Jun-2014
Walking through the clouds in Monteverde
Have you ever walked through a Cloud Forest? How about walking through the clouds of this forest? Getting confused?
This is what I’m talking about:
On a particular early morning I got picked up at the Sloth Backpackers hostel for my first real Cloud Forest experience. I had been in Monteverde already for a couple of days but I still hadn’t walked through the Cloud Forest. Therefor, I was looking for a place where I could get the full Cloud Forest feeling.
After about 30 minutes of transport I arrived at Selvatura’s park where the receptionist gave me three entrance tickets. One for the Tree Top Walkways, another one for the HummingBird Garden and the last one for the Butterfly Garden.
The widest and strongest bridge system
The Tree Top Walkways were awaiting me. An approximately 3 kilometer long trail that crosses through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Eight different hanging bridges from 50 up to 170 meters long with an altitude ranging between 12 and 60 meters were on my walking route through Selvatura’s park in the Cloud Forest.
Walking on these bridges was amazing. It literately felt like walking through the clouds, since you are up very high and can see the ground far, far away underneath you. The strong bridges didn’t make me feel unsafe luckily, no, they are actually the strongest bridge systems in the Monteverde Cloud Forest and also the widest bridges in Costa Rica. That means the bridges have a big capacity for people walking all together on one bridge. However, I was walking there entirely by myself and that was fantastic. I enjoyed feeling like Jane, in search of Tarzan for about 1,5 hours.
Hummingbird air show
After I walked all the eight walking bridges I got close to Selvatura’s HummingBird Garden, which I was looking forward to visit to be able to take good photos of these pretty little speed devils.
Imagine yourself walking through a cute little garden, where the bees are buzzing and the colorful hummingbirds are cheerfully flying around your ears. It was paradise for me and my camera, since there were so many amazingly colorful species of hummingbirds appearing in front of my own two eyes. Here is a pick of my favorite photos I took during the air show of the hummingbirds working on their aerial maneuvers for getting some sweets.
The butterfly world
After having spotted all those pretty little birds it was time to go see other flying creatures that would amaze me. I was looking forward to seeing the pretty Morpho butterfly up close and to maybe be able to find some butterflies landing on top of my nose!
A young Morpho butterfly
A local guide walked with me and two other tourists through the Butterfly garden, which is actually a giant exhibition where the hot temperature of 28 degrees please a big amount of butterflies. The guide explained about the life cycle of the butterfly and showed us the many species Costa Rica has. He also made us stand on top off a platform to just look around and enjoy the beautiful sight on all these wonderful insects. Quite impressive to see so many all together! I didn’t get a butterfly to land on my nose, however I did get one to sit on top of my camera 🙂
Details & information
Company Treetop Walkways and Suspension Bridges
Cost: US $30 entrance fee for the tree walk and an additional fee of US $15 for the butterfly garden and US $5 the hummingbird garden.
Note: There are entrances available to the Selvatura park from 8:30am, 11:00am and 1:00pm for the hanging bridges combined with the gardens such as the hummingbird garden. Comfortable clothes for hot weather and hiking shoes recomended!
*This post was sponsored. However I would never endorse a product or service I did not actually use & believe in. Reader trust is much more important. Learn More..
About Renate Rigters
Ever since I left my home country I felt at home at any other place I went to. I enjoy getting to know more cultures by talking to strangers and hearing their philosophy about life. Speaking with gestures when you can not find a shared language, finding places only the locals go to and learn about their customs and values. Hanging out with local people makes me happy. The experience of every new place is a step out of your comfort zone where I like to wander around until it feels like a second home.
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