Monteverde

The MonteVerde region of Costa Rica is known worldwide for its unique cloud forest reserve that helped promote Costa Rica's reputation for ecotourism. MonteVerde's setting is mountainous, with an elevation of 4600 feet.  The roads are hilly, narrow, many dirt, or I should say, mud! It's incredible that our full-sized bus can maneuver these roads!

Monteverde also has lush rolling hills that are fertile pastures for the many cows we have seen along the roadway slopes.  These cows are the source for the area's famous cheeses.

We had a 2.5 mile hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. Quite the workout of very hilly paths with lots of steep ups and downs.  A cloud forest are different than rain forests in that they are always found in elevations higher than 3500 feet. They are typically enveloped in clouds and mist.  

Our guide for the entire stay, Jimmy, has a lot of knowledge of trees, plants, birds, insects and mammals of the area. Below he was holding a millipede and was showing us how to tell the diff emcee between males and females as well as millipedes and centipedes.

This plant is called a piper. I loved the heart-shaped leaf. Their leaves can grow to 20 inches. There are 94 different species in Costa Rica! Great find around Valentine's Day!

Some of the flowers are just beautiful!

We've also seen some lovely birds as we travel around and about Monteverde. The first two below are Mot Mots. The 3 birds together are wild turkeys, and the last, my favorite, is a Chestnut Mandabile Toucan!

We were also fortunate to see some Leaf-Cutter Ants.  Fascinating! They farm their own food by gathering leaves and transporting them to their underground nests. Each leaf piece that they cut and carry can weigh as much as three times their body weight and they will carry these pieces along trails that are as long as or longer than 650 feet!

For those of you who are thinking we are down here in the warmth and sunshine, we are not! We have had two straight days of rain, rain, rain. We are all wearing multiple layers and most of us have very damp clothes! Our ponchos have been our best friends for 2 full days!