Since we're talking about atmosphere and DKC3, let me share these fantastic pieces of music that perfectly set the tone of those settings in the game:
This fucking song, man. It's equal parts paralyzingly beautiful and menacing, just like climbing a waterfall would be. Those synth instruments are absolutely gorgeous. The song tells you that place is a like a forbidden paradise, you dared to come here now you better be careful not to pay the price. The song also has a lot of reverb and echoing, which gives you the dimension of a very great height.
And this one? It perfectly encapsulates being lost on a labyrinthic complex of caves and the more you walk the deeper it feels you're going and more lost you are. And yet, you might get distracted by how the caves are hauntingly beautiful, only to remember it's probably going to kill if you can't find your way out of there. All of that is reflected in the song when it alternates and juxtaposes upbeat and very somber notes. It's a weird song, creepy and instigating at the same time. Some parts sound like focusing to solve a puzzle, which is how it feels trying to figure out the layout and finding your way in the cave.