Fun things to do in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve: 18 fun attractions and activities

We did the Guided Tour with one of the tour guides there and it was fantastic. We saw 3 Toucans and some Jay birds and a snake in a tree that the Jays were alerting too. The guide told us that the Jay birds are like the watchdogs of the forest. They will alert you when there is something there that shouldn’t. We really enjoyed this tour and took a lot of great pics

Such a nice place! We loved the garden and the guided tour. Both our guides where so dedicated and had a lot of knowledge. Also they are very young and sweet and funny. When you visit the garden for the first time you have to join a tour. After that you can always come back for free and explore the gardens on your own. We loved all the butterflies! It was a beatiful experience. ♡

Really fantastic set of trails! Well maintained and a nice easy 2 hour hike. We did the blue trail, part of the yellow, and part of the green in about 2-2.5 hours. We are all hikers and in average hiking shape. We did not go with a guide but it was still beautiful! It was wet and rainy and lots of clouds 🥰 got a little muddy and get wet but I wore my hiking water shoes. Bring a rain coat, shoes you don't care getting wet and snacks and water (also a waterproof backpack or backpack rain cover). We didn't see much wildlife, a few birds and bird calls, but lots of plants! 100% you need to climb the lookout tower! Magical! Also a local school/college maintains the reserve and use it for scientific purposes!

Wonderful experience!! Everyone was so helpful and supportive. The zip line was adrenaline packed with breath taking views! The sloth sanctuary was awesome!! Got to see and learn about sloths and their natural habitat! The tree top canopy bridges was a self paced walk through the jungle surrounded my beautiful views!! If you are looking for a great time I highly recommend this! 👍👍

This is the best activity you could do in Monteverde! Not only do you get to see all the bats but you learn very cool things about bats in your hometown! You can see them eat fruits and nestle together, it’s so cute. This is a very cheap tour for this area, and yet you are guaranteed animal viewing! (And we were lucky enough to see capuchins while we were there too.) And thank you Kelly- you were the coolest and most knowledgeable guide! (And you remind me of Nina Dobrev!) Thank you!!!!

This is definitely a great alternative to nightwalks and it also is very educational as the guides are very good. You can go twice in a day as most frogs are nocturnal so they wake up when dark. Just one important point. The tree frogs (colorful ones) wake up very late (7.30 or later) so go at 7.00pm and walk with guide. Great place to spend 20$.

FOR ADRENALINE JUNKIES! If you're looking for an adrenaline rush that beats skydiving or white-water rafting, this canyoning experience is it! Coming right off the shoulders of the rainy season, the waterfalls were absolutely roaring with water—making it an unforgettable and heart-pounding adventure. I’ve done canyoning in La Fortuna before, and let me tell you: it doesn’t even come close to this. This tour was on a whole different level—more challenging, more technical, and way more thrilling. That said, I felt completely safe the entire time. The two guides, though young, were clearly experienced, professional, and had such great energy. They kept us laughing and feeling at ease, even while my heart was racing a mile a minute. We were lucky to be the only ones on the tour, which allowed us to move through at a quicker pace. The guides were attentive and made sure everything ran smoothly—even when I got my foot caught in a crevasse (don’t worry, they pulled me out like pros!). The waterfalls themselves were nothing short of spectacular. One rappel had a 90-foot drop right after a zip line, surrounded by lush jungle—it was like stepping into a scene from an adventure movie. Every moment was exhilarating and beautiful. I can see how this tour might be intimidating for some, but they’ve got you covered. There are emergency exits at each waterfall if you decide to opt out. But if you’re up for the challenge, this is an experience you’ll never forget. I loved every second of it and can’t recommend it enough. If you’re in the area, don’t miss this—it’s a bucket-list experience!

Diego, our bird guide Curi Cancha, recommended the Bar Amigos restaurant for good food. We enjoyed all of our dishes, and our sever Josue was attentive and patient with our limited Spanish. 😁

Incredible experience and such friendly guides! The zip lines were amazing, Joseph was very friendly and clear with his direction. They provide a professional photographer (photos sold separately but worth it) who took excellent photos! The hanging bridges were also amazing, we saw many birds and lots of monkeys! Beautiful views, friendly staff, and all around a great experience!

We booked the 3 in 1 coffee, chocolate, and night walk tour and absolutely loved it! It was the perfect combination of each aspect. Our tour guide was wonderful, unfortunately I don't remember his name! He was knowledgeable, funny, and passionate. We learned a lot and it was cool to see how coffee and chocolate are made! The night walk was a fun end to the night and we saw some cool wildlife. Tarantulas, trap door spiders, frogs, and even a sloth. I would highly recommend taking this tour in Monteverde and buying some local chocolate and coffee while you're here!

As a coffee enthusiast, I was suggested this tour by a local coffee roaster, and I was happily surprised. It was a small tour, with time to ask questions and the perfect amount of information. The tour is not just about coffee, they start with cacao then move on to sugar cane, with samples of both, that were fresh and delicious. And then onto the coffee part, with some sampling at the end. The tour could be done both in Spanish and English. The staff and the guide were really nice and happy to answer questions. I was lucky enough to meet Diego, the son of the owner and got to talk a bit more in detail about coffee, roasting and other industry topic. They are a specialty coffee farm and participate in competitions, which already tells your they know their stuff. Super recommend

Our night walk tour was one of the absolute highlights of our trip to Monteverde! Louis, our guide, was knowledgeable and incredibly skilled at spotting wildlife in the dark. Thanks to him, we saw tons of amazing creatures, including a tarantula, a venomous viper, sleeping birds, frogs, and all kinds of interesting insects—it felt like stepping into another world. If you're in Monteverde, try to catch this tour—it’s unforgettable and worth every minute!

I booked a visit to The Original Canopy Tour Monteverde, as it was highly rated on both Google and TripAdvisor – and having experienced a morning at the attraction, I can see why it’s so popular! After parking and getting a short shuttle bus to the reception, we checked in and then collected our equipment. The guides introduced themselves, and after a short briefing, it’s a 15-minute walk to the first zip line. Over the two-and-a-half-hour experience, it involved an extensive network of zip lines, ranging from short lines to some over 500 metres. They were all excellent and really gave you an incredible view of the Cloud Forest. My favourite activity, however, was the adrenaline-inducing ‘Tarzan Swing’ – where you plummet in free fall before zooming out over the jungle – it’s honestly sensational. The guides were incredibly friendly and gave clear and easy-to-follow instructions at all times. They demonstrated everything you would need to know, making the experience more enjoyable as you knew they had your safety as their top priority. We purchased their photos that the guides were taking throughout the experience, and for $25 for over 30 fantastic photos, it was incredible value (it was for two of us as a couple). If you’re looking for an adventurous and slightly different way of seeing Monteverde and the Cloud Forest – it’s a must. It was great value considering all activities included.

We had a great time on our morning coffee tour with Norman. We had a small group of 8 and Norman took the time to show us the farm and every step of the coffee making process. He was very knowledgable and the small group made it very intimate and involved. The property is beautiful and the Monteverde coffee company seems like a great company. Plus, at the end you get to sample all the coffees (SO much coffee). Highly recommend!

There aren’t any tickets, it’s just a spot on the side of the road to see the sunset. You can even see the Gulf of Nicoya in the distance. I definitely recommend this if you have the time.

Ficus Bridge – A Hidden Gem Worth the Stop This spot is an absolute winner! Parking? A breeze. The hike? So easy it’s practically a stroll. And the main attraction—a stunning ficus tree with roots that stretch dramatically down to the water—is nothing short of incredible. But wait, there’s more. At the entrance, you’re greeted by monkeys. Yep, actual monkeys. Some locals were handing out bananas, and the monkeys were living their best lives. Watching them was worth the visit alone. It’s the perfect quick adventure—beautiful, unique, and a little wild (literally). Don’t miss it!

Jasmin was our guide and she did an excellent and thorough job explaining the process. We had an amazing time learning about the family and their history, the process that goes into their coffee from start to finish. You can tell there is great pride of ownership and family. Highly recommend.

Unbelievable size of a tree. The road there is primitive and unpaved.