Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena
Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena
Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena
4.5
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
It is a community non profit project, located near Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica. The Reserve has an extension of 310 hectares, covered by a majestic Cloud Forest, in which you can observe a great variety of plants, Orchids, trees, ferns, heliconias and others. Also hundreds of residents and migratory birds, as the Quetzal and the Bell bird. This Reserve is managed by the Santa Elena Technical High School .
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
What is Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best?
This award is our highest recognition and is presented annually to those businesses that are the Best of the Best on Tripadvisor, those that earn excellent reviews from travellers and are ranked in the top 1% of properties worldwide.
Top ways to experience Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena and nearby attractions
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
90 within 5 kms
Attractions
32 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Surrey 13London, United Kingdom1,139 contributionsA truly marvellous nature reserve for the local community, Santa Elena Nature ReserveThe Santa Elena Nature Reserve is a local charity run primarily for school children. Tourists paying to visit the reserve assist in paying for the running of the location. It is about 5k away from the famous Monteverde sky walk. The leader of the reserve took me on a personal tour. The area has some fabulous flora and fauna. We saw tarantulas, lizards and many more animals. A truly fabulous place which supports the local communityVisited March 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 20 March 2023
- Brian P5 contributionsGreat place to experience the Cloud ForestWe hired a private guide for our group of 4 and loved it our 2.5 hours inside the park. We drove up from Monteverde and while the road had numerous potholes, we didn't find it a difficult trip. Parking was easy and while there were a considerable number of people arriving at the same time (8:30a), once inside it spread out and never felt crowded. Our guide Walter was perfect! He was super knowledgable and conversational and never felt like he was just giving a prepared or canned script. He was able to help us find a number of animals we would never have found on our own and took pictures through his telescope. We saw a wide range of birds, tarantulas, and learned a great deal about the cloud forest and the history of the area. This is a great choice for a non-touristy visit into the cloud forest and I do think the price of the guide is worth it.Visited March 2023Written 21 March 2023
- Harold565Milton Keynes, United Kingdom33 contributionsWalking in clouds with a great guide (Johnny)My family of 6 adults spent a fascinating morning in this magnificent and intriguing cloud forest, on a private tour being led by our skilled and top class guide Johnny. We would have understood nothing without Johnny's help. He was key to our understanding of some of the wonders on show here. Of the tours we did, this had the most 'Jurassic Park' vibe of things-behind the trees. We saw a family of coatis, a range of birds and a tarantula as well as many intriguing plants. We went early and only crossed paths with a few other people. Thank you Johnny, and the welcoming staff in reception.Visited March 2023Written 23 March 2023
- Chuck HPortland, Oregon30 contributionsA great place to hikeI come from a place where you don't have to pay to take an amazing hike. Of all the places I hiked in Costa Rica it was the best experience for the price. The long Cano Negro trail was the most rugged but still well maintained. The jungle is so dense and expansive. It gives you a hint of what Costa Rica might have been like before the deforestation programs of the 1920-1950's. After completing most of the trails I thought that a guided tour would open up much more to my untrained eye.Visited April 2023Travelled soloWritten 15 May 2023
- Toby N3 contributionsPeace, Beauty and KindnessWe took the guided hike at dusk (called "Sonidos del Bosque Nuboso" on their website, I think) and it was magical. We had the whole reserve to ourselves and our guide was superb, finding all sorts of animals. We started by hiking up to the viewing tower, which was peaceful and beautiful at the end of the afternoon, then came back down through the reserve as it got dark spotting animals: a toucan, a tarantula, and others. Then, when we told our guide we were worried about finding our hotel in the dark, he led us there on his motorbike on his way home. Such kindness is never forgotten. That said, Joey B is not wrong that booking and paying for a tour in advance is very trying. It took multiple phone calls to get the visit set up, but it was so worth it.Visited August 2022Travelled with familyWritten 13 July 2023
- ANH-USALaguna Beach, California11 contributionsDo the sunrise coffee tour!Santa Elena is a beautiful complement to Monteverde. Definitely need to see both. We did the sunrise coffee tour and can’t recommend it highly enough. It was cloudy (of course!) so we didn’t get a spectacular sunrise (I can’t imagine how exciting that would be to see) but to be present as the jungle awakens was magical. The story at Santa Elena is the fascinating plant life in the canopy and on the ground- not so much animal life. There were only 2 of us and our excellent guide in the entire reserve. Recommend!!Visited August 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 13 August 2023
- Tikitiki212Wisconsin128 contributionsDefinitely choose this cloud forest!I debated on which cloud forest(s) to visit in Monteverde, and I am SO glad we chose Santa Elena! I'd heard that it was maybe a bit more challenging than the others, but it really wasn't bad at all. Definitely some inclines and your legs get a workout, but so very worth it. It had the most unique look of the cloud forests we visited. Also, the crowds were very low in comparison. I really felt like I was alone in the jungle! Just amazing. The trees are so beautiful and it is just LUSH green everywhere. Definitely visit Santa Elena! We were so happy we went here.Visited March 2023Travelled with familyWritten 30 October 2023
- Vacationer6116617 contributionsLush, beautiful, and not crowdedOur family did a guided tour with tour from the reserve first thing in the morning. It was very informative and so beautiful. Monteverde reserve was fully booked, but Santa Elena was wonderful because it wasn't crowded at all, and I'm sure the nature information and plant life is the same. Paths are easy to walk, and after the tour ended, we continued to wander by ourselves. Beautiful lookout, too, if you get clear weather!Visited January 2024Travelled with familyWritten 27 January 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
785 reviews
Excellent
494
Very good
212
Average
63
Poor
12
Terrible
4
Vacationer611661
7 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
Our family did a guided tour with tour from the reserve first thing in the morning. It was very informative and so beautiful. Monteverde reserve was fully booked, but Santa Elena was wonderful because it wasn't crowded at all, and I'm sure the nature information and plant life is the same. Paths are easy to walk, and after the tour ended, we continued to wander by ourselves. Beautiful lookout, too, if you get clear weather!
Written 27 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tikitiki212
Wisconsin128 contributions
Mar 2023 • Family
I debated on which cloud forest(s) to visit in Monteverde, and I am SO glad we chose Santa Elena!
I'd heard that it was maybe a bit more challenging than the others, but it really wasn't bad at all. Definitely some inclines and your legs get a workout, but so very worth it.
It had the most unique look of the cloud forests we visited. Also, the crowds were very low in comparison. I really felt like I was alone in the jungle! Just amazing. The trees are so beautiful and it is just LUSH green everywhere.
Definitely visit Santa Elena! We were so happy we went here.
I'd heard that it was maybe a bit more challenging than the others, but it really wasn't bad at all. Definitely some inclines and your legs get a workout, but so very worth it.
It had the most unique look of the cloud forests we visited. Also, the crowds were very low in comparison. I really felt like I was alone in the jungle! Just amazing. The trees are so beautiful and it is just LUSH green everywhere.
Definitely visit Santa Elena! We were so happy we went here.
Written 30 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ANH-USA
Laguna Beach, CA11 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
Santa Elena is a beautiful complement to Monteverde. Definitely need to see both. We did the sunrise coffee tour and can’t recommend it highly enough. It was cloudy (of course!) so we didn’t get a spectacular sunrise (I can’t imagine how exciting that would be to see) but to be present as the jungle awakens was magical. The story at Santa Elena is the fascinating plant life in the canopy and on the ground- not so much animal life. There were only 2 of us and our excellent guide in the entire reserve. Recommend!!
Written 13 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Toby N
3 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
We took the guided hike at dusk (called "Sonidos del Bosque Nuboso" on their website, I think) and it was magical. We had the whole reserve to ourselves and our guide was superb, finding all sorts of animals. We started by hiking up to the viewing tower, which was peaceful and beautiful at the end of the afternoon, then came back down through the reserve as it got dark spotting animals: a toucan, a tarantula, and others. Then, when we told our guide we were worried about finding our hotel in the dark, he led us there on his motorbike on his way home. Such kindness is never forgotten.
That said, Joey B is not wrong that booking and paying for a tour in advance is very trying. It took multiple phone calls to get the visit set up, but it was so worth it.
That said, Joey B is not wrong that booking and paying for a tour in advance is very trying. It took multiple phone calls to get the visit set up, but it was so worth it.
Written 13 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kristen C
14 contributions
Jun 2023
Incredible - we had a great time. Because Santa Elena is on the Caribbean side of the continental divide it looks very different from the other cloud forest reserves in Monteverde (which are all on the Pacific side)
We were able to see a nesting pair of quetzal - the most ethereal and beautiful bird I've ever seen. Monteverde is the only place these birds nest, and Santa Elena has built wooden boxes to support and increase this endangered population. It was so special to have a chance to see them.
We did a naturalist guided tour and it was definitely worth it - so much we never would have noticed without their help. (Birds, tarantula, stick bugs, spiders, cool plants!) Initially, it rained so much that our tour had to be canceled. But they let us come back the next day for free to repeat the tour. The tour also comes with a complementary drink from the cafe!
Our guide was a researcher and conservationist in the forest, so we learned a great deal! The cloud forest is so different from anything I've ever seen that it was great to have someone help us interpret our surroundings.
We walked to an observation point where we were able to see the volcano Arenal from way off in the distance. It was a great time - so glad we went!
We were able to see a nesting pair of quetzal - the most ethereal and beautiful bird I've ever seen. Monteverde is the only place these birds nest, and Santa Elena has built wooden boxes to support and increase this endangered population. It was so special to have a chance to see them.
We did a naturalist guided tour and it was definitely worth it - so much we never would have noticed without their help. (Birds, tarantula, stick bugs, spiders, cool plants!) Initially, it rained so much that our tour had to be canceled. But they let us come back the next day for free to repeat the tour. The tour also comes with a complementary drink from the cafe!
Our guide was a researcher and conservationist in the forest, so we learned a great deal! The cloud forest is so different from anything I've ever seen that it was great to have someone help us interpret our surroundings.
We walked to an observation point where we were able to see the volcano Arenal from way off in the distance. It was a great time - so glad we went!
Written 12 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joey B
12 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
Very disappointing. We wanted to do this tour but they would not let us pay online ahead of time. We asked if we could pay at the tour and they said no. Our options were to do a bank transfer or come in early the day of to pay at the office. In 2023 it is a bit weird that you can’t pay online or in person. It was the only tour out of 20+ other things that had this issue so we cancelled and are going to do one of the many other night tours in the area. I would not go back here until they update their payment options.
Written 29 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chuck H
Portland, OR30 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
I come from a place where you don't have to pay to take an amazing hike. Of all the places I hiked in Costa Rica it was the best experience for the price. The long Cano Negro trail was the most rugged but still well maintained. The jungle is so dense and expansive. It gives you a hint of what Costa Rica might have been like before the deforestation programs of the 1920-1950's. After completing most of the trails I thought that a guided tour would open up much more to my untrained eye.
Written 15 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tanjac007
Bromley, UK35 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
Despite the drizzle (what do you expect in a cloud forest!) this hike with our guide (sorry can't remember his name as writing this 2 weeks after hike, maybe Johnny) was amazing. Such a glorious tropical forest, think most of the birds were hiding coz of the rain but it was still a fascinating. We were told about the plants and the trees and how they co-exist together and need each other, and that all the plants on the trees were not parasites but living together in harmony.
It was great to hear the story that this reserve is owned and run by a local school. The education in CR is so far advanced over other countries, especially in regard to environmental and ecological issues.
It was great to hear the story that this reserve is owned and run by a local school. The education in CR is so far advanced over other countries, especially in regard to environmental and ecological issues.
Written 30 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Harold565
Milton Keynes, UK33 contributions
Mar 2023
My family of 6 adults spent a fascinating morning in this magnificent and intriguing cloud forest, on a private tour being led by our skilled and top class guide Johnny. We would have understood nothing without Johnny's help. He was key to our understanding of some of the wonders on show here. Of the tours we did, this had the most 'Jurassic Park' vibe of things-behind the trees. We saw a family of coatis, a range of birds and a tarantula as well as many intriguing plants. We went early and only crossed paths with a few other people.
Thank you Johnny, and the welcoming staff in reception.
Thank you Johnny, and the welcoming staff in reception.
Written 23 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian P
5 contributions
Mar 2023
We hired a private guide for our group of 4 and loved it our 2.5 hours inside the park. We drove up from Monteverde and while the road had numerous potholes, we didn't find it a difficult trip. Parking was easy and while there were a considerable number of people arriving at the same time (8:30a), once inside it spread out and never felt crowded. Our guide Walter was perfect! He was super knowledgable and conversational and never felt like he was just giving a prepared or canned script. He was able to help us find a number of animals we would never have found on our own and took pictures through his telescope. We saw a wide range of birds, tarantulas, and learned a great deal about the cloud forest and the history of the area. This is a great choice for a non-touristy visit into the cloud forest and I do think the price of the guide is worth it.
Written 21 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tabolden
Boston, MA139 contributions
To do a self guided tour in April do we need to purchase tickets in advance and if so is there a website where we can do that? The only website I found seemed to be inoperable. Thanks
Quisiera saber si costo de la entrada para visitantes extranjeros. Si los menores pagan boleto. Si la atracciĂłn de los puentes y tirolesas es independiente al pago de la entrada
PaddyWacks
Brighton, UK53 contributions
Hello. Can anyone confirm if trails wheelchair friendly. The pictures show the path as quite well maintained but is it gravel?
Reserva Bosque ... S
Monteverde, Costa Rica1 contribution
Hi,
We do have a trail in concret that can be access on wheel chair, notice that this trail is about 500 mts. Circular, Mundo Joven Trail.
You can access part of the Cloud Forest, The Orchid Garden, and the main building.
The rest of the Trails are in gravel, not that nice for wheel chair. If want more info, write us to or email.
antoni h
la vall de bianya126 contributions
Quisiera contactar con guĂa para trayecto del Sendero del Caño Negro en el Bosque Nuboso de Santa Elena. Si sabĂ©is de alguno, si me pueden facilitar el contacto, serĂa de
agradecer. Pensamos visitar la zona a principios de abril.
Reserva Bosque ... S
Monteverde, Costa Rica1 contribution
Buenos dĂas Antoni,
Saludos desde la Reserva Santa Elena, regularmente nuestros tours generales se realizan en senderos como el Encantado, Youth Challenge o Del Bajo, en muchas ocasiones quedan a desiciĂłn del guĂa puesto que hay puntos de interes en algunos sitios especĂficos. En algunos momentos no se completa un solo sendero.
En cuanto al Sendero Caño Negro, regularmente este no se ofrece en los paquetes de caminatas guiadas puesto que el trayecto por si mismo es muy largo y con las explicaciones del guia puede que se tarde mas de 4 horas en recorrerlo.
Sin embargo si gustas hacerlo, puedes enviar la solicitud a los compañeros de Reservaciones y podemos ver si para las fechas esta a nuestro alcanze. En este caso serĂa bajo la Modalidad de Tour Privado y tendrĂa un costo aproximado de $125. el correo serĂa reservaciones@ reservasantaelena org .
Saludos
Walter -
jose C
West Bay, Grand Cayman1 contribution
Anybody knows the weather conditions this October 15 and 16?? Is it too rainy??
Jure R
2 contributions
Cual es el costo de entrada para un extranjero?
Reserva Bosque ... S
Monteverde, Costa Rica1 contribution
Buenos dĂas,
El costo para el recorrido autoguiado serĂa de $16 por persona. para extrangeros. $9 con ID de estudiante Valida.
Cuál es el costo de la entrada para nacionales?
Reserva Bosque ... S
Monteverde, Costa Rica1 contribution
Buenos dĂas Kayna,
Para nacionales serĂan $5 por persona.
Puedes obtener más información llamandonos al 2645 5390 o por correo electrónico a reservaciones@reservasantaelena. org
saccw
Sacramento, CA15 contributions
Thinking about making Santa Elena Cloud Forest reserve one of our stops. We're already planning to take a guided tour at Selvatura Park, are they similar enough hikes that we should skip the Santa Elena Reserve and just do one?
Timothius
Port Washington, NY40 contributions
The two parks are very close to each other. Selvatura has the bridges walk which is well maintained and can be done without a guide. The Santa Elena is more primitive - which for me is a good thing. It was much more 'cloud forest' than Selvatura seemed from what I saw. If I had it to do again, I'd hire a guide for St. Elena and just do Selvatura myself.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingRESERVA BOSQUE NUBOSO SANTA ELENA: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena:
- Nightwalk Monteverde by Pablos natural tour (From RÂ 576,61)
- Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Tour (Regular) (From RÂ 999,46)
- Monteverde Coffee, Chocolate and Night Tour (From RÂ 1Â 114,78)
- Extreme Zipline (100% Adrenaline) (From RÂ 1Â 825,94)
- Private Guided Walk to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve (From RÂ 1Â 153,23)
- Hotels near Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena:
- (2.83 km) Hidden Canopy Treehouses Boutique Hotel
- (3.57 km) Koora Hotel
- (3.71 km) Chira Glamping
- (3.81 km) Hotel Belmar
- (4.59 km) Camino Verde Bed & Breakfast
- Restaurants near Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena:
- (0.30 km) El Jardin Restaurant
- (3.82 km) El Sapo Restaurant & Bar
- (3.78 km) San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience
- (4.26 km) Monteverde Brewing Company
- (4.20 km) Mar y Tierra