El Refugio Night Tour

El Refugio Night Tour Description

El Refugio Night Tour is a light 2-hour walk in search of the creatures of the night, recommended to anyone who wants to see wildlife such as sloths, armadillos, porcupines, possums, coatis, olingos, and kinkajous, as well as sleeping birds and a wide variety of insects, among others.

Animals in Monteverde Costa Rica are more active and prominent during the nighttime when they come out in search of food and shelter, so you will have a lot more chances to see them on a night tour. 

El Refugio is a premier location to see bird species such as the quetzals, mot-mots, and toucans; land animals such as monkeys, coatis, olingos, sloths, frogs, snakes, and a large variety of insects. On a typical tour, you will see between 3 and 5 mammal species, 5 to 10 bird species, a couple of snakes or frogs, and many types of insects. This is the widest variety of animals you will see on any other night tour in the area. 

You will join a group with a local tour guide who will give you an introduction and flashlights before starting the walk on the trails of El Refugio. Spots are limited, so you need to book in advance.

Restrictions: El Refugio Night Tour is not wheelchair accessible, and it is not suitable for kids under the age of 5. 

El Refugio Night Tour Prices

Even though El Refugio Night Tour comes at the highest price point for a night tour in the area, El Refugio is single-handily the best night tour in Monteverde, Costa Rica. El Refugio Night Tour is $27 for residents (all ages), $25 for foreign kids (4-11 years old), and $45 for foreign adults (12 and up). These rates do not include taxes or transportation, and transportation is $10 per person both ways. 

Note For Solo Travelers: We need at least two customers to operate this tour. If you are a solo traveler and there is no one else on tour, we will need to charge your card the equivalent of 2 people.

El Refugio Night Tour Meeting Point

El Refugio Night Tour takes place at the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge, or “El Refugio,” as locals call it. Even though you can add transportation at the time of booking, the recommendation is to drive to the park directly whenever possible. Driving to the park can save you up to 90 minutes since the shuttles have to stop many times at multiple locations to pick up or drop off travelers.

About El Refugio

El Refugio is a 55-acre conservation area in Monteverde, Costa Rica. El Refugio, called a Wildlife Refuge, is at the heart of a biological corridor, an area of habitat connecting wildlife populations separated by human activities or structures, where dozens of animals live. There are small fruit trees on the premises of the property where animals go to get food, and with the help of a tour guide and flashlights, you will have an excellent chance to spot them.