The Night Tour Refuge is a 2-hour light hike in search of the creatures of the night, recommended for anyone who wants to see wildlife such as sloths, armadillos, porcupines, opossums, coatis, olingos, and kinkajous, as well as sleeping birds and a wide variety of insects, among others. El Refugio is a privileged place to see bird species such as sleeping toucans, mot-mots, and black guans; treetop animals such as monkeys, coatis, olingos, sloths, frogs, snakes, and a wide variety of insects. On a typical tour, you will see 3-5 species of mammals, 5–10 species of birds, a couple of snakes or frogs, and many types of insects. This is the widest variety of animals you will see on any other night tour in the area. You will join a group of four to six people with a local tour guide, who will give you an introduction and flashlights before starting the walk through the trails of El Refugio. Places are limited, so you must reserve in advance.
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 7.
This small reserve is a conservation effort of a local family, where ecotourism activity is conducted through night walks where we can observe a large amount of wildlife in each visit.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 187 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Night Walk Tour Monteverde lasts about 2 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $30 per person for this Puntarenas experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, starting at 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is we meet up on the front desk of the Refugio de Vida Silvestre. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN, ES.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 8 participants.
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.7 out of 5 across 67 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Monteverde Tropical Wildlife.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Roy was an amazing guide! He showed us so many amazing animals that we never would have been able to notice without him and taught us loads about each one. He adapted the tour to our requests and was accommodating to both our languages. He even stayed out with us for 3 hours to make sure we saw as many animals as we could.
The tour does not include enterance to the reserve. The booking does not say that. The guy in charge acted in a very rude and disrespectful way. Worst experience in Costa Rica
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We are sorry that your experience did not meet your expectations. We would respectfully like to clarify that this experience was booked under the “Guide Service Only” option, and the reserve entrance fee is not included in this rate. This information is provided in the booking details so guests can review what is included before confirming their reservation. Our team made every effort to explain this calmly and assist you upon arrival. Unfortunately, the interaction became difficult, and some members of the staff were addressed in a manner that we felt was disrespectful. Nevertheless, we remained professional and focused on finding the best possible solution. We sincerely regret that this situation resulted in a negative experience. We value every guest and welcome constructive feedback, while also believing that respectful communication between guests, guides, and reserve staff is essential. We remain committed to providing transparent information, professional service, and memorable nature experiences in Monteverde.
Overall we were able to see some animals. We were with 3 kids, the guide was knowledgeable but was in a hurry. The tour was shorter than 2 hours.
Hi! How lovely to read this. We are so happy to hear that the whole family was able to see animals and that you enjoyed the tour. You were really lucky to see them! Nature sometimes surprises us like that. We truly take your feedback about the pace of the tour to heart. We want everyone, adults and kids, to be able to enjoy it calmly. Thank you for choosing us and we will keep working to geet better pura vida
The night forest tour was really awesome. Our guide was very attentive; it was just our family of 3 people with him. We saw toucans, frogs, many insects, and a scorpion!
thanks a lot we are soo happy yoy have enjoy soo much our tour oura vida
Jairo was a great guide! We saw snakes, scorpions, spiders, owls, frogs, golden beetles, etc. He knew exactly how to find all of the different critters in the forest. I would have to say that doing a Night Tour was the tour that stood out to me the most and I would highly recommend it!
What a joy to read this, thank you! The outstanding work of Jairo is part of what makes Monteverde Tropical Wildlife Tours special. Together with our whole team of guides, we strive every night to show you the forest in a safe, educational, and magical way. We’re thrilled you got to see so many species and that the Night Tour became your favorite. It will be a pleasure to have you back with us! The Monteverde Tropical Wildlife Tours Team
Deyber was an outstanding tour guide and truly made the experience unforgettable. His knowledge of wildlife—everything from animals and insects to plants—was incredibly impressive. What really set him apart was his ability to spot birds and other creatures that most tourists would completely miss. Thanks to his keen eye and expertise, we saw so much more than we ever would have on our own. Highly recommend touring with Deyber!
Thank you for your wonderful review and for choosing Monteverde Tropical Wildlife. We’re delighted to hear that Deyber made your experience so memorable. His deep knowledge of wildlife and sharp spotting skills are key to helping guests discover the hidden biodiversity of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. At Monteverde Tropical Wildlife, we specialize in small-group, naturalist-led tours designed to maximize wildlife sightings while providing meaningful, educational experiences. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you again for another unforgettable tour in Costa Rica. Warm regards, Monteverde Tropical Wildlife Team
Dyber was very knowledgeable and really great with our kids - could Not recommend more
Thank you for your kind review and for choosing Monteverde Tropical Wildlife. We’re delighted to hear that Deyber provided such a knowledgeable and family-friendly experience. Creating engaging and educational wildlife tours for all ages is an important part of what we do in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming your family again for another memorable nature experience in Costa Rica. Warm regards, Monteverde Tropical Wildlife Team
Our guide, Eliar, seemed to have a sixth sense about where all the critters and tree dwellers would be. Experience mixed with communication amongst fellow guides, but still, we found and got great pictures of many animals. A scorpion (RIP) that shows up very bright under a UV light, tiny frogs and green vipers, a two-toed sloth, a couple beautiful toucans, a kinkajou, a cappucin monkey, and a few other spiders and beetles. My family and I had a great time, and Eliar was good-natured, funny, and very knowledgeable.
Thank you for your wonderful review and for choosing Monteverde Tropical Wildlife. We’re delighted to hear that Eliar made your experience so enjoyable with his knowledge, humor, and dedication. His ability to locate wildlife—supported by teamwork among local guides—helps guests experience the best of wildlife spotting in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. It’s fantastic that you observed such a diverse range of species, including toucans, a two-toed sloth, kinkajou, capuchin monkey, frogs, vipers, and even nocturnal creatures under UV light. Encounters like these highlight the incredible biodiversity that makes Monteverde a top destination for nature and wildlife tours in Costa Rica. At Monteverde Tropical Wildlife, we specialize in small-group, naturalist-led experiences designed to maximize sightings while providing meaningful insight into the ecosystem. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you and your family again for another unforgettable wildlife adventure. Warm regards, Monteverde Tropical Wildlife Team
Saw lots of cool stuff! Great! Daver was so helpful!
Thank you for your kind review and for choosing Monteverde Tropical Wildlife. We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the wildlife sightings and had a great experience. It’s wonderful to know that Deyber was helpful and contributed to your visit with his knowledge and support. We specialize in small-group, naturalist-led tours in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, designed to provide authentic and memorable wildlife encounters. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you again in Costa Rica. Warm regards, Monteverde Tropical Wildlife Team
Deyber was the best! Not only was he knowledgeable about all the flora and fauna, he helped us find transportation and accommodated our group of 9. Made our Monteverde experience! He provided us a luxury van for transport. At the reserve, he gave us flashlights and with his telescope, he pointed out hummingbirds, frogs, insects, two!! toucans, and a sloth mama and baby! And more!! The tarantula was so cool! There were so many animals - we felt so lucky to see them and Deyber knew all about their lives and stories! Our group loved the night walk - must do in Costa Rica!
Thank you for your fantastic review and for choosing Monteverde Tropical Wildlife. We’re delighted that Deyber made your experience so memorable with his knowledge, service, and support with transportation. It’s wonderful to hear your group enjoyed incredible wildlife sightings, including toucans, hummingbirds, frogs, insects, and a sloth mother with her baby—true highlights of the Monteverde Cloud Forest night walk. We specialize in small-group, naturalist-led experiences with professional optics to ensure authentic and high-quality wildlife encounters. Your recommendation is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to welcoming you again for another unforgettable adventure in Costa Rica. Warm regards, Monteverde Tropical Wildlife Team
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Night Walk Tour Monteverde | 2 hours | 4.7 (67) | $30 | |
 Monteverde Night Walk: Sloths, Snakes & Nocturnal Wildlife | 2 hours | 4.8 (117) | $35 | View |
 Monteverde Cloud Forest Guided Night Walk | 2–3 hours | 4.7 (69) | $65 | View |
 Monteverde Night Walk: Guided Wildlife Tour | 2 hours | 5.0 (50) | $25 | View |
 Monteverde Night Walk Tour: the night life of the forest | 2 hours | 4.9 (32) | $85 | View |
 Monteverde Night Walk Tour | 2 hours | 4.8 (25) | $31 | View |
 Monteverde Cloud Forest Night Wildlife Experience | 2 hours | 4.6 (400) | $41 | View |