This Sky Walk half day excursion features a guided hike through Monteverde’s lush primary and secondary forests with 6 well designed hanging bridges allowing you to cross into and over the tree tops for a magnificent view. Your bilingual naturalist guide will introduce you to the rich biodiversity of life from ground level up to the canopy top in this unique cloud forest adventure.
Your included transportation will pick you up from your local lodging and you’ll have an approximate 30 minute ride before you arrive at the park reception area. Once there you will meet your guide and go with a group of up to 10 people on a one and a half mile hike into an old growth grove of giant trees. Due to the proximity to the continental divide, where the wet Atlantic Ocean winds meet with the dryer Pacific Ocean winds, you’ll be hiking in one of Costa Rica’s most diverse biological corridors, the Monteverde cloud forest.
Sometimes shrouded in mist and almost always dripping in dew the understory of this incredible woodland hosts the largest variety of orchid species in the world. Additional flowering epiphytes as well as burgeoning bromeliads adorn the forest branches in a tropical wonderland.
Your local guide equipped with a scope and the daily experience of walking these woods, will share with you interesting sightings from cleverly camouflaged bugs and tiny rare orchids to the exotic bird life calling out to be discovered. Mammals too live in this ecosystem, although they are more elusive and most are more active at night. Still there is the chance of seeing a coatimundi, agouti or family of monkeys. There are no guarantees what you will see, as each day is different, but with your guide’s excellent spotting skills you will be shown the best the day has to offer.
Traversing the mostly flat terrain, you’ll be led up and over 6 safely secured suspension bridges where you’ll walk through the air across the tree top canopy layer. This layer contains a majority of the largest trees that typically grow from 100 to 150 feet tall. A few emergent trees, the tallest of all, reach further aloft and are adapted to the increased amount of sunlight and wind found above.
From your bird’s eye view you’ll be seeing a sight few will ever see of this incomparable protected ecosystem, unlike any other on earth. Ninety percent of all forest organisms live in the tree canopy. Your guide will point out various native plant and animal species and explain their particular contribution to maintaining the balance of life in this unique cloud forest environment. /p>
You’ll cross over deep canyons as you circle back to the reception area filled with a sense of connection to the natural world. Sky Adventures, a company owned by a local Costa Rican family, began 18 years ago and has always been at the forefront of innovations that allow visitors to experience this exceptional ecosystem while leaving the least amount of footprints behind.
By using solar panels Sky Adventures utilizes clean energy and their continuous reforestation projects restore cleared pastures back into original woodlands. Having a sense of social responsibility they host community health fairs and sports activities as well as provide field trips for local schools. This is a company committed to protecting the environment and promoting the cultural values that make Costa Rica and its people so amazing. You are sure to leave with a greater understanding of the importance of preserving this beautiful wilderness.
The Sky Walk Guided Hike - Sky Adventures Monteverde is available from Monteverde
All Ages
Latitude: N 10° 20' 43.11"
Longitude: W 84° 48' 8.66"
02/17/2020
Great tour with options to upgrade or add to your package. Our driver was happy to leave us in town or wherever we requested and return trips were scheduled well. The tour guide was fun and very knowledgeable.