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Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve

You’re likely familiar with the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, one of the world’s most visited cloud forests. But do you know about the equally beautiful Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve? The quietly charming town of Santa Elena boasts natural beauty, cultural learning opportunities, and cheeses and ice creams that are a delicious part of the country’s history. If you’re looking for adventure, but relish the opportunity to walk down quiet and friendly streets, then add Santa Elena to your travel itinerary.
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
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Times & Rates
Messenger Email plan@anywhere.com Whatsapp Contact Call USA: +1-888-456-3212 SMS: +1-206-208-1117
DURATION: 3 hrs
TIMES: 7:30AM, 1:00PM

Explore the Lesser Known Cloud Forest Reserve

How the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve is formed.

A walk through the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve reveals a lush garden of mosses, ferns, flowers and epiphytes growing thickly on every tree. Clouds drift in and settle among the slopes, providing the plants with the continuous moisture that they require. Dangling roots and vines sweep across the trails, while the sounds of birds and other creatures echo throughout the forest.

A cloud forest is a high-elevation forest characterized by a persistent, canopy-level cloud cover. These clouds provide the forest with a continual supply of moisture, which supports the fantastic array of plants that live here.

Warm winds from the Atlantic Ocean sweep over the Continental Divide, cooling and condensing to form clouds as they rise. By the time they reach Santa Elena, the clouds are thick and filled with moisture. The forest is thus bathed in a constant supply of mist, which, over the course of a year, amounts to nearly twelve feet of rain.

The verdant jungle of Santa Elena — misty and green as far as the eye can see.

Who calls this cloud forest home?

Not surprisingly, the Santa Elena cloud forest is abundant with vegetation. The competition for growing space is so intense that the trunks, branches and even roots of trees are almost entirely covered with other plants – epiphytes, lichens, liverworts, bryophytes, mosses and more. Strong winds and water-laden limbs often cause branches to break and fall to the ground. This not only creates light gaps in the canopy, but also provides the forest floor with added nutrients.

Not to be outdone, the insects, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds that live here can be found in fantastic numbers as well. Birds include the three-wattled bellbird, bare-necked umbrellabird, keel-billed toucan, long-tailed manakin, and resplendent quetzal. White-faced and howler monkeys reside here, as do jaguars, agouti, and the three-toed sloth.

A jaguar stands on a tree branch in the jungle and looks back at the camera

A forest of special meaning.

The community of Santa Elena borders the Monteverde Conservation Area. Within this region, 310 hectares (765 acres) have been permanently leased by the Santa Elena community high school. The original vision was to use this land for agricultural research and education in Monteverde. However, the farming proved to be unsuccessful, and in 1989, the land was converted into a cloud forest reserve. Together with Youth Challenge International, a Canadian based non-profit organization, the community established an ecotourism reserve, which officially opened on March 1, 1992.

The reserve was created out of the community’s desire to both preserve the cloud forest and use tourism as a means to benefit community development. Entrance fees go to protecting and managing the reserve, as well as providing higher quality education for the schools of Monteverde.

The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve of Monteverde is one of the first community administered reserves in the country (in the sense that it is not a national park, but under the protection of the Arenal Conservation Area). It is an excellent example of what people can do to preserve — and learn from — the environment they live in.

The beautiful and hazy Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve

More Santa Elena adventures…

Beautiful as they are, cloud forests aren’t the only thing Santa Elena has to offer. The friendly and peaceful town of Santa Elena is extremely pleasant in its own right. In addition to offering you easy access to all kinds of adventures, and in the process, you will be doing a lot of good as you support the local community.

Enjoy fresh produce when you frequent the farmer’s market where family-owned farms sell fruits, vegetables, and coffee that is either organic or uses minimal chemical.

Get one of a kind gifts and contribute to the success of female entrepreneurs when you shop at when you shop at Cooperative de Artesanas de Santa Elena y Monteverde (CASEM) — a co-op which provides artisan training and employment opportunities to women.

Hone your foreign language skills when you enjoy an immersive Spanish education at Centor Panamericano de Idiomas (CPI). Use your new phrases around the town when you shopping and visiting restaurants.

A woman purchases product from a man at the farmer’s market

How to reach this amazing destination.

Getting There: A shuttle can pick visitors up at their hotel and take them to and from the reserve. The shuttle costs $2 each way and requires reservations. Guests can make reservations by calling 2645-6332. The shuttle leaves at 6:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM. It returns at 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM.

  • Hours: The trails are open from 7 AM to 4 PM daily.
  • Guided Tours: Three-hour guided tours are available. For pricing and tour times, click the reservation link on the right.
  • There is a restaurant and souvenir shop at the entrance.
  • There are opportunities for both volunteering and researching at the reserve.
A friendly driver smiles from an Anywhere van

Make Santa Elena a part of your Costa Rican getaway by calling us toll-free at +1-888-830-6074 or send us a message.

Next up in our complete list of things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica:
Learn about Orchids of the Cloud Forest
#1.
Walk the Trails of This World Famous Reserve with a Expert Naturalist Guide Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
#2.
Ride Sky Tram up and Sky Trek Zip Line Down Sky Trek Monteverde Costa Rica - Canopy Tour
#3.
Farm to Cup Local Coffee Experience Cafe Monteverde Coffee Tour
#4.
Scale 8 trees to join birds and monkeys in the treetops. Climb up into the Cloudforest Canopy
#5.
Explore the Nocturnal Wonders of Monteverde Curi Cancha Reserve Night Tour
#6.
Selvatura Day of Adventure, Nature, Lunch, Biodiversity & More! All Day Selvatura Park
#7.
Waterfall Canyoning through Dense Forests of Monteverde Monteverde Waterfall Canyoning
#8.
Fly Above the Cloud Forest on Zip Lines. Cloud Forest Zip Line Canopy Tour
#9.
Navigate Hillside Trails of Montverde on a Horse! Horseback Riding
#10.
Learn about the Farming, Cultivation and Processing of these Coffee, Chocolate, and Sugar Cane. Don Juan Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Tour
#11.
Rise & Shine! It's time to find birds! Cloud Forest Bird Watching Tour
#12.
Fantastic Bat Habitat Bat Jungle Exhibit
#13.
Private Transport between Arenal & Monteverde Private Taxi-boat-Taxi, Monteverde To Arenal Volcano
#14.
Walk with Naturalist Guides through this Wildlife Sanctuary Curi-Cancha Reserve Tour
#15.
Experience Tropical Wildlife at Night Children's Eternal Rainforest Night Walk
#16.
Butterflies of the Cloud Forest Butterfly Garden in Monteverde
#17.
Start with a Van, Boat across Lake Arenal, End with a Van to Your Hotel. Monteverde to Arenal Transport
#18.
Amphibians Live Here Monteverde Frog Pond Costa Rica - Ranario
#19.
Hummingbirds don't Fly, they Zoom! Selvatura Hummingbird Garden
#20.
Waterfall in the rainforest after a 3 hour hike. Monteverde Tours - San Luis Waterfall, Costa Rica
#21.
View Tropical Reptiles & Amphibians Selvatura Reptile & Amphibian Exhibition
#22.
Explore the Lesser Known Cloud Forest Reserve Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
#23.
Learn about Orchids of the Cloud Forest Monteverde Orchid Garden Tour
#24.
Silent Aerial Tram Through the Cloud Forest Cloud Forest Sky Tram
#25.
So Many Orchids in One Place! Orchid Garden
#26.
Long term stay? Take some Spanish lessons. Spanish Lessons in Costa Rica
#27.
Hike along Trails and Sky Walk on Suspension Bridges in the Cloud Forest Monteverde Tours - Sky Walk Suspension Bridges
#28.
Meander through Cloud Forest Trails and Suspension Bridges Treetop Suspension Bridges & Walkway
#29.
Zip Line Across Cloud Forests & Walk on Suspension Bridges Selvatura Zip Line Canopy Tour & Cloud Forest Suspension Bridges
#30.
Scale a hollow fig tree to heights of 40m / 131ft Climb a Giant Fig Tree
#31.
Watch local artists at work and purchase their art CASEM, the Cooperativa de Artesanas
#32.
Shop for vegetables, fruit, sweets and more at the local farmer's market. Monteverde Local Farmer's Market
#33.
Enjoy local meals at the best restaurants Dining Guide for Monteverde & Santa Elena

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