Covers the rainforest at night, Asia's night markets and Mexico City, plus glowing bays and dark skies.
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Monteverde is a cloud forest town, and the night walk is close to a rite of passage here. You get a guide, a flashlight, often a spotting scope, and two hours on a reserve trail looking for whatever's awake.
The listings name sloths, kinkajous, tarantulas, vipers, tree frogs and sleeping birds. You won't see all of them. You'll probably see some.
The prices look low: $30 to $55 (€27 to €49). Here's the catch. Many walks don't include the reserve's entry fee, which you pay at the gate, and most don't include getting there. So the cheapest-looking walk isn't always the cheapest night. I've done the sums below.
Eight walks cleared our bar. Seven of them are straight night walks on four properties, and the eighth is a coffee and chocolate tour that ends in the dark.
At a glance
Best overall
Nasua Tours in the Wildlife Refuge, 7.9, 6 people max
Best all-in price
Three Brothers, $35 (€31) with entry and transport
Quietest setting
Cafe Ancestros coffee farm, 6:45 p.m.
Pickup included
Ficus Trails, hotels within 3 km of the trail
Skip
The coffee, chocolate and night combo, 5.6
When it gets dark
About 5:43 p.m. in October, 6:28 p.m. in July
On this page
The 8 best night tours in Monteverde, ranked
Every tour we scored in Monteverde that cleared our bar (rated 4.4 or more from 50+ reviews), in Night Score order. Night Score = 30% rating, 10% review count, 20% price per hour, 40% how much the night is the point. How we score
Six people, max. That's as small as a shared group gets here, and with 386 reviews at 4.8 it's the best-proven walk in Monteverde, which is why it ranks first. Nasua Tours works the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge in Los Camachos with flashlights and a spotting scope, looking for sloths, kinkajous, tarantulas and vipers. It's $43 (€38) for two hours, but the page contradicts itself on the $15 (€13.40) refuge entry, so expect to pay it at the gate: call it $58 (€52) all in. No transport. Start time isn't listed. It gets chilly, so bring a layer.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%5.7
Review countData · 10%6.1
Price per hourData · 20%7.7
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A small-group flashlight and spotting-scope walk in the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge, run by Nasua Tours.
Good to know: Guide, flashlight and scope are included; transport is not. The page contradicts itself on the $15 refuge entry, so expect to pay it. Maximum 6 per group; it gets chilly, bring layers.
After dark: Night is when the refuge's sloths, kinkajous, tarantulas and vipers are active and the guide can find them with a scope.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Monteverde Night Walk: Sloths, Snakes and Nocturnal Wildlife
Night wildlife tours and night safaris
7.4/10Night Score
From $35 (€31)
2 hours
Starts: 5:30 p.m.
Small group
4.8 (116 reviews)
The honest price. Three Brothers Tours lists the $13 (€11.60) refuge entry and transport as included, so $35 (€31) is actually what you pay. That's the best all-in deal in town and the reason it scores 8.5 on value. Same refuge as Nasua, same idea: a naturalist with a lamp and a scope, starting at 5:30 p.m. at dusk. They'll help you take phone photos through the scope. Groups max out at 7. It's second, behind Nasua, only on review count: 116 against 386, both rated 4.8.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%4.2
Review countData · 10%4.3
Price per hourData · 20%8.5
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A small-group naturalist night walk with a spotting scope in the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge, run by Three Brothers Tours.
Good to know: Guide, lamp, scope, phone photos through the scope, transport and the refuge entry ($13 per person) are listed as included. Maximum 7 per group.
After dark: The walk begins at dusk and continues into the dark, when the refuge's night animals become active.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
A different setting. Cafe Ancestros runs its walk on its own forested coffee farm in Los Tornos, about 15 minutes' drive from Monteverde, starting at 6:45 p.m., after full dark. Rated 4.9, the highest on the page, but on only 77 reviews, so it ties Three Brothers rather than beating it. $35 (€31) for two hours, child rates lower, up to 8. Two catches. The page has no inclusions list, so ask about fees. And you need your own way to Los Tornos. Reviewers note that rain and calm nights mean fewer sightings, which is true everywhere here.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%4.3
Review countData · 10%3.7
Price per hourData · 20%8.5
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A small-group guided night walk on the Cafe Ancestros coffee farm outside Monteverde, run by the farm.
Good to know: The page gives no inclusions list. Up to 8 per group; you need your own way to Los Tornos, about 15 minutes' drive. Reviewers note that rain and calm nights mean fewer sightings.
After dark: It starts after nightfall on a forested coffee farm, when frogs, insects and night mammals are active.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Johnny Loves Nature has the most reviews in Monteverde, 400, but a 4.6 rating holds it at fourth. The walk is in the Finca Lantana Nature Reserve, with a spotting scope and field guides, looking for kinkajous, tarantulas, frogs and sleeping birds. The advertised $39 (€35) leaves out the $10 (€8.90) Finca Lantana entry, paid on site, and local transport at $12 (€10.70). Add both and it's $61 (€54), the priciest known total among the plain walks. Up to 8 people. The trails have uphill sections, so it's a bit more work than the refuge walks.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%3.1
Review countData · 10%6.2
Price per hourData · 20%8.1
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A guided night walk with spotting scope and field guides in the Finca Lantana reserve, run by Johnny Loves Nature.
Good to know: The price excludes Finca Lantana entry ($10 per person, paid on site) and local transport ($12 per person). Up to 8 per group; trails have uphill sections.
After dark: In the cloud forest the kinkajous, tarantulas, frogs and sleeping birds are only findable after dark.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Cheapest sticker price in Monteverde: $30 (€27). Monteverde Tropical Wildlife walks the Wildlife Refuge in groups of four to six (the page also says 8 maximum) with flashlights and optics. The page contradicts itself on the $15 (€13.40) refuge entry, so plan on paying it, which brings the real cost to $45 (€40). Still cheap. It ranks fifth because the rating is 4.7 and there are only 66 reviews, the fewest here. Start time isn't listed. A fine pick if Nasua and Three Brothers are full.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%2.9
Review countData · 10%3.5
Price per hourData · 20%9.1
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A naturalist-guided night walk in the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge in groups of four to six, run by Monteverde Tropical Wildlife.
Good to know: Flashlights, optics and guide are included; the page contradicts itself on the $15 refuge entry, so expect to pay it. Maximum 8 per group.
After dark: The refuge's night animals are the whole point, found by flashlight and scope after dark.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Small-Group Night Walk with Transfers
Night wildlife tours and night safaris
6.8/10Night Score
From $38 (€34)
2 hours
Starts: 6:00 p.m.
Large group
4.5 (389 reviews)
The pickup one. Ficus Trails collects you from hotels within 3 km and takes you to its private reserve in Santa Elena for a 6 p.m. walk. Guide, flashlights, ponchos, trail entry and transfer are all in the $38 (€34), with child rates and a two-person minimum. That's good value. The rating isn't: 4.5 on 389 reviews, and several of those reviews describe pickup-time mix-ups. Confirm your time the day before. The page says 35 maximum; the host says groups of 8. Ponchos are a nice touch in the wet months.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%1.8
Review countData · 10%6.1
Price per hourData · 20%8.2
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A guided night walk on the Ficus Trails private reserve in Santa Elena with hotel pickup, run by Ficus Trails.
Good to know: Guide, flashlights, ponchos, trail entry and pickup from hotels within 3 km are included. The page lists 35 maximum but the host says groups of 8; several reviews describe pickup-time mix-ups, so confirm the pickup time.
After dark: It starts at full dark, when the cloud forest's night animals are moving.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Monteverde Night Tour with a Certified Tour Guide (6 PM or 8 PM)
Night wildlife tours and night safaris
6.1/10Night Score
From $55 (€49)
2 hours
Starts: 6:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m.
Small group, 5+
4.4 (121 reviews)
Two clear start times, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., and fees and entry included. That's what MonteTours Costa Rica gets right. It's also the only walk here with a stated age limit: no children under 5. The rest is weaker. At $55 (€49) it costs more than the walks above, the 4.4 rating is the lowest on the page, and the listing names two different meeting places, Finca Lantana and the Wildlife Refuge, so check your confirmation. No transport. Up to 10 people. Seventh of eight.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%1.0
Review countData · 10%4.4
Price per hourData · 20%6.8
After darkEditors · 40%10.0
What it is: A certified-guide night walk with flashlights on a Monteverde reserve, run by MonteTours Costa Rica.
Good to know: Flashlights, fees and entry are included; transport is not. Up to 10 per group; not for children under 5. The page names two different meeting places (Finca Lantana and the Wildlife Refuge), so check the confirmation.
After dark: Both departures are after dark, when snakes, frogs and tarantulas are out on the cloud-forest trails.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
A farm tour that turns into a night walk. Don Juan Tours starts at 5:30 p.m. on its farm 2 km northwest of the Santa Elena sports field with coffee and chocolate tastings, then takes everyone out with flashlights after dark. Half the evening is in daylight, so it scores lower on darkness and ranks last. It's $71 (€64) for 2.5 hours, with transport listed as included (one reviewer arranged their own). The page allows up to 99 people. Stroller accessible, child rates lower. Book it for the chocolate, not the wildlife.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%2.4
Review countData · 10%3.5
Price per hourData · 20%6.6
After darkEditors · 40%8.0
What it is: A coffee and chocolate farm tour with tastings that turns into a flashlight night walk on the estate, run by Don Juan Tours.
Good to know: Flashlight, tastings, guide and transport are listed as included, though one reviewer arranged their own transport. The page allows up to 99 per departure; stroller accessible.
After dark: It ends with a flashlight walk on the farm for animals that only come out at night.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Reserve links go to GetYourGuide or Viator. Booking through them can earn us a commission at no cost to you; it never changes a score or a rank. How we make money
What you see in the cloud forest at night
Sloths. That's the one people want, and Monteverde's refuge walks list them up front, which La Fortuna's don't.
After that, the listings name kinkajous, a night-active cousin of the raccoon that lives in the canopy. Tarantulas. Vipers, which is a good reason to keep your feet where the guide puts the light. Then tree frogs and sleeping birds, which are easier to find and often the best photos of the night.
No guarantees. Reviewers on the Cafe Ancestros walk say rain and calm nights mean fewer sightings, and that goes for every walk here.
A spotting scope is the thing that separates a good walk from an ordinary one. Nasua, Three Brothers, Johnny Loves Nature and Monteverde Tropical Wildlife all list one. Without one, a sloth high in a tree is a grey lump.
The real price: entry fees and transport
The research notes are blunt on this: many Monteverde pages contradict themselves on reserve entry. The Wildlife Refuge charges $13 to $15 (€11.60 to €13.40), Finca Lantana $10 (€8.90). Expect to pay at the gate unless the page clearly says it's included.
Do the sums before you choose:
Three Brothers: $35 (€31), entry and transport included.
Ficus Trails: $38 (€34), entry and pickup within 3 km included.
Monteverde Tropical Wildlife: $30 (€27) plus $15 (€13.40) entry, so about $45 (€40).
Nasua: $43 (€38) plus $15 (€13.40), so about $58 (€52).
Johnny Loves Nature: $39 (€35) plus $10 (€8.90) entry plus $12 (€10.70) transport, so $61 (€54).
Bring cash for the gate. Tips are on top everywhere unless stated.
The reserve's own night walk
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the best-known preserve in the area, runs its own Night Walk. Its site lists the slot at 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. (read that as the start window), a walk of about 2.5 hours, a maximum of 10 people and English-only guiding. It promises resting birds, tree frogs, salamanders, nocturnal mammals and bioluminescent fungi. Cancel 48 hours ahead for a full refund.
The site doesn't publish the price, and it isn't on Viator, so it isn't ranked here. If you want the cloud forest proper rather than a refuge on its edge, it's worth asking about. The site says the shuttle doesn't apply to the night walk, so arrange your own ride.
Cold, wet and what to wear
Colder than you'd guess. Monteverde nights sit around 62 to 65°F (17 to 18.5°C) all year, and damp air makes that feel cooler than it sounds. Nasua's page tells you to bring layers. Do.
Rain is the other thing. The weather archive gives Monteverde about 13 days with some rain in February and 29 in October. February and March are the driest months; May through November are wet. Walks run in the rain and stop for lightning.
So: closed shoes with grip, long trousers, a fleece, a rain jacket, bug spray. Ficus Trails hands out ponchos. Our what to bring on a night tour guide has the full list.
Night walks with kids
Good idea, mostly. Only MonteTours sets an age limit (5 and up). Ficus Trails, Cafe Ancestros and Don Juan list lower child rates, and the Don Juan farm path takes strollers.
Take the earliest walk you can. Three Brothers at 5:30 p.m. and Ficus Trails at 6 p.m. are back before bedtime. Two hours on uneven, wet trails is a lot for a small child, so a small group helps: Nasua's cap of 6 is the one I'd pick with kids. More ideas on our best night tours for families list.
Monteverde or La Fortuna?
Monteverde for the night walk. The cloud forest is cooler, the walks are cheaper, and the listings here promise sloths and kinkajous where La Fortuna's mostly promise frogs and snakes.
La Fortuna wins on simplicity: entry is usually included and nights are warmer, around 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C). If you're only in one of the two towns, book the walk there. Both are worth it.
Getting back
Most Monteverde walks don't include transport. Three Brothers does, Ficus Trails picks up within 3 km, and Don Juan lists it. For the rest, you're arranging a taxi or driving, on roads that are dark and often wet. Book the return when you book the ride out. Cafe Ancestros in Los Tornos is about 15 minutes out, so it needs a plan. See our night tour safety guide.
Dark comes early, about 5:36 p.m. in November and never later than about 6:54 p.m. for full dark, so even a 6:45 p.m. walk has you back at a sensible hour.
When it gets dark in Monteverde
Times are for the 15th of each month in 2027, local time with daylight saving, computed with NOAA’s solar equations for Monteverde. Dark is the end of civil twilight, when streetlights and floodlights take over; fully dark is the end of nautical twilight. Night lows are 2016–2025 averages from the Open-Meteo historical archive. Every city side by side
Month
Sunset
Dark
Fully dark
Night low
January
5:35 p.m.
5:58 p.m.
6:24 p.m.
62°F (17°C)
February
5:47 p.m.
6:09 p.m.
6:33 p.m.
62°F (17°C)
March
5:50 p.m.
6:11 p.m.
6:35 p.m.
62°F (17°C)
April
5:49 p.m.
6:11 p.m.
6:36 p.m.
64°F (18°C)
May
5:53 p.m.
6:15 p.m.
6:41 p.m.
65°F (18°C)
June
6:01 p.m.
6:24 p.m.
6:51 p.m.
65°F (18°C)
July
6:05 p.m.
6:28 p.m.
6:54 p.m.
65°F (18°C)
August
5:58 p.m.
6:19 p.m.
6:45 p.m.
65°F (18°C)
September
5:40 p.m.
6:01 p.m.
6:25 p.m.
65°F (18°C)
October
5:22 p.m.
5:43 p.m.
6:07 p.m.
64°F (18°C)
November
5:13 p.m.
5:36 p.m.
6:01 p.m.
64°F (18°C)
December
5:20 p.m.
5:43 p.m.
6:09 p.m.
63°F (17°C)
Where Monteverde ranks
The best place a Monteverde tour reaches on each of our other pages.
By our Night Score, Nasua Tours' small-group walk in the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge, at 7.9. It's rated 4.8 by 386 reviewers and caps groups at 6. For the best all-in price, Three Brothers includes entry and transport for $35 (€31).
Is the Monteverde night tour worth it?
Yes. It's two hours with a guide and scope for about $35 to $60 (€31 to €54) all in, and it's the best chance in Monteverde to see sloths, kinkajous and tarantulas. Sightings vary night to night.
Do you have to pay reserve entry on a Monteverde night walk?
Often, yes. The Wildlife Refuge charges $13 to $15 (€11.60 to €13.40) and Finca Lantana $10 (€8.90). Several pages contradict themselves on whether it's included, so bring cash unless the listing clearly includes it, as Three Brothers and Ficus Trails do.
How cold is Monteverde at night?
Around 62 to 65°F (17 to 18.5°C) all year, and damp. Bring a fleece and a rain jacket even in the dry months.
Which is better for a night walk, Monteverde or La Fortuna?
I'd pick Monteverde: cheaper walks, cooler cloud forest and more mammals on the listings. La Fortuna's walks usually include entry and are warmer. Both are good.
