloud Forest.
Waterfalls: San Luis Waterfalls
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Things to Do:
Air Activites: canopy tours
Land Activites: bird & wildlife watching, and night walks, touring natural history museums, horseback riding
Water Activites: swimming in the waterfalls (San Luis)
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Read our Monteverde Travel Blogs:
Monteverde (June 2006)
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