Monteverde Night Walk & Night Tour
The refuge changes character after dark. On this night walk the torch beams pick out what daylight hides: an eyelash viper coiled at chest height, glass frogs and rain frogs calling, a tarantula at its burrow, a katydid pretending to be a dead leaf, a kinkajou working the canopy, sleeping birds within arm's reach of the trail — and, with luck, a sloth asleep overhead.
The night hike lasts about two hours, with departures at 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm. Bring closed walking shoes, long trousers, a light rain jacket and, if you have one, your own flashlight; your certified naturalist guide carries lights and a spotting scope.
All of our night walks take place in the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge, so the choice is only between private and shared; the refuge entrance fee is always included in the price and we buy the tickets for you.
Group night walk — entrance fee included
Shared departure, 6–10 guests max per guide, with the refuge admission already inside the price.
Private night walk — entrance fee included
Only your group and the guide, admission included, nothing to settle at the gate.
What you can see on a Monteverde night walk
Roughly two thirds of cloud-forest wildlife is nocturnal, which is why a night hike feels like a different reserve than the one you walked in daylight. Sloths move slowly through the cecropias, kinkajous rattle the canopy overhead, tarantulas sit at the mouth of their burrows, and rain frogs and glass frogs call from the leaf litter and stream edges.
Snakes are one of the highlights: the eyelash viper, coiled on a branch at chest height, is the species guests most want to photograph, along with the side-striped palm pit viper. We also look for stick insects, katydids that imitate dead leaves, orange-kneed tarantulas, armadillos, olingos and birds sleeping within arm's reach of the trail. Nothing in a wild forest is guaranteed — your guide reads the weather and the trail that night and works with what the forest offers.
How the night tour runs
The night walk lasts about two hours on gentle, maintained trails, with departures at 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm. All of our night walks take place in the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge, so the only choice you make is between a shared small group and a private walk.
Your certified bilingual naturalist guide carries lights and a spotting scope, and the refuge entrance fee is included in the price — we buy the tickets, so there is nothing to settle at the gate. Shared departures stay at 6–10 guests max per guide; parties larger than 12 are split between two guides, and nobody walks in a group of more than 10 unless they are a family or a group travelling together.
What to bring after dark
Closed walking shoes, long trousers, a light rain jacket and insect repellent cover almost every night in Monteverde. Bring a flashlight or headlamp if you own one — it helps, although the guide always carries lights. Leave strong perfumes at the hotel and keep camera flashes for the guide's cue, so the animals are not disturbed.
The forest is cooler and wetter at night than visitors expect, so a light layer matters more than a heavy coat. If you are travelling with children, tell us their ages when you book: the pace is easy, but the 8:00 pm departure ends late for small kids.
Night tour questions
- How long is the Monteverde night walk and what time does it start?
- It lasts about two hours, with departures at 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm in the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge.
- Is the entrance fee included in the night tour?
- Yes. The refuge entrance fee is included in the price of both the shared and the private night walk, and we handle the ticket purchase for you.
- Will we see sloths and snakes?
- Often, but never guaranteed. Sloths, eyelash vipers, tarantulas, frogs and kinkajous are all regular sightings on this night hike; the forest is wild and each night is different.
- Is the night walk suitable for children?
- Yes. The trails are gentle and the pace is easy. The 5:30 pm departure usually suits young children better than the 8:00 pm one. Children from 4 years pay the same as an adult, and children under 4 are free.
- What happens if it rains?
- Night walks run in light rain — it is a cloud forest, and amphibian activity often improves. Bring a light rain jacket; the guide will tell you if conditions ever make the trail unsafe.
Want to compare everything side by side? The full tour list shows every Monteverde product we run, with filters for time of day, group type and reserve admission.
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