Guide To Visiting Monteverde Costa Rica
Monteverde is a lush green region high up in the Tilaran Mountain Range, and one of the most unique places to visit in Costa Rica. It rests at an elevation of 4,600 feet, and has a misty, cool cloud forest environment year-round that makes it incredibly biodiverse.
It’s most known for the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, a 26,000 acre private nature reserve with amazing hiking and wildlife watching opportunities. It also has everything from ziplining to waterfall hikes, coffee tours, and more.
This article will cover how to get to Monteverde, where to stay, and many important tips for exploring the cloud forest.
Here is everything you need to know before visiting Monteverde Costa Rica.
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Monteverde Costa Rica At A Glance
Monteverde translates to “green mountain”, and is a lush green region perched high up in the mountains, with several private nature reserves and farmland.
It has a long history of being used as farmland by Quaker dairy farmers from the United States.
But in the 1970’s, American biologists and the farmers came together to set aside the land for conservation, which is now known as the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve! This reserve spans 26,000 acres, and is one of the main draws to the town.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is around a 20 minute drive from the town’s city center, Santa Elena.
Santa Elena is a small town with a variety of restaurant options, and a few shops and grocery stores.
Just outside of the city center, there are adventure parks, farms, animal sanctuaries, and plenty of tourist attractions to keep you busy while in town.
How To Get To Monteverde
The easiest way to get to Monteverde is to drive there, but there’s a variety of other options if you’re not renting a car. A 4×4 vehicle is highly recommended, as there’s bumpy dirt roads with potholes in Monteverde, and on the roads leading up.
Monteverde is around a 2 hour drive from Liberia, and a 3 hour drive from San Jose. Although it may seem close to La Fortuna on maps, it’s on the opposite side of Lake Arenal, so it’s a 3 hour drive as well. I drove to Monteverde from Tamarindo, and it took me 3.5 hours.
If you’re not comfortable driving, you can take a public bus, or shared/private shuttle bus to Monteverde.
Here’s a quick overview of transportation options available.
Public Bus To Monteverde
TheTransmonteverde S.A is a direct public bus from San Jose to Monteverde that departs twice a day (6:30am and 2:30pm), and costs around $6 USD.
The ride to Monteverde takes approximately 5 hours, and the ride back takes 3 hours. Visit their website for more information, and to purchase tickets.
From Liberia, there’s no direct public bus to Monteverde. You can take three different public buses (Liberia -> Canas -> Tilaran -> Monteverde) to get there, but this can be difficult to schedule. Instead, I recommend taking a shuttle bus from the Liberia airport to Monteverde.
Shuttles to Monteverde
There are a variety of shuttle buses available to Monteverde, from both San Jose and Liberia.
Shared shuttle buses start around $50-$60/person for a one way trip, while private transfers start at around $165-$200/person.
A shuttle from San Jose typically takes around 4.5 hours, whereas a shuttle from Liberia takes 3.5 hours.
Shuttle/Boat From La Fortuna
From La Fortuna, you can take a boat transfer across Lake Arenal, and ride up to Monteverde in a shared van. It’s only $39/person, for a one way transfer, and they provide transportation to and from Monteverde.
This is the fastest way to get to Monteverde from Fortuna, and one of the cheapest options available.
Where To Stay In Monteverde
Monteverde has a variety of good accommodations, from budget hotels in the city center to bed and breakfasts with a view.
Here are some of the best places to stay in town.
- Hostel Cattleya: Budget-friendly, clean hostel in the center of town
- Rainbow Valley Lodge: Rainforest lodge overlooking the valley, within walking distance to town
- Belcruz Family Lodge: Family-friendly rainforest lodge with free breakfast, and a restaurant
- The Green Tree Lodge: Treehouse style bed and breakfast in the cloud forest
- Camino Verde B&B: Bed and breakfast with free coffee, and a beautiful mountain view
- Hotel Belmar: Luxury hotel with a restaurant, spa, hot tubs, and an unbeatable view
Things To Do In Monteverde
One of the best things to do in Monteverde is to explore the biodiversity of the cloud forest. Monteverde is home to thousands of fascinating plant and animal species, including the colorful Resplendent quetzal.
If you love nature, I recommend waking up early in the morning to hike at the Monteverde or Santa Elena Cloud Forest.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is the largest and most popular nature reserve in town, but the Santa Elena Cloud Forest is equally as beautiful.
Besides spotting wildlife while hiking, Monteverde has many animal sanctuaries, including the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge, Butterfly Gardens, Bat Jungle, and Hummingbird Gallery.
Another popular activity to do in Monteverde is to go zip lining through the cloud forest. There’s several adventure parks that offer canopy tours, suspension bridge walks, tram rides, and more fun tourist activities.
Other fun things to do in Monteverde include:
- Hike to El Tigre Waterfalls: 5 mile hike to four gorgeous 50-100ft waterfalls
- Go birdwatching at Curi Cancha Preserve: Small nature reserve with over 200 bird species
- Tour a coffee farm: El Trapiche, Don Juan, or Cafe Monteverde
- Visit Ficus la Raiz (fig tree root bridge): Collapsed fig tree root bridge in Santa Elena
- Go on a night time jungle walk at Monteverde Wildlife Refuge
For more ideas on what to do in town, make sure to check out our full list of unique things to do in Monteverde.
How To Get Around Monteverde
It’s easy to get around Monteverde without a rental car since the town is relatively small. You can stay in Santa Elena, and walk to the restaurants and nearby attractions.
Monteverde is very hilly, so just make sure to bring supportive walking shoes, and a rain jacket.
To get to the attractions outside of the city center, you can use a taxi, or rely on private shuttles.
There’s a public bus to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, and private shuttles available to some of the other attractions.
The public bus to Monteverde’s Cloud Forest Reserve only costs $1, and leaves the Banco Nacional in Santa Elena (6:15 am, 7:30am, 9:30am, 1:20pm, 3pm), and returns every hour (6:40am, 8:30am, 11am, 2pm, and 4pm).
Here are some of the shuttles offered to the private nature reserves and adventure parks.
- Santa Elena Cloud Forest Shuttle: Leaves (6:30am, 8:30am, 10:30am and 12:30pm), returns (11:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm and 4:00pm). Cost $2/person and requires a reservation by calling 2645-6332
- Selvatura Park Shuttle: $7.50/person or free with zipline tour
- Treetopia Park Shuttle: $10 roundtrip, first pickup starting at 6:30am
- Aventura Adventure Park Shuttle: $5 roundtrip with a zipline tour
Tips for visiting Monteverde
- Rent a 4×4 vehicle or SUV
- Visit during the dry season
- Hike early in the morning to see wildlife when they’re most active
- Pack waterproof gear (ponchos, umbrella) and hiking shoes
- Wear long sleeve clothing and bug spray at night
- Go on a guided tour of the private nature reserves (day or night) for the best chances of spotting wildlife
Map of Monteverde Hotels
Monteverde FAQs
Do you need a 4×4 to get to Monteverde?
Yes, a 4×4 or high-clearance SUV is highly recommended for the drive up to Monteverde. The roads are bumpy, narrow, and wind up through the mountain, on the way up to Monteverde.
I drove to Monteverde in an SUV and overall, it wasn’t that bad of a drive. Just make sure to drive slowly over potholes, and extra slow when it’s raining.
Can you drive to Monteverde in the dark?
It’s not recommended to drive at night in Monteverde, or Costa Rica in general because of the lack of street lights, and narrow roads.
The route to Monteverde involves steep, windy roads, so driving there at night is highly discouraged.
It’s best to wake up early, and arrive to your accommodation in Monteverde when you still have plenty of daylight.
Is Monteverde worth visiting?
Yes, Monteverde is one of the most unique places in Costa Rica, and it has amazing hiking and wildlife watching opportunities.
The town is high up in the clouds, and it has a cool, misty environment that I haven’t experienced anywhere else.
How many days do you need in Monteverde?
To make the drive worth it, you need at least 1-2 full days in Monteverde. The cloud forest reserves close at 4pm, so you likely won’t have enough time to hike the first day, depending on when you arrive.
Staying an entire day will give you enough time to hike one of the cloud forests, and see a few attractions, before leaving the next day.
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