Costa Rica’s Montverde cloud forest is one of the most eerie and moving habitats on earth. We recommend you visit early, when the clouds still cling to the forest canopy to get a real sense of the beauty of this changeable environment.

Draped in mist and alive with sound, Monteverde Cloud Forest feels like a place at the very edge of the natural world. Perched high in Costa Rica’s Tilarán Mountains, this rare ecosystem is shaped by moisture-laden trade winds that blanket the forest in cloud, nurturing an astonishing diversity of life. Mosses, orchids and bromeliads cling to every branch, while the air hums with birdsong and the rustle of unseen creatures.

An elevated walkway allows you to stroll through the forest canopy itself, offering a unique, eye-level view of this hidden realm. From here, toucans, bellbirds and hummingbirds flit between the trees, and with luck you may catch sight of the elusive green quetzal, one of Central America’s most celebrated and endangered species. The constant shifting of cloud and light ensures that no two visits ever feel the same.

For those seeking a surge of adrenaline, a network of zip wires zigzags across the reserve, sending you flying through the treetops and across deep ravines. Yet Monteverde also rewards patience. On a guided twilight walk along the forest floor, the pace slows and the focus sharpens, increasing your chances of spotting larger mammals such as ocelots and, more rarely, jaguars.

Whether experienced from above or below, Monteverde is a hauntingly beautiful encounter with nature at its most atmospheric.