Day 4: Monteverde to the Coast

Morning: the Monteverde Sky Walk

If any one day could be considered the high point of the trip, this was it. As a result, I have a lot of photos from this day, so I've got two separate pages for it.

Our morning outing was to the Monteverde Sky Walk, a trail that allows you to see the rainforest canopy by taking suspension bridges from hilltop to hilltop. It's initially a heart-stopping experience, walking out on a wire bridge a hundred feet above the ground (one of our group almost decided not to go), but we all got used to it after a while, and by the time I was done I actually had to get my land legs back again.

It was just interesting in general to see this viewpoint, with lots of unusual branches and leaves and such, as well as a close view of the epiphytes (plants growing directly on the trees). The high point, though, might have been seeing (and hearing) the howler monkeys from the last suspension bridge. They were a long way off, however, and it was hard to get good photographs.

Our first view of the skywalk. One of our number turned back at this point, though she rejoined us later.

One of the first skywalk bridges (after that daunting entrance one, anyway)

Tina sets off on one of the bridges

The view from the skywalk.

Looking up at the trees and tree ferns.

This is some kind of nest, but we're not sure for what.

An bromeliad epiphyte with a great view

Another bromeliad - this is not part of the tree.

Looking down from one of the bridges.

The sun comes out on the sky walk.

Whatever you do, don't look down!

One of the howler monkeys at Monteverde (we got to see more at Ensenada).