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Monteverde is one of the most incredible places to visit in Costa Rica. It’s famous for its unique cloud forest, and it’s also a fantastic place to enjoy some adventurous experiences – such as ziplining!
We’ve spent a lot of time in Monteverde, and we love the ziplining tours here. There are lots of different courses to check out, and it’s an amazing way to explore the forest and see wildlife.
In fact, you can even go ziplining in Monteverde on a day trip from other parts of Costa Rica. There are tours that will pick you up throughout Guanacaste and bring you to the cloud forest for one of the best ziplining experiences in Costa Rica.
So if you’re ready to take to the treetops and zipline through one of Costa Rica’s most diverse areas, keep on reading because this blog contains everything you need to know about ziplining in Monteverde.
1. Is ziplining in Monteverde worth it?
Yes! In fact, Monteverde is one of the best places in the whole of Costa Rica to go ziplining. You get to see so much wildlife as you zoom through the trees! Plus, it’s home to the longest zipline cable in the entire country.
Related Read: To spot even more animals while you’re in Monteverde, take a tour of the Monteverde Cloud Forest to see quetzals, frogs, capybaras, hummingbirds, and more!
2. Where are the best places to go ziplining in Monteverde?
Selvatura Park
Selvatura is a super scenic adventure park nestled inside the Monteverde Cloud Forest. There are other zipline courses that are in the cloud forest, but Selvatura is the one that’s actually inside the reserve itself.
It’s home to 13 regular ziplines, plus a Superman-style zipline that’s 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) long! There’s also a hanging bridge to explore here, plus a sloth sanctuary and a butterfly garden.
You can book this self-drive tour if you just want to go ziplining, or this combo package if you also want to enjoy the hanging bridges and have the convenience of lunch and hotel pickup and drop-off.
Original Canopy
Original Canopy is a private adventure park just a few minutes from Santa Elena – aka downtown Monteverde. The zipline course here takes you through old- and new-growth forests, and you can also enjoy free falling on the park’s Tarzan swing. It takes about 2.5 hours to complete the course and when you book this tour, hotel pickup and dropoff are included at no extra cost!
100% Aventura Adventure Park
This is one for the real thrill-seekers! 100% Aventura Adventure Park is home to nine regular ziplines plus two Superman ziplines, which allow you to zoom along while laying flat, superman style, for an even bigger adrenaline rush than usual.
Plus, there’s a hammock bridge, a rappel, and a Tarzan swing – we love how much variety this course has. And when you book this tour, you’ll also be transported to the starting point via an exciting ATV ride through the rainforest.
Treetopia Park
Treetopia Park (formerly Sky Adventures) is another adventure park with hanging bridges and an awesome zipline course, but what sets it apart is its Sky Tram! You have amazing views of not only the forest canopy but also several of Costa Rica’s volcanoes in the distance as you glide along in an open-air gondola, which is a really cool experience. And when you book this tour, you get all 3 experiences in one!
Monteverde Extremo Park
Monteverde Extremo Park has some of the highest ziplines around, and you can also go rappelling, horse riding, and bungee jumping here. It’s one of the best places for thrill seekers to spend a day in Monteverde. Plus, when you book this tour of the park, you get private transportation and a chance to ride on the giant Tarzan swing.
3. What are the best ziplining tours in Monteverde?
Monteverde Cloud Forest Zipline Tour
This ziplining tour takes you to Selvatura Park, inside the Monteverde Cloud Forest reserve, for a fun 3-hour zipline tour. You’ll learn a lot about the park’s wildlife from your guides – when you’re not zooming through the trees that is! The entire course has 15 cables in total. Then, at the end of the tour, you’re in for a treat, as the course concludes with a Tarzan swing!
This is a self-drive tour, so it’s ideal if you’ve got a rental car, but if not, it’s easy to get a taxi here from town. You can choose to do this zipline tour at 8:30 am, 11 am, 1 pm, or 2:30 pm, so it’s nice and flexible.
The tour also has a minimum age limit of 4, which is a little lower than most other ziplining tours, so this is a good option for families. It costs $88 USD per person, which includes all safety equipment and your experienced guides. To enjoy a fun-filled adventure, book this Monteverde Cloud Forest Zipline Tour online here!
Zipline and Hanging Bridges Combo Tour in Monteverde Cloud Forest
Like the tour we mentioned above, this combo tour takes you to Selvatura Adventure Park to enjoy its zipline course, including the Superman zipline and the Tarzan swing. However, with this tour, you get transport from either Monteverde or the Guanacaste area and some fun extras.
We like the fact that you get to enjoy a typical Costa Rican lunch in the park and go on a guided walk across some of the best hanging bridges in Monteverde. After zooming around the cloud forest on a zipline, it’s nice to take it slow and have more time to spot wildlife.
This tour is also super convenient because it includes hotel pickup and drop-off. This is not only for hotels in Santa Elena, which is about 10 minutes from the cloud forest. You can also be picked up from some of the main hotels in Guanacaste, which is 2.5 hours away. This means that you don’t need to miss out on this tour, even if you’re not planning on staying in Monteverde during your trip.
The ziplining begins at 10 am, but you’ll be picked up before that – the exact time will depend on how far out you’re staying. You’ll be in a group of no more than 15 people for this tour, so it doesn’t feel too crowded.
The tour costs $160 USD per person if you plan on driving yourself to the cloud forest or you’re staying in the Monteverde region. However, if you want to be picked up from Guanacaste, it costs $210 USD per person. Enjoy the thrill of ziplining plus have time to spot wildlife by booking this zipline and hanging bridges combo tour here.
The Original Canopy Tour Monteverde Zipline
This family-friendly tour takes you to the Original Canopy zipline course for a thrilling 2.5-hour adventure that includes free pickup and drop-off from Santa Elena hotels.
We really like the fact that the zipline course is set up to showcase old-growth and new-growth sections of the cloud forest. As well as ziplining, you can enjoy rappelling all the way down to the forest floor, climbing inside of an enormous tree, and soaring through the air on the park’s Tarzan swing.
This tour has multiple start times available in the morning or early afternoon, but personally I recommend the morning so you avoid the heat that comes later in the day. You’ll have an expert guide with you to teach you all the secrets of the mysterious cloud forest and help you to spot animals. They’ll also take photos which you can purchase at the end of the tour for an additional $25 USD.
The tour costs $68 USD per person and kids as young as 5 can participate! It’s so much fun and the company behind it is super reputable, with over 700 5-star reviews under their belt so far. To enjoy a family-friendly adventure book the Original Canopy Tour online here in advance.
100% Aventura Adventure Park Combo
The 100% Adventure Park is a top ziplining destination for those seeking a real thrill, and this combo tour allows you to experience it all!
In addition to tackling the zipline course, you’ll enjoy an ATV buggy ride through the jungle and a heart-pumping ride on the Tarzan swing, which propels you 45 meters (148 feet) into the air. But perhaps the top attraction is the Superman zipline, which is the longest and highest one in Latin America at 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) long!
This is a self-drive tour, so you’ll need to get yourself to and from the park by renting a car in Costa Rica or catching a taxi. It’s a 10-minute drive or taxi ride from Santa Elena, so getting there is really easy.
You can choose to start the tour at 8 am or 11 am, and it costs $56 USD making it the best choice for budget travelers. Kids have to be at least 10 years old to participate in this tour, so it’s definitely geared more towards adrenaline junkies than families. Still, teenagers will go wild for this course!
For an adrenaline-filled morning or afternoon, reserve the Adventure Park Combo here.
Sky Tram and Sky Trek Zipline From Monteverde
We love this tour of Treetopia Park (formerly Sky Adventures) because it delivers such a well-rounded experience!
You get to enjoy zooming through the trees on the 7-cable zipline course, as well as a slower-paced walk on the hanging bridges. The guided walk is a great way to observe the cloud forest’s incredible flora and fauna. Monteverde is one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, so it would be a shame to miss out on spotting its amazing creatures.
Another highlight of this tour is that you get to ride on the Sky Tram, which takes you gliding through and over the forest canopy. As well as awesome up-close views of wildlife, on a clear day you can see the famous Arenal volcano, one of the best volcanoes in Costa Rica, in the distance, as well as Lake Arenal and the Tenorio, Miravalles, and Orosi volcanoes.
Kids as young as 7 can join this tour, and it’s great for families! The tour lasts for 5 hours in total, and you can choose from a range of departures between 8 am and 12:30 pm. It costs $156 USD per person and includes pickup and dropoff in Santa Elena, or close by in the Monteverde region.
To experience this action-packed adventure for yourself, book this Sky Tram and Sky Trek Zipline here.
Selvatura Park Combo Tour From Monteverde
This Selvatura tour from Monteverde not only includes access to the park’s excellent zipline course and Tarzan swing, but you also get to explore the park’s crisscrossing hanging bridges. The views are just beautiful and exploring them is peaceful, yet exciting, as you’ll spot lots of wildlife along the way.
The tour also includes a visit to a butterfly garden, which is home to 30 different species of butterflies. It’s one of the biggest butterfly gardens in Costa Rica, so it’s really cool to visit.
This experience costs $134 USD per person, which includes hotel pickup and dropoff. It doesn’t include lunch, but you can buy food inside the park. The tour lasts for 6.5 hours in total, and you can choose to start at 8:30 am or 10:30 am.
We think that this tour is nice and convenient for those who want a fun ziplining experience as well as time to explore the cloud forest independently, as only the zipline course is guided. The guides will make you feel safe and point out wildlife from the observation towers between cables, and then you’ll have time to take this at your own pace as you navigate the network of hanging bridges.
Enjoy the thrill of ziplining plus time to explore the cloud forest by booking this Selvatura Combo Tour online here.
Longest and Highest Extreme Zipline Experience in Monteverde
This 3-hour tour takes you to Monteverde Extremo Park, where you’ll zoom along some of the highest ziplines in the country. There’s a 14-cable course, and the lines range between 75 m (246 ft) to 150 m (492 ft) above the forest floor. You can also ride on the Tarzan swing, which is an exhilarating experience – it almost feels like a bungee jump!
This tour is perfect for those who are seeking a super exciting experience. This adventure park has some of the longest and highest ziplines in the whole country, so it doesn’t get more thrilling than this.
Plus, the guides are reassuring and have a great sense of humor, so if you’re nervous they’ll be able to put you at ease.
The tour costs $80 USD per person and lasts for 3 hours. The experience is definitely aimed at adventure-seekers, but would also make a fun addition to a Costa Rican honeymoon! You can be picked up from your hotel in Monteverde, or drive yourself to the Extremo park on the day if you prefer.
If you’re seeking the ultimate thrill, you can book this Extreme Zipline Experience in Monteverde here.
4. Do you need to book your Monteverde ziplining tour in advance?
Yes, it’s definitely best to book in advance. Monteverde ziplining tours usually only take small groups, so they can fill up quickly. This is especially true during the peak time to visit, which is from December to April.
We also strongly recommend that families or larger groups who want to enjoy ziplining together should book in advance. All of the tours we’ve mentioned have free cancellation up to 24 hours beforehand, so you can book with confidence that if your plans change, it’s easy to cancel and rebook.
5. Is ziplining in Monteverde suitable for children?
Yes! Most ziplining tours in Monteverde have a minimum age limit between 4-7 years, so they’re great for families. The only exception is the 100% Adventure Park ziplining course, which requires kids to be at least 10 years old.
These age limits aren’t some random numbers – they’re carefully selected according to the difficulty level and physical demands of the course. The guides will be there the entire time to provide support, and they take safety very seriously.
Most of these courses are designed to appeal to travelers of all ages, and we’ve often seen families tackling zipline courses together, so it’s a fun activity to do with kids if they meet the age requirements!
6. Is ziplining in Monteverde safe?
Overall, yes. Safety in Costa Rica is taken seriously for tours like this. However, as a quick disclaimer, we should say that no adventure activity is 100% safe. However, these adventure parks have very strict safety standards in place. The staff are all experienced and well trained, and you’ll be provided with high-quality safety equipment, too.
7. When is the best time to go ziplining in Monteverde?
The most popular time is peak tourist season, which is between December to April. This is one of the most popular times to visit Costa Rica overall.
December to April is the driest time of the year in Monteverde, so it does mean you can see further into the distance when you’re standing on the observation platforms between cables. However, during the wet season, ziplining is super atmospheric as you get the crazy “cloud” effect.
Related Read: If you still want more of an adrenaline rush after ziplining in Monteverde, you can also go ziplining in La Fortuna or take a zipline tour in Jaco.
8. What should you wear ziplining in Monteverde?
The most important thing is to wear closed-toe, comfortable shoes. You don’t want to lose a shoe while zooming through the air! Plus, lots of these tours involve climbing up ladders and rappelling down, so closed-toe shoes prevent a risk of injury.
You also need to make sure that you don’t wear anything loose that can get caught on the ziplines. Jewelry is a no-go, and long hair should be tied up.
Other EPIC Activities to do in Monteverde
While going ziplining in Monteverde is definitely a must-do, don’t forget to explore the rest of this area. There are so many fun activities in Monteverde! These are just a few of our favorites:
- Take a coffee tour – Costa Rica is famous for its coffee, and Monteverde is actually one of the best places to do a coffee tour. The Don Juan plantation is our favorite spot to learn about the coffee-making process and taste loads of samples, and you can book their coffee tour easily online.
- Night walk – There are some great night tours in Monteverde, including some tours of the Monteverde Cloud Forest! One of the best ways to experience the wildlife nightlife is with this Monteverde Rain Forest Night Walk. Almost 80% of the animals in Monteverde are nocturnal, so night is the perfect time to spot them.
- Go bungee jumping – Bungee jumping is one of the fun Monteverde attractions you have to try … if you’re brave enough! The Extreme Bungee Jumping in Monteverde Tour has a daring jump from over 460 feet/140 meters. That’s the highest in Costa Rica and all of Central America!
- Enjoy local cuisine – We love Costa Rican food and were happy to learn that Monteverde has some great restaurants! Our personal favorite restaurant in Monteverde/Santa Elena is Taco Taco Taqueria. And the San Lucas Treetop Dining Experience reminds me of a fancy treehouse paired with an amazing meal.
- Horseback riding – This is a great way to give your feet a break and explore the Monteverde Cloud Forest on horseback! This Monteverde Cloud Forest horseback riding tour lets you cover a lot of ground as you trek through the farmland and surrounding landscape in Monteverde. Keep an eye out for toucans, parrots, monkeys, and other critters as you experience the rural side of Costa Rica.
Where to Stay in Monteverde
With ziplining in Monteverde now on your agenda, you’ll need a place to stay! Monteverde may be a small tourist town, but there are a surprisingly large number of great hotels in all budget ranges in Monteverde.
Chira Glamping Monteverde – $$$
If you’re a luxury traveler, I highly suggest choosing what we call a “destination hotel”. These hotels are an attraction in themselves because of the unique experience they offer. In Monteverde, one of the best is Chira Glamping Monteverde which offers luxury camping with the option to have your own private hot tub surrounded by nature. Now that’s what I call glamping!
The view from the property is incredible! Rates begin at $375 USD/night. You can check availability and book a spot on Booking.com.
Camino Verde B&B Monteverde – $$
If you’re looking for something in the mid-range category, I love Camino Verde B&B Monteverde Costa Rica. This boutique hotel has beautiful rooms, a deck with magnificent views, and includes breakfast. It’s a comfortable hotel that comes at a great price.
Rates begin at $176 USD/night. You can check availability and book a room on Booking.com.
Selina Monteverde – $
If you’re a budget traveler or backpacker, there are lots of nice hostels in Monteverde. If you like modern features and outstanding facilities, Selina Monteverde is the best option. The hostel is beautiful, has great reviews, and has lots of activities, including yoga.
The only downside is Selina is a high-end backpacker hostel. Prices begin at $97 USD for a one-night stay. You can book Selina on Booking.com or through Hostelworld.
Getting Around Costa Rica
How you choose to get around Costa Rica is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when planning your holiday here! How you do it depends on your budget, travel style, and comfort level.
Renting a Car
Without a doubt, the number one way to explore Costa Rica is in a rental car. We book rental cars on the Discover Cars website as we have had good experiences with them in the past.
One of the things you need to watch for when renting a car in Costa Rica is the mandatory insurance that the government requires you to have. There are a lot of very cheap rentals that don’t include this mandatory insurance (TPL) in the original booking price, but there are also ones that do. To avoid additional surprise charges when you pick up your rental car, be sure to rent a car that includes the mandatory insurance when you book.
Thankfully, on Discover Cars it’s easy to tell apart the companies that include the mandatory insurance and those that don’t. The trick is you can’t pick any car on their website. In the picture below, you can see this rental car, with pick up in Jaco, includes the TPL. That means the mandatory insurance is included in the price. Any cover you get above that is extra.
Of course, I still suggest getting the full coverage offered by Discover Cars, which covers you even more.
You can browse cars on Discover Cars here.
Book Shuttles
If renting a car isn’t in your budget, you don’t feel comfortable driving in Costa Rica, or you just don’t like driving, shuttles are the next best option. There are hundreds of shuttle routes available all over the country, and they are very affordable.
Shuttles in Costa Rica are specifically for tourists and often include pick up and drop off at your selected hotels and airports. The drivers also speak some English, and the vehicles have air conditioning. You’ll also be guaranteed a seat when you book a shuttle (which isn’t the case with the public bus system.)
To get the best price, use the website Bookaway. They compare all the offers and prices of shuttle companies in Costa Rica so you get the best price! Honestly, we have saved so much money using Bookaway!
You can search for shuttles online on Bookaway here.
Public Bus
Lastly, you can use the public bus system. On short journeys, such as from San Jose to La Fortuna or Uvita to Manuel Antonio, this system is great. However, the longer the journey the more hassle and time spent on a bus. It’s undoubtedly best to save the public bus in Costa Rica for short and straightforward trips!
The public buses are definitely the cheapest way to get around Costa Rica, but they are not always very reliable and schedules often change without notice and delays are to be expected. The buses can also be very crowded and hot – so just be prepared!
It’s also good to speak some Spanish if you plan on riding the public bus since most drivers and ticket booth operators don’t speak English.
Pura Vida!
Going ziplining in Monteverde is such a fun experience and a great way to see some cool scenery and wildlife. We love going ziplining here and hope this article has helped you make your own plans for adventure.
Before your visit, make sure to check out our entire blog on Costa Rica. We have tons of tips and advice based on our own experiences to make your vacation the best one possible!
COMPLETE Guide to Visiting La Leona Waterfall
22 BEST Tours in Costa Rica that You Don’t Want to Miss
7 Day Costa Rica Itinerary: How to Spend One Week in Costa Rica