High in the Cordillera de Tilarán, where Costa Rica yields to sky, lies Monteverde Cloud Forest; a sanctuary of green that has emerged as a global paragon of conservation.
But it wasn’t always this way.
The story begins with the Quakers, groups of religious American settlers who carved farms from the wilderness in the mid-20th century to create a new home here, and in doing so inadvertently opened a door to one of the world’s most biologically diverse regions.
In the early 1970s, as the realisation of the cloud forest’s ecological significance deepened, a small group of dedicated individuals – including George and Harriett Powell – began to mobilise local support for its protection. Their efforts culminated in the establishment of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in 1972, a critical moment that marked the beginning of a broader conservation movement in Costa Rica.
That small patch of protected forest has expanded many times since, and now encompasses a vast 35,809 acres of pristine land that continues to play a pivotal role in research and developing Costa Rica’s reputation as a conservation success story
Indeed, were it not for the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the small Central American country may well have never reached its lofty heights on the world stage as a standard-bearer for positive eco-tourism and biodiversity preservation.
Due to this heritage, the reserve is one of the most known and visited attractions in the entire country – with a surprising price tag to match.
For the traveller, a morning or afternoon in Monteverde is about the opportunity to explore a pristine version of cloud forest via a network of accessible walking trails. The inter-connecting ‘senderos’ cover 13km in total, are very manageable, and will bring you to 2% of the protected area.
Beyond a curious and lush array of fauna, there’s also a waterfall, viewpoint of the continental shift, and various sections of the forest where all you need to do is stop, disconnect, and breathe in nature, or hope to spot some wildlife.
In this short guide we cover everything you need to know before a visit to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, including how to buy tickets, the best tours, advice on getting there, how to combine the walking trails, and whether the steep entry price is really worth it.
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