Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Experience, Monteverde

Discover the Santa Elena Cloud Forest on a guided hike. While the Monteverde Reserve is on the "must-see" list for most travelers to Costa Rica, the Santa Elena Reserve offers the opportunity to experience this rare ecosystem without waiting in lines for a photo or stepping off the path as large tour groups pass. During your guided hike, you'll have the chance to see an astonishing number of animals. Elusive feline species include pumas, jaguarundi, and the endangered jaguar, while more commonly spotted species include spider monkeys, sloths, bright red poison dart frogs, and tarantulas.

Ideal for nature lovers and science enthusiasts, this hiking adventure in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve introduces you to one of the jewels in Costa Rica's ecological crown. Follow a naturalist guide along forest trails and get an up-close look at the region's remarkable biodiversity as you search for some of the birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and insects that call the 26,000-acre (3,500 ha) reserve home. After an immersive and educational few hours in nature, you'll stop by a local women's artisan cooperative to end the experience. 

The Children’s Eternal Rainforest (BEN) is considered as the biggest private reserve in Costa Rica, it is part of the Water and Peace Biosphere (“Biosfera Agua y Paz”) from the UNESCO, as well as founding member of the Costa Rican Network of Private Reserves and also member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).  Its mission is to maintain, preserve and rehabilitate the topical ecosystems and its biodiversity, through environmental educational activities, reforestation, investigation, protection, and monitoring, as well as sustainable development and ecotourism (trails, talks, hikes, and biological stations). 

The place has more than 22.000 primary and secondary forest hectare, as well as regenerating areas. This Reserve has been preserved thanks to the effort of children and adults, together with schools and other organizations in more than forty countries around the world.

Combine a chocolate tour with a wildlife hike on this evening excursion! Head to a Costa Rican farm in the Monteverde region to learn about the process behind chocolate production, from seed to chocolate bar. After an overview of the process, you'll have the chance to grind cocoa, make your own chocolate bar, and taste several types of chocolate, such as dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. Once the chocolate experience is complete, you'll go on a night hike to look for species of frogs and toads in the wild. You might also see sloths, raccoons, and other nocturnal animals. 

Mount up your horse and explore the picturesque back roads and forest trails of Monteverde's agricultural heartland on this full-day horseback riding adventure. Spot sloths and toucans, learn about the area's rich cultural heritage, and enjoy a picnic and a refreshing soak in a secluded clearing by a babbling river. End your journey with a quick stop at a local cafe before riding back to the ranch.

Bird-watching enthusiasts won't want to miss this early-morning excursion to Curi-Cancha Reserve, a private nature reserve that borders the Monteverde Cloud Forest. With the help of an expert naturalist guide, you'll set off along well-groomed trails as you seek out some of the over 200 bird species found there. You might glimpse colorful bellbirds, motmots, and hummingbirds, or get lucky and spot the elusive resplendent quetzal. Since this is a private experience, you'll enjoy comfortable transfers to and from your hotel, and your guide will help tailor the four-hour experience to your interests and activity levels.

See the cloud forest of Monteverde from an elevated perspective on this half-day trip to Treetopia Park Monteverde. This aerial amusement park offers a range of activities; this particular excursion features a ride on the TreeTram, an aerial tramway, followed by a guided hike along the SkyWalk, a circuit consisting of nature trails and suspension bridges. After riding to the top of the mountain in an open-air gondola, pause to take in views of the cloud forest. Then, follow your guide along a scenic walk, spotting interesting flora and fauna along the way.

Venture into the Children's Eternal Rainforest, the largest private reserve in Costa Rica, for a nighttime hike. Your naturalist guide will lead you along the park's trails after dark, pointing out nocturnal creatures like tarantulas, frogs, bats, and sleeping birds. This immersive experience allows participants to explore the transitional forest, the border between cloud forest and rainforest, highlighting the biodiversity preserved by global conservation efforts. Suitable for those curious about the natural world, the walk offers close encounters with the creatures and plants that thrive in the darkness. 

Venture into the cloud forest for a thrilling day exploring the treetops at Treetopia Park Monteverde. You'll start by boarding the park's open-air cableway to ride up to the starting point of the hanging bridges. You'll then follow your guide on a short hike along nature trails and suspension bridges, learning about the region's flora and fauna—and spotting some, too—before connecting to ziplines and whizzing down the mountain high above the canopy. Perfect for adrenaline seekers and nature lovers, this activity-packed experience promises a day of excitement and stunning natural beauty.

Experience Costa Rican coffee culture and wildlife observation on a single excursion. The tour starts with a stroll through a local coffee plantation near Monteverde, where you'll have the opportunity to identify and learn about the coffee plant first-hand. Your guide will walk you through every step of the process, from harvesting to roasting and brewing to serving the perfect cup. Enjoy a mug of coffee, then participate in a short chocolate-themed activity. Finally, head into the jungle. Exploring the rainforest after nightfall allows one to enjoy the sounds of undisturbed nature. It is common to observe frogs and various snake species along the trail. With some luck, you could observe forest dwellers such as the two-toed sloth or the kinkajou.