15 Amazing Things to Do in Monteverde, Costa Rica + Travel Tips
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Curious what the best things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica are? I’ve got you covered!
Way up high in the verdant Tilarán Mountains, mystifying cloud forests and some of the world’s most unique flora and fauna await you.
From exploring the hiking trails (in daylight, and at night – in search of nocturnal animals!) and bird-watching, to zip-lining through the cloud forest canopy, there are so many incredible things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
While living in Costa Rica as a digital nomad, I went on quite a few road trips around the country. And I have to say, Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of my all-time favorite destinations in Costa Rica.
The rich biodiversity and wildlife-spotting opportunities here are unmatched!
In fact, only about 1% of the world’s forests are cloud forests, making Monteverde an incredibly special place to appreciate nature’s splendor.
In this travel guide to Monteverde, I’ll cover all of the best things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica – as well as where to stay, the top places to eat, transportation tips, and must-know facts!
Must-Know Facts about Monteverde, Costa Rica
Before we dive into the best things to do in Monteverde, let’s cover some background information!
- Monteverde translates to “green mountain.” Home to more than 700 species of trees, the name certainly fits!
- The main town near Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve is Santa Elena. However, the sub-region (which consists of Santa Elena and the cloud forest reserves) is called Monteverde. Monteverde is part of the province of Puntarenas.
- The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve is situated about 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) above sea level, on the Continental Divide between the Pacific and the Caribbean.
- The Continental Divide is the central spine of Costa Rica. When the warm, moist air from the Pacific and the Caribbean rises up both sides of the divide, it collides, cools down, and condenses into clouds; that’s why there are so many clouds here!
- There are actually three different cloud forest reserves to visit in Monteverde, all located within a few minutes of each other – plus some more wildlife refuges. More on this below.
- You should rent a car to explore Monteverde, and the rest of Costa Rica; however, if you prefer shuttles, keep reading – I’ll share all the top transportation tips below. This is my favorite website for finding great deals on rental cars.
- You need two to three full days to experience all the best things to do in Monteverde.
- While a lot of the activities in Monteverde and La Fortuna overlap, the two towns and their surroundings are very different. Your Costa Rica itinerary should include both destinations! (Read about the best things to do in La Fortuna here.)
- Costa Rican ecotourism experiences are always 100x better with nature guides. Their well-trained eyes spot way more wildlife than you’d ever find on your own.
- Monteverde is a bird-watching paradise. The resplendent quetzal, purple-throated mountain gem, chestnut-headed oropendola, and emerald toucanet are some bird species you might see. Not to mention, the symphony of birdsong in the cloud forest is incredible.
- Beyond birds, you can spot sloths, jaguars, agouti, howler monkeys, and white-face capuchin monkeys in Monteverde Cloud Forest.
Best Things to Do in Monteverde, Costa Rica
Now that those quick facts are out of the way, let’s dive into the best things to do in Monteverde!
1. Take a Guided Tour of Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Of course, the best thing to do in Monteverde Cloud Forest is to go on a guided nature walk through the reserve!
This small-group guided nature walk is the exact tour I went on. Our guide was awesome – an absolute pro at bird calls and spotting wildlife. His depth of knowledge about the plants and animals in the forest was incredible and we learned so much.
Even if you don’t see much wildlife (this is always a possibility!), the abundance of incredible trees and beautiful forest flowers in Monteverde will blow your mind.
Even though the walk is easy and mostly flat, I recommend wearing hiking boots. Especially if you plan to explore the reserve more, on your own, after the guided portion!
Click here to book your small-group tour. Alternatively, you can go on a private tour.
2. Visit the Hummingbird Garden
The small-group guided nature walk (mentioned above) finishes at the reserve’s hummingbird garden, where you’ll see many different types of beautiful hummingbirds flitting between the flowers and birdfeeders.
Spending 15 minutes or so bird-watching here is well worth your time!
There’s a café in the garden, though I recommend skipping it (the food/coffee quality is sub-par). Come prepared with snacks, or just wait to eat until you get back to town.
3. Hike up to “La Ventana”
After your guided tour and hummingbird-watching, you can re-enter Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (without paying again) to explore the other hiking trails.
I recommend hiking up the Sendero Bosque Nuboso trail until you get to the La Ventana viewpoint, which looks out over the Continental Divide! From La Ventana, on a clear day, the views extend through the lush jungles to the Pacific Ocean. It’s breathtaking!
From there, make a loop on the Sendero Camino, and then turn right when you see a sign for the Hanging Bridge (it’s the only one in the reserve). Once you cross the bridge, you can check out other trails, or return to the park entrance to leave.
There’s a bit of an incline up to La Ventana, but this cloud forest hike is not very difficult. I recommend wearing hiking boots, though! And bringing a water bottle and a rain jacket, just in case.
4. Go Ziplining through the Cloud Forest Canopy
No trip to Costa Rica is complete without ziplining – and Monteverde is one of the best places to do it!
I’ve been ziplining in La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio, and Rincon de la Vieja, so I decided to skip ziplining in Monteverde. However, Monteverde is home to the longest and highest zipline in all of Latin America!
If you don’t plan to zipline elsewhere in Costa Rica, then book this ziplining excursion. The course includes 15 zipline cables and a gigantic Tarzan swing!
Click here to book your ziplining adventure!
P.S. Want even more of an adrenaline rush? Monteverde is home to Central America’s highest bungee jump. Click here to book your extreme bungee jump!
5. Dine at Monteverde’s Best Restaurants
For such a small town, there are a lot of delicious restaurants to try in Monteverde! Here are the ones I recommend:
- Soda La Amistad: This traditional tico soda is budget-friendly and the food is delicious! Located next to the Camino Verde B&B (one of the hotels I recommend staying at), we walked right in and grabbed a table. I ordered the shrimp al ajillo casado – with the usual suspects of rice, beans, plantains, veggies, and salad on the side for 6,000 colones (about $12 USD). Cash only.
- El Sapo: This is probably the best restaurant in Monteverde – featuring local and sustainable ingredients, fresh produce straight from their own garden, and organic South American wines. From artisanal bread baked in-house to local Monteverde cheeses to homemade gnocchi and ravioli to pepper steak, the menu is wonderful. They even have a full vegetarian/vegan menu! In high season, make your dinner reservation in advance. I took my boyfriend here for his birthday!
- San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience: Ready for a unique fine-dining experience? Here, you can dine in your own floor-to-ceiling glass cube, way up high in the treetops, surrounded by panoramic cloud forest views. Meanwhile, the chef will take you on a culinary journey through Costa Rica with nine courses. Book in advance.
- The Open Kitchen: You’ll love the atmosphere at this cute café. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the menu combines Tico classics, Israeli/Northern African/and Middle Eastern flavors and dishes, and Western faves. I ordered the falafel.
- The Green Restaurant: This is probably the most popular spot in town. They serve yummy, healthy food – but nothing you couldn’t make at home.
6. Birdwatch at the Curi-Cancha Reserve
The Curi-Cancha Reserve in Monteverde is home to some of the most spectacular and elusive birds in the world (200 species, to be exact!), all kinds of mammals (from armadillos and coati to ocelots and sloths), and roughly seven kilometers of hiking trails at elevations of between 4,750 to 5,300 feet (1,450 to 1,615 meters).
If you’re into birding (or honestly, even if you’re not), then you should go on this birdwatching tour with Esteban in the Curi-Cancha Reserve. You’ll hopefully see some amazing birds, and learn more about this unique ecosystem.
We were lucky enough to spot a resplendent quetzal – what a special experience that was!
If you don’t leave Curi-Cancha a bird-lover, I’ll be surprised. These birds’ vibrant colors will leave you in awe – and their songs fill you with wonder.
Click here to book your bird-watching tour in the Curi-Cancha Reserve.
7. Go on a Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Tour
Another top thing to do in Monteverde is this Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Tour.
On this tour, you’ll visit a local farm to learn about the cultivation of coffee beans, cacao beans, and sugar cane – and how they’re processed to make products like freshly brewed coffee, chocolate, raw sugar, and guaro.
Along the way, you’ll taste the different artisanal products – and have lots of fun doing it.
Click here to book your Coffee, Chocolate, and Sugar Cane Tour.
Hot tip: In La Fortuna, going on this Craft Specialty Coffee and Chocolate Tour is also one of the best things to do; so if you don’t have time to squeeze this Coffee, Chocolate, and Sugar Cane Tour tour in Monteverde, no worries!
8. Visit a Local Craft Brewery
When you need a break from hiking, stop by one of Monteverde’s local breweries!
Monteverde Brewing Company is top-notch. They have many different beers on tap, which rotate seasonally (from hazy IPAs to APAs to coffee stouts to golden ales). Order a tasting flight so you can try five different ones!
I didn’t order any of the pub-style food here, but I’m sure it’s equally fantastic.
If you have time to brewery-hop, Belmar Craft Brewery is another local brewery in Monteverde.
9. Visit the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Compared to Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve is lesser-visited, but just as spectacular… (If not, even more so. But I’ll leave that up to you to decide!)
If you have time to visit both reserves, you absolutely should.
Within the Santa Elena Reserve, you’ll find almost eight miles of hiking trails to explore, three different panoramic lookouts/observation decks, many bridges, and a beautiful orchid garden.
This time around, you’ll probably just want to enjoy hiking on your own. However, you can also take another guided walk; click here to book it!
Tickets cost $18 for adults and $9 for kids.
10. Watch the Sunset from a Viewpoint
While in Costa Rica, your goal should be to catch every sunset; they are some of the best in the world!
If the weather’s good, hop in your rental car and choose either the Mirador San Luis or the Mirador Valle Escondido Preserve to watch the sunset.
Hot tip: Plan ahead. Bring a couple of cans of beer from Monteverde Brewing Company with you!
11. Go on a Night Walk
While in Monteverde, you have to go on this small-group guided night walking tour in the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge.
Exploring the jungle at night, by flashlight, is an incredibly cool (and kind of creepy!) experience. The amount of beautiful birds we saw in the first 15 minutes of the tour, at dusk, was pretty staggering. From motmots to woodpeckers to owls, we were off to a great start!
Once darkness submerged us, our guide led us around the trails to search for nocturnal animals out hunting their prey. Luckily, we spotted a few bright-green pit vipers slithering through the trees, plenty of frogs, and a couple of tarantulas.
Not to mention, we also saw plenty of fascinating bugs and plants – and some birds and other animals mid-slumber.
Plus, with a small group of just six people, the experience was intimate and allowed our guide to answer all of our questions.
I highly recommend this night walk tour! Click here to book it.
Hot tip #1: Safety first! This night walk is an easy, flat walk, but you must wear closed-toed shoes. You probably won’t step on a snake, but it’s certainly possible.
Hot tip #2: At roughly 5,000 feet, it can get cold in the refuge. Especially at night. Bring a puffy jacket and/or a rain jacket!
P.S. Prefer private tours? Book your Private Monteverde Night Tour here.
More Fun Things to Do in Monteverde
12. Visit the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens: Discover four different habitats and 30 kinds of butterflies in these serene gardens. Open daily (from 9 AM to 3:30 PM), a guided tour is included in your entrance fee, and reservations are not required. Tickets are $20 per adult; tickets for kids/youth range from free to $12.
13. Explore the Children’s Eternal Rain Forest: Want to spend even more time in the cloud forest? Then visit the Children’s Eternal Rain Forest (or the Bosque Eterno de los Niños). The 55,800 acres that encompass this private reserve were purchased with donations from children in 44 countries. Entrance is $19 for adults and $12 for kids ages 6 to 12.
14. Visit the Farmers Market: Open every Friday from 11 AM to around 3:30 PM, visit the Santa Elena Farmers Market to support producers selling local fruit, veggies, honey, handicrafts, and more.
15. Visit the Monteverde Orchid Garden: This is one of the most fascinating things to do in Monteverde! At the Monteverde Orchid Garden, you’ll encounter 450 orchid species (120 different types are guaranteed to be in bloom daily!), including micro-orchids. The garden is open daily, and a guided tour is included in your entrance ticket. Tours run every hour on the hour, between 9 am and 4 pm. Tickets are $13 for kids (ages 6 to 12) and $17 for adults.
Where to Stay in Monteverde
- Koora Monteverde ($$$): Koora Monteverde’s luxurious bungalows perch high in the cloud forest, surrounded by lush flora and wildlife, offering the most stunning views from gigantic floor-to-ceiling windows. So dreamy, you couldn’t ask for more! Click here to book it.
- Chira Glamping Monteverde ($$$): Want to immerse yourself in the magic of Monteverde, without sacrificing comfort? Then glamping at Chira Glamping Monteverde is for you. From relaxing in your own private hot tub to breakfast in bed (with a jungle view), this is the ultimate glamping experience. This hotel is home to the San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience mentioned above. Click here to book it.
- Camino Verde B&B ($$): This is where I decided to stay. Our room was huge and very comfortable – and the staff couldn’t have been friendlier. I loved sitting out on the deck in the evening, sipping a glass of wine, watching the clouds swallow up the entire town. What an experience. The included breakfast was not so great, though. Click here to book it.
How to Get to Monteverde, Costa Rica
The best way to get to Monteverde is in your own rental car.
Private shuttles are very expensive in Costa Rica. Trust me, you’ll save a fortune by not relying on shuttles to get from destination to destination. Plus, you’ll have the freedom to explore as you wish!
This is my favorite website to find great deals on rental cars in Costa Rica and beyond.
The roads in Monteverde are well-maintained; however, the road up the mountain is winding and a bit rough. If you choose to self-drive, you can expect to encounter some pothole-filled dirt roads from time to time! Just take it slow and easy… There’s no rush. Pura vida!
- From LA FORTUNA, follow this Google Maps route in your rental car, which leads to Santa Elena town. If you don’t want to drive a rental car, then you can take the scenic van-boat-van route. First, you’ll take a shuttle to the shores of Lake Arenal, boat across it, and then catch another shuttle to your Monteverde hotel. This option takes an hour longer than driving – sometimes longer. Need a private shuttle from La Fortuna to Monteverde? Click here.
- From LIBERIA AIRPORT, follow this Google Maps route in your rental car. Or, book this shared shuttle service.
- From SAN JOSE AIRPORT, follow this route in your rental car. Otherwise, you can book this private shuttle or this shared shuttle.
- From MANUEL ANTONIO, follow this route in your rental car. Or take this shared shuttle.
Note: If self-driving, you may encounter tolls on the highways. You can pay with credit card or colones.
Monteverde, Costa Rica Packing List
When you visit Monteverde, there are a few non-negotiable items to pack!
Here’s a handy little Amazon shopping list, for your convenience!
- Eco-friendly, organic bug repellent
- Full-coverage adventure hat for hiking and other activities
- Waterproof hiking boots (these are my absolute favorite hiking boots!)
- Puffy jacket (at such high elevation, it can get chilly in Monteverde!)
- Waterproof rain jacket or rain poncho
- Natural, eco-friendly sunscreen
- Manduka EKO Superlite Travel Yoga Mat
- GRAYL GeoPress water purifier bottle (so you can drink any water, anywhere!)
- Waterproof dry bag
- Quick-dry Turkish towel
- GoPro (to capture your adventures!)
Whenever you travel internationally, you should also have travel insurance. This is SO IMPORTANT! This is the travel insurance policy I have and recommend. It’s available on a monthly subscription, and you can cancel anytime. Click here to purchase your travel insurance policy.
Monteverde Travel FAQs
Monteverde, Costa Rica is absolutely worth visiting! Monteverde is a nature-lovers paradise featuring lush cloud forests, more than 3,000 types of plants and trees, and at least 400 bird species. Since only about 1% of the world’s forests are cloud forests, Monteverde is a very special place. Between hiking in the misty cloud forests, ziplining through the jungle canopy, bird-watching, horseback-riding, and exploring the local cacao and coffee plantations, there are so many incredible things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica!
If you’re pressed for time, two full days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Monteverde. In 48 hours, you’ll be able to go on a guided walk through a cloud forest, visit the local breweries, go on this chocolate, coffee, and sugar cane tour, go for a guided night walk, eat at some delicious restaurants and sodas, and maybe even go bird-watching in Curi-Cancha, or go ziplining. However, if you want to experience all of the best things to do in Monteverde (and have some time to relax), you need at least 3 full days!
Ideally, you should plan to spend 3 days in Monteverde, especially if you’re not visiting La Fortuna. Why? Similar activities involving hanging bridges, ziplining, touring coffee/chocolate farms, night walks, and more are also available in La Fortuna. If you’re also visiting La Fortuna, then 2 full days enjoying the cloud forest in Monteverde will be sufficient.
Monteverde and La Fortuna are both magical places in Costa Rica. Even though they offer some similar activities (i.e. ziplining and coffee tours), their landscapes and ecosystems are completely different. Plus, each one has its own unique things to do! For example, in Monteverde, you’ll spend a day exploring the cloud forest, searching for rare and beautiful birds – while in La Fortuna, you might soak in some natural hot springs, hike to view the Arenal Volcano, and swim in a waterfall pool. I love both destinations, and I don’t think you should choose. Both La Fortuna and Monteverde deserve a spot in your Costa Rica itinerary.
While some may say that the dry season (roughly December through April) is the best time to visit Monteverde, but I disagree! The dry season is the high season, so it’s the busiest time of year to visit Monteverde. Plus, even in the dry season, it still rains at least 7 days per month in Monteverde! The early part of the low season (ideally May through August) is also a great time to visit Monteverde. A little rainy weather in the cloud forest isn’t a deal-breaker for me, but huge crowds and higher prices are! I love the rainy season in Costa Rica. But all in all, any time outside of September and October (the rainiest months of the year) is a great time to visit Monteverde!
MORE COSTA RICA TRAVEL INSPIRATION
15 Incredible Things to Do in Monteverde, Costa Rica
Well, there you have it, friends! Those are my picks for the top 15 things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
From bird-watching to night walks in search of nocturnal wildlife to ziplining through the cloud forest, your time in this magical place in Central America will be totally unforgettable.
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