Page 13 - BT71 South Pacific Costa Rica Travel Guide web2f-optim

PÉREZ ZELEDÓN Y ALREDEDORES

THE MISTY MOUNTAINS

CLOUDBRIDGE RESERVE

Only 20 km away from the bustling shop- Beneath us, there is nothing but forest, which
ping oasis of San Isidro, nestled in the Talaman- climbs up the mountains on steep slopes.
ca mountain range, lays the Cloudbridge Re- We continue to walk through the mystical
serve. It extends up to 2600m along the foot of cloud forest, along the Chirripo River, over
the Chirripo, the highest mountain in Costa Rica. astonishingly big roots and past still tall moss-
covered trees with lianas hanging down from
Here, you can escape from everyday life and immerse them, inviting us to swing along with them.
yourself in a mystical world in this unique part of Cos- With a glance at the watch, we must make our
ta Rica. way back. One thing is for sure, this was just the
beginning of our Cloudbridge exploration tour.
In 2002, Ian Giddy and his wife Genevieve founded Next time, we want to dare the five-
the Cloudbridge Reserve. They bought about 60 hec- hour hike to the top of Don Victor´s Valley.
tares of a cattle farm where, to date, over 50 000 trees
have been planted to preserve a special kind of rainfo-
rest - the cloud forest.

With air humidity of 100% and a temperature that is
pleasantly cool due to the altitude, a cloud forest is a
paradise for many trees, plants, but also about 400
animal species, including 15 species that are on the
red list. With a little luck, you can spot all six cat spe-
cies, including jaguar, panther, and ocelot.

Only a short walk from Welcome Center, we come
across an impressive waterfall, which reminds us of
the train of a wedding dress - the Pacific Catarata. A
clear, turquoise blue natural pool invites us to a quick
dip in the refreshing water.

After a steep ascent up to the Mirador del Va-
lle, we take in the breath-taking views over
the lush green valley of the Talamanca Moun-
tains, with clouds caught in the treetops.
Except for the splashing of the river, the chirping of the
crickets and the calls of the birds all is quiet.quiet. 13

CONTACT: Cloudbridge Reserve, Instagram: ronjaraeubertochtr

CONTACT: Cloudbridge Reserve, Instagram: ronjaraeubertochtr