What To See – Monteverde
About My Trip to Monteverde
My trip to Monteverde was hampered by record rainfall over a 48-hour period. As a result, I was only able to see some of what I’d hoped to in Monteverde. Still, it was a unique experience getting to be in the rainforest during 48-hours straight of torrential downpours and high winds. Unfortunately, my trip to Monteverde would be the final trip for my Canon Rebel T6i camera. After taking photographs in over 30 countries, my camera died due to water damage during my visit to Monteverde.
During my time In Monteverde, I visited the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve, the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges, and the Sky Tram Ariel Tram. The sights I saw in Monteverde were quite different than what I had observed earlier in the week in La Fortuna. I highly recommend visiting Monteverde as the Cloud Forests of Monteverde is unlike anything I have ever seen.
What To See - Monteverde - Table of Contents
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Montverde Cloud Forest Preserve
The top sight in the Monteverde area is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. After touring La Fortuna exclusively with a guide, I decided to visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve without hiring a guide. From my hotel, it was a short 15-minute taxi ride ($12) to the preserve. Upon arrival, I paid the $25 entrance fee and quickly hit the trails. I was in a hurry to get started as there was a short break in the rain.
I quickly learned that it was not a good approach to visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve without a guide. Despite excellent signage, it was difficult to know what I was looking at without the knowledge of a local expert. In my opinion, it is much easier to spot animals when being led by a guide. I am sure that the rain didn’t help, but throughout my 4-hour visit, I did not see one animal or interesting insect.
Due to the rain, I took limited photos of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve. You will see below that I was able to photograph a few interesting flowers and some plants growing on the branches and trunk of a tree. Since I did not have a guide, I didn’t learn the names of the flowers and plants.
If I had the choice to do this trip over I would have booked the tour below. $24 is an unbelievable price for a 2 to 3 hour guided tour. Please note that I am an affiliate of Viator. If you purchase using the link below, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
Price accurate as of May 2023.
 Monteverde Cloud Forest Nature Tour - $33.00 This 2 to 3 hours guided tour in the Cloud Forest trails of Monteverde biological Preserve, is one inique experience. The nature tour is a samll gruops so we helps our guests to avoid the crowds and feel immersed in nature. Led by english-speaking naturalist guide is an excellent opportunity to explore an special ecosystem with local naturalist who it will share with you info of Monteverde’s Flora & Fauna of the unique Cloud-Forest of Monteverde hills. |
One of the most impressive parts of the Monteverde Cloud Forest was the canopy. Looking up towards the sky, it was easy to see how only around two percent of the sunlight reaches the rainforest floor.
The paths at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve were easy to walk on, and there were plenty of cut-out viewing areas.
The photo below is one of my favorites as it shows the density of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It is amazing how many different plants are visible in this small area.
Each tree inside the Monteverde Cloud Forest is a unique habitat. If you look at the photo below, you will see multiple types of plants growing on the branches and trunk of a tree.
Even the roots of trees have other plants growing and mosses growing on them.
As I worked my way back towards the entrance, I found an open area with a lonely little tree. When a tree dies and creates an open area, it is a race to see how quickly trees can grow up into the canopy.
I enjoyed my time at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve but wished I had hired a guide. This visit would change my plans for the rest of my time in Monteverde as I would use the services of a guide for the remainder of my visit.
Sky Walk - Hanging Bridges
During my second day visiting Monteverde, Costa Rica, I decided to go back to tours. Without the expertise of a local tour guide, it is hard to fully appreciate the Cloud Forest of Monteverde. For this tour, I booked two different packages from Sky Adventures Monteverde. The first package was the Sky Walk’s Hanging Bridges which is one of the most popular places in Monteverde.
My package included admission to Sky Walk’s Hanging Bridges ($42) with an extra $10 for hotel pickup, bringing my total to $52. I got off to a bit of a rough start when my hotel pickup didn’t arrive. After a few minutes of talking to an agent from Sky Adventure’s Monteverde on the phone, they arranged for a taxi to pick me up. I arrived just in time for my noon tour to begin.
Below is a link from Viator which allows you to pre-purchase your ticket. Please note that as an affiliate of Viator, I will receive a small commission if you book using my link. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
Price accurate as of May 2023.
 Sky Walk From Monteverde - $72.00 Sky Walk is a guided tour, which combines trails and suspension bridges with lengths of even 984 feet and heights above the canopy of Monteverde cloud forest. |
This tour was the one that resulted in the death of my beloved camera. You will see that most of the photos during this tour were taken with my GoPro 9. I had not used it for photographs and was learning on the fly, so please disregard some of the distortion caused by the wide-angle mode.
My tour consisted of me and a family from Amsterdam, and despite the heavy rain, our tour guide assured we had a great time. Once again, what really got to me was the density of the rainforest. I can see how people have quickly become disoriented when venturing into the vegetation.
Everyone on my tour had great raingear. Still, our guide joked that we should all grab one of these giant leaves to use as an umbrella.
Hiring a guide quickly paid off as he knew the exact location of a tarantula’s nest. He skillfully helped me take this picture with my iPhone.
There were five suspension bridges that we crossed as part of our tour of Sky Walk Monteverde. These bridges felt more stable and secure than the bridges at Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges. Another big difference was that the bridges at Sky Walk were literally above the canopy. This unique perspective allowed us to see a portion of the rainforest that many people never get to see.
Our guide explained an interesting fact about the route we were taking. The first bridge that we crossed marked the Continental Divide, which meant the water on one side of the bridge entered the Atlantic Ocean, and the other side entered the Pacific Ocean. Throughout the two-hour hike, I took my time crossing the bridges and tried to get the best photographs I could despite the rain and being forced to use my GoPro 9.
The photo below was one of my favorite photographs, as it clearly shows how high the suspension bridges are above the canopy.
During my tour, the visibility was very low. The Cloud Forest of Monteverde lived up to its name as many times we were walking right through the clouds on the suspension bridges.
We crossed a total of five hanging bridges. Each bridge offered a different perspective, and our guide was quick to point out interesting plants. One tree he could literally shove, causing it to sway a few feet in either direction. This tree’s unique root systems allowed it to move to ensure that it could get plenty of sunlight.
The weather continued to get worse, and the visibility deteriorated. Still, it was an interesting experience to be in the rainforest during a storm that dumped an epic amount of rain. The evening news said that this storm produced upwards of 7-12 inches of rain.
By the time we got to the 4th bridge, my rain gear was soaked, and my camera was full of water. I tried to put it under my raincoat, but there was no saving it. Our guide documented this moment by taking a photo of me in front of the 4th bridge.
Two hours after we began we crossed the 5th and final bridge. Despite the weather, I felt that this was a great experience and well worth the price.
Being above the canopy allowed me a chance to get a unique perspective that usually only monkeys and other tree-climbing animals experience. I also was able to walk through clouds which was an interesting feeling that I’d never encountered before.
The tour looped back to the beginning, and I decided to book a second tour with Sky Adventures Monteverde. Since the clouds were so low, I decided it would be a fun experience to take the cable car up into the clouds. I purchased my ticket and visited the restaurant to dry off and eat.
Sky Tram - Aeiral Tram
It was $30 to add a guided Sky Tram tour to my original package. To get to the Sky Tram, I had to cross an additional suspension bridge. Crossing this bridge meant I crossed all six of the suspension bridges at Sky Adventures.
I have added a few links throughout this section that include the Monteverde Sky Tram. If you purchase using my link, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Prices accurate as of May 2023.
 Sky Walk- Sky Tram & Sky Trek Zipline From Monteverde - $138.00 This perfect combination will allow you to learn everything about the Cloud Forest in Monteverde.You will experience a total adventure tour. First, start with the guided Sky Walk, then onto the guided Sky Tram, and last is the Sky Trek ziplining. It's 5 hours of adventure and adrenaline. This small-group tour has a maximum of 15 guests. Choose from one of 3 departure times when you book. |
Sky Tram consisted of three cable cars. I had car number three to myself. The guide rode in car number two, and a couple on their honeymoon rode in the first car. It took about 10 minutes to reach the observation point. During the journey to the top, we went up into the clouds, and there were a few moments where I couldn’t see anything at all.
 Sky Tram- Sky Trek & Arboreal Tree Climbing From Monteverde - $165.00 This perfect combination will allow you to learn everything about the Cloud forest in Monteverde.You will experience a total adventure tour. Firstly starts with the Sky Tram, the Sky Trek and finally the climbing. Full day of adventure and adrenaline. |
The cable car reached the observation point, and we were able to look at three different observation areas. Due to the rain, visibility was almost zero. If it had been a clear day, we would have been able to see the Pacific Ocean.
I was the only one brave enough to climb the observation tower, which is the highest point at Sky Adventures. At the top, there was a near hurricane-force wind blowing so strong that I could barely keep my balance. Below the photo is a video of my adventure on the Sky Tram.
Sky Tram & Sky Trek From Monteverde - $112.00 The tour starts with the Sky Tram that will lead you up to the Continental Divide. and to one of the highest mountains of Monteverde. |
Monteverde Tours and Packages
I highly recommend taking tours led by a local expert. Below are tours that caught my eye based on my experiences in Monteverde. Please note that as an affiliate of Viator, I will receive a small commission if you book using my link. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
Prices are accurate as of May 2023.
 Zipline and Hanging Bridges Combo Tour in Monteverde Cloud Forest - $160.00 Take a trip out the thick of the rainforest in Monteverde. There are a wide varity of activites to choose from, and our favorites are the extreme ziplining and the famous hanging bridges,. |
 Monteverde Rain Forest Night Walk - $29.00 The Rain Forest Night Walk is a fantastic experience with very nice surprises since the 80 percent of the tropical forest wild-life is nocturnal is the reason why this excursion offers a great advantage to observe the local wildlife in its natural environment. |
 Walk in Monteverde Cloud Forest - $98.00 Founded in 1972, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is one of the most famous reserves in the world for biodiversity, conservation, contributions and scientific research. |
 Walk in Monteverde cloud forest plus Coffee Tour 3 in 1 - $180.46 Founded in 1972, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is one of the most famous reserves in the world for biodiversity, conservation, contributions and scientific research. |
 Monteverde Reserve Morning Walk -Monteverde Wild- - $35.90 All our tours are private, personalized tour, local experts naturalist and bilingual guides, easy to book, professional service. |
 Selvatura Park Hanging Bridge Canopy Tour in Monteverde - $59.26 Walk through the Monteverde Cloud Forest canopy via multiple hanging bridges and observe the majesty of nature over the course of a peaceful hike. |
 Monteverde Cloud Forest Canopy Tour - $90.93 Spanning 4,330 meters the Monteverde Zip Line Canopy Tour in Costa Rica offers up more than two and a half hours of pure adventure, excitement, and adrenaline. |
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