Monteverde Travel Guide

Quetzales in the Cloud Forest

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The Quakers came to the Monteverde area in the fifties in the hopes of following their traditional way of life. They undertook agricultural and livestock activities, and eventually formed a dairy cooperative that has also benefited the area’s Costa Rican residents.

The Quaker community built a school and shared education with Santa Elena’s Costa Ricans, thus enabling a bilingual culture that today is a strength in serving the nature-loving tourists who visit the area.

Though it is true that few of the original colonists remain, a number of their customs and practices have been maintained, including Quaker Meetings, which involve varied commentaries and readings on world peace.

With great vision, the Quakers protected the high zone of the Tilarán mountain range; today, it is one of the country’s most visited protected areas, where the beauty of the region’s flora and fauna may be enjoyed by all. 

Attractions in Monteverde

Visit the Monteverde Cheese Factory to observe how cheese is made and buy some local products, or tour coffee plantations in the community of San Luis, where visitors are shown the process and roasting before tasting the final product .  

A variety of galleries may be visited where pottery, sculpture and painting courses may be taken, and art pieces acquired. Plant, wildlife and general landscape photographs may also be purchased.

Activities in Monteverde

Monteverde’s most significant tourist activities rest on nature and adventure; however, a cultural component is being revived thanks to the influence of the Quaker community that still dwells in Monteverde and that through much effort has achieved considerable development of the area.

The resplendent quetzal is the area’s most striking bird; the wet forest is its habitat. Alongside the quetzal, the bellbird and the umbrella bird also stand out. Hummingbirds, goldfinches and other birds may also be admired.

Several hotels and mountain lodges, as well as family operations, offer horseback-riding tours through typical villages, picturesque trails and wet forest, with the final destination usually being a waterfall or other scenic natural spot.

Picturesque Mountain Biking trails lead between mountain and forest areas to typical towns such as San Luis and San Gerardo, as well as to the Santa Elena and Monteverde preserves.

Several 'Treetop' options are available for observing life and activity in the treetops: several species of monkey, birds, snakes and the forest canopy itself, as well as different varieties of orchids, bromeliads, climbing plants, parasites and communities of insects and pollinators.

As a complement to all this, tourists can live the adventure of walking over suspension bridges, gliding through the canopy on zip lines anchored to platforms, or swinging from the seat of an aerial tram. 

Relaxing

The Monteverde Music Festival  takes place during the first months of the year to take advantage of the dry season and high season for tourists. Different musical groups advocating music in harmony with nature are invited from around the country.

Getting Around

Monteverde is several hours drive up some of Costa Rica's most rugged and steep roads.  If you are coming here in a hired car, it is highly reccommended that you have one with 4x4 capability.

There are daily buses to and from Santa Elena from San Jose, Tiralan and nearby settlements.  These tend to be old buses offering slow, bumpy rides.

There are taxis in the area, and most local operators can also offer transport.

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