Tours/Monteverde/Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
4.8(27)Monteverde3 hours
VIATOR4.9(16)TRIPADVISOR4.6(11)
+22 photos
At a glance
Duration
3 hours
Price from
$65 / person
Location
Monteverde, Costa Rica
Rating
4.8 / 5 · 27 reviews
Languages
EN, ES
Group
Private
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Confirmation
Instant
Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operator
Monteverde Expeditions
Description
As only 1% of all remaining forests on the planet are classified as cloud forests, here you have the opportunity to walk through clouds in a very dense tropical forest. We only care about what we understand so even animals are not something you are going to see in big quantities, you will enjoy and learn the magic of the massive diversity of aerial plants.
Schedule & prices
Runs
Every day
Start times
8:00 AM
Next available
Fri, Oct 9
Adult (ages 12+)
$65
Child (ages 6–11)
$45
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 8.
Tour Options
Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Itinerary
Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena
Admission not included180 min
Santa Elena reserve are the wonderful view points, since there is a tower rising 5710 feet above sea level where in a clear day can be seen the arenal and volcano, Guanacaste lowlands, tenorio volcano, miravalles, and rincón de la vieja.
What's included
Included
Professional Certified Naturalist Guide
Parking area
Not included
Transportation
Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.8
27 reviews
5
25
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
1
How it compares in Monteverde
Starting price $65 is 43% above the typical $46 for tours of similar length in Monteverde
Excurgo comparison of 203 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve take?
Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve cost?
Prices start at $65 per person for this Monteverde experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 8:00 AM.
How much does Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve cost for children?
Children aged 6–11 pay from $45, adults from $65.
Can I cancel Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
What languages is Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve offered in?
The experience is available in EN, ES.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 12 travellers can book together.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 27 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Monteverde Expeditions.
Reviews(27)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
T
Teri_K
February 8, 2026 · via Viator
Great time exploring with Luis
Luis was our guide for this experience. He was extremely knowledgeable about the many types of plants we saw. Due to the cold we did not see much wildlife but we did see several birds and a tarantula. It was an enjoyable, if wet, three hours!
Operator response
Thankyou Teri,
This rainy and cold days at the cloud forest are not letting us see some animals but the forest is unique and am glad you are willing to enjoy every moment as the nature let us have it. Luis, one of our passioned naturalist guides that every time share his vast knowledge and experience in the cloud forest.
F
Flyer36125491030
January 31, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Monteverde
Excellent guide, he was knowledgeable, attentive, and setting an easy pace. Took time to tell us about the flora and fauna.
Operator response
Thankyou Flyer,
In a naturalist guided walk we can find some animals and also understand better the interaction of the diferents ecosystems is very enriching for the experiencie of our guests.
M
Magali_F
January 31, 2026 · via Viator
Magical
Amazing experience! Our guide Loan was so nice and his knowledge was impressive and we learnt a great deal. The forest is magically beautiful and we saw many animals and places, thanks again, we will never forget it.
Operator response
Thankyou Magali,
Loandry one of our young naturalist guides is showing knowledge, passion and love for the nature that help us have a great experiencie at the night walk.
A
Amy_H
January 26, 2026 · via Viator
Best guide ever
very informative, not a ton of animals but the ones we did see, we learned so much info . we did get to see a rare bird which was exciting
Operator response
Hello Amy,
Thankyou for your visit to the Santa Elena Reserve. By it's description Santa Elena is a not crowded park in Monteverde and then perfect place if you want to experience the lush Cloud Forest, cool temperature and rare ecosistem like that rare bird (Resplendent Quetzal) wich is a god for the Mayans (Kukulkan) and Aztecs (Quetzalcoatl). Also it is the currency name of Guatemala for the very important it is. In many senses the most beautiful bird in the entire world that unfortunately is endangered and out of season imposible to see. Thankyou for your very valuable comment.
T
Tamar K
December 30, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Santa Elena Private Hike
We had a great experience with Loandry at Santa Elena. Beautiful true cloud forest and super knowledgeable and personable guide. It was really nice having a private guide too instead of the groups of 8-12 people we passed along the way.
Operator response
Thankyou Tamar,
It's great to know that you enjoyed your time at Santa Elena de Monteverde. Loandry one of our naturalist guides is showing great entusiasm for sharing his roots from Monteverde. Glad to know also you apreciate private activities because even groups are good too, you don't know if that other guest will love nature as you do.
C
Cathy_S
December 30, 2025 · via Viator
Marvin was a very...
Marvin was a very knowledgeable and pleasant guide. The tour was worth it. We recommend it, especially in the morning when it was less busy.
Operator response
Thankyou Cathy,
Marvin is an expert guide who likes sharing his passion for nature and Santa Elena Reserve is real Cloud Forest surrounded by thousand epiphytic plants that make it the most diverse type of forest in the world.
M
MarieLine_B
December 29, 2025 · via Viator
Spectacular!
A wonderful experience in a primary forest, we even saw the quetzal fly! We learned a lot with our super guide Leandry! Thank you very much to him for everything he taught us in a very pedagogical way and a charm with the children!
Operator response
Muchas gracias Marieline,
Es grandioso saber que su tiempo en Monteverde fué muy bien aprovechado y que se sintió muy bien con nosotros. Es nuestra prioridad saber que usted nuestro cliente pueda recibir una explicación precisa y clara para adultos y niños. Gracias por su visita y su valioso comentario.
B
Blake_S
July 12, 2025 · via Viator
Great hike
The cloud forest was amazing. Our guide was an experienced naturalist and was able to tell us all about the forest.
Operator response
Thank you Blake,
The best for us is know that you as our guest have a memorable outdoor experience in your visit to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Areas.
F
F2295IXjohnc
June 20, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Our epic trip in May 2025 to Costa Rica will always be remembered with a smile
The cloud forest was an amazing hike. Even though it was wet, it was not hot or cold so we enjoyed the experience. Since it was off season we had practically a private tour with a guide that was still excited to share this with us. He pointed our so much that we would have just walked by without him. i hope the pictures capture some of the beauty.
Operator response
Thankyou F2295IXjohnc,
Vacation time is something very special were everybody wants to have a good time and we are so glad to be part of your vacation so we enjoy ourselves and even more when you let us be part of it and trust on us to assist you to have a memorable outdoor experiencie in this case to the Monteverde Cloud forest.
J
Jane_O
April 15, 2025 · via Viator
The morning hike into the...
The morning hike into the Santa Elena reserve primary rainforest was fascinating. Rodiber our guide was very friendly and informative and we learned a lot about Costa Rican ecology and ecotourism while we hiked the narrow trails. We didnt see a quetzel and the weather was cloudy so we had no views from the observation platform, but we thoroughly enjoyed the tour.
Operator response
Thankyou Jane,
We had a great morning that day, quetzals sometimes are hard to find, that's the nature, gives and sometimes no much but with a good attitude the unique cloud forest is always enjoyable.
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Tour
Duration
Rating
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Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
