Night tours are a popular activity in Monteverde due to the huge amount of biodiversity found in the rainforest here. Many animals in Monteverde are nocturnal and can be best seen after dark. If you have the stomach for seeing nighttime creatures up close, a night tour is the perfect adventure to add to your list of things to do in Monteverde!
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A Night Tour in Monteverde?! What is it?
Yep, you read that right! A night tour in Monteverde will take you deep into the Costa Rican jungle after dark. Tours start in the reception area and from there your group will be led by a trained guide into the rainforest.
On the tour, your guide will help you find all kinds of nocturnal creatures like snakes, scorpions, tarantulas, frogs, and insects. You also might be lucky enough to encounter mammals such as a sloth or the adorable kinkajou, an animal in the same family as raccoons.
No matter what, when you head into the jungle after dark, you can expect to see a variety of interesting wildlife. It’s definitely a unique adrenaline rush!
Best Monteverde Night Tours to Choose From
There are a few different options for night tours in Monteverde you can choose from on your Costa Rica vacation. Here’s a quick overview of each!
1. Kinkajou Night Walk Tour Monteverde
| Price: $33 for person | Tour Times: Tours leave at 6 pm and 8:20 pm | Length: Approximately 1.5 hours | Address: Kinkajou Night Walk, 600 metros oeste Hotel Holístico, Puntarenas Province, Monteverde |
Named after the kinkajou, an adorable nocturnal animal, this tour is a lot of fun. The Kinkajou Night Walk Tour has energetic guides and an adventurous atmosphere.
On the tour, the guides talk to each other on walkie-talkies and tell each other about different wildlife they come across, so you don’t need to worry about missing anything!
How to Get There:
- Drive yourself – It takes about 7 minutes by car to get to the reception area of Kinkajou, simply put the address into Google Maps or Waze to find your way there. No need to pay for parking!
- Shuttle – Kinkajou offers a shuttle from Santa Elena/Monteverde. Contact them via WhatsApp (+506 26456470) to arrange your shuttle and inquire about pricing for this service.
How to Book:
Book on GetYourGuide or Viator here!
2. Santamaria’s Night Walk
| Price: $34 for adults and $28 for students | Tour Times: Tours leave at 6 pm and 8 pm | Length: 2 hours | Address: 300mts oeste del Hotel Miramo Monteverde, Monteverde, Costa Rica |
My husband used to work giving tours at Santamaria’s and speaks highly of the company. The Santamaria property hosts diverse wildlife native to Costa Rica such as sloths, coatis (similar to raccoons), and amphibians, and is also a farm where you can find coffee plants and bananas.
As an added bonus, this family business dedicates some of its profits to wildlife conservation efforts here in Monteverde.
How to Get There:
- Driving – Parking is free! You can follow directions on Google Maps or Waze to get there
- Shuttle – similar to Kinkajou, Santamaria’s Night Walk will help arrange transportation if you’re coming from Monteverde or Santa Elena. Message them on WhatsApp for help setting up transport and to find out the cost of picking you up from your hotel.
How to Book
Book your tour using the Google Form on their website!
3. Refugio Monteverde Night Walk
| Price: $35 for adults and $28 for children | Tour Times: Tours leave at 6 pm and 8 pm | Length: 2 hours | Address: Refugio Monteverde-Night tour, Calle Los Camachos, Provincia de Puntarenas, Monteverde |
The Refugio Monteverde is family-run and is committed to restoration projects such as the conservation of the Ocotea tree, a food source for tropical birds such as the famous Quetzal.
According to my neighbor who leads tours there, Refugio Monteverde Night Walk can be on the busier side. The website requests you book the tour a day in advance. If you’d like to book same-day, send a message on WhatsApp to be sure they can accommodate you.
How to get there:
- Driving – there is free parking on-site, simply follow directions on either Google Maps or Waze to get to the destination
- Shuttle – Contact Refugio Monteverde Night Walk via WhatsApp (+506 26456162) and they can help arrange transportation if you are coming from Monteverde or Santa Elena
How to Book:
Book this Monteverde night tour on GetYourGuide!
What animals will I see on a night walk in Monteverde?
You can expect to see all kinds of interesting wildlife on a night walk in Monteverde, many of which are difficult to spot during daylight hours.
Guides will point out wildlife such as frogs, snakes, insects, armadillos, tarantulas, sloths, and other Costa Rican mammals such as the coati, agouti, or rare ocelot cat. Additionally, you’ll have a chance to see the abundant plant life in the rainforest after dark.
The guides can never guarantee you will see all of these creatures on your tour, but the majority of wildlife in Monteverde is active at night, so there is a good chance you will see an interesting variety of plants and animals.
My experience on a Monteverde Night Tour
I feel guilty saying I wasn’t interested in doing a night tour the first few times I visited Monteverde. I didn’t believe I’d see wildlife I hadn’t already seen on guided tours in the daytime. Well, I couldn’t have been more wrong!
The tour was packed with wildlife from start to finish. We got started by seeing a sloth high in the trees. Then, we encountered a coati, a mammal similar to a raccoon but with a very long tail. The guide next pointed out a venomous snake and what felt like just a few steps later we saw a small, multicolored frog.
I was honestly squirming a little when the guide encouraged a tarantula to come out of its hole. Or when he showed us how scorpions in Costa Rica glow in the dark under a UV light.
Overall, I was very impressed with the diversity of animal and plant life we saw on our night tour. The kind of wildlife that emerges in the jungle after dark is unlike anything out and about during the day. The forest truly comes alive. Going on a night tour in Monteverde is an amazing opportunity to safely experience the thrill of the rainforest after dark.
Check current availability and pricing for Monteverde Night Tours on GetYourGuide or Viator!
Monteverde Night Tour FAQ’s
- Is it safe?
I had apprehension before the tour that we would feel unsafe in the jungle at night, but that fear completely dissolved when we headed out on the trails. We didn’t actually go very deep into the jungle and we were all provided with flashlights so the trails were well-lit at all times.
- Should I tip my guide?
There isn’t a huge culture of tipping in Costa Rica but since my husband was a night tour guide in the past, I know the guides always appreciate tipping! If your guide did a great job, please consider tipping $5-10.
- How big are the groups?
You can expect to go out with a group of 6-8 depending on the tour company you choose and amount of other people signed up for the tour. Keep in mind that the busy season in Costa Rica is December through April so you might expect tours to be more crowded during these months.
- What should I wear?
Wear clothes appropriate for hiking including long pants, a rain jacket, and closed-toe shoes.
Other Things to do in Monteverde
Don’t let your Monteverde adventures end yet! Here are some more exciting things to do in Monteverde!
Lindsay Gantz lives in Monteverde, Costa Rica with her husband who is Costa Rican. She helps visitors plan trips to Costa Rica and also organizes small group trips for solo female travelers. You can reach her on Instagram or by email at [email protected]
