10 -15 December 2011
We arrived in Monteverde after 11 hours (1 boat trip,1 taxi ride and 5 bus journeys) just in time to see the sun setting, rewarding us with amazing views as our bus climbed up the hill to our destination. Actually, it was quite a relief to make it there in one day as numerous people had assured us that it would be impossible, but luckily a confident local woman directed us and instructed the driver to let us out at the right spot to make our final connection.
Monteverde is a small town perched high on the hills of Tilaran in central Costa Rica and is home to many natural reserves and cloud forests. The town is well known as an ecotourism destination and is also famous for having some of the best ziplines in Central America. So our first stop the following day was the Aventura canopy tour.
We caught a bus up into the cloud forest where we were harnessed up and given basic instructions on how to use the lines and, importantly, how to brake. We worked our way across a series of ziplines through the misty cloud forest, each getting progressively longer and faster – then it was time for “The Superman”. Our harnesses were adjusted so that we were attached to the line by our chest with our arms free to “fly”. The experience was incredible, it really felt as though we were flying over the top of the forest looking down over the trees. For our final descent we took the infamous Tarzan swing – supposedly the highest in Costa Rica at 148ft high. With a rope attached to your harness, you simply jump off a platform into nothingness – it is like leaping off the top of a 13 storey building. Thankfully, I didn´t know this in advance or I probably wouldn´t have had the guts to do it! I can safely say that this was the most terrifying thing I have ever done, but it also gave me an incredible adrenalin rush!
The next day we took a hike around Bajo del Tigre and the Eternal Children´s Forest – an area of rainforest saved thanks to the efforts of children around the world. The weather had started to take a turn for the worse but that didn´t stop us enjoying the lush vegetation and many trails around the forest. In the evening we were outdoors once again, this time with a guide, exploring the Santa Maria Reseve. Armed with flashlights, we wandered around the reserve in darkness searching for signs of wildlife. We weren´t disappointed, our guide pointed out tarantulas (very large females), vipers, a racoon and a two-toed sloth (hanging from a branch enjoying his dinner). Being able to see these nocturnal animals in their natural habitat was incredible and wouldn´t have been possible without taking a guide.
After a few days in Monteverde, we decided to travel on to la Fortuna – an area known for having one of the most active volcanoes in the region as well as plenty of outdoor activities. Unfortunately for us, the weather continued to deteriorate and we had heavy rain for the duration of our stay in la Fortuna. Dense mist also reduced visibility in the town, which meant that, despite being only a couple of kilometres from Volcan Arenal, we didn´t get a single glimpse of Costa Rica´s most visited site. However, not wanting to be confined to our hostel, we caught a taxi to the nearby Baldi Hot Springs – a complex of around 25 outdoor pools. We happily spent a few hours in the rain sampling all the different temperature pools (from 93 to 152º F), relaxing under the waterfalls and recharging our batteries after our days spent hiking and carrying heavy packs.
With no sign of the rain letting up, we left La Fortuna to head towards Panama,stopping briefly in the capital, San Jose, to break up our trip. The city was beautifully lit up for festive season and had an enormous Christmas tree laden with lights that made us feel very festive as we neared Christmas.
cathysadventure 