The Monteverde Cloud Forest Night Tours. Fun in the Dark!

Cloud Forests are vibrant and beautiful at the best of times. Walking through the lush forest is mystical with the mist waltzing through the trees and embracing the epiphytes, ferns, and begonias as it continues its dance. The cloud forest is also home to a diversity of wildlife that inhabits the moisture-laden nooks and crannies, many of which only emerge after dark. Night tours of the cloud forest are the perfect time to observe many of its nocturnal animals so have your flashlight ready for some evening fun!

Cloud forests make up just 1% of the global woodland so when you enter this magical forest, you are entering a special place. They are delicately dependent on high humidity and are found at higher altitudes. While small in area, the cloud forest is big on plants, wildlife, and birds which makes it full of opportunities to explore and spot your favorites.

Monteverde and its cloud forest!

Monteverde is a small community located high up in the American Continental Divide and home to the cloud forest. This small, mountaintop haven is where the cloud forest day and night tours can be experienced. You will fall in love with the cloud forest during the day and even more so, during the night tour.

Ficus Monteverde Hotel, your preferred hotel during your stay at Monteverde can arrange your tours of the cloud forest and can throw in some adventure too at the Selvatura Adventure Park, located in a private reserve protecting the cloud forest. Enjoy the cloud forest during the day ziplining through the forest canopy or walking the trails and the treetop hanging bridges for bird’s eye views of the forest below and beyond.

Night Tours. Before we start.

Several companies offer Forest Night Tours in Monteverde, and they vary depending on what you really want to see or experience after dark. Some things to consider before venturing off into the Monteverde darkness!

• While Monteverde is most famous for its incredible cloud forest, it has four other types of forests and climate zones so depending on the forest and the climate, you will see different types of animals.
• Some of the Night Tours prefer to work with smaller groups of up to about 8 nightwalkers. Others will have up to 15 or 20 “nightwalkers” in the group.
• Keep your expectations realistic when it comes to spotting animals. We will always want to see more mammals, insects, and sleeping birds but nature is free and doesn’t have a schedule.
• The beauty of nature is that the very night tour will be a different experience and opportunity to see more wildlife so, sign up for a couple of night tours and different places to enjoy the biodiversity and the thrill!
• If you are unsure, ask the Ficus Monteverde Hotel staff who will gladly assist you with your night tour and reservation. They want you to have an unforgettable time just as much as you do!

Best Night Tours in Monteverde

Here are the best night tours in Monteverde depending on how you would like to experience this unique adventure.

For the bird lovers

Did you know that Monteverde is home to about 400 bird species including the famous Resplendent Quetzal?

Monteverde is a favorite home for birds and a bird watcher’s paradise. So, for the bird lovers, enthusiasts, or the bird curious, El Bosque Night Tour is your tour. In the company of an expert naturalist guide, you will spot lots of roosting birds and other animals too.

You could well spot up to about 20 different sleeping birds during your walk through the cloud and transitional forest. This tour is offered for smaller groups of up to 8 bird and nature lovers wanting to explore the forest during the evening.

For the animal lovers

Did you know that in Monteverde, you can find the 2-Toed Sloth but not the 3-Toed Sloth? The 2-Toed Sloth has more fur so it can stay warm in the cooler climate whereas the 3-Toed Sloth is best adapted to warmer weather.

Located in the heart of a biological corridor, El Refugio Night Tour is a fantastic tour for lovers of animals of all shapes and sizes. Thanks to its location, it is a favorite base for many forest animals from monkeys, coatis, sloths, frogs, snakes, and insects galore.

For the love of the cloud forest

Did you know that National Geographic described the Monteverde Cloud Forest as a “jewel in the crown of Cloud Forest Reserves”?

For the true lovers of the cloud forest who would like to experience it in the dark of the night, check out the Monteverde Night tour that takes place next to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. This tour takes place wholly within the cloud forest and will give you an alternative perspective to the beauty of this precious yet dynamic ecosystem.

This tour is for those wishing to understand and appreciate the cloud forest even more than they did after exploring it during the day. This tour will not be full of animals as they prefer the lower altitudes.

For the love of frogs and reptiles.

Did you know that Monteverde’s endemic Golden Frog was declared extinct in 2004?

The Cloud Forest is a favorite home for frogs and reptiles, and they are most easily seen during a night tour as after dark is when they come out to feed and mate. This is the tour to spot lots of colorful frogs and slithering snakes that weave through the dense undergrowth of the forest.

The Santamaria Night Walk is a great opportunity to spot lots of frogs and reptiles as there is a creek that runs through the property providing perfect conditions for our little jumpers and meanderers. It is a great place to spot sloths too.

You can also see a great variety of frogs, amphibians, and reptiles in Selvatura Adventure Park. The custom-built terrariums have 360° views. Complement your night tour for the love of frogs and reptiles with a visit to Selvatura.

Of course, after a night tour full of adventure and wildlife spotting immersed in the unique cloud forest of Monteverde, where better to rest and relax than at Ficus Monteverde Hotel. After a night tour in Monteverde, your dreams will be filled with the beauty of the cloud forest after the sun goes down filled with magic and mystery. Enjoy a coffee on your private terrace the next morning sharing your adventures with your loved ones! See you in the dark of the night in Monteverde!