On Monday night, we had the pleasure
of visiting the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve to do a night walk
through the forest. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve spans the
Tilaran Mountain Range and is home to a thriving ecosystem. I was very excited
to spend an evening exploring the forest and was not disappointed.
We were greeted by a spectacular
view of sunset over the valley and had the opportunity to take plenty of
pictures!
We then checked in and ate some
complimentary popcorn before our guide, Mauricio, gave us our flashlights. Even
though it was just after sunset, the dense forest made it feel much later than
it really was. We set out on our adventure with Mauricio who was very
knowledgeable and knew exactly where to look for the different animals. The
most common animals found on this tour are birds, but groups may see the
occasional frog, sloth, or tarantula.
We saw some excellent views of the
birds as well as a tiny frog and a tarantula. Mauricio located a hole in a tree
and explained to us how tarantulas sense vibrations and can tell whether or not
the vibration is caused by prey or predator. By mimicking the scratch of
insects with a stick, Mauricio coaxed the tarantula out of its hiding place.
Can you spot the tarantula?
In all, this was a very nice walk
through the forest. From a management standpoint, everything was well-organized
and safe. It was a very long tour of almost two hours and had some views that
I’m sure would be incredible during the day. The trails were a bit steep and muddy at some points. This tour is best for people who are reasonably fit and sure-footed (trails are not wheelchair friendly). I would highly recommend a daytime
visit to this reserve. We did not encounter enough animals to make me want to return
to this specific tour, but I enjoyed the evening and would love to explore the reserve during the
day.
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