Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Life in the Cloud Forest
To explore the Monteverde cloud forest is to arrive at the pinnacle of Costa
Rica's continental divide. A blast of swirling, misty euphoria surrounds you,
where lichen-draped trees soar, exotic birds gossip, and orchids and brome-
liads bloom. Life is abundant, throbbing and palpable.
Two Forests, Two Ecosystems
Warm, humid trade winds from the Caribbean sweep up forested slopes to the Reserva
Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde, where they cool and condense into clouds that
congregate over the nearby Reserva Santa Elena. The two forests are each rich in di-
versity and oxygen, but the slight temperature and topographical differences mean that
each has its own unique ecosystem.
