Dec. 8 Planting a native tree, Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve hike, zipline ride-Costa Rica-Rainforests, Volcanoes and Wildlife with Go Ahead Tours

It's a beautiful morning in Montverde. The air is cool and not too humid. The views from our tree-top room are gorgeous. Today's I'll be zip-lining in the tree tops. Breakfast is at 7 AM and we leave at 8 AM to plant trees and hike the Santa Elena Reserve.

After a nice breakfast at the El Establo Hotel, we head into town to help plant some native trees. We are assisting a local school that is working to replace the invasive/non-native trees and shrubs in the area. We split up into groups and start planting.

Back on the coach, we're heading up into the clouds to hike around the Santa Elena Reserve. Because we are on a schedule, and frankly some of us are a bit "old" were' taking the Youth Challenge trail. We are definitely in a rainforest.

The foliage is lush and some of the plants are very curious looking.

Our "slow" walk is still pretty fast, especially trying to look for small things, but something off color catches my eye. I zoom in a bit with my camera lens and it's a frog (our first one!)

I let the few behind me know about the critter, then jog ahead to catch the rest of our group and call them back. We meet another guided group and they stop to take a look too.

The other guide looks in his guide book and says it's a Golden Groined Tree Frog. OK...

We make to the high point of this trail and slowly begin our descent.

We are definitely in the cloud forest.

Back at the base of the trail system, we head over to Selvatura Park. Some folks are walking the sky bridges, some are zip-lining and some are doing both.

I'm the first of the group to Zip-Line and it was a blast. It covered 13 cables and 15 towers, about 2 miles zipping through the canopy.

I worked up quite an appetite and before saying goodbye to the zip line guys I asked where they ate after work, the all said Bar Amigos!

The food was inexpensive and really good.

Back at the hotel, we have a little time to catch the sunset before heading to Morpho's Restaurant for a group dinner out.

The food was very good. The craft beer good. The signature cocktail good but they ran out of desserts so I didn't get to try their tiramisu.

Kind of a late night but we're in bed by 10 PM, which is good because suitcases and breakfast are at 7AM and we depart for Natuwa Wildlife Sanctuary at 8AM then we head back to San Jose for a farewell dinner.

Some of the group are leaving us and some of us are continuing on the Manuel Antonio National Park for a couple of days. 

More photos: CLICK HERE

Next up: Natuwa Wildlife Sanctuary, Traditional Dinner and Dancing at Mirador Tiquicia