The howler monkey reached out to another branch while the baby clung on to her. She hopped over trees looking for food, until she rested on one, satisfied with the perch. Her tail clamped on a lower branch for additional support. A bunch of chlorophonias were busy binging on the yellow fruits of the tree. We stood there observing nature at eye level, several meters above the ground. The hanging bridges in Monteverde, Costa Rica, provide a magnificent way to observe the biodiverse cloud forests near the canopy.
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The perspective is what makes the walk on hanging bridges so unique and makes it one of the top activities to do in Monteverde.
4 Options to experience Hanging Bridges in Monteverde
Monteverde has 4 options to experience the wilderness from the top, walking on the hanging bridges and the connecting trails.
The first 3 options are Sky Adventures, Selvatura Park, and 100% Aventura Adventure Park, where they have a series of such bridges of various lengths and heights traversing through the cloud forest trails. All the 3 parks also offer canopy or zipline tours apart from the hanging bridges.
The 4th option is a single hanging bridge inside the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve.
We highlight some of the key points to help you make a decision:
- Selvatura Park: Wonderful views of the Santa Elena Reserve and a good mix of combo tours which is great for families including kids (zipline tours, sloth sanctuary, reptile and amphibian exhibition, hummingbird and butterfly gardens)
- Sky Adventures: Longest hanging bridges and combo tour with the Zipline tours and Sky Tram.
- 100% Aventura: Another option for a guided tour of the hanging bridges has the zipline option as well.
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve: If you just want to experience a hanging bridge amidst a cloud forest, go for this!
You can often combine hanging bridge tours with ziplining, also called canopy tours, another exciting thing to do in Monteverde.
Check out our guide on Ziplining in Monteverde, where you fly over the cloud forests of Costa Rica.
El Tigre Waterfalls: If you wish to explore natural hanging bridges along with waterfalls in Monteverde, and open for an intermediate-difficulty hike, check out our guide on El Tigre Waterfalls.
Let us explore what each of them has in store for the visitors.
Hanging Bridges at Selvatura Park: Treetop Walkways Suspension Bridges
Selvatura Park is located around 6 km / 3.7 miles from the Santa Elena town center, just a few hundred meters ahead of the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. The proximity to the cloud forest makes the views during the activities in Selvatura Park, like exploring the hanging bridges or zip-line tours, more exciting.
Trail Information
Selvatura Park has 8 suspension bridges with lengths ranging from 187 feet / 57 meters to 515 feet / 157 meters in length and 17 meters to 34 meters in height. We did the hike around noon and the trail was almost empty. So we had the bridges to ourselves. It was a bit cloudy, however, the views of the canopy were clear.
The track is mostly easy with some uphill or downhill areas along the trails. You go through the dense cloud forest ecosystem with the trees decorated with picturesque green mosses. We saw a group of howler monkeys from one of the hanging bridges and found another group on the trail.
No. of Hanging Bridges: 8
Distance: 3 km / 1.9 miles (1.5 – 2 hours)
Range of Length of the Bridges: 187 feet / 57 meters to 515 feet / 157 meters
Range of Height of the Bridges: 17 meters to 34 meters
Timings
You will need to book a slot for the walk. There are 4 options of slots that are available daily at 8.30 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 2.30pm.
Cost
Cost for the guided tours are:
- Foreign Adults: 49 USD + taxes/fees
- Foreign Children (4 years -12 years): 34 USD + taxes/fees
- Students under 18: 44 USD + taxes/fees
- CR Nationals and Residents: 44 USD + taxes/fees
You can check out this tour which includes pickup from the Monteverde Hotels and combines hanging bridges with ziplining and butterfly gardens. Also, if you are staying in Guanacaste, this tour includes pick-up from several pick-up points from hotels in Guanacaste. However, we recommend staying in Monteverde for the best and most relaxed experience.
Apart from the above costs, check out their combo offers that include other activities like zip-line tours, hummingbird and butterfly gardens, sloth sanctuary, and reptiles and amphibians exhibition.
Hanging Bridges at Sky Adventures Monteverde: Sky Walk
Sky Adventures company has 2 parks in Costa Rica that have hanging bridges, in Arenal and Monteverde. The Monteverde Sky Adventures Park is located 4 km / 2.5 miles from the town center on the same road that leads to the Selvatura Park and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve.
Sky Adventures have named the hanging bridges tour as Sky Walk. The name is justified, as you do just that on the hanging bridges, walk in the sky!
We hiked in an earlier slot of the morning when the canopy of the tropical cloud forests came alive with birds and animals. There were colorful chlorophonias and euphonias attracted to the fruits on the canopy. They did not seem to be distracted by our presence just a few meters away. So we had the opportunity to watch the gangs at length.
We also found a tarantula on the trail connecting the hanging bridges.
Trail Information
They have 1.5 miles trail include 6 hanging bridges with length ranging from 157 feet / 47 meters to 774 feet / 236 meters and 15 meters to 50 meters in height. The surrounding views are amazing and you will notice the zip-line stations at a distance from couple of bridges.
No. of Hanging Bridges: 5
Distance: 2.4 km / 1.5 miles (1.5 – 2 hours)
Range of Length of the Bridges: 157 feet / 47 meters to 774 feet / 236 meters
Range of Height of the Bridges: 15 meters to 50 meters
Timings
You will need to book a slot for the walk. There are 7 options of slots that are available daily at 8:00 am, 9:00 am, 10.30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 2:30 pm.
Cost
Costs for the tours are:
- Foreign (Adults): 44 USD
- Foreign Children: 31 USD
- Students: 37 USD
- CR Nationals and Residents: 29 USD
If you wish to add the above with ziplining (Sky Trek) and gondola ride ( Sky Tram) along with pickups from hotels in Monteverde, you can consider this tour or this tour.
You can go for the other activities as well, which are zip-line tours named Sky Trek, Sky Tram, and a Herpetarium. You can buy combo tours as well.
100% Aventura Adventure Park: Tour de los Puentes Colgantes (Hanging Bridges) en Monteverde
The 100% Aventura Adventure Park is located around 4.5 km / 2.8 miles from the Santa Elena town center, on the way that leads to Arenal.
Trail Information
The 100% Aventura Adventure Park has a a 3 km / 1.87 miles trail where you will cross 8 hanging bridges. The guided tour gives an amazing overview of the cloud forest environment of Monteverde, while enjoying the views.
No. of Hanging Bridges: 8
Distance: 3 km / 1.87 miles (2 hours or more)
Timings
You will need to book a slot for the walk. There are 7 options of slots that are available daily at 8:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm.
Cost
Costs for the guided tours are:
- Foreign (Adults / 12+ years): 40 USD
- Foreign Children (4-12 years): 34 USD
- CR Nationals and Residents: 29 USD
You can check out this tour by 100% Aventura combining ziplining with hanging bridges.
Hanging Bridge at Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve
The sole hanging bridge in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is an iconic reddish colored structure, about ~1 km / 0.6 mile from the entrance. You can take the Bosque Nuboso, Camino (easiest of the 3) or the Winston Guindon trail to reach the bridge.
Latest Update: The bridge is closed for renovation as it got damaged during a storm. You can go close, see and take photos but cannot step on the bridge. Please check with them if it is open if you want to experience this.
Cost
- Foreign (Adults): 26 USD
- Foreign Children: 13 USD
- CR Nationals and Residents: 8 USD
- CR Resident Student: 6 USD
Parking charges are extra and paid separately.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve has several trails. So apart from the Hanging Bridge, you will have the flora and fauna of the reserve to explore. Also, there is a Continental Divide viewpoint and a waterfall.
What to Carry?
Quick things to keep in mind:
- Wear hiking shoes with good grip. The trails are not difficult but if it rains then it can be slippery.
- Carry raincoat or poncho as it can rain anytime in Costa Rica.
- Bring water to keep yourself hydrated, particularly in dry season.
- You can carry snacks, but the entrance of the parks have restaurants.
So, Which Hanging Bridges Tour to Choose?
If you want a proper hanging bridges trail experience, then choose either Selvatura Park, Sky Adventures or 100% Aventura. It is a difficult decision to choose between these three options. You can check their list of activities and proximity to finalize your decision.
Selvatura Park offers more diverse activities and exhibitions of local wildlife like the Sloth Sanctuary, Hummingbird, and Butterfly Garden. Also, they are adjacent to the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, our favorite cloud forest reserve in terms of the vegetation and forest views.
Whereas, Sky Adventures has its Sky Tram, which is not offered by others. If you have enough time, go for both!
Final Thoughts
The atmosphere turns surreal from the height the hanging bridges are installed at. When you look below, your eyes pierce through the leaves and branches and reach the stream below tearing through the cloud forest. These feelings are what make the hanging bridges of Monteverde unmissable.
Some other cloud forest areas in Costa Rica:
Plan your Monteverde trip:
Monteverde: The Complete Travel Guide
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Bajo del Tigre, Children’s Eternal Rainforest
Birding at Curi-Cancha Reserve
Best Restaurants in Monteverde
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Marvellous tourist spot. The detailed wonderful description of the bridges added with unique photographs reasonably attract nature lovers. I eagerly wait to see many more in your blog. Thank you.
Glad you like it. Thank you 🙂