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Things To Do In Monteverde

July 19th, 2010 No comments

1. Canopy Tour: This is the thing to do in Costa Rica. It is an exciting adventure that will take you along zip lines on the forest’s canopy.

2. Hanging bridges Tour: These tours take place in the forest and take you along trails and huge bridges over the forest. From them you get one of the most spectacular views of the area.

3. Sky Tram Tour: This allows you to see animals hiding in the trees.In it you will travel along the forest canopy sitting in gondolas. This is what I like to call the relaxed version of the canopy tour.

4. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve: Here you can explore the cloud forest and learn about its flora and fauna. This is a great place for a relaxing hiking tour. This tour is also famous among birdwatchers

5. The San Luis Waterfall: For a small entrance fee you can enjoy hike through the forest to the waterfall. That is because this is a beautiful waterfall located in private property-

6. Horseback Riding to The Waterfall: This is a very scenic and relaxing tour. The most common horseback riding tour of the Monteverde area is the one that takes you to the San Luis Waterfall.

7. Orchid Garden: This is a project that has one of the biggest orchid collections in Costa Rica. Right now they have more than 450 different species including the smallest orchid in the world.

8. Frog Pond: They have over 25 frog species, including the famous Red Eyed Frog. This is a small zoo for frogs but they also have some other reptiles.

9. Serpentarium: This is a reptile only zoo. In it you will find snakes, vipers, lizards, frogs and all sorts of reptiles.

10. Insectarium: Here you will find thousands of different species. This is also the place where a great collection of insects is located called The Jewels of Costa Rica. This is a great place for insect lovers.

11. Don Juan Coffee tour: Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about how coffee is made. It is a tour along an authentic coffee farm where excellent coffee is harvested and processed.

12. The Bat Jungle Exhibit: In the exhibit there are more that 40 live bats of 7 different species. Here you will be able to see and learn about these beautiful yet misunderstood creatures.

13. Hummingbird Gallery: It is home to mere than 100 hummingbirds from 14 different species of these fast flying birds. It is located right next to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

Marina K. Villatoro, lives in Central America – Costa Rica and Guatemala for the past decade. She has traveled all over these areas with her family and now she loves to organize vacations to Costa Rica and Guatemala. Contact her for advice and to plan your perfect trip!

Experiencing Monteverde Costa Rica

October 8th, 2009 No comments
by Janet K. Rustiford

When traveling in Costa Rica, you must make it a point to visit Monteverde. The town is tucked away high in the mountains and the views are incredible. Monteverde offers a variety of tours of things to see and do.

A tour that offers many thrills and chills is zip lining over the canopy. The staff will clip you onto the cable and send you flying across 600 meters of open space, you’ll be extremely high and will be able to see the canopy from above. Now, that is a great combination.

If you are avoiding adrenaline, try the suspended bridges. You can go to Selvatura and see the canopy in another very personal way. Up at Selvatura you can also experience the hummingbird garden. It is truly incredible something to be that close.

Costa Rica is known for having a lot of bio-diversity and every area of the country is different. Be sure to hike one of the two reserves in Monteverde. If you’ve got a good eye or ear you might see and hear toucans or monkeys.

If you want to learn about the forest while hiking, you can hire a guide for a private tour. With this option you will have a better chance at seeing animals. The guides are trained to know all about the cloud forest life.

In Santa Elena, which is one kilometer from Monteverde, there is a Frog Pond Exhibit. They have the famous Red Eyed Tree Frog and Poison Dart Frog. Inside, there are 28 different species of frogs.

For those who enjoy everything outdoors, try horseback riding with the company La Estrella. You can spend an hour, an afternoon or the day riding through the forest. The trails wind along the tops of the mountains. Be sure to watch the sunset over the Gulf of Nicoya.

After you have spent the day enjoying the tours, be sure to spoil yourself at one of the fine restaurants. Don Juan and Morphos are great choices and if you are looking for the local place, go to Donde Henry. As for desert, Stellas Bakery is where its at.

And the place to lay your head is a place literally in the trees. Hidden Canopy Tree House Hotel has four tree houses available. Treat yourself to their waterfall showers and be sure to catch the sunset on the patio.

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Experience the Canopy Tours of Costa Rica

September 12th, 2009 1 comment

With the rise in tourism here in Costa Rica, canopy tours are also growing in popularity. An activity for any age, it’s definitely something you do not want to leave Costa Rica without having the experience. The canopy tour is a thrill of a lifetime with breathtaking views for the young and old.

With a variety of tour companies to choose from, you need to do your research to make sure you book your canopy tour that will provide you with the adventure you are in search of. If it is adventure you’re looking for, this is where you will find it. Once is definitely not enough!

Depending on what your extreme adventure idea is, you can bet that you will find it on a canopy tour. With a range of activities outlined along the way, you get to choose what works best for your perfect adrenaline rush! Choose your tour operator according to your “extreme”, or not, desire.

A Canopy tour consists of cables attached to trees which are surrounded by platforms throughout the forest. A guide at each end of the cable helps you clip your pulley, which is already attached to your harness, and off you go. Some of the tour operators take an extra precaution by clipping you to a safety cable while you are standing on the platform.

You job on this amazing adventure is to just relax and enjoy the ride. The hardest part about this experience will be deciding which canopy company to choose from. Age and weight restrictions do vary slightly from company to company so it’s best to check prior to booking.

There are canopy tours located in Herradura next to Jaco on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica and offers breathtaking views of the gulf of Nicoya and the Pacific Ocean. Prices are comparable among all the operators, starting around $40.00 per person for adults.

Whether you choose the eco-friendly theme park tour, the famous Original Canopy tour or a tropical park tour; we are certain you will find one to meet your needs. Horseback riding tours to your first canopy, premium full day adventure tours or just the Original Costa Rica canopy tour, it’s all here. Congo Trail Canopy is a favorite of a lot of tourists because it sits between Ocotal and Flamingo beaches; suggest you check it out!

If you plan on visiting the Monteverde or Santa Elena Cloud Forest, you will have an opportunity to experience the birds view on things. They do have suspension bridges for your amazing views from the treetops. Just enjoy a nice leisurely walk along the treetops taking in the beautiful views of the forest below.

As with any vacation, it’s best to always be prepared. When visiting Costa Rica remember that we are very close to the equator here and it’s best to bring lots of sunscreen. Bug spray is also suggested, you are experiencing a different climate and precautions are always suggested. Make this vacation an adventure in this beautiful scenic country, and enjoy!

Daniel Q. Floyd just got back from a Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Canopy Tour in Costa Rica. He is an enthusiast expert on Costa Rica Canopy Adventure Tours in Monteverde. With more than 8 years experience wondering around Costa Rica, he has learned what are the best locationsto go to.

What To Do In Costa Rica

April 20th, 2009 No comments

Visiting Costa Rica for many people is the vacation of a lifetime. With some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, stunning nature and scenery, a fabulous culture and some of the most fun activities for you and your family it is difficult to choose the very best thing that you can do while you are in Costa Rica.

One special activity comes to mind, however, that will give you the thrill of your life while you are enjoying the spectacular natural beauty of this area. Ziplining is an adrenaline rush and is a sure way to liven up your trip. The Costa Rican Cloud Forest will provide you and your family with everything you need for a tremendous activity.

Santa Elena de Monteverde is located at 5000 feet above sea level, on CR’s Pacific Slope, in the province of Puntarenas. It boasts a very unique ecosystem that is home to a diverse range of endemic species of flora and fauna. It became well known in the early 90′s when National Geographic filmed in the area and featured the newly discovered cloud forest canopy. University student groups and biologists working out of research stations throughout the region continue to make new discoveries in this ecosystem.

A Monteverde zip line tour will introduce you to the amazing natural beauty of the cloud forest canopy from a bird’s eye view. Yep, you’ll be zipping from tree top to tree top in one of the most exciting tours of your life. Not only is this a thrill , but the majestic surroundings are absolutely breathtaking.

It is a perfectly safe activity. You’ll be wearing safety equipment that climbers use, and you’ll learn everything you need to know from the guides and instructors that will accompany you. Once you get the low-down, you can glide out over the forest and check out the life below.

You will reach new heights as the tour takes you from 20 feet above the forest floor to 80 feet. The views will change from open panoramas to lush vegetation. Regardless of how high above the forest floor you are, this tour will rock you to your soul.

Be sure to check this one out on your trip. If you don’t make it a point to soar through the canopy, you may just live to regret not having done so. But , then again, there’s always the next time you find the time for another trip.

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