This magical guided hike into the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge is sure to bring a thrill when you suddenly discover the world of nocturnal nightlife. This is a one mile hike along an easy trail to observe the active wildlife in the unique cloud forest environment. Your knowledgeable local guide will take you to the places with the most recent animal sightings.
The tour will begin when you are picked up from your lodging in the Monteverde area by the provided transportation and brought to the cloud forest park. Equipped with headlamp, binoculars and flashlights, your guide will lead you into the ancient woodlands of towering trees to explore what might be lurking there.
Because animals who live in the forest are more active at night this is a perfect opportunity to find them foraging for food or dancing under the moonlight! Together you and your guide will silently seek a variety of wildlife including insects, birds, reptiles, spiders, sleeping birds, interesting frogs and mammals.
You may encounter the glowing eyes of a spider reflecting the light of a flashlight. Or one of Monteverde’s 71 species of snakes. Typically it is easy to find a bird sleeping up in the branches with its head tucked under its wing. Undisturbed by the light, sleeping birds are stationary giving you a chance to observe the identifying markings and colors on their wings.
Of course you’ll want to find a furry friend of some sort. Sloths, notoriously slow and irresistibly cute, lumber limb by limb through their home in the tree tops feasting on leaves. Other possible animal sightings include coatimundis and kinkajous. On rare occasions one of the six species of jungle cats has been spotted at night.
Every hike creates a brand new list of sightings. There are no guarantees you will see a particular species of wildlife, but you will see a variety of wildlife that is available on the particular night you are out observing. Be sure to bring your camera. Just being outdoors deep in the tropical cloud forest cover at night is an amazing experience.
When the approximately two hour hike ends, you’ll be brought back to your lodging where you began. This tour includes transportation, park entrance, and naturalist guide.
The Night Tour at Quality Trail is available from Monteverde
All Ages
Latitude: N 10° 18' 50.39"
Longitude: W 84° 49' 38.83"