Costa Rica Guide
The Central Pacific and southern Nicoya
Reserva Santa Elena
Less touristed than Monteverde, the RESERVA SANTA ELENA (daily 7am–4pm; $12; 
645-5390, 
www.reservasantaelena.org ), 7km northeast of Santa Elena, offers an equally memorable cloudforest experience. Poised at an elevation of 1650m, the three-square-kilometre reserve is higher than the Monteverde Reserve and boasts steeper, more challenging trails and a slightly better chance of seeing quetzals in season. Established in 1992, the self-funded Reserva Santa Elena is supported by entrance fees and donations and depends largely on volunteers, particularly foreign university students. The reserve is run by the local high school board, whose students help maintain the trails year-round.
The visitor centre at the entrance has maps of the twelve-kilometre trail network and a helpful leaflet on cloudforests, epiphytes, and some of the mammals you might see within the reserve. A small interpretative display written and illustrated by local schoolchildren documents the life of the cloudforest ecosystem and the history of the reserve itself. The highly recommended guided tours last between one and four hours. You can also rent boots for $1 at the centre and get coffee, cold drinks and sandwiches at the cafeteria.
Santa Elena's four trails are confined to an area just east of the entrance. The map from the visitor centre clearly states trail routes and distances, making it easy to navigate even the more difficult trails. The easiest is the hour-long Youth Challenge trail with an observation tower at one end from which it's possible to see Volcán Arenal on clear days. For the best chance of viewing Volcán Arenal, arrive as early as possible before cloud, mist and fog roll in to obliterate vistas.
Cut wood and mesh cover some trails, while others are rough tracks. Though the average temperature in the wet season is 18°C, it can feel cooler once the clouds move in. Guided nature walks ($15) head out at 7.30am, 11.30am and 1.30pm daily; night tours ($15, inclusive of entrance fee) leave daily at 6pm and 7pm and it's wise to book ahead. Strung along the entrance path is a line of hummingbird feeders that draw many of the multicoloured birds.
Walking to the Santa Elena Reserve from the village entails an arduous 6km hike over a boulder-strewn uphill road. Fortunately buses depart from Santa Elena's Camino Verde daily at 6.30am, 8.30am, 10.30am, 12.30am and 3pm, returning at 11am, 1pm and 4pm ($1 one way). Several private bus companies offer a similar service, including hotel pick-ups, and you can also flag down taxis ($8) on Santa Elena's main street or arrange for one at your hotel.