Monteverde: Costa Rica's Misty Cloud Forest
A glimpse into my Monteverde adventure, from misty mountain views and unique rainforest plants to the tiny frogs hidden amongst the leaves.
Into the Costa Rican Mountains
After spending three unforgettable weeks volunteering with the Leatherback Trust, it was time to pack up my backpack once again and continue exploring Costa Rica. Saying goodbye wasn't easy. Over the previous few weeks, I had settled into a routine, made new friends, and spent countless evenings walking the beach searching for leatherback, green, and Ridley sea turtles. It had become one of the most rewarding experiences of my travels, but there was still so much of Costa Rica left to discover.
My next destination was Monteverde, a place famous for its cloud forest, incredible biodiversity, and cooler mountain climate. After spending weeks living on the Pacific coast, I was excited to experience a completely different side of the country.
Before leaving, one of the volunteers, Keilor, kindly drove me to the nearest bus stop so I could begin my journey. The only way to reach Monteverde was by local bus, something I had become fairly comfortable using after several months of backpacking through Central America.
The first part of the journey went smoothly enough before I was dropped off in the middle of nowhere to wait for my connecting bus. According to the timetable, I had around two hours before it was due to arrive, so I walked over to a nearby restaurant, ordered some lunch, and happily took advantage of the free Wi-Fi while I waited.
After finishing my meal, I made the roughly ten-minute walk back to the bus stop. It wasn't until I sat down that I realized I had left my sunglasses behind at the restaurant.
I could have gone back for them.
The problem was that the bus timetable wasn't exactly reliable. This was the only bus heading towards Monteverde that day. Missing it would have completely thrown off my plans.
So, I stayed exactly where I was.
For the next couple of hours, I sat alone at the bus stop, watching the occasional vehicle drive past and wondering whether I had made the right decision. Losing my sunglasses was disappointing, but it seemed like a much smaller problem than being stranded in the middle of nowhere. Looking back, I'm also incredibly grateful I never had to use the bathroom during those two hours because there certainly weren't any facilities nearby!
Eventually, just as I was beginning to wonder if the bus was ever going to arrive, it appeared in the distance.
Instant relief.
As it pulled closer, I could immediately spot other backpackers sitting inside. Their oversized backpacks, travel clothes, and familiar look told me I had finally found the right bus. My backpack disappeared into the luggage compartment underneath, I climbed aboard, and as we pulled away, I couldn't help but smile.
Monteverde, here I come.
My first glimpse of Monteverde's lush cloud forest after a long day of buses.
Arriving in Monteverde
By the time I arrived in Monteverde, the sun had already disappeared, and I was relieved that the journey was finally over. After collecting my backpack from underneath the bus, I made the short walk to Hostel Cattleya, where I would be spending the next two nights.
Checking in was quick and easy, and before long I was settling into my room after what had been a long day of travelling. One thing I've learned while backpacking is that whenever I arrive somewhere new, I like to get organized before I relax. It saves a lot of stress the following morning and helps me make the most of my time.
The first thing I needed to figure out was how to get to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve.
Unlike some attractions where you simply walk from your accommodation, reaching the cloud forest required taking one of the local shuttle buses that transported both tourists and locals from town to the reserve. I spent some time looking up the shuttle departure times, where I needed to catch it, and how often it returned throughout the day.
I also discovered that I didn't need to buy my entrance ticket in advance. Instead, I could simply purchase it at the entrance when I arrived the following morning, making planning the day a little easier.
With everything sorted, I reorganized my backpack, charged my electronics, and got everything ready for an early start. I was excited to finally experience one of Costa Rica's most famous national parks and see whether the cloud forest lived up to its reputation.
After a long day of buses and travelling, an early night was exactly what I needed.
Making the most of Monteverde's cool, misty weather while exploring the cloud forest.
Exploring the Monteverde Cloud Forest
The next morning, I woke up excited to finally visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. It had been one of the destinations I was most looking forward to while planning my time in Costa Rica, and after yesterday's long journey, I was ready to spend the day surrounded by nature.
After getting ready, I made my way to the shuttle pickup location and boarded one of the buses heading up to the reserve. The drive itself wasn't very long, but as we climbed higher into the mountains, I immediately noticed the change in temperature. The warm tropical weather I had become used to over the previous few weeks quickly disappeared, replaced by cool mountain air that made it feel like I had entered a completely different country.
Once I arrived, I headed to the ticket kiosk and purchased my entrance ticket before making my way through the gates. I briefly considered hiring a guide, but decided against it. It would have cost me around an extra $20 USD, and I preferred to save that money for experiences where I felt a guide would make a bigger difference, like searching for sloths. Instead, I picked up a trail map and set off to explore the reserve at my own pace.
One of my favourite things about travelling solo is that there's never any pressure to rush. If I wanted to spend five minutes admiring a tree or ten minutes trying to photograph a bird, I could. The day was completely my own.
The cloud forest was unlike anywhere else I had visited in Costa Rica. Towering trees stretched high above the trails, many of them covered in thick layers of moss and epiphytes. The vegetation seemed to grow on top of itself, creating a landscape that felt ancient and almost magical. Everywhere I looked there was another shade of green.
What amazed me the most were the leaves.
Some of them were enormous - far larger than anything I had ever seen before. I found myself constantly stopping just to admire the plants growing alongside the trails.
The biggest surprise, however, was the weather.
I knew Monteverde sat at a higher elevation, but I hadn't expected it to be cold. Before long, I had pulled on my winter jacket and even my toque to stay warm. If someone had shown me a photo of myself bundled up like that without any context, I doubt many people would guess it had been taken in Costa Rica.
Over the next four hours, I slowly worked my way around the reserve, following every trail I could. Rather than rushing from viewpoint to viewpoint, I simply enjoyed being there. Listening to the birds, admiring the unique plants, and appreciating how peaceful everything felt made it one of the most relaxing hikes of my trip.
By the time I finished exploring, I felt like I had experienced exactly what I had come to Monteverde for. Looking back, I think that's exactly what made Monteverde special. There wasn't one huge attraction that stood above everything else. Instead, it was all the little moments - the peaceful trails, giant leaves, hummingbirds, and hidden frogs - that made it one of my favourite stops in Costa Rica.
I couldn't believe the size of some of the leaves in Monteverde's cloud forest. My hand barely covered a small section of this one!
Frogs, Hummingbirds & Exploring Monteverde
After spending around four hours exploring the cloud forest, I was ready for a break. Conveniently, there was a café just outside the reserve, so I made my way to Café Colibrí for lunch.
The food was good, but it wasn't the reason people gathered there.
Just outside the café was the Monteverde Hummingbird Gallery, where dozens of hummingbirds zipped from feeder to feeder at incredible speeds. I had never seen so many hummingbirds in one place before. They darted through the air so quickly that they almost looked like tiny insects rather than birds, hovering effortlessly before suddenly shooting off in another direction.
I could have stood there watching them for hours.
After lunch, I caught the shuttle back into town. Since I still had plenty of time left in the afternoon, I decided to visit the Monteverde Frog Pond, another attraction that had been high on my list.
When I bought my ticket, it included a guided tour, and I was quickly reminded why guides can be so valuable. Before entering each enclosure, our guide would tell us exactly how many frogs were inside before challenging us to find them ourselves.
It wasn't nearly as easy as it sounded.
Many of the frogs blended perfectly into their surroundings, hiding amongst leaves, branches, and rocks. Even knowing they were there, I often found myself staring into an enclosure for several minutes before finally spotting one. Every time I managed to find a frog on my own, it felt like a small victory.
Of course, the frog I wanted to see most was the famous red-eyed tree frog.
Unfortunately, I had visited during the day.
Since red-eyed tree frogs are nocturnal, ours was fast asleep, tucked away and looking far less impressive than the vibrant photographs I'd seen before arriving in Costa Rica. It was a little disappointing, but then I discovered something that made me smile.
My ticket allowed me to return later that evening.
Perfect.
With a few hours to spare before darkness fell, I wandered through Monteverde's small town centre, browsed the local souvenir shops looking for gifts to take home for my family, and enjoyed dinner at the famous Tree House Restaurant, built around a giant fig tree growing right through the middle of the building.
As night settled over Monteverde, I returned to the Frog Pond.
This time, everything felt completely different.
The frogs were awake, active, and much easier to spot. To my surprise, I discovered that I no longer needed as much help from the guide. Earlier in the day I could barely find anything, but now I was spotting at least one frog in almost every enclosure before anyone pointed it out. I was probably a little more proud of myself than I should have been.
And yes…
I finally got to see the red-eyed tree frog.
It was the perfect way to end my time in Monteverde.
The famous red-eyed tree frog wasn't very photogenic during the day - it was fast asleep!
Saying Goodbye to Monteverde
Before I knew it, my two nights in Monteverde had come to an end.
Although it wasn't one of the longest stops on my Costa Rica itinerary, it was one of the most memorable. From wandering through the misty cloud forest and watching hummingbirds dart around Café Colibrí to finally seeing the famous red-eyed tree frog awake at Frog Pond Ranario, every experience offered something completely different.
What surprised me most was just how different Monteverde felt compared to the rest of Costa Rica. After spending weeks on the country's warm coastlines, I hadn't expected to find myself wearing a winter jacket and toque while hiking through a cloud forest. It was a reminder of just how diverse Costa Rica's landscapes really are.
The following morning, I packed my backpack once again and boarded the bus to La Fortuna, another destination I'd been looking forward to. While Monteverde had been all about cool mountain air and peaceful forest trails, La Fortuna promised volcanoes, waterfalls, hot springs, and some of the best wildlife spotting in Costa Rica.
That adventure, however, would come with a few surprises of its own.
In my next blog, I'll share what it was like exploring La Fortuna, from relaxing in natural hot springs and hiking around Arenal Volcano to one of my favourite wildlife encounters of my entire Costa Rica trip. If you're planning to visit La Fortuna - or you're simply following along with my journey - you won't want to miss it.
A few of my favourite moments from exploring Monteverde, from misty cloud forests and wildlife encounters to finally spotting the famous red-eyed tree frog.
