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Monteverde Butterfly Gardens: Insectarium and Gardens Tour
4.7
78 Ratings
Monteverde
Discover Costa Rica’s bugs and butterflies with passionate guides. Explore unique gardens, see caterpillars transform, and enjoy unlimited visits during your stay.
Discover Costa Rica’s bugs and butterflies with passionate guides. Explore unique gardens, see caterpillars transform, and enjoy unlimited visits during your stay.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Monteverde Butterfly Garden (Jardin de Mariposas) - Here at the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens, we have been teaching people about Costa Rica’s insects and arachnids for over 30 years. We have made it our mission to change the way people think about these small, misunderstood creatures. This may seem like a daunting task, but our bugs and tour…
- Monteverde Butterfly Garden (Jardin de Mariposas) - Here at the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens, we have been teaching people about Costa Rica’s insects and arachnids for over 30 years. We have made it our mission to change the way people think about these small, misunderstood creatures. This may seem like a daunting task, but our bugs and tour guides can win over even the most skeptical visitor! With up to 30 species of butterfly in 4 different habitats, over 20 species of live insects and arachnids in our nature center, an active leaf-cutter ant colony and the best guides in the business, we truly have something for everyone!
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Photo opportunities
- Professional guide
- Photo opportunities
What's Not Included
- Transportation to/from attractions
- Transportation to/from attractions
Additional Information
Our tours are a little over an hour in length, and include the following: An introduction to Costa Rica bugs, and an orientation to the Gardens An up-close experience with a variety of insects and arachnids A look at our rearing chamber, where caterpillars are becoming butterflies A stroll through our 3 unique gardens, full of spectacular butterflies….
Our tours are a little over an hour in length, and include the following: An introduction to Costa Rica bugs, and an orientation to the Gardens An up-close experience with a variety of insects and arachnids A look at our rearing chamber, where caterpillars are becoming butterflies A stroll through our 3 unique gardens, full of spectacular butterflies. The most valuable part of every admission to the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens is a tour with one of our dedicated and passionate guides. Available in English or Spanish our tours will take you through each section of the insectarium and gardens. With our guide at your side, you will see and learn far more than you ever would by yourself. Our guides love bugs! Our guide will provide lots of interesting information as the tour progresses. Once the tour is over, you are welcome to continue exploring on your own for as long as you’d like. Pay your entry once and keep coming back as long as you are in Monteverde!
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
Location
Monteverde Butterfly Gardens
Cerro Plano, 20 minute walk or short cab ride from downtown Santa Elena
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(78 Ratings)
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Ptodd18
Apr 24, 2025
Worth visiting -butterflies actually land on you to drink your sweat - A fun l, educational, family friendly tour which includes introductions to other bugs of costa rica as well as butterflies - tarantula, stick insect, scorpion and cockroach. Enthusiastic guide you are free to wander through gardens again afterwards and return another time . Small gift shop at end. Worth the visit
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bree_r
Apr 9, 2025
Super fun and... - Super fun and informative. Try to film the butterflies in slow motion! Glad I came to visit. Thanks!
Review provided by Viator
Shelley
Mar 16, 2025
Beautiful Butterflies! - Fantastic butterflies!!!! H was our guide through the lovely butterfly garden. She was so knowledgeable about the butterflies and plants. It was evident she loves her work. Don’t miss this experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eigonosensay
Feb 18, 2025
Magical Monteverde - I can't say enough positive things about Monteverde as a travel destination. It was easy to put up with the wind and uphill walks to experience the magic of the cloud forest. We shuttled with the wonderful Marco of Alvarado of Genuine Costa Rica from Playa Hermosa. We spent 4 nights at the fabulous Cabanas La Pradera about 1.5 km out of Santa Elena. It was easy to get the red taxi to all of our destinations. We spent day 1 on a guided tour arranged by our Cabina hosts to Monteverde Cloud Forest. Day 2 we went Salva Toura for an awe-some 2 hour canopy walk. After a lovely lunch at their restaurant went went to their sloth sanctuary and butterfly garden with a very knowledgeable guide. They also have a snake/lizard sanctuary on site and ziplinig. Salva Toura is costly but worth. The final day we explored Santa Elena and went to the orchid garden again with a very knowledgeable guide. The area is not over crowded with tourists. I've been to Costa Rica 3 times and Monteverde is a magical destination that is always on my itinerary.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeremiasz_m
Feb 3, 2025
Very good - Guide was great and I learned a lot about butterflies on that tour. Group was small. The whole tour could be longer, but overall I was pleased.
Review provided by Viator
Timjstark
Jan 23, 2025
Last minute-great tour! - A last minute addition to our final day & it was well worth it! The entry fee entitles you to a professional, informative, and humorous hour long tour that you will not forget!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hannahrv2123ez
Jan 17, 2025
Danielle was an amazing guide! - Danielle was an excellent guide. She was so funny, passionate, and kind. They were technically closed when we went by, but they let us in since we had travelled from La Fortuna that morning. Such a nice and amazing staff with lots of cool insects and butterflies to see. Highly recommend for anyone visiting the cloud forest!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chrisct4653au
Jan 15, 2025
Great experience at Monteverde Butterfly Garden - Very informative tour. Learned about the life cycles of butterflies and other insects, including tarantulas and how they interact to their advantage. Walked thru two other enclosed butterfly enclosures and one larger outdoor/screened in one. Saw butterflies mating. Were landing on our clothes. Our guide Gabe gave a very educational tour laced w/ humor. Someone who had an obvious passion for his work.
Would highly recommend. And is very reasonably priced.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Goodguyjas
Apr 3, 2025
Very educational and passionate guides can overwhelm with information at times but you see some amazing critters - Highly informative and passionate guides talk about what the facility has to offer and you get a good introduction to the importance of the world of bugs that many don’t particularly like for their looks. The guides definitely make a case for their importance and there is a genuine love for these critters. I was amazed at how talkative our guide was and she did ware me down at times if I was honest. I like introductions rather than extensive details but it might seem unfair to critique the delivery of such an important subject. Although her party piece of putting a live cockroach in her mouth was quite a shock and something to see. It was to show how incredibly clean these amazing creatures are and seeing them up close was very interesting.
After that we headed to the various butterfly enclosures with another equally talkative guide who again showed his amazing passion. At times I wish I had time to be left alone to enjoy the butterflies but we were on the clock so it is important to keep the tour going so the next group can get around. We got to see some beautiful butterflies in abundance across four enclosures and a few outside. I did for some reason think we would see these creatures more outside in a natural habitat but they do need to be kept in these artificial environments for us to see, like I would see back in the UK.
A great place to see these amazing creatures and the colours are sublime. A great setting with a significant educational experience which at times is a bit too much for the average tourist but it is about their passion so important to experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D1497pijacobg
Apr 25, 2025
Poor experience - We visit Costa Rica regularly and have always loved the butterfly and sloth garden at Selvatura. This time, we tried a different garden with a larger group, and it was a big letdown. The enclosures were basic—just sticks and cloth—and there were very few butterflies. Our guide, a kind volunteer, told us he was promised food and housing for an internship but ended up in a shed eating beans and rice every day. Overall, poorly managed and not worth the visit. We’ll be recommending other places or going back to Selvatura next time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor