They might both be cloud forests, but there is a surprising amount of differences when it comes to the Monteverde and Santa Elena reserves. We were lucky enough to visit both, and though we really enjoyed our time at each, we do have a favourite. We know that not everyone is lucky enough to have the time to visit both, so this guide is going to help you decide which is right for you.
We’ll be breaking down what to expect from both cloud forests, and which is the best in terms of the scenery, trails, wildlife, crowds and cost.
Here’s our thoughts on Monteverde Cloud Forest vs Santa Elena Cloud Forest.
Monteverde Cloud Forest vs Santa Elena Cloud Forest
The scenery
Monteverde
The scenery at Monteverde is gorgeous and never more so than if you’re lucky enough to visit on a day when the cloud seeps into the forest. This is when Monteverde (and Santa Elena) become magical.
If you visit on a sunny day, it totally changes the vibe, and this is particularly true at Monteverde, as though the forest is dense, it’s not as dense as Santa Elena. On a sunny day it looks a little more like a ‘normal forest’ than the pictures you’ll see where it looks dark and mysterious.
There are some viewpoints at Monteverde, but it’s definitely the forest you come for, not the views.
Santa Elena
The forest at Santa Elena is much more dense than at Monteverde (particularly on the longer trails). You’ll be walking through the forest and feel fully immersed in the scenery. It’s so dense that in much of the reserve no light even penetrates the forest floor.
This gives it a really wild, almost jungly vibe. We love the feeling of being completely surrounded by dense foliage, so for us, Santa Elena has the most impressive scenery.
We didn’t get lucky with the volcano viewpoint here, as clouds were covering the volcano, but we came for the forest scenery and that was utterly spectacular.
The trails
Monteverde
The trails in Monteverde are - generally speaking - in excellent condition. Gone are the days when the tracks were super muddy, you’ll now find many of the popular paths are paved, and those that aren’t still hold up very well - although it’s worth noting that we visited in the dry season.
There are also a variety of different tracks you can take with varying difficulty levels. None are what I’d describe as difficult, but the Sendero Bosque Nuboso trail has some quite steep sections.
If you love hanging bridges, then you’ll find a really good one at Monteverde. If you’re not planning on doing one of the expensive hanging bridge adventure parks, then it gives you the chance to experience one of the bridges for ‘free’ - of course it’s not actually free, but it doesn’t have an additional cost attached.
There’s also a waterfall, although this is very small, and more of a cascade than a waterfall, especially by Costa Rican standards.
Santa Elena
The trails at Santa Elena generally have a much more natural feel as there isn’t much paving and most are dirt tracks. This does mean you will encounter more mud than at Monteverde, although in the dry season it was nothing to write home about.
Small sections may be a touch slippery as they are natural tracks, but again, nothing I would say is particularly challenging.
As with Monteverde there are a variety of trails you can take ranging from easy to a little more difficult. All have a bit of uphill involved.
There are no hanging bridges at Santa Elena, but you do have a great viewing platform, which on a clear day (which we didn’t have) offers views to Arenal volcano.
They also have a meditative trail, which I thought was lovely. There are lots of little signs along the way which encourage you to stop, think and be fully present, and it makes the whole experience very immersive.
The wildlife
Monteverde
It’s not easy to see wildlife at either cloud forest without a guide. The first reason is that approximately 80% of the wildlife is nocturnal, so that rules out spotting a lot of what’s there if you’re not on a night tour. Secondly, the wildlife is generally camouflaged well and it’s hard to spot in the dense forest environment.
Having said that, the forest at Monteverde is a little less dense than at Santa Elena, and though we didn’t spot any mammals, it was easier to see birds here. We were even lucky enough to spot a quetzal, which was so incredibly special and really made our day.
Santa Elena
We’ve sort of covered the reasons it’s hard to see wildlife in the above, but with regards to Santa Elena in particular, the forest is really dense. That’s exactly what we loved about it, but also makes it extra difficult to spot wildlife.
We heard heaps of birdlife here and the sound of things scurrying around the undergrowth was near constant, but we barely saw a thing. If you go with a guide you will have much more luck, but without a guide it’s a challenge.
The crowds
Monteverde
Unfortunately for lovers of solitude like us, Monteverde is wildly popular. It’s the reason most people visit this area in the first place. Whilst the reserve does have a limit on how many people can be in the forest at any one time, that limit is fairly large (we were told different numbers by different members of staff, so we can’t accurately tell you the amount, but it’s several hundred).
This means that the trails can feel very crowded. Added to that Monteverde attracts large tour groups. Getting around these groups can be challenging at times as the paths are not that wide. There are some trails which are quieter than others, but all had a decent flow of traffic and some were darn right packed.
Contrary to everything I read online, we personally found it quieter in the afternoon because everyone tells you to visit in the morning, which is when the weather is generally sunnier (although that’s not our favourite conditions here at all, quite the opposite) and when wildlife is most active.
Santa Elena
Santa Elena was very quiet by comparison to Monteverde, but even if I weren’t comparing the two, I would still say it’s quiet. We bumped into a couple of tour groups, but these were small groups of a handful of people and were few and far between.
Santa Elena attracts more independent hikers, but even then we didn’t see many. We spent almost our entire time in Santa Elena alone, and let me tell you, it was wonderful.
No queues, no trouble passing big groups, and the chance to soak up that incredible cloud forest atmosphere alone.
The cost
Monteverde
The cost to enter Monteverde for adult foreigners is USD $25. A fairly hefty sum for a self guided walk. Is it worth it?
For us yes, because we absolutely love forests, and cloud forests in particular are very special. However, it’s clearly not as good value as Santa Elena.
Santa Elena
Entry to Santa Elena Cloud Forest is USD $18 for adult foreigners. This is still a high amount for one day’s access to self guided trails, however it’s a fair bit cheaper than Monteverde. Overall Santa Elena is much better value than Monteverde, probably due to the fact it’s less famous.
So which is the best?
I have to say that I was expecting to prefer Monteverde as I’d visited in the past and loved it. I still loved it, but for me, Santa Elena is the favourite. The forest was denser and more wild, the paths were more natural, and it was quieter, which left me able to really soak up the atmosphere of the forest. The fact it’s cheaper is a bonus because you’re still spending USD $18, so it’s not exactly cheap.
If you only have the time or budget to visit one, I would make it Santa Elena.
If you’re looking for more details on each of the forests, we have you covered in our guide to things you should know before visiting Monteverde and tips for visiting Santa Elena.
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