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at the far corners of the triangle. Even longer trails, many of them less developed, stretch out east across the reserve and down the Peñas Blancas river valley to lowlands north of the Cordillera de Tilarán and into the Bosque Eterno de los Niños. If you’re strong enough and have the time to spare, these hikes are highly recommended as you’ll maximize your chances of spotting wildlife, and few tourists venture beyond the triangle. If you’re serious about visiting the backcountry shelters, you should first talk to the park service as you will be entering some fairly rugged terrain, and a guide is highly recommended and at times essential. Camping is normally not allowed.

For advice on deep-jungle trekking and reputable local guides, contact trekking guide Andres Vargas (www.euforiaexpeditions.com), a socially responsible, very knowledgeable adventure specialist.

WILDLIFE-WATCHING

Monteverde is a bird-watching paradise, and though the list of recorded species tops out at more than 400, the one most visitors want to see is the resplendent quetzal. The Maya bird of paradise is most often spotted during the March and April nesting season, though you could get lucky any time of year.

For those interested in spotting mammals, the cloud forest’s limited visibility and abundance of higher primates (namely human beings) can make wildlife-watching quite difficult, though commonly sighted species (especially in the backcountry) include coatis, howler monkeys, capuchins, sloths, agoutis and squirrels (as in ‘real’ squirrel, not the squirrel monkey).

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Tours

Although you can hike around the reserve on your own, a guide is highly recommended, and not just by us but by dozens of readers who were inspired by their adventures to email Lonely Planet. The park runs a variety of guided tours: make reservations at least one day in advance. As size is limited, groups should make reservations several months ahead for dry season and holiday periods. Guides speak English and are trained naturalists, and proceeds from the tours benefit environmental-education programs in local schools.

The reserve offers guided natural history tours (reservations 2645-5112; tours excl entry fee US$15) at 7:30am daily, and on busy days at 8:30am as well. Participants meet at the Hummingbird Gallery, where a short 10-minute orientation is given. A half-hour slide show from renowned wildlife photographers Michael and Patricia Fogden is followed by a 2½- to three-hour walk. Once your tour is over, you can return to the reserve on your own, as your ticket is valid for the entire day.

The reserve also offers recommended two-hour night tours (incl entry fee with/without transportation US$20/17) at 7:15pm nightly. These are by flashlight (bring your own for the best visibility), and offer the opportunity to observe the 70% of regional wildlife with nocturnal habits.

Guided bird-watching tours (5-hr tour incl entry fee per person US$40-50) in English begin at Stella’s Bakery at 6am, and usually sight more than 40 species. There’s a two-person minimum and six-person maximum. Longer tours go on by request at a higher fee, and usually more than 60 species are seen.

Several local businesses can arrange a local to guide you within the reserve or in some of the nearby surrounding areas. Staff can also recommend private guides (guide@monteverdeinfo.com), or ask at your hotel or tour operator.

The reserve can also recommend excellent guides, many of whom work for it, for a private tour. Costs vary depending on the season, the guide and where you want to go, but average about US$60 to US$100 for a half-day. Entrance costs may be extra, especially for the cheaper tours. Full-day tours are also available. The size of the group is up to you – go alone or split the cost with a group of friends.

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Sleeping & Eating

Near the park entrance are dormitories (Map; reservations 2645-5122; www.cct.or.cr; dm adult/student without bathroom per person US$20, with bathroom & meals per person $30) with 43 bunks. These are often