Private Night Walk in Monteverde with Entrance Fee Included
Entrance fees included — we handle the purchase for you
Private departure · admission included
24-hour booking cutoff · 100% refund (guide service and admission) if you cancel at least 48 hours before the tour · tours run rain or shine: entrance fees are non-refundable with less than 48 hours' notice · 2-person minimum, solo guests book via manual request.
- Start time
- 5:30–7:30 pm or 8:00–9:30 pm
- Modality
- Private only
- Where
- Monteverde Wildlife RefugeMap: Monteverde Wildlife Refuge
Requests close 24 hours before the tour. Cancel at least 48 hours in advance for a reserve-admission refund — cancellation policy
Photos from this tour
8 photos by our guidesOverview
Arriving at a refuge gate in the dark to buy tickets is nobody's idea of a good start to a night walk. On this product the admission is part of your booking, so your guide meets you and you go straight onto the trail.
The walk itself is fully private: one guide, your party, and as long as you like at each find. Nights in the refuge turn up katydids, stick insects, tarantulas, tree frogs, sleeping birds, small mammals and — on some nights — vipers or a kinkajou. Everything is wild, so nothing is promised; what is guaranteed is a guide whose entire job is finding it for you.
Choose the 5:30 pm departure for the dusk changeover or 8:00 pm for full darkness. Flashlights for every guest and a night-range spotting scope are included, and a warm rainproof layer is strongly recommended.
Guided by Nasua Tours' certified naturalist guides, led by founder Oscar Castillo Mejía (license #1090) — read more about the team. Still comparing options? The Monteverde planning guide explains how this tour differs from the others.
Itinerary
Straight onto the trail
Your guide meets you at the refuge with the included admission settled; flashlights are handed out and the safety briefing takes a couple of minutes.
Private pace after dark
Only your party on the trail, so a stop lasts as long as the wildlife stays interesting.
Searching the layers
Systematic scanning of leaf litter, undergrowth, trunks and low canopy for the refuge's nocturnal species.
Scope views and return
Night-range telescope views and photo help, then back to the entrance at the end of the walk.
What to expect
On this product the reserve admission is already included in the price — there is nothing to pay at the gate.
What's included
- Professional bilingual naturalist guide, certified by the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT)
- Shared use of a professional spotting telescope equipped for night-range viewing
- A flashlight provided for every guest
What to bring
- A reliable waterproof jacket or windbreaker — cloud forest nights get chilly and misty
- Closed-toe hiking shoes or sturdy trail sneakers (mandatory for night safety)
- Fully charged smartphone or camera
- Long pants for comfort and protection on night trails
Optional or not included
- Transportation
- Meals
Good to know
The essentials before your tour: what to bring, what to wear, where we meet and whether the reserve entrance is included.
What to bring
- Insect repellent — mandatory, the cloud forest has insects all year round
- Closed walking shoes — sandals or socks alone are not allowed
- A rain poncho or waterproof jacket, plus a warm layer for the cool, damp cloud-forest air
What to wear
- Long, quick-dry trousers and a light long-sleeve top are the most comfortable choice on the trail
- Dress in layers: mornings and nights are cool and the cloud forest is humid
- Comfortable clothes you don't mind getting damp from mist or light rain
Meeting point
- Map: Monteverde Wildlife RefugeNight walk meeting point near the centre of Santa Elena, 10 minutes before the 5:30 pm or 8:00 pm departure.
Is the reserve entrance included?
Yes — the reserve admission is included in the price of this tour. We handle the purchase, so there is nothing to pay at the gate.
Not a mass-market tour
This is an exclusive experience run in small groups or fully private — never a large commercial departure. You walk with one of our certified naturalist guides, led by Oscar Castillo Mejía, at your pace, with professional optical equipment on the trail and your reserve admission already included and confirmed with your booking.
- Small groups or fully private — no crowded buses
- Personal attention from a certified naturalist guide
- Professional spotting scope and quality optics included
- Reserve admission included and confirmed for you
What guests said about this tour
Read all reviews“We had an excellent experience on the Nasua Tours night walk in Monteverde with Oscar as our naturalist guide.”
Andrea PeñaGoogle · 2 months ago“We had an amazing experience on this night walk! The guide was fantastic and honestly made all the difference.”
Natasha AntonyGoogle · 3 weeks ago“I did my tour with Oscar, and I could tell he is very knowledgeable and passionate about the wildlife in Monteverde and Costa Rica. I was by myself, and I had a lot of fun with him! We got to see a glass frog during the day. This is a very special memory of my trip :) I hope to take another tour again with him soon!”
Irisa D.Google · 11 months ago
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Booking & cancellation policies
These terms apply to every Nasua Tours booking and you accept them before your request is sent.
Booking cutoff: 24 hours
Requests close 24 hours before the tour starts, so admission and guiding can be arranged in time.
Full refund if you cancel at least 48 hours before the tour
Cancel at least 48 hours before the tour starts and both the guide service and the reserve admission (entrance tickets) are refunded 100%. With less than 48 hours' notice, the entrance tickets are no longer refundable.
Tours run rain or shine
Monteverde weather is unpredictable, so tours run rain or shine. Entrance fees already purchased are non-refundable.
Minimum booking: 2 people (solo guests welcome)
Shared groups open with a 2-person minimum, and the booking system is already set that way. Traveling solo? Send us a manual tour request and we'll do our best to add you to an existing group.
Questions about this tour
- What is covered by the price?
- The reserve entrance fee is already included in the price of this product, so there is nothing to buy at the gate on the day of your tour.
- Is a night walk suitable for children on a private departure?
- Yes, from 4 years old, and a private walk is often the easier option with children because the pace and length adapt to them. Infants 0–3 are free but still count toward party size.
- What time is the night walk and how long is it?
- There are two departures: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, and 8:00 pm to 9:30 pm.
- Where does the night walk take place?
- In the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge.
- What might we see?
- At dusk diurnal animals settle down and nocturnal ones appear. There may be opportunities to observe insects, tarantulas, snakes, mammals and sleeping birds — nothing is guaranteed, as all sightings are wild.
- Do I need my own flashlight?
- Flashlights are included, along with the guide and a spotting scope.
- Are reserve entrance fees included?
- Yes. The price of this tour covers the guided service plus the reserve admission, with 15% tax already included, so there is nothing to buy at the gate on the day of your tour. Infants 0–3 are free.
- How much does the tour cost?
- The request panel shows a live total with 15% tax already included, and that total already covers the reserve admission for this tour. Prices per guest depend on group size, whether the tour is private or shared, and the reserve you visit. Children 4–10 have their own rate and infants 0–3 are free. You confirm the exact total with Nasua Tours before anything is booked.
- Is a night walk in Monteverde worth it?
- The forest works differently after dark: species that are hidden by day become active, and a guide with a trained eye and light finds what is nearly impossible to see alone. What appears varies from night to night.
- Are we likely to see a kinkajou or a snake?
- Both are possible and both are wild. Guests commonly see frogs, insects, sleeping birds and mammals, and vipers or kinkajous appear on some nights, but nothing is guaranteed.
- Is the night walk suitable for children?
- Yes, from 4 years old, on an easy-paced trail. Children 4–10 have their own rate and infants 0–3 are free but still count toward group capacity.
- What should I wear on the night walk?
- Monteverde is cool and often damp after dark: long trousers, closed walking shoes and a warm or rainproof layer are recommended. Your guide carries the lights used for spotting.
Continue your Monteverde experience
You can combine tours to see different sides of Monteverde. These pair well with this one:
Nature Tour
A morning natural history walk and an evening night walk on the same day show the same ecosystem on two completely different shifts.
Private Bird Watching 5 Hours
Serious about birds? The 6:10 am private birding tour pairs naturally with an evening walk earlier or later in your stay.
Build a multi-tour itinerary
Send us the tours you like and the dates you are in Monteverde. Oscar sequences them realistically around start times and reserves, then replies with the current rates and one combined plan.
About 2 hours
Entrance fee included