Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
days you can see the Golfo de Nicoya and the Pacific. To the east you can see the Peñas
Blancas valley and the San Carlos plain. Even on wet, cloudy days it's magical, especially
when the winds are howling and fine swirling mist washes over you in waves. All over
these woods, in hidden pockets and secluded gullies, that mist collects into rivulets that
gather into threads that stream into a foaming
cascada,
visible from
Sendero Cascada.
From here the water pools, then forms into a gushing river, best glimpsed from
Sendero
Rio
or
Sendero Chuecha.
There's a 100m suspension bridge about 1km from the ranger
station on
Sendero Wilford Guindon.
A mini Golden Gate suspended in the canopy, you
can feel it rock and sway with each step.
There are also trails to three backcountry shelters that begin at the far corners of the tri-
angle. Even longer trails, many of them less developed, stretch out east across the reserve
and down the Peñas Blancas river valley to the lowlands north of the Cordillera de Tilarán
and into the Bosque Eterno de los Niños. If you have the time to spare, these hikes are
highly recommended, as few tourists venture beyond the triangle. It's important to first talk
to the park service, as you will be dealing with rugged terrain; a guide is highly recom-
mended. Also, backcountry camping and sleeping in these shelters is normally no longer
allowed.
Wildlife-Watching
Monteverde is a bird-watching paradise, with the list of recorded species topping out at
more than 400. The resplendent quetzal is most often spotted during the March and April
nesting season, though you may get lucky any time of year. Keep your ears open for the
three-wattled bellbird, a kind of cotinga that is famous for its distinctive call. If you're
keen on birds, a specialized bird tour is highly recommended.
For those interested in spotting mammals, the cloud forest's limited visibility and
abundance of higher primates (namely human beings) can make wildlife-watching quite
difficult, though commonly sighted species (especially in the backcountry) include coatis,
howler monkeys, capuchins, sloths, agoutis and squirrels (as in 'real' squirrel, not the
squirrel monkey). Most animals avoid the main trails, so get off the beaten track.
