High on the Tilaran Mountain Range, Monteverde is one of the most fascinating destinations in Costa Rica. The area is cool, verdant, and rich in biodiversity with a multitude of microclimates. Quaker families came from the U.S. to settle here in 1951, choosing to live in harmony with their surroundings and the Costa Rican families of nearby Santa Elena village.  Later, their quest to preserve this area became an international conservation effort that today bearsthe fruit of the private nonprofit Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, a unique balance between conservation and tourism that covers more than 40 squaremiles. Guided hikes or maps for do-it-yourselfers give access to the well-markedtrails, waterfalls, rivers, and observation areas.  You will see an amazing variety of flora and fauna.  No one should leave Monteverde without having tried to see a “Quetzal”, one of the most beautiful birds in the country.  Monteverde also hosts the largest variety of butterflies and moths in the world.