The very first blog published by our team was titled Deep Roots and Big Wings | The Story of Karen and Valeria Fallas, which dove into the story of Karen and Valeria, the founders of the Ocotea Boutique Hotel, and the turbulent challenges that they had navigated to open this gorgeous hotel in the mountains of Monteverde.
Monteverde is one of the most unique places in Costa Rica and features a combination of geography, climate, plants, and animals that are found nowhere else on Earth. In the heart of the global ecotourism capital, Monteverde offers something a little different than the steamy tropical rainforests Costa Rica has become known for.
When you arrive by car and enter the Ocotea Boutique Hotel, you’re welcomed under the branches of the Damas, a mid-sized, flowering tree with a gentle scent and pale flowers. The Damas tree is a favorite for the honeybees and other pollinators in the area, and whenever the flowers are in bloom, you can see them industriously buzzing around in their day’s work.
Each journey to Monteverde brings something different. That’s the beauty and the joy of living a life intertwined with thriving and untamed wilderness. But the dream we have for your stay with us in Monteverde is something that remains the same time after time.
Accompanying the release of our new eBook, The Complete Guide to Monteverde: The Reserves and The Natural World, we’ve put together this article for anyone who wants a brief look at the Monteverde Cloud Forest. To dive deeper into the rich natural world that exists here in the forests of Monteverde, you can read the full eBook online here.
The existence of Monteverde is inextricably linked to the natural world that surrounds it, whether that’s ecologically, economically, or emotionally. Monteverde is a place of nature, and by understanding that natural world, protecting it, and inviting others to share in discovering it, Monteverde has grown from a tiny town in the mountains to one of Costa Rica’s most well-regarded tourist destinations, all while maintaining its vibrant natural habitats.
Even though Costa Rica represents only 0.03% of the Earth's surface, it is home to more than 6% of the world's biodiversity: a real testament to the country's specific location (forming a bridge between North and South America helping species to migrate) and steady commitment to conservation with around 28% of its territory being protected.
Walking around in the cloud forest treetops offers a unique and exciting new perspective, allowing you to immerse yourself in the curious world that lives above the forest floor. It's an experience that will take your nature exploration to new heights (literally) and allow you to witness the canopy's extraordinary ecosystem up close.
Costa Rica's extraordinary biodiversity stems from its diverse geography and climate. We've seen in previous articles that Costa Rica's varied landscapes, from lowland to high-altitude regions, create distinct ecosystems fostering an incredible array of flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world.