Not sure what to do in Monteverde? Check out our list of incredible things to do in Monteverde for an unforgettable trip in the tropical cloud forest.
We’ve visited Monteverde dozens of times and each visit leaves us falling more in love with this area, thanks to its excellent birdwatching, wonderful hiking, fresh mountain weather and exciting ziplines.
Our top recommedations for Monteverde activities are ziplining in the cloud forest, hanging bridges at Selvatura or Treetopia, birding in the reserves and watching the sunset from the mountains.
This post has affiliate links which we may earn a small commission from if you choose to purchase, at no extra cost to you. Listed prices are quoted in USD and are estimates. More info: Disclosure
Extreme Ziplining
Did you know Monteverde is supposedly the birthplace of the zipline? Monteverde’s also known as having more extreme zipline tours in Costa Rica that will fulfill any adventurer’s adrenaline needs!
Not only can you zipline over the cloud forests at Selvatura Park or Treetopia, you can also bungee jump 143 meters into the forest, tarzan swing 45 meters down or superman zipline 2 kilometers.
Whichever one you choose, your excitement level will be through the roof!
The superman ziplines at 100% Aventura are hands down the most exciting and fun ziplines we’ve ever done. They also have an insane 70 meter tarzan swing!
If you love adventure, this is definitely one of the best things to do in Monteverde!
Our Top Zipline Tours in Monteverde Picks
Selvatura Park: for families and friends of all ages who want epic views of the tropical cloud forest. Optional upgrade (for a fee) to Superman zipline for an extra kick of excitement. Additional tarzan swing included (free).
Treetopia: for those who want nature and adventure as a cable car takes you to the first cable of the zipline tour. Beautiful views, no hand braking required. Excellent for friends, families and first timers.
100% Aventura: Not pure forest views, but excitement is to the sky as they have an optional 70 meter tarzan swing and optional upgrade to Superman on TWO cables, nearly 1 km long!
Go Birding and Spot Resplendent Quetzals
National Geographic named Monteverde as the best place in the world to see the prized Resplendent Quetzal. It’s a stunning bird in the trogon family with iridescent green feathers.
As these birds live in high elevations mostly in cloud forests, Monteverde is one of the best places to see them. During mating season (about February – June), it is common to see males dancing and flashing their vibrant colors to impress females.
The best place to see Resplendent Quetzals in Monteverde is at the Curi Cancha Reserve. We saw 5 Resplendent Quetzals in a large avocado tree in March!
As the reserve is more open, it’s easier to spot the Quetzals. They are small birds and can be difficult to see in the trees. We have also seen Resplendent Quetzals in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve with a guide, but it was sitting very far back in the dense trees.
You can see many other birds in Monteverde besides the Quetzal. Monteverde’s an excellent place to see toucans, hummingbirds, the Three-wattled bellbird, tanagers and chlorophonias.
If you want to see a Resplendent Quetzal or a specific bird in Monteverde, you should book a guided Curi Cancha tour or a dedicated birdwatching tour.
Our Monteverde Birding Recommendations
Curi Cancha Reserve: One of the best places for birding in Monteverde with several different trails, open plains and large avocado trees. We saw Quetzals, toucans, tons of hummingbirds and motmots.
El Enigma de la Semilla: Small private reserve with two short trails. We saw a pair of adult Keel billed toucans and their baby toucan.
Hike the Cloud Forest
The tropical cloud forests are one of the most amazing places in Costa Rica. Only a few countries house these types of forests! As these forests sit more than 1500 meters (5000 feet) above sea level, the vegetation is completely different. You won’t feel like you’re in a tropical country at all!
There are 2 cloud forest reserves in Monteverde: Monteverde and Santa Elena.
The most popular one is Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve but our favorite is Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. There are less people, it’s higher in elevation, more mossy and more cloudy. It truly feels like you’re walking through a fairytale!
The downside to the Santa Elena Reserve is since it’s much higher in elevation, it does tend to be foggier and rainier, which does give it that magical fantastical forest feel, but in turn, the view points were all cloudy.
The Santa Elena Reserve has an epic view point that sees all the way to Arenal Volcano and at this platform, you truly feel like you’re floating above the clouds.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is the most famous cloud forest in Costa Rica with well maintained trails, one hanging bridge, a viewpoint of the Continental Divide and a small waterfall.
To visit the reserve, guests can only purchase a day pass to one of the three available trail circuits. Guests can purchase day passes to all three circuits, but it is quite pricey at $29 USD per person per circuit.
If you want to visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, we recommend book a guided Monteverde Cloud Forest tour, so you can make the most out of your visit. Your naturalist guide will point out the interesting flora and fauna, and teach you the secrets of the cloud fores.t
This is another reason why we love the Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena. They offer a day pass with access to all the trails and we’ve never experienced huge crowds at Santa Elena versus when we visited Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
Walk the Hanging Bridges
Monteverde owes a large part of its popularity to the hanging bridges in the cloud forest. Visitors can get up high in the forest canopy by way of these suspended bridges and see the forest from a birds eye view.
Three of the Monteverde adventure parks have their own hanging bridges: 100% Aventura, Treetopia and Selvatura Park.
*IMPORTANT* The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve does NOT have a long network of hanging bridges. The reserve only has ONE. What you see on social media are the hanging bridges at either Selvatura Park or Treetopia Monteverde.**
Personally, we love the hanging bridges at Treetopia and Selvatura Park. Both of these parks are higher in elevation and in the proper tropical cloud forest.
Each parks has a very well maintained trail with around 8 bridges, ranging from 170 to 560 feet (52 – 171 meters) offering absolutely incredible views of the cloud forest.
The Treetopia Monteverde hanging bridges trail is especially interesting because they have one short fixed bridge that is completely glass.
The Hanging Bridges is one of the best things to do with kids in Monteverde since the infrastructure is excellent, a self guided walk is not that expensive and they can see the forest from a different perspective. They can let out a lot of energy on the trail if the kids enjoy walking.
However, the Monteverde hanging bridges are more for the views. It is difficult to see a lot of wildlife on these trails. Do not visit with the expectation of seeing monkeys, sloths and jungle cats everywhere. You will hear a LOT of birds and see some, but the highlight is the vast view of the cloud forest.
Coffee Tour
Thanks to the altitude and climate, Monteverde produces excellent high quality coffee. In fact, it’s one of my favorite coffee brands in Costa Rica, Cafe Monteverde. There are several coffee tours you can do in the area such as San Luis, Cafe Monteverde, Don Juan and El Trapiche.
All are great but are quite different. San Luis is a small family owned plantation outside of the Santa Elena town center, Don Juan is a more commercial coffee tour and El Trapiche offers a combination tour of sugar cane, cacao and coffee on a local family farm.
The best part of booking a coffee tour is not only learning about the process of coffee, but being able to sample and buy the plantation’s best coffee.
For just coffee, Cafe Monteverde is an excellent tour and it’s super close to town. You can purchase high quality coffee straight from their farm.
If you would like a full farm tour, El Trapiche is the best as they cover sugar cane, cacao and coffee, three incredibly important crops of Costa Rica. Their tour is really informative, fun and tasty. In addition, their coffee has won national awards and theirs is also one of my favorites.
It’s located right in town and across from one of our favorite reserves for easy birding – El Enigma de la Semilla so you can go birding in the morning and then right after, fuel up with coffee, chocolate and sugar,
Monteverde Night Walk
Experience the cloud forest when the sun goes down on a guided night walk in Monteverde. A Monteverde night walk is a must for nature and animal lovers as you’ll get to learn about the forest life after dark and see the many creatures of the night such as insects, snakes, frogs and more!
It’s a fun and educational experience and you get another perspective of the forest which not many people get.
We have done 4 night walks in Monteverde: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Children’s Eternal Rainforest, Finca Santamaria and El Enigma de la Semilla.
They were all excellent, though we did see some more insects and snakes at Children’s Eternal Rainforest. We saw sleeping birds and frogs at all of them.
El Tigre Waterfalls Monteverde Hike
Hiking lovers can’t miss this epic hike at El Tigre Waterfalls. The 8 kilometer (5 mile) long trail goes deep into the rainforest, passing 6-8 waterfalls on a network of many hanging bridges over rivers and through canyons.
You can either hike the entire 8 kilometers or you can hike 5 kilometers and then take a 4×4 truck or horseback ride the last 3 kilometers. They also offer a fun zipline bike!
El Tigre Waterfalls is one of our favorite waterfall hikes in Costa Rica and hikes in general. Not insanely difficult, but good enough to get a good sweat and workout!
Aim for at least 3 hours for El Tigre Waterfalls. Guide is not required, you can perfectly hike on your own. If you don’t have transportation, you can contact the waterfall park directly to arrange transportation with them.
Recommended to book your passes in advance during the high season to save your spot (December through March).
You should be in decent shape to be able to hike several kilometers, walk up and down steps and do not have any mobility issues in the ankles or knees for this hike.
More Fun Things to Do in Monteverde
These are our favorite things to do in Monteverde but you can also go horseback riding, go canyoning at Finca Modelo, watch the sunset, or visit the orchid garden.
What to Do If You Have Only 1 or 2 Full Days in Monteverde
Here are some ideas for Monteverde itineraries. Remember you can book your Monteverde Tours in the link and get our FULL 1, 2, 3 day Monteverde itineraries in the link.
Most people stay in Monteverde 1-3 nights. If you love mountains and birding, we recommend at least 4 nights.
1 Full Day in Monteverde: Adventure and Cloud Forest
Morning: Visit the adventure nature parks to go ziplining and walk the hanging bridges. This is best at Selvatura Park or Treetopia Monteverde. Start at the 830 AM slot so that you can be finished before noon.
We personally recommend Selvatura Park for those who want to experience the most because they have ziplining, hanging bridges, a butterfly garden, a sloth center and a reptile and amphibian exhibit.
Treetopia Monteverde is better for those who want to add some more nature, as you get to ride the aerial tram on the zipline tour. But if you want to add more fun, they also offer a very fun tree climbing obstacle course, a tandem zipline bike, tarzan swing and free jump!
After lunch, go back to your hotel to rest, shower and nap.
Afternoon: If you don’t want to rest at the hotel, head to El Trapiche for a farm tour and taste some delicious coffee, chocolate and sugar treats.
Evening (5 PM): If it’s not raining, watch the sunset from the view point in Cerro Plano.
2 Full Days in Monteverde: Hiking and Birding
Morning Curi Cancha Guided Tour: Embark on a guided 3 hour hiking and birding Curi Cancha Reserve tour in the morning. You’ll have the opportunity to see birds like toucans, hummingbirds and the Quetzal, while learning about the tropical cloud forest.
Afterwards, go grab some lunch, stop by the Ficus La Raiz to see an incredible feat of nature – a downed ficus tree with its roots growing downwards, creating a sort of bridge.
It’s a quick 5 minute walk from the parking lot and you only need 20 minutes max here to walk around and take some photos. Very cool and unique spot in Monteverde.
Next, you can go back to the hotel and rest or go souvenir shopping.
Evening night walk: At 530 PM, you’ll join a night walk, either at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve or Children’s Eternal Rainforest. Be prepared to see many critters of the night!
Is Monteverde Worth Visiting if You’re Not a Birder?
We get this question quite often, and I say YES! Some people may say Monteverde is “boring” because it’s just “forest” but that is exactly why Monteverde is special.
It houses one of the most precious ecosystems in the world: the tropical cloud forest. An ecosystem that is extremely vulnerable and may even disappear in our lifetime due to climate change.
Add these 3 tours to your Monteverde trip!
Curi Cancha Day Tour
Explore the beauty and biodiversity of Curi Cancha, one of the premiere birding and nature reserves in Monteverde.
Check out this tour
El Enigma de la Semilla Monteverde
Discover the secrets of the forests of Monteverde at the private reserve on a night walk, bird tour or nature walk.
Check out this tour
Monteverde Cloud Forest Night Walk
Discover the mysteries of the cloud forest after dusk on a night walk inside the cloud forest reserve.
Check out this tourAdditionally, the wildlife reserves and refuges in Monteverde are REALLY big and vast, so wildlife is not as easily seen as people think. The animals have a TON of space to roam!
But when it comes to birding, Monteverde is top notch and even if you’re not a birder, it is very exciting to see rainbow toucans, Resplendent Quetzals, beautiful hummingbirds and other unique, colorful birds.
What Should I Do in Monteverde vs La Fortuna?
A lot of people wonder if they should go ziplining or birding in La Fortuna or Monteverde.
La Fortuna has a ton of excellent zipline tours, and most are mild, more family friendly. The more extreme ones are Sky Adventures Arenal and Arenal Mundo Aventura but none have Superman cables, tarzan swings, bungee jumps, tandem bike rides, or a free tree jump like the zipline tours in Monteverde do!
So if you want more extreme ziplining, go ziplining in Monteverde. For something more mild, beginner friendly and family friendly, La Fortuna. Arenal Canopy Adventure is an excellent intro zipline.
As for birding, La Fortuna is excellent for birding but doesn’t have as many hummingbirds, and no Resplendant Quetzals or three-wattled bell birds. So if those are on your list, go to Monteverde!
Monteverde Hotel
Need a hotel in Monteverde? Use our 5% promo code “mytanfeet” to save $$ at the following hotels: Hotel Poco a Poco, Monteverde Country Lodge and Sibu Lodge.
All wonderful places to stay in Monteverde with a great location, excellent restaurant and very cozy and comfortable rooms.
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- Check our First Time in Costa Rica guide if you’re a first time visitor.
- Read our How to Get Around Costa Rica guide to find the best transportation method for you.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica.
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels. Save more money with our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Join our mailing list and get our free Costa Rica eBook!
Related Tips and Guides
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve: How to Visit One of the Wonders of Costa Rica
Established in 1972, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has largely been considered as one of Costa Rica’s most…
Read guide
Should I Go To Monteverde Or Arenal? A Detailed Comparison of the Two Destinations
Should I visit Monteverde or Arenal? Is Monteverde worth it? What’s the difference between Monteverde and Arenal? Arenal…
Read guide
14 Day Costa Rica Itinerary: Playa Tamarindo, Bijagua, Monteverde, Rincon de la Vieja
Are you visiting Costa Rica for a return trip and need ideas for where to go? This is…
Read guide
Leave a comment