Costa Rica
ESMy trip
Sun on the horizon behind layers of mountains seen from Monteverde.

Costa Rica · Monteverde

For rainy days and with kids

Short or covered animal and plant exhibits that work even when it rains.

7 places

  1. Monteverde Butterfly Gardens, Cerro Plano1

    Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0

    WildlifeOpen

    Monteverde Butterfly Gardens

    Cerro Plano1.2 km from the centre

    Entry
    $20
    Hours
    9:00 to 15:30
    Booking
    Not needed

    Garden with up to 30 butterfly species in four habitats, a nature centre with more than 20 live insect and arachnid species and a leaf-cutter ant colony.

    Source: Monteverde Butterfly Gardens (oficial) · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $20 per adult (official site); student and youth discounts available.
    Hours
    Daily 9:00 to 15:30.
    Booking
    No booking needed: visits are guided on arrival.

    Tip: Go mid-morning in sunshine: butterflies are more active.

    Nearby: Valle Escondido Reserve and night tour (0 km) · Jeep-boat-jeep to La Fortuna (0.7 km) · Monteverde Frog Pond (Ranario) (0.7 km)

    Sources: Monteverde Butterfly Gardens (oficial)

  2. 2

    WildlifeOpen

    Monteverde Frog Pond (Ranario)

    Santa Elena, a few blocks from the centre1.7 km from the centre

    Entry
    $15
    Hours
    9:00 to 20:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    Exhibit in Santa Elena with more than 25 species of frogs and toads in naturalistic terrariums; they are more active at night.

    Source: MonteverdeInfo – Monteverde Frog Pond · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $ · under US$15
    Hours
    Recent sources give 9:00 to 20:00.

    Tip: According to reviews, the ticket (about $20) lets you return another day that week: go by day and come back at night with the guide.

    Nearby: Monteverde Serpentarium (0.1 km) · Santa Elena town (0.1 km) · Jeep-boat-jeep to La Fortuna (0.2 km)

    Sources: MonteverdeInfo – Monteverde Frog Pond · Tripadvisor – Ranario Monteverde Frog Pond

  3. 3

    WildlifeOpen

    The Bat Jungle

    Cerro Plano (old Monteverde), near CASEM1.7 km from the centre

    Entry
    $15
    Hours
    9:00 to 18:00
    Booking
    Not needed

    Live exhibit run by a bat biologist, with fruit and nectar bats and audio that turns echolocation into audible sound.

    Source: The Bat Jungle – Contact (oficial) · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $ · under US$15
    Hours
    Daily 9:00 to 18:00; guided tours 9:00 to 17:00.
    Booking
    Walk-ins are accepted.
    Time needed
    About 45 minutes.

    Nearby: Caburé chocolate tour (0 km) · CASEM women’s craft cooperative (0.2 km) · Children’s Eternal Rainforest – Bajo del Tigre (0.4 km)

    Sources: The Bat Jungle – Contact (oficial) · The Bat Jungle Monteverde (oficial)

  4. 4

    NatureOpen

    Monteverde Orchid Garden

    Central Santa Elena1.9 km from the centre

    Entry
    $20
    Hours
    9:00 to 17:00
    Booking
    Not stated

    Garden in central Santa Elena with more than 450 orchid species, many of them miniature; the guided visit is done with a magnifying glass.

    Source: Monteverde Orchid Garden – Tours (oficial) · 2026

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Adults $20, children 6 to 12 $16, under 6 free; private $179 (minimum 2).
    Hours
    Every day of the year 9:00 to 17:00.
    Booking
    No set times; the average wait is about 20 minutes, less if you book online.
    Time needed
    About 45 minutes along 300 m of accessible paths.

    Nearby: Jeep-boat-jeep to La Fortuna (0.2 km) · Santa Elena town (0.2 km) · Monteverde Frog Pond (Ranario) (0.3 km)

    Sources: Monteverde Orchid Garden – Tours (oficial)

  5. 5

    WildlifeOpen

    Selvatura sloth sanctuary

    Inside Selvatura Park5.5 km from the centre

    Entry
    $40
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A large enclosure with about a dozen rescued two-toed sloths that cannot return to the wild; the visit is guided and short.

    Source: Two Weeks in Costa Rica – Sloth sanctuary at Selvatura · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $40 adults, $36 students, $28 children 4 to 11, plus 13% (2026).
    Time needed
    30–40 minutes.

    Tip: If you want wild sloths, night walks and the Wildlife Refuge often find them too.

    Nearby: Monteverde ziplines (0 km) · Selvatura Park: hanging bridges and canopy (0 km) · Santa Elena Reserve (0.3 km)

    Sources: Two Weeks in Costa Rica – Sloth sanctuary at Selvatura · Selvatura Park – Tours (oficial)

    Find tours
  6. 6

    WildlifeOpen

    Monteverde Serpentarium

    Santa Elena1.7 km from the centre

    Entry
    $15
    Hours
    Not stated
    Booking
    Not stated

    A small exhibit with more than 20 Costa Rican snake species, venomous and non-venomous, plus frogs and reptiles.

    Source: Wikipedia – Serpentario de Monteverde · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    $ · under US$15

    Tip: Reviews mention about $15 with a night return included, but published hours disagree; confirm before going. Selvatura’s reptile exhibit is another option.

    Nearby: Monteverde Frog Pond (Ranario) (0.1 km) · Santa Elena town (0.1 km) · Jeep-boat-jeep to La Fortuna (0.2 km)

    Sources: Wikipedia – Serpentario de Monteverde · Tripadvisor – Serpentario Monteverde

More guides for this destination