Best Things to Do in Monteverde, Costa Rica
When most people imagine Costa Rica, they envision warm tropical rainforests filled with monkeys, birds, and two-toed sloths. Monteverde represents most of that picture. However, these aren't the type of rainforests you might be thinking of. Directly translated as "Green Mountain," Monteverde sits 5,000 feet up in the Tilarán mountain range and is known for its Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. Because of the altitude, the sky is misty and the weather is cold, but the city attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year hoping to catch a glimpse of the wildlife they can't see anywhere else.
So, if you're planning your trip to this unique mountain region, here's what we learned along the way!
Getting There
Typically, if you've decided to make the trek into the cloud forests of Monteverde, you've also decided to stop in La Fortuna on your way there. Getting from San Jose to La Fortuna is pretty straightforward and we talk about it in this article.
The route from La Fortuna to Monteverde, however, is much less straightforward as the cities are separated by Lake Arenal. The most common way to get between the two is a combination of shuttles and a boat ride across the lake – but this can also add up.
Instead, we opted for public transport again. If all goes right, the journey should take roughly 4 hours through the mountains. We highly recommend taking the earliest bus available (this was at 8am when we went), because connections are close together and there’s a good probability of missing a transfer.
We talk more about navigating the Costa Rican bus system in this article.
Things to Do
Between Monteverde and its neighbor, La Fortuna, it's difficult to differentiate what to do where, as many activities overlap in both places. Our recommendation is to do all your swimming in La Fortuna and save the cloud forest excursions for Monteverde where it's colder (We talk more about things to do in La Fortuna in this article).
Hanging Bridges
The hanging bridges of Monteverde are famous for taking visitors through Costa Rica’s cloud forests, with the chance to be high up in the trees and see wildlife you wouldn’t see anywhere else. While you can also find hanging bridges tours in the forests of La Fortuna, we were told to wait for Monteverde, as they are located high up in the cloud forest canopy. With that said, like most of the adventures in Monteverde, this one will cost you a bit of money.
There are a number of different hanging bridges tours in Monteverde and you can book online, or find various packages at any hotel or hostel around town. We opted for the second option that included a cheaper fee and shuttle to Selvatura Adventure Park. This park is approximately 20 minutes from downtown Monteverde. You’ll enter at the visitor center and receive your wristband, then you’ll be on your way.
Selvatura includes paved paths through the forest, so it's not an extremely challenging hike. The trail and bridges take you winding through the clouds, which means it can get slippery if it rains. Be sure to bring the proper footwear and a rain jacket or poncho. You’ll cross eight hanging bridges and have the potential to see a number of Costa Rica’s native birds, coatis, sloths, monkeys, and more. For those scared of heights, beware! Some of the bridges are suspended high above the rainforest floor. The walk took us just over an hour, but depending on your speed it could take up to two.
Things to Note About the Hanging Bridges:
We recommend choosing either the earliest or the latest time slot for your tour, as there will be fewer people and a better chance of seeing wildlife.
There is a cafe at Selvatura with decent food, but pack a lunch if you want to save some money.
Ziplining
While we mentioned ziplining in La Fortuna here, you're better off planning your ziplining adventure for Monteverde. The idea of flying through the cloud forests combined with higher-elevation ziplines makes Monteverde the better choice.
If you have time, we know that Selvatura Adventure Park has ziplines in addition to their top-tier hanging bridges. They have 13 cables along with a Tarzan swing that. You can also upgrade for a "Superman" setup where you can soar through the canopy head-first.
Things to note about Ziplining:
Leave your phones and any other major personal belongings behind before departing. There's a likelihood something will fall and the guides will be sure to take plenty of pictures of you along the way.
Night Hike
The night hike was one of the most unique experiences we had, but it's only for the brave! Expect a suspenseful walk through the jungle with a well-trained guide and a guarantee of seeing some creepy crawlies. On this short, hour-long hike, we saw sleepy toucans, spiders, venomous pit vipers, frogs, stick bugs, and a sloth! Don't let the spiders and snakes stress you out too much though, the guides make sure you stay safe and have a good time.
There are a few different tours offered in Monteverde, but we really liked Refugio Monteverde, as the transportation to/from the site was included in the price. The guides also communicated via radio when they saw something which worked excellently for making sure more people got to see the animals.
Things to Note About the Night Hike:
The flashlights provided by your night hike are often very good, but if you have a headlamp, consider bringing it for any maneuvering you might do with two hands.
The later tours often have less people. We did the 6 pm tour and the trails got a bit crowded at times.
Mirador Valle Escondido Preserve
Just a 20-25 minute walk from downtown Monteverde, you’ll find one of the best sunset overlooks in the area. During good weather, locals and tourists alike gravitate to this spot roughly half an hour before sunset.
To get to the Mirador, just follow the main road (Ruta Nacional Treciaria 620) to the southeast. There are only two benches at the lookout, so you’ll likely need to find a seat at the edge of the hill unless you arrive early enough.
Bring snacks, dinner, or drinks and enjoy the sunset view over the farms and the Gulf of Nicoya in the distance.
Things to Note About the Mirador:
Parking is difficult.
Dress warm. It gets cold after the sun sets in Monteverde.
If you're looking for an exciting vacation destination and are willing to spend a bit more on tours, Monteverde is the place to visit. It's location in the Tilarán mountain range provides you with an excellent chance to see wildlife and be surrounded by a serene, misty landscape high up in the cloud forests.
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