Monteverde

Take one of Costa Rica’s most diverse natural history walks! Positioned atop the Continental Divide in western Costa Rica, the Preserve extends down both the Caribbean and Pacific slopes. The resulting combination of climatic and geographic factors creates temperature and humidity gradients which change dramatically over relatively short distances. Splendid quetzals and Bell-birds fly about the canopy of the forest trees and iridescent hummingbirds hover around in search of nectar. Because of the activity patterns of animals in this forest, we recommend taking this tour early in the morning so that you can live the experience of seeing wild animals in their natural habitat.

Enjoy the daytime life at the Ecological Farm by watching a surprising variety of animal species such as the white-nosed coati, the white-faced capuchin monkey, the keel billed toucan and the blue crowned mot while learning about the highlights of its natural history. Wonder at the flora and fauna of the place, especially as you watch a myriad of different variety of bird species.

Monteverde Cloud Forest is teeming with creatures of all shapes and sizes, but chances are they don’t keep the same hours as you. In fact, most of the forest’s inhabitants follow nocturnal or crepuscular (twilight) lifestyles. For this reason we offer a nature hike through the reserve during the twilight and early evening hours, between 5 and 7pm when most creatures emerge to begin their day. Your expert guide will help you identify the call signs of the forest’s 170 bird species, as well as track the tell tale clues left by its many mammal species; the two-toes sloth or the prehensile-tailed porcupine for instance, while also keeping a sharp eye out for the smaller critters that call the forest home – spiders, grasshoppers and snakes.

The hike will open up another world before your very eyes, allowing you to experience the eerie night time sounds of the natural world coming to life, leaving you with lasting memories of a truly wild and untamed environment.

In this 2 ½ hour tour the visitor will enjoy of beautiful views of the Gulf of Nicoya while traveling along side-roads inside Monteverde, Santa Elena, and a coffee, sugar cane and banana plantation. Enjoy the pleasure of horse-back riding the surroundings of the Park.

The tour begins by explaining the brief history of the region; this is a fascinating story of how the region evolved from a rugged frontier into a expansive community of settlers, farmers, scientists, conservationists and of course one of the highest quality coffee producing areas in the world. You will visit a working farm and hear a first hand explanation of the coffee cultivation process from a family member of a cooperative, the story will be translated by your guide. You walk through a coffee farm where you will explore a biodiversity of crops which includes coffee, banana, plantain, orange and lime crops. You will see the large processing location where the cooperative receives the beans from the farmers and prepares the coffee for export or roasting. Along the way you will also visit a group of women in San Luis who recycle paper products the old fashioned way by breaking apart the paper, blending the pulp and pressing it into a variety of products such as bags, cards and notebooks.  Finally you will be brought back to the retail coffee shop where you will be invited to taste the variety of roasts and perhaps further support the cooperative by purchasing some of the roasted beans to bring back home for your friends and family.

Canopy Walkways are the best way to enjoy the virgin cloud forest canopy peacefully and safely. Through our bridge system with over 1.6 miles of easy walking trails our visitors can enjoy the marvels of the cloud forest and get the chance to see some of the world’s most amazing and beautiful flora and fauna.

Canopy walkways feature eight bridges with different lengths which make up a total of 2400 feet of total bridge length crossing through altitudes of up to 240 feet.

Get ready for an adrenaline surge! The Canopy tour, one of the safest and most thrilling adventures of all time; open the door for you to explore the marvels of an untouched forest from its canopies. Indulge at the most amazing cloud forest's flora and fauna including a wide variety of epiphytes, monkeys and exotic birds. Fourteen platforms along 1.8 miles connected by stainless steel cables at an altitude of 300 feet help you cruise through the forest while attached at a top- class safety harness.

In our hummingbird garden, guests can observe 14 different species, including some that aren't commonly found elsewhere in Monteverde. Relaxing waterfalls and beautiful flowers offer a perfect setting for nature-photography aficionados. It's a perfect place for a little picnic.

The educational center contains biologist Dr. Richard Whitten's "Jewels of the Rainforest" exhibit, one of the world's largest private insect collections. Dr. Whitten has combined natural history and art in a unique way, inspiring an artistic appreciation of these marvelous arthropods found nowhere else. Our guided tour provides fascinating facts on arthropod biodiversity around the world, with a special emphasis on the formidable, fantastic tiny creatures of Monteverde and Costa Rica.

The multimedia presentation Wonders of the Rain Forest offers live close-ups of the strangest, most beautiful and amazingly camouflaged creatures in the forests. No forest experience is complete without an understanding of what exists within it. Our educational center illuminates and explains this fascinating microcosm. Pick a type of insect: The largest! The weirdest! The strongest! The most beautiful! The most dangerous! They are all here.

In this exhibit, visitors get a good look at frogs, lizards, geckos, snakes and many more than 30 species of other reptiles and amphibians. These little creatures scurry about climate-controlled terrariums, which simulate their natural habitats.

Guests can learn about tree frogs, earth frogs and toads, and how to tell the difference between them. Also, they'll get an insight into the behavior, eating habits and functions of snakes in the various ecosystems.

It  has one of the largest butterfly gardens in the Americas - 29,000 square feet (2,700 square meters), with a gigantic dome covered in special photothermic plastic sheeting, which helps regulate the garden's temperature, enabling us to shelter more than 50 Costa Rican butterfly species from a variety of elevations and climates.

Our specialized guides can answer just about every question on about butterflies. They'll teach guests about the butterfly and moth life cycles and other amazing facts. Guests will come into direct contact with beautiful butterflies, such as the famed iridescent-blue Morpho peleides.

Butterfly garden is a wondrous experience, recommended for all ages and all physical conditions. We recommend combining this tour with the Bio-Art "Jewels of the Rain Forest" exhibit. This contains most butterfly species found in Costa Rica and many others from around the world, as well as insects from all over the planet. The insect exhibit is found in Selvatura Park 's educational center. The butterfly-garden tour lasts approximately one hour.

At our herpetarium you can admire over 20 species of frogs and other amphibians. Walk with our guide and learn about species that are unique to the tropics of Costa Rica. Come see extraordinary frogs, such as the colorful Poison Arrow Frog, the very large Marine Toad and the famous Red Eyed Tree Frog.

Frogs and toads are undergoing massive worldwide declines. We are committed the conservation of amphibians and we dedicate part of the proceeds from each ticket purchased to research and conservation efforts. We hope to inspire others to do the same.

After a guided tour of our terramariums that simulate natural habitats, feel free to wander through our exhibitions of frog species and their natural history. Enjoy our different paintings of natural scenery.

This exciting tour begins only 3 kilometers away from the town of Santa Elena in Monteverde; here you will be welcomed before being organized with the necessary safety requirements for the tour (helmets, rain coats, safety equipment).

Following preparation we will head to the practice area where our bilingual guides will give necessary instructions and safety precautions. A number of important points will be explained: the ATV’S peculiarities, driving skills needed, average speed, guide signal tour, duration and safety procedures. As soon as there are no doubts or questions, you will go for a practice run on a small circuit, during which you will get accustomed to the ATV, the power of the engine and the position of different controls. You will also be able to experience terrain irregularities similar to ones you will face on the drive. At the practice stage, should you not feel comfortable handling the ATV on your own, you will have the option to ride with one of the guides.

After practice and preparation, the real adventure begins! The tour has an approximate duration of two hours across a 20km journey that traverses between private trails and quiet public roads. Depending on the weather conditions and the participant’s skills the route may be adjusted.

Along the tour you will be able to observe abundant flora and fauna which is all native to the region - peculiar given that this is on the continental divide between Central and South America. You will also see the Nicoya gulf and the Arenal lake and volcano. Halfway through the drive we will take a small break to rest and take pictures before continuing through villager’s trails and farms.

Duration: 2 hours
Departure Time: Optional

• Package #1 Canopy and Walkways Tour
• Package #2 Walkways, Canopy and Butterfly Farm Tour
• Package #3 Walkways, Canopy, Butterfly Farm and Hummingbirds Garden*
• Package #4 Walkways, Canopy, Butterfly Farm and Hummingbird Garden
• Package #5 Walkways, Butterfly Farm and Hummingbird Gardens
• Package #6 Walkways, Butterfly Farm and Hummingbird Gardens*
• Package #7 Canopy, Butterfly Farm and Hummingbird Gardens
• Package #8 Canopy, Butterfly Farm and Hummingbird Gardens*
• Package #9 Canopy, Walkways, Insects Museum and Reptile Exhibition
• Package #10 Canopy, Walkways, Insects Museum and Reptile Exhibition*
• Package #11 Canopy, Walkways, Butterfly Farm and Insects Museum
• Package #12 Canopy, Walkways, Butterfly Farm and Insects Museum*
• Package #13 Walkways, Butterfly Farm, Insects Museum and Reptile Exhibition
• Package #14 Walkways, Butterfly Farm, Insects Museum and Reptile Exhibition*
• Package #15 Walkways and Insects Museum
• Package #16 Snake Exhibition and Insect Museum
• Package #17 Butterfly Farm and Insect Museum
• Package #18 Butterfly Farm, Insect Museum and Reptile Exhibition