Contact us at sales@hourglassexpeditions.com to discuss your plans to experience the world. Or Call Us with our tel. 415-740-3820

The Majesty of Cloud Forests

Exploring this forest reserve is a veritable wonderland of exotic plants and animals.

I must admit that I have developed a fondness for cloud forests. For me, they pack the same biodiversity of the flora and fauna of a rainforest, but at an altitude where the climate is much cooler and refreshing for a long hike. Typically found between 1,000 and 2,500 meters (3,000 and 8,000 feet) above sea level, these locations, also known as montane rainforests, are the result of moisture-laden air currents that are pushed up the slopes of mountains where a layer of clouds is common throughout the year. In order to get a consistent swell of moisture, the underlying currents usually come off the ocean in areas of high humidity.

With the combination of the above criteria to contribute to the cloud forest’s formation, it also makes them quite rare. In fact, only about 1% of the woodlands around the world are cloud forests today. And unfortunately, they are in trouble. The reduction of cloud forests around the world is another consequence of both human tampering by chopping down trees for raw materials and creating new farmland as well as the effects of global warming.

As temperatures increase, the amount of cloud-coverage decreases, causing a reduction in the forest’s hydrological cycles that eventually leads to a drying out of the cloud forest’s moisture rich ecosystem.So, see them while you still have the chance.One of the most famous, and accessible, is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve in the Central American country of Costa Rica. Located in the Sierra de Tilaran region in the northwestern part of the country, the reserve covers an area of over 35,000 acres (55 square miles) and consists of 6 ecological zones.

With over 400 bird species, 1,200 reptile and amphibian species, and 100 species of mammals, including six from the cat family, there is continuous cacophony of sounds emanating through the misty clouds that surround you at these elevations.

Despite visiting this place during the heavy Christmas holiday season, hiking through Monteverde was a fairly solitary experience. But there is a reason for that. The reserve caps the number of visitors to 450 per day, and no more than 250 inside the reserve at any given time. This limitation is placed to help sustain the natural habitat of the forest reserve.

Despite wearing a light poncho, I was getting drenched just walking along the Sendero Nuboso trail. But as wet as I was, the leaves and flowers on either side of me were dripping large amounts of water from their foliage. The isolation from both other people, as well as my ability to get a clear view of the environment made the hours exploring the reserve almost a meditative and reflective experience. I saw few birds, and even fewer mammals. And for better or worse, I didn’t encounter a single cat, such as a jaguar, cougar, or ocelot. However, the half day I spent wandering through Monteverde imparted a huge appreciation of the uniqueness of this type of natural environment.

There is a ghost-like quality to walking in a forest where the surrounding air quickly shifts from translucence to opaqueness in just a few short yards and wraps everything in its embrace. Ones senses are heightened and every sound of an animal, the soft pitter patter of water droplets falling onto the forest floor, or the creaking of a tree branch is another mystery lurking just beyond the field of vision.

This environment makes discoveries almost immediate. I came upon the famous suspension bridge without almost realizing it as I made my way from the Continental Divide trail, where on a clear day I could see both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea at a viewpoint called the La Ventana (“The Window”) …but not this day.

It was well past lunch when I returned to the main entrance of the reserve. The cloud coverage was tapering off and I could start seeing deeper and more clearly into the forest by this time. There was an intensity to the myriad shades of shimmering green that made me imagine that this place could be the Emerald City of Oz, if Oz was a nature reserve.

If you ever have an opportunity to get off the beaten path and take an excursion to a cloud forest, I would strongly recommend it. There are few places in the world quite like it and if you get there in just the right conditions, there is a sense of magic and majesty that will stay with you for years to come.

Here is a list of the top 10 cloud forests around the world and check out our Costa Rica Travel page for some inspiring adventure trips to this amazing region.