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 listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
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
See what travellers are saying
  • Surrey 13
    London, United Kingdom1,139 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A truly marvellous nature reserve for the local community, Santa Elena Nature Reserve
    The 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 community
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 20 March 2023
  • Brian P
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to experience the Cloud Forest
    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.
    Visited March 2023
    Written 21 March 2023
  • Harold565
    Milton Keynes, United Kingdom33 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Walking 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 2023
    Written 23 March 2023
  • Chuck H
    Portland, Oregon30 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great place to hike
    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.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 15 May 2023
  • Toby N
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Peace, Beauty and Kindness
    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.
    Visited August 2022
    Travelled with family
    Written 13 July 2023
  • ANH-USA
    Laguna Beach, California11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Do 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 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 August 2023
  • Tikitiki212
    Wisconsin128 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Definitely 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 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 30 October 2023
  • Vacationer611661
    7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lush, beautiful, and not crowded
    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!
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 27 January 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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
4.5 of 5 bubbles785 reviews
Excellent
494
Very good
212
Average
63
Poor
12
Terrible
4

Vacationer611661
7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
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
5.0 of 5 bubbles
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.
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
5.0 of 5 bubbles
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
5.0 of 5 bubbles
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.
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
5.0 of 5 bubbles
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!
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
1.0 of 5 bubbles
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
4.0 of 5 bubbles
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
5.0 of 5 bubbles
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.
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
5.0 of 5 bubbles
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.
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
5.0 of 5 bubbles
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.

…
Showing results 1-10 of 489
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 listing

RESERVA 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: