17 Best Things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica

In this post, we’ll share the 17 best things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica. A town in the clouds bathed in mist, with lush forests, thrilling zip lines and plenty of ecotourism activities. We’ll also cover essential travel information like getting there and around, where to stay and the best places to eat.

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About Monteverde, Costa Rica

A well-established stop on the Costa Rica tourist circuit, Monteverde is famous for two things – cloud forests and ziplining. This is what most people come to Monteverde to do, and we were no exception.

👉🏼 Skip straight to the 17 best things to do in Monteverde

We’d heard mixed reviews about Monteverde from other travellers. We can happily say we really enjoyed our time here, and the two major drawcards did not disappoint.

Sitting at an altitude of 1,400 m / 4,600 ft, the region has a cool climate which can be a blessed relief from the steamy lowlands.

Perched on top of the Continental Divide, the scenery is simply divine, with rolling green hills everywhere you look. Throw in the mystical cloud forests, with lush green vegetation dripping with mist and moisture, and Monteverde is a pretty special place.

In this post, I’ll share 17 of the best things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica.

If you’ve got a broader Costa Rica itinerary, you won’t have the time or the need to do all these things. Some activities are better done in other destinations.

However, if Monteverde is a key part of a shorter trip, you might like to include more of these activities on your itinerary.

Monteverde, Costa Rica quick facts

• 🚙 How to get there – a minimum 3 hour drive on rough roads from neighbouring destinations, a van-boat-van combo from La Fortuna crossing Lake Arenal by boat, or by bus from San Jose or Puntarenas.
• 🛏️ How long to stay – if you’re short on time, two full days in Monteverde will hit most of the highlights. 3 – 4 nights wouldn’t be wasted.
• 🗓️ Best time to visit – is during the dry season, which is typically November – April. Although the weather can be cool and wet year round in Monteverde.

Monteverde v Santa Elena

The name ‘Monteverde’ has become the recognised title for a town that is actually called Santa Elena.

The Monteverde Cloud Forest is so famous and well-known, that the name Monteverde stuck for the whole region.

Today, ‘Monteverde’ generally refers to the catch-all area around the town of Santa Elena, including the cloud forest.

Santa Elena is the hub of the region and is where you will find most of the accommodations, restaurants, supermarkets, banks and transport connections.

So technically you’re going to ‘Monteverde’, but most of you will be staying, eating and transiting via the town of Santa Elena.

Things to know before you visit Monteverde, Costa Rica

Despite its popularity and mind-boggling natural beauty, there are some important things to know about Monteverde before your visit.

• 🌧️ The weather is cool – the first is that it is quite cold! This might feel unbelievable compared to the hot and sticky coastline, but Monteverde sits at a high altitude up in the mountains, so it is quite cool year-round. Don’t forget to pack pants, a jumper and a raincoat.

• 🚌 It can be busy – being one of the quintessential stops on the traditional Costa Rica itinerary, Monteverde can be busy. I will admit, the ecotourist, hiking-fanatic, bird-watching type visitors didn’t bother us as much as the rowdy, self-centred gringos we encountered in other areas of the country. But it can be crowded nevertheless.
  
  There are certainly ways to get around this, and in this post, I’ll suggest some alternatives to the popular things to do in Monteverde that will keep you away from the tour buses.

• 💰 Prices are high – because of its popularity, Monteverde is also very expensive. We found this the most expensive destination in the country for eating out, and the cost of attractions definitely hurts your Costa Rica budget.. If you took up every nature walk, wildlife experience or extreme activity, you could easily blow your whole trip budget in Monteverde alone.
  
  But with some careful consideration of what’s worth spending on, and the aforementioned alternative spots, it doesn’t have to break the bank.

• 🦥 It’s not the best place to see wildlife – many visitors are disappointed with their time in Monteverde because they didn’t see a lot of wildlife. This is not the best place to see wildlife in Costa Rica. There are plenty of animals, birds and bugs in Monteverde, but the cloud forest ecosystem is not particularly conducive for wildlife watching. The forest itself is so special that Monteverde is worth visiting for this reason alone, but lower your expectations about animals.
  
  Be sure to combine Monteverde with a stop in Manuel Antonio or Corcovado for some intense wildlife watching.

Things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica

• Things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica
  • ☁️ 1. Visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve
  • 🌿 2. Walk in the fog at Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
  • 🚡 3. Go ziplining
  • 🐦‍⬛ 4. See hummingbirds at the Hummingbird Gallery
  • 🌳 5. Marvel at the unique Ficus La Raiz
  • 🌞 6. Watch the sunset from Mirador Valle Escondido
  • 🌁 7. Walk above the clouds on hanging bridges
  • 🌛 8. Experience the forest at night on a night walk
  • 🦜 9. Birdwatch in Curi-Cancha Reserve
  • 💧 10. Check out the Monteverde Waterfall
  • ♨️ 11. Take a dip in the Finca Lindora Hot Springs
  • 🥾 12. Tackle the Cerro Amigos hike
  • 💦 13. Have an adventurous day at El Tigre Waterfalls
  • ☕️ 14. Don Juan coffee, chocolate and sugar cane tour
  • 🧺 15. Have a sunset picnic at Cerro Pinocho
  • 👣 16. Hike the nature trails at Valle Escondido Nature Reserve
  • 🐸 17. Get up close with local wildlife

1. Visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve

The Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of the most popular things to do in Monteverde and the sole reason for many people’s visit to the area.

Officially named the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve, it is the most well-known of a handful of cloud forests in the area.

So what are cloud forests and why are they in Monteverde?

Monteverde is one of the best places in the world to experience the rare and unique cloud forest ecosystem. Formed by warm winds from the Atlantic Coast cooling and condensing in the high-altitude Tilaran Mountain Range, cloud forests are a magical sight.

With a year-round humidity of 100% and over 3,000 ml / 118 in of rain, these moist forests are constantly bathed in clouds. Epiphytes, mosses, lichens, bromeliads and orchids grow from every surface, covering the forest floor, and trees that drip with roots and vines.

When you visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest, you’re only seeing around 2% of the entire protected area.

There is a network of more than 10 trails of varying lengths, totalling over 10 km / 6.2 mi.

If you only choose a few trails, we would recommend Sendero Nuboso, Sendero Camino (which leads to Sendero Ventana with a lookout), and Sendero Puente which crosses the one suspension bridge in the forest.

The forest is located a 15-minute drive from the centre of Santa Elena town.

If you’ve got your own car, it’s an easy drive but the parking situation is a bit tricky.

There are a handful of free parks on the side of the road if you’re lucky. Otherwise, you’ll most likely need to pay to park in the parking lot. At the time of writing it was $5 USD. The lot is located here, about 1 km / 0.6 mi from the entrance of the forest and there is a shuttle that runs back and forth.

If you don’t have a car, there is a local bus that runs from Banco Nacional in Santa Elena town to the cloud forest a couple of times per day. Confirm current times with your accommodation.

The forest is open daily from 7 am – 4 pm. Current entry prices are $25 USD for foreign adults and $12 USD for foreign children.

Animals in the cloud forest

Monteverde’s cloud forests house a range of wildlife and birds, but the cloud forest is not primarily a wildlife-watching experience.

That doesn’t mean you won’t or can’t see some unique animal and bird life in the forest, but it’s not very common. The forest is incredibly dense, and combined with the thick layer of clouds and frequent rain, it’s not ideal conditions for spotting wildlife.

If seeing some of Costa Rica’s famous wildlife is your priority, Manuel Antonio, Corcovado or Cahuita are better parks to visit.

It is possible to see howler monkeys, capuchin monkeys, coatis and sloths in the cloud forest. There are lots of beautiful birds, including the elusive resplendent quetzal. There are lots of creepy crawlies too, like tarantulas and centipedes.

If you would like to see wildlife in the cloud forest, the best way is to take a guided tour.

The local guides are experts in the area, and have amazing spotting abilities! They usually carry a telescope too, so you can get a closer look at animals hiding in the dense forest.

☁️ Book your Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve guided tour here

☁️ Book your Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve guided tour here

3. Go ziplining

If there is one thing in Monteverde more renowned than the cloud forest, it’s ziplining!

There are ziplining and canopy tours all over Costa Rica, but Monteverde is where the thrilling craze started. It is still considered the best place in the country to go ziplining.

Monteverde’s lush green rainforest looks even more incredible from above, and flying over the top of the canopy on a zipline gives you an amazing perspective.

There are a lot of different companies to choose from, ranging in length, thrill and price.

They are all experienced operators with trained staff, maintained equipment and thorough safety protocols.

If you’ve got your own vehicle, you can drive yourself to the park. Some companies offer packages that include transport. 

Most experiences will take 2 – 3 hours and involve a course of different ziplines and other activities like repelling and swings.

I’ve included a comparison of some of the most popular options:

• 100% Aventura – this is the zipline company we chose because they have the longest zipline in all of Costa Rica (1.6 km / 1 mi). Their course includes 11 ziplines. On two of them, they give you the option to go ‘Superman style’ suspended on your back, without any additional cost. Their tours also include a Tarzan swing, which was the most thrilling part!

👉🏼 Book the 100% Aventura zipline tour here

• Selvatura Park – one of the largest and most popular zipline parks in the area, their course includes 13 zipline cables and a Tarzan swing. There is the possibility of paying extra to ride Superman-style on some of the cables. The park sits at the highest altitude of the cloud forest, so the views here are spectacular. However it is very popular, and a lot of large tour buses visit this park.

👉🏼 Book Selvatura ziplining here

• Sky Adventures – known as the safest zipline park, Sky Adventures uses modern zipline technology with a no-hands braking system. Their zipline course is called ‘Sky Trek’ and includes a gondola ride on their ‘Sky Tram’ before starting their course of 7 cables. They have some of the highest zipline speeds, up to 70 km/h / 43 mph.

👉🏼 Book Sky Adventures ziplining and hanging bridges combo with transport

• Monteverde Extremo – located a little out of town, this park compensates with a lengthy course totalling over 4 km / 2.4 mi. There are 13 cables, including two Superman lines, one of them flying through a tunnel! They also include rappelling and a Tarzan swing for no extra cost.

👉🏼 Book ziplining at Monteverde Extremo with transport included

The ziplining was quicker than we imagined it to be. It was closer to 2 hours than 3, and we found the whole experience to be a little rushed. I’m glad we did it, and the competition in Monteverde means the prices are lower here than elsewhere in the country. It didn’t end up being a trip highlight like we expected it to be, nor as thrilling as we hoped, but still worth doing. (We absolutely shat our pants on the Tarzan swing though, so if you’re after a thrill, don’t miss that!).

🙀 Check out my highlights on Instagram to listen to us screaming on the swing

4. See hummingbirds at the Hummingbird Gallery

After the cloud forest, the Hummingbird Gallery was one of our favourite things to do in Monteverde!

These tiny, colourful birds are found all around Costa Rica. However, glimpsing them in the wild can be tricky, considering how small they are and how quickly they move!

On the site of Café Colibri, the Hummingbird Gallery is a collection of feeders attracting hundreds of wild hummingbirds.

The feeders are full of sweet sugar water that the birds love, and they are spread out in an outdoor area on the edge of the forest.

There is a constant buzz of the hummingbirds’ wings flapping, they zoom around so quickly between the feeders.

There are over 50 species of hummingbirds in Costa Rica, and you’re likely to see a range of different kinds at the Hummingbird Gallery. They vary in colour, size and the shape of their beaks.

Hummingbirds are my favourite birds and they can be so funny to watch. They are very territorial, and seeing them chase each other away from the feeders is hilarious.

Technically this activity is completely free, but it’s nice to buy a coffee or a meal at the café to support the initiative.

The cafe is open daily from 8 am – 4 pm.

The Hummingbird Gallery (aka Café Colibri) is located just outside the entrance of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve. It’s a great place to visit after your hike in the cloud forest.

Considering we opted for the Santa Elena Cloud Forest, we made a separate trip to Café Colibri, but it was totally worth it.

5. Marvel at the unique Ficus La Raiz

One of the only completely free things to do in Monteverde, the Ficus La Raiz is a beautiful and unique natural attraction.

Hidden in an inconspicuous residential area, this enormous fig tree has grown a complicated maze of roots, creating a natural bridge across a small river.

Like something out of a fairy tale, it’s possible to climb onto the roots and sit up on the bridge.

You don’t need long here, it’s just a short photo stop but it’s a very cool thing to see. It reminded us how mind-blowing nature is.

Getting here has become a bit complicated recently. The tree is on public land, so you can technically access it for free.

However one of the residents in the street has created an entrance via their property. The landowner has created a safer path to the tree and charges a small fee to use it (rightly so). The fee was 1,000 Colones or $2 USD at the time of writing.

There is a free way to access the tree, but it requires a bit of scrambling down a steep natural path and rock hopping across the river. We followed this route and had no problems, it only took five minutes.

This review on Google Maps provides the clearest instructions and is pinned at the location of the entrance to the free trail.

6. Watch the sunset from Mirador Valle Escondido

Monteverde’s high altitude and position on the Continental Divide mean there are some seriously beautiful sunset views.

Rolling green hills surround the area, and on a clear day, you can see all the way to the Nicoya Peninsula.

The Mirador Valle Escondido is a great, free place to enjoy a beautiful sunset!

It’s really just a few chairs on the side of the road, but there are gorgeous views.

The lookout is located just outside of Santa Elena town on the main road leading towards the cloud forest. There is a small pull-out where a couple of cars can park, but otherwise, it can be tricky and a bit dangerous to pull over on the road.

You can walk from town. It’s around 1.5 km / 0.9 mi and should take less than half an hour. The walk is steep in parts, but you’ll avoid the parking situation.

It’s best to arrive early if you want to snag one of the chairs. Otherwise, people just line up on the sidewalk and sit on the ground.

Check the sunset times for Monteverde here, and be sure to arrive around half an hour before it sets to enjoy the glow-up.

7. Walk above the clouds on hanging bridges

Suspension or hanging bridges are a quintessential Costa Rican experience.

Getting to walk above the rainforest canopy on a series of hanging bridges, suspended metres in the sky is pretty epic. We definitely recommend doing this at least once on your Costa Rica itinerary.

Many visitors opt to visit the popular Mistico Hanging Bridges in La Fortuna, but Monteverde has a lot of different hanging bridges too.

The cloud forest is a gorgeous ecosystem, and getting to experience it from above gives you a whole different perspective.

Most of the hanging bridge courses are offered by the zipline companies. Some have packages combining both ziplining and hanging bridges at a discounted rate.

💡 Top tip – there is a single hanging bridge inside the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve

Some of the most popular hanging bridges in Monteverde are:

• 100% Aventura – a popular zipline option, this company also has a guided hanging bridges tour. Lasting 2 hours, the tour will cover 3 km / 1.9 mi of jungle trails, crossing eight hanging bridges. Your guide will share more about the forest, and point out birds, animals and plant life. They don’t offer a combo discount with their zipline tour, but both are pretty reasonably priced.

👉🏼 Book the 100% Aventura Hanging Bridges tour here

• Selvatura Park – offers a Treetop Walkways experience. A 3 km / 1.9 mi trail traverses eight different hanging bridges, with the longest bridge 170 m / 560 ft long! This is a self-guided experience, allowing you to go at your own pace. Selvatura is located very close to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest, at a higher altitude than the other parks, so the forest here is stunning.

👉🏼 Book the Selvatura hanging bridges tour here

👉🏼 Book a Selvatura zipline and hanging bridges combo tour here

• Sky Adventures – their ‘Sky Walk’ tour is a 2.5 km / 1.5 mi trail through the forest with multiple hanging bridges. The standard option is a self-guided experience, but if you’d prefer to go with a naturalist guide, you can add that on.

👉🏼 Book a guided Sky Walk tour with transport included

👉🏼 Book a Sky Adventures Sky Walk and Sky Trek zipline combo tour with transport

8. Experience the forest at night on a night walk

Another must-do Costa Rica activity, you have to do a night walk at least once!

Monteverde could be the place you choose.

A lot of the wildlife living in the cloud forest is nocturnal, so a night walk gives you a better chance of seeing them active.

You can spot mammals like sloths and kinkajous, bats, frogs, snakes and other creepy crawlies, and even felines if you’re very lucky.

There are many different night tours available in Monteverde, but not all are of the same quality.

The most important thing to consider is where the tour takes place. Some are on small local farms, rather than in protected areas so the amount of wildlife and biodiversity is not that great.

The Monteverde Night Tour takes place in a protected area, the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge, so there is a great chance of encountering animals.

Otherwise, we would recommend taking a night tour run by one of the cloud forest reserves. The Monteverde Cloud Forest offers night walks, as well as the Curi-Cancha Reserve.

This way you can be confident you are walking in a protected area that has a large population of wildlife, rather than in someone’s backyard.

If you’re travelling down to Drake Bay, I would recommend saving a night walk for there. Being on the borders of the Corcovado National Park, the biodiversity is insane, so you’ve got the best chance of seeing a range of wildlife.

9. Birdwatch in Curi-Cancha Reserve

The Curi-Cancha Reserve is a private nature reserve just outside of Santa Elena town.

Curi-Cancha sits at a lower altitude than the cloud forests and is more open and less dense. So this isn’t technically a cloud forest, and shouldn’t be a substitute for visiting the Monteverde or Santa Elena cloud forests.

However, what Curi-Cancha is fantastic for, is bird watching.

Celebrated as one of the best places to bird watch in the entire country, the reserve is home to over 200 species of feathery friends.

The colourful and elusive resplendent quetzal is frequently sighted here, along with mot mots, hummingbirds and toucans.

You can opt for a self-guided walk on the trails and look for birds solo. The reserve is open 7 days a week from 7 am – 3 pm. Entrance fees are $20 USD for adults and $12 USD for children.

However, if you’re really eager to see birds, the best way to do so is with a guide. They are experts on the area and know the calls of all the species and which trees they hang out in.

This tour with local twitcher Roy has fantastic reviews. He is friendly, entertaining and knowledgeable with laser vision for spotting a range of birds in the reserve.

Your guide will be carrying a telescope, allowing you to get a really close look at any birds, and take photos with your phone through the scope.

🦜 Find out more about the Curi-Cancha birdwatching tour here

10. Check out the Monteverde Waterfall

Also known as Catarata Los Murciélagos, this small waterfall is located on the road to the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

If you’ve seen the stunning waterfalls in Bajos del Toro, this might feel like a disappointment.

But for $6 USD and a short walk, it’s a nice activity to throw in before or after your visit to the cloud forest.

The staff at the entrance are really friendly, and it’s a lovely stroll through dense forest to reach the waterfall. There is a small pool you can swim in.

11. Take a dip in the Finca Lindora Hot Springs

A bit of a hidden gem in Monteverde, Finca Lindora is a farm specialising in horse riding tours. However, on their property, they also have a small thermal pool.

It takes around 45 minutes to walk from town. If you’ve got a car, it’s a short 10-minute drive (location).

It’s quite an informal set-up. Once you walk down the driveway, the owners will come out and take your entrance fee. At the time of writing, this was 3,000 Colones or $5 USD.

They will then lead you on a trail down to the pool. Expect to walk for another 10 – 15 minutes to reach the hot springs.

These aren’t really comparable to the hot springs in La Fortuna, but it’s almost guaranteed this experience will be more natural and peaceful. For a cheap price, it’s not a bad way to spend a few hours in Monteverde.

I would recommend getting in touch with the owners in advance to confirm your visit. If they are running a horse riding tour, the hot springs will be closed to other visitors. You can of course arrange horse riding too if you are interested in that.

They have a Facebook page, or Whatsapp +506 8706 9159.

12. Tackle the Cerro Amigos hike

The Cerro Amigos hike is another one of the free things to do in Monteverde.

This steep hike leads to a set of TV towers above the town, with some incredible views over the forest and mountains. Only if you get lucky with a clear day though! Be prepared for cloud and fog concealing all your views.

The trailhead starts next to the Hotel Belmar, approximately 2 km / 1.2 mi from the centre of Santa Elena. You can drive (park out the front of the hotel), take a taxi, or add on a walk from town.

There are two ways to do the hike.

The first is to follow this route on AllTrails, going out and back on the same trail. This route is 4.8 km / 3 mi return and it’s clearly defined the entire way.

The trail leading to the summit is an ATV track, which starts as gravel and turns to slippery clay. It’s quite steep, and not necessarily very pretty! It’s just as tough going down as it is coming up.

At the summit, you can wander around down a few side trails and enjoy views from different angles.

The other option is to hike up the trail but return down a different route down the other side of the mountain through the forest.

There is less information about this option, and we didn’t do this so unfortunately can’t provide any firsthand experience.

There is a small and random souvenir shop at the summit, The Green Hermit, where a local guy sells handmade jewellery. Apparently, this friendly man occasionally sells coffee and other drinks and can provide directions for the forest trail.

If you take this alternative route, it should take around 1.5 hours and you will pop out near El Establo Mountain Hotel, just over 1 km / 0.6 mi from town.

13. Have an adventurous day at El Tigre Waterfalls

El Tigre is a privately owned property approximately 30 minutes outside Santa Elena town.

More than just a waterfall, El Tigre offers a hiking, swimming, waterfall and horseback riding adventure.

The experience is a self-guided hike through a dense forest.

There are four waterfalls, various swimming holes in the river, and ten bridges, some of them suspension. You can spend as much time as you like on the trails, swimming, looking for wildlife and admiring the waterfalls.

There are two different package options to choose from, depending on how long you want to hike. The entire trail is 8 km / 5 mi.

The ‘Full Package’ involves hiking for 5 km / 3.1 mi. The last 3 km / 1.8 mi of the trail is a steep incline, and you will meet a guide and ride a horse, or take a 4×4 vehicle back to the entrance. This is currently $66 USD for adults / $56 USD for kids under 18.

On the ‘Big Hike’ you will hike the entire 8 km / 5 mi trail. This option is currently priced at $33 USD for adults / $22 USD for kids under 18.

Both options include lunch at their on-site restaurant, which has spectacular views.

If you’ve got a car, follow El Tigre’s directions from Santa Elena. You don’t need a 4×4 if you follow their instructions.

If you don’t have a car, El Tigre offers return shuttle transfers for $10 per person. Get in contact with them via WhatsApp to organise your shuttle, once you have pre-booked your visit.

14. Don Juan coffee, chocolate and sugar cane tour

Costa Rica is one of the world’s largest producers of coffee.

It’s possible to take coffee tours all over the country to learn more about the growth and production of this much-loved drink. However, Monteverde is a particularly great place to do this.

The high altitude makes this a great coffee region, producing some of the best beans in Costa Rica.

There are solely coffee-focused tours, such as those run by Café Monteverde.

However, the most popular option in Monteverde combines coffee, chocolate and sugar cane into one delicious tour.

The 3-hour tour is a hands-on experience and you’ll learn about three of Costa Rica’s most important exports.

Walking through Don Juan’s farm, you’ll see the coffee, cocoa and sugar cane plants, and learn about the entire production process. You get to grind beans, make chocolate drinks and process sugar cane with plenty of yummy tastings along the way.

These kinds of tours are more interesting and fun than you would expect, and we loved taking a coffee tour in Guatemala.

Admittedly, the coffee tours in Costa Rica are far more expensive than in neighbouring Central American countries, but it’s absolutely worth doing at least once.

☕️ Book your coffee, chocolate and sugar cane tour here

15. Have a sunset picnic at Cerro Pinocho

A favourite local sunset spot, Cerro Pinocho (Pinocho Hill) is located on a cattle farm, that happens to have some spectacular views.

The farm overlooks endless rolling green hills and has a direct, uninterrupted view of the sun setting which is not possible all year at Mirador Valle Escondido. 

Being on private property, the owners charge a small fee to enter. At the time of writing, it is 1,000 Colones (~$2 USD) for entry only.

They also offer different packages with coffee, sweets, and picnics with cheese and wine. A perfect way to enjoy a golden sunset!

There are tables and chairs scattered around the property, and there is much more space than the roadside at Mirador Valle Escondido.

It takes around 1.5 hours to walk there from Santa Elena, so we would recommend going by car or taxi. It would be a dark and steep walk back in the dark. The roads around here are quite bumpy, so a 4×4 is best.

Check the location of Cerro Pinocho, and their Facebook page for more details.

16. Hike the nature trails at Valle Escondido Nature Reserve

We didn’t have the chance to visit the Valle Escondido Nature Reserve, but it looks like a great place so I wanted to include it here.

The property seems like the classic Costa Rican privately owned natural area, that is part hotel, part sustainable farm, part hiking area, part wildlife reserve etc. etc.

if you’ve already done one of the cloud forests and you’re keen for some more walking and immersion in nature, I think this would be a quiet place without the crowds.

There are a number of trails, with some pretty lookouts and viewing platforms, waterfalls and rivers. There is plenty of wildlife on the property, and you’ve probably got a better chance of spotting animals without the large tour groups found in the cloud forests.

The cost is on par with other privatised nature experiences, at a steep $18 USD per person to enter the property and explore the trails.

The reserve is open daily from 7 am – 4:30 pm. Advance bookings via their website or email (reservations@valleescondidocr.com) are recommended. It’s a 2 km / 1.2 mi walk from town or an easy 5-minute drive.

The hotel gets fantastic reviews, and is a great in-between option, offering a farm/nature experience, whilst still being within a stone’s throw of town, with its restaurants and amenities.

17. Get up close with local wildlife

For the sake of completeness, I’m including these attractions on this list of things to do in Monteverde, but we didn’t do them ourselves.

There are a number of different wildlife attractions around town, showcasing species like bats, frogs, butterflies and insects. All are captive wildlife experiences and we can’t vouch for their ethics.

We personally didn’t feel the need to see these animals in captivity, when there is a pretty decent chance of spotting some of them in the wild on a guided hike or night tour.

However, I will include some brief info below, in case you would like to do these activities.

I would recommend some more intense research before visiting, to confirm these attractions are ethical, with a sustainability or conservation mission. I get the feeling some of them aren’t, so please consider if this is something you would like to support.

• 🦇 Bat Jungle – this attraction seems to have an educational focus, teaching visitors about bats. The tour is approximately 45 minutes and is a guided experience where you will see eight different species of bat. Find out more here.

• 🐸 Monteverde Frog Pond – a frog exhibit. Your ticket grants you two entries – one in the day and one at night – to see the frogs at different times of the day. It’s essentially a self-guided ‘spot the frog’ experience, looking for them in their enclosures. It doesn’t seem very educational. Find out more here.

• 🦋 Monteverde Butterfly Gardens – an educational experience, teaching visitors about the butterflies, insects and arachnids of Costa Rica. It’s a guided experience lasting approximately 1 hour. Find out more here.

Where to eat in Monteverde, Costa Rica

As I mentioned earlier, Monteverde is expensive for eating out. We had to awkwardly walk out of many restaurants after glancing at the prices on their menu.

As a result, we cooked a lot of our own meals in Monteverde.

However there are some great local sodas and cheaper restaurants around, and we tried a few:

• 🍛 Soda Shangri-La – located a short way out of town, near the Mirador Valle Escondido this was one of the best sodas we visited in Costa Rica! The casados were absolutely delicious, and the prices were cheap.

• 🍗 Raulito’s Pollo Asado – a local favourite in the centre of town, serving up delicious rotisserie chicken with sides of rice, fries, salads and empanadas. Their combo packages are great value.

• 🍔 Soda La Amistad – a very highly rated soda in Santa Elena. Prices are a smidge more expensive than some of the alternatives, but still very reasonable. They have a wide range of options on the menu, both traditional Costa Rican dishes and international options like burgers.

• 🥤 Soda La Salvadita – another soda right in the heart of Santa Elena. Their menu isn’t extensive, and often it’s whatever ingredients are in the fridge. You can safely assume casados and rice dishes are always available. Fruit smoothies are delicious!

• ☕️ Café Monteverde – this isn’t quite a cheap option, but if you’re looking for a nice coffee, this is the place. There is a small café in Santa Elena town, as well as a larger roastery and farm out towards the cloud forest. That is where they run their tours, but you can also simply pop in for a cuppa too.

Where to stay in Monteverde, Costa Rica

In terms of the best location to stay in Monteverde, there are basically two options.

In Santa Elena town, which is best if you don’t have your own transport. You’ll be within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and transport connections.

Or, at one of the accommodations outside of town. They are spread far and wide and generally have a more forest/nature feel to them. You would probably want a vehicle for these options.

Here are some top options for a range of budgets:

• 💰 OutBox Inn – a relatively new hostel. Perfectly located in the heart of Santa Elena town, OutBox Inn oozes cool industrial vibes. They have a gorgeous open communal area, a large balcony and a well-rated restaurant on-site (The Open Kitchen). Dorms have privacy curtains and outlets, and all private rooms have private bathrooms.
  • $15 USD + per night check prices and browse photos here

• 💰 Selina Monteverde – one of the top-rated Selina properties in Costa Rica, this hostel feels more like a resort! The grounds are huge, and there are plenty of communal areas like hot tubs, a restaurant, co-working spaces and yoga areas. There are modern and spacious dorms and private rooms. Selina is located within walking distance of the Monteverde Cloud Forest, making it convenient for that activity but a little further from Santa Elena town for other meals and activities.
  • $15 USD + per night check prices and browse photos here

• 💰💰 Tityra Lodge – cosy wooden cabin vibes in the heart of the forest. Tityra Lodge is located a short distance out of town, so it’s best for those with their own vehicle. These unique cabins all offer stunning mountain and forest views, and you will be totally immersed in nature. A great breakfast is included daily.
  • $75 USD + per night check prices and browse photos here

• 💰💰 Camino Verde B&B – this highly rated mid-range option is located in the heart of town, perfect for those without a car. Rooms are clean and modern, and breakfast is included daily. There is a huge communal deck with stunning views over the mountains, and the staff are very friendly and helpful with recommendations for the area.
  • $90 USD + per night check prices and browse photos here

• 💰💰💰 Hotel Belmar – luxury at the highest level, Hotel Belmar is also one of the most sustainable hotels in Costa Rica, receiving the highest rating from the Costa Rican government. Located close to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, wood cabin-style rooms overlook lush greenery and mountain views on a private reserve, full of hiking trails for guests to explore.
  • $250 USD + per night check prices and browse photos here

• 💰💰💰 Chira Glamping – the most unique place to stay in Monteverde, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The property features dome tents elevated on decks in the middle of the forest. You’ll enjoy stunning views from your tent, with a private hot tub on your deck to watch the sunset! Breakfast is included daily.
  • $400 USD + per night check prices and browse photos here

How to get to Monteverde, Costa Rica

Monteverde isn’t the easiest place to get to. You can expect at least a 3+ hour journey, no matter where you’re coming from in Costa Rica.

The winding mountainous roads are in very poor condition, so expect a long and slow trip.

• 🚙 By car – arriving by rental car is the easiest way to get to Monteverde, but be ready for a bumpy ride. A 4×4 is not essential, but I would suggest researching the best route from your origin, as some of the roads through the mountains are worse than others. It takes around 3 hours from La Fortuna and 5 hours from San Jose.

• 🚌 By bus – if your budget doesn’t allow a car, you can get to Monteverde via public bus. Transmonteverde runs routes from San Jose and Puntarenas (for the Nicoya Peninsula). You can buy tickets and check schedules on their website.

• 🚐 By tourist shuttle – tourist shuttles are another option, and the easier choice if you’re coming from somewhere outside of San Jose.
  
  Monteverde is a popular stop after La Fortuna, and the best way to travel between these destinations is the ‘van-boat-van’ combo. A shuttle van will pick you up from La Fortuna and drive you to Lake Arenal, where you will board a boat. Travelling across the lake cuts out hours of driving, and a van will collect you on the other side and drive you to Monteverde.
  
  Browse shuttles between La Fortuna and Monteverde here.
  
  Otherwise, standard van shuttles travel to Monteverde from all over the country, like San Jose, Manuel Antonio, Santa Teresa, Tamarindo etc.

👉🏼 Browse all Monteverde shuttles here

How to get around in Monteverde, Costa Rica

• 👣 On foot – if you’re staying in Santa Elena town, you can easily walk between restaurants, supermarkets and some limited local transport options. But not too many of the main attractions are within easy walking distance.

• 🚙 With your own car – ideally you’ve come with a rental car, as many of the best things to do in Monteverde are spread out. It will also give you the freedom to stay in one of the accommodations out of town, which generally have a more foresty vibe.

• 🚌 On the bus – there is a limited bus system around Monteverde. You can get to and from the cloud forest on the local bus. Many attractions offer shuttle transport from downtown Santa Elena which is generally the best option if you don’t have a car.

• 🚕 By taxi – there are also taxis plying around the town. They aren’t particularly cheap, but they can get you further than the bus if required.

Monteverde is a really special and unique place in Costa Rica. The cloud forest is unrivalled, and there’s nowhere else in the country that you can experience this special ecosystem at such a pristine and abundant level. There are so many great things to do in Monteverde, just be careful if you’re on a budget!

More Monteverde guides

• Visiting the Magical Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve

OUR COSTA RICA TRAVEL GUIDES