Seasonal migrations of numerous bird species throughout the year make birdwatching in Monteverde a dynamic activity, where each month can bring a vastly different experience for birders seeking the rare and magnificent birds that visit Monteverde. 

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. 

We recently did an article discussing the unique geography of Costa Rica, and how that geography has been a contributing factor to the country’s biodiversity. In the article, we also mentioned the wide variety of forests that grow here, thanks to the different elevations and microclimates that exist.

We often talk about Costa Rica in terms of how biodiverse the country is, but it’s not always clear that that biodiversity includes more than just flora and fauna. There are many ways in which this country is unique thanks to its geography and its location. Let’s start by talking about its location on the planet since that is a key factor.

If there is one question that we in the tourism/hospitality industry get a LOT, it’s “Where do I go to see sloths?”