Hidden Valley Night Tour

The tour begins at 5:30 PM, just before nightfall, when the Monteverde forest’s creatures are just beginning to wake up. In addition to a flashlight, each participant is given an animal-identification card. These cards explain the various creatures you’re likely to see, and will help you spot and recognize the various animals, insects, and amphibians within the reserve. These include snakes, spiders (most notably, hole-dwelling tarantulas), blue-crowned mot mots, agoutis, porcupines, tree frogs, and more. Naturalist guides will explain the reason that these creatures’ habits (most of which involve feeding or breeding) are best suited for the dark.

The tour ends around 7:30 PM. The cost of the tour is $25 per person, which includes a guide, entrance fees and round-trip transportation from most Monteverde hotels. The cost for students with valid identification is $23, while children 12 years and under are $15.

If you’re a fan of nature:

• > Explore a level of the forest usually reserved for researchers on a canopy adventure.
• > Make a new animal friend as you explore Costa Rica’s landscape on a horseback riding tour.
• > Rise and shine! Start your day with a trek through the forest to go bird watching.