Selvatura Park Ultimate Guide: Best Ziplining + Hanging Bridges Monteverde, Costa Rica
Selvatura Park, or Selvatura Adventure Park in Costa Rica, offers a fun-filled day ziplining amongst the Monteverde canopy. Not only will you fly above the well-acclaimed Monteverde Cloud Forest, but you can stroll across several scenic Costa Rica hanging bridges. Monteverde ziplining is considered the best ziplining Costa Rica adventure in the entire country, period.
If you are looking for the best hanging bridges in Costa Rica, the hanging bridges Monteverde offers can only be rivalled by neighbouring Mistico Park in La Fortuna, and can also be found at Selvatura Adventure Park, Costa Rica.
So, if you are looking for an exciting Costa Rica canopy tour, Selvatura Park fits the bill. And as an activity I thoroughly enjoyed, I can highly recommend booking the full-day package which also includes a top Costa Rica sloth sanctuary, a Monteverde butterfly garden and a reptile exhibit. Absolutely one of the best things to do in Monteverde for all ages!
READ | Best Monteverde Hotels Guide
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This detailed guide to Selvatura Park includes information on where it is, how to get there, the best tours, and what to expect from this adventure-packed Monteverde activity.
Visit Selvatura Adventure Park on this epic 10 days in Costa Rica
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BEST MONTEVERDE GUIDED TOURS
Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour
Selvatura Adventure Park Ziplining Tour
Monteverde Rainforest Night Walk
Don Juan Coffee Tour
El Tigre Waterfalls Tour
Where is Selvatura Adventure Park?
Selvatura Adventure Park Costa Rica is located in the Puntarenas Province amongst the Monteverde Cloud Forest region and is a 4-mile (6.5km) distance or 17-minute drive northeast of the town of Santa Elena.
Click on the map of Monteverde below to interact with Google Maps and find your ideal route to visit the Selvatura Park in Monteverde and spend the day touring the beautiful rainforest canopy Monteverde offers.
Alternatively, read about the best ways to get to Selvatura Adventure Park Monteverde below.
How to Get to Selvatura Park
By Rental Car
You can reach Selvatura Monteverde Park within a 17-minute drive by rental car.
I use Discover Cars for all of my car rentals within Costa Rica and around the world. I like that Discover Cars compares local and international companies to find you the best deal. And since exploring Monteverde is best done by rental car, reserve early!
NOTE | Monteverde region and the town of Santa Elena have no rental car companies. So make sure to pick up your rental car in San Jose, Liberia or La Fortuna.
Check Prices + Availability on Costa Rica Rental Cars
Enter ‘Selvatura Adventure Park’ into Google Maps (or Waze) to find the best route to get there. Otherwise, follow Route 606 heading north out of Santa Elena town centre for less than a mile.
Then turn right onto Selvatura Adventure Park Road and follow the gravel road for approximately 3.5 miles until you reach the large parking lot at Selvatura Park Monteverde on the left-hand side. You will see the restaurant and welcome centre to your right.
TIP | A 4×4 vehicle is not required to make this trip, although I would recommend a rental car with high clearance.
By Taxi
If you do not have access to a rental car, you can make your way to Selvatura Monte Verde Park via taxi. Take a taxi from the official Santa Elena taxi stand, or ask your hotel reception to call a taxi for hotel pickup. The minimum cost is $1.5 USD and most trips range from $2-15 USD within the Monteverde region. Taxi fares are only accepted in cash.
NOTE | Santa Elena town offers two types of taxis, the official red taxis and the pirate taxis. Both are safe to take, just make sure to ask to finalize the price before getting in.
Travelling straight to Monteverde? Read how to get from San Jose to Monteverde
Selvatura Park Hours
Selvatura Adventure park in Monteverde Costa Rica is open daily from 7AM – 4PM.
Depending on the Selvatura Monteverde Package you choose, departure times generally are at 8:30AM and 11AM and 1PM. Make sure to check the details of your Selvatura Park Costa Rica package before visiting.
Selvatura Park Entrance Fee
+ Day Packages
Selvatura Adventure Park offers many package options to enjoy everything they offer. From simple packages that only include a ziplining Monteverde canopy tour or only the Monteverde hanging bridges to all-day adventure packages (this is what I did!).
So, whether you want to have an adrenaline-filled zipline canopy adventure or just want to walk through the calming rainforest along picturesque hanging bridges (similar to Mistico Hanging Bridges), there is something for you. Selvatura Costa Rica Adventure Park also has an onsite sloth sanctuary, butterfly garden and reptile exhibit, all worth seeing.
If you do choose the All-Day Package, they will give you the option to start your day with ziplining or hanging bridges. My advice to you would be to start with ziplining to avoid crowds.
NOTE | Of course with any activity, pricing is subject to change. Make sure to check the official Selvatura Adventure Park website before booking. You cannot enter Selvatura Park without purchasing a package.
Gold Package
Cost: $89 USD Adults, $61 USD Children 4-12 years old
Duration: 4 hours
What’s Included:
- Ziplining Canopy Tour
- Self-guided Hanging Bridges
- Does not include Sloth Sanctuary
- Does not include Butterfly Garden
- Does not include Reptile Exhibit
- Does not include Lunch (3-courses)
All Day Package (recommended)
Cost: $169 USD Adults, $141 USD Children 4-12 years old
Duration: 5.5 hours
What’s Included:
- Ziplining Canopy Tour
- Self-guided Hanging Bridges
- Sloth Sanctuary
- Butterfly Garden
- Reptile Exhibit
- Lunch (3-courses)
Black Diamond Package
Cost: $141 USD Adults, $103 USD Children 4-12 years old
Duration: 5.5 hours
What’s Included:
- Ziplining Canopy Tour
- Self-guided Hanging Bridges
- Sloth Sanctuary
- Butterfly Garden
- Does not include reptile exhibit
- Does not include lunch
Bronze Package
Cost: $73 USD Adults, $56.50 USD Children 4-12 years old
Duration: 4 hours
What’s Included:
- Ziplining Canopy Tour
- Butterfly Garden
- Does not include Hanging Bridges
- Does not include Sloth Sanctuary
- Does not include reptile exhibit
- Does not include lunch
Diamond Package
Cost: $106 USD Adults, $78 USD Children 4-12 years old
Duration: 5 hours
What’s Included:
- Ziplining Canopy Tour
- Self-guided Hanging Bridges
- Butterfly Garden
- Does not include Sloth Sanctuary
- Does not include reptile exhibit
- Does not include lunch
Platinum Package
Cost: $135 USD Adults, $107 USD Children 4-12 years old
Duration: 6 hours
What’s Included:
- Ziplining Canopy Tour
- Self-guided Hanging Bridges
- Butterfly Garden
- Lunch (3-courses)
- Does not include Sloth Sanctuary
- Does not include reptile exhibit
Silver Package
Cost: $80 USD Adults, $68.50 USD Children 4-12 years old
Duration: 3 hours
What’s Included:
- Self-guided Hanging Bridges
- Butterfly Garden
- Lunch (3-courses)
- Does not include Ziplining Canopy Tour
- Does not include Sloth Sanctuary
- Does not include reptile exhibit
Wooden Package
Cost: $57 USD Adults, $45.50 USD Children 4-12 years old
Duration: 2.5 hours
What’s Included:
- Self-guided Hanging Bridges
- Butterfly Garden
- Does not include Ziplining Canopy Tour
- Does not include Sloth Sanctuary
- Does not include reptile exhibit
- Does not include Lunch
Best Time to Visit Selvatura Park
Time of Year
Monteverde can be visited all year round but experiences the highest heat (about 32°C) in the summer months between June and August and the most rain in September through December. But because Monteverde is essentially a large living and breathing rainforest, you will experience rainfall all year round.
NOTE | Selvatura Adventure Park pathways can get a little slippery during rainfalls, so make sure to bring grippy walking shoes and watch your step.
The high season in Monteverde is January through March with the height of tourism settling in the month of January each year. This is when hotel and flight prices will be at their peak.
My Experience in March
When visiting Monteverde in mid-March, it was hot during the day and cooler at night. I found myself throwing on a sweater over top of my shorts and t-shirt as the wind picked up in the evenings as well. It rained a few times on my one-week visit to Monteverde, and I made good use of my rain jacket, water-resistant day bag and sturdy walking shoes.
Time of Day
Most packages at Selvatura Adventure Park have departure times of 8:30AM and 11AM with the addition of 1PM departures for shorter packages. If you choose to include a Monteverde zipline adventure in your Selvatura park visit, opt to start your ziplining canopy tour at 8:30AM.
This will allow you to avoid the lineups at each platform that are inevitable at this popular Costa Rica park.
Recommended All-Day Package Schedule
I took the all-day package on my visit, and starting my adventure with ziplining at 8:30AM was the right move. We then went straight to our guided tour of the sloth sanctuary, butterfly garden and reptile exhibit, followed by lunch.
By the time we started the hanging bridges walk around 2PM most visitors had already completed it and we were left with very few people along the trail. This would be my recommended schedule for you, too.
Selvatura Adventure Park Amenities
As one of the most visited Costa Rica parks, you can expect well-established amenities while visiting. Read on for information on what to expect when visiting Selvatura Park Monteverde.
Parking
Parking at Selvatura Adventure Park can be found on the left-hand side of the road leading into the park with the visitor centre area on the right-hand side, across the road. Parking at Selvatura Park is free of charge.
Registration
Okay, you’ve secured your Selvatura Park package, parked your car in the gravel lot and are now ready for your fun-filled day. Make sure to have a copy of your package receipt (on your phone is fine) before visiting the visitor centre.
Once inside, you will find the ticket counter on the left. Show your receipt to the personnel. They will then give you physical passes based on what included activities you have in your package. We had 6 individual passes for all of the activities in the all-day package. Make sure to keep them securely on your person.
Restaurant
Selvatura Park has one onsite restaurant called El Jardin Restaurant. The chalet-style restaurant is perched on the hill opposite the visitor centre and features indoor and outdoor seating.
The restaurant offers a-la-carte menu items for visitors who opt to not include lunch with your Selvatura Adventure Park package, and they also offer a 3-course lunch for visitors that have it included in their package.
The 3-course lunch that is included in the packages will offer two to three options for each starter, main course and dessert. Juice is provided with the meal, and coffee is offered afterwards. In my personal experience, the food here was just okay.
You can purchase alcoholic drinks at the restaurant for an extra cost.
Are you a foodie like me? Check out the La Fortuna restaurants and Santa Teresa restaurants.
Restrooms
Down a set of concrete steps on the left-hand side of the visitor centre entrance, you will find a bank of individual universal-style washrooms. These are also suitable for changing clothes if you require them.
Make sure to go before you start your full-day adventure! There are no restrooms located along either of the ziplining or hanging bridge trails, but lucky, if you are doing multiple activities included in your package, you will stop back at the visitor centre between each one.
Shopping
The Selvatura Costa Rica visitor centre has a small souvenir shop located inside and to the right. Here you can find many hand-crafted and machine-made souvenirs to take home to family and friends or to keep personally to commemorate your epic trip to one of the top parks in Costa Rica!
Monteverde Ziplining at Selvatura Adventure Park
Getting Your Ziplining Equipment
If you are starting your day with ziplining, you will then be ushered to the equipment room at the back of the visitor centre. Hand the staff your physical pass and they will set you up with a helmet, gloves and harness. Walk out the opposite door, around the walkway and back to the front of the visitor centre.
From here, you will be given a complimentary ride in a shared van to the start of the Monteverde Costa Rica canopy tour, one of the top activities in Monteverde!
Ziplining Safety Demonstration
The complimentary shuttle will drop you off at the side of the road at the head of the ziplining course trail. Walk a couple of minutes through the picturesque Monteverde Cloud Forest to arrive at a small clearing with a wooden platform. Here your ziplining guides will give you a demonstration of how to use the equipment and a brief canopy tour overview.
NOTE | The overall trail difficulty is moderate due to long paths and inclines in the trail. Therefore, I only recommend taking part in the Monteverde zipline course if you are sure-footed and of a relatively healthy fitness level.
What’s cool about the Monteverde canopy tour at Selvatura park is the cables here are made using Deltex wired carbon fibre technology, making zipping along the wires quieter and more eco-friendly.
The Selvatura Ziplining Canopy Tour Course
This Costa Rica Monteverde zip line course includes 13 cables and 15 platforms. The course will have you zipping along 2.2 miles of wire, including one 1km long cable and three cables that can be done in tandem.
The age limit on ziplining in Monteverde Costa Rica is 4 years of age and older.
The Selvatura Park zipline height varies between 19.7ft and 584ft. Some ziplines will go through the cloud forest, and some will go above it. The elevation of Selvatura Adventure Park is 5250ft, giving you really wonderful panoramic views over the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
Superman Zipline
The last cable of the course can be experienced superman-style, which means you can fly horizontally in the air giving you unparalleled views of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Upgrading to superman-style is an additional fee of $11USD.
Tarzan Swing
You can also opt to take part in the Monteverde Tarzan swing (no extra charge) for a boost of adrenaline (it’s super fun!). Climb to the top of a platform, get bucketed onto a cable and be dropped from the platform. Before descending all the way to the ground, you will be swung forward.
A crew member will then stop your momentum after a few swings back and forth to bring you safely to the ground. The weight limit on the Tarzan swing is 220 pounds.
From my experience, I can definitely say that Selvatura Park offers the best zipline in Monteverde Costa Rica and is my top recommendation for experiencing ziplining Costa Rica-style!
Purchasing Professional Ziplining Photos
After your last zipline, you can walk a short distance to the visitor centre. At registration, the staff will inform you that you can purchase professional photos of you ziplining through the Monteverde Cloud Forest after your adventure if you choose to.
Photos are $25USD per person and include online access through Dropbox or Google Drive to a selection of your photos.
You can preview your photos at the visitor centre after your canopy tour Monteverde Costa Rica before deciding to purchase.
La Fortuna Costa Rica also has some decent ziplining that flies over La Fortuna Waterfall.
Selvatura Park Hanging Bridges Monteverde Costa Rica
Walk among the treetops of the Monteverde Cloud Forest along spectacular hanging bridges. The Selvatura hanging bridges Costa Rica is a 1.9 mile (3km) loop trail winding through the forest on a well-groomed stoned pathway.
Visitors will cross 8 suspension bridges with a 5ft wide girth and 80-person capacity, so there is room for everyone to get a stunning view. Each Monteverde hanging bridge ranges from 170ft to an impressive 560ft in length. Selvatura Park boasts the longest bridge system in Costa Rica!
Hiring a Guide at the Hanging Bridges
All Selvatura Park packages that include the canopy walk of the Monteverde hanging bridges are non-guided.
Yes, you can opt to hire a guide for your walk among the Selvatura hanging bridges. They will allow you to see more wildlife throughout.
But, because of the density of the rainforest in the area surrounding Selvatura Adventure Park, I would opt to spend your money on a naturalist at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve instead, where it’s easier to spot birds. That’s just my two cents.
We went unguided on our walk amongst the suspension bridges and didn’t see much. We did see a beautiful quetzal along the ziplining course pointed out by a fellow birder.
The circuit trail of the hanging bridges at Selvatura Park takes roughly 1.5 hours to complete unguided, and 3 hours with a guide.
Are the Selvatura Suspension Bridges in Costa Rica safe?
Selvatura Adventure Park houses some of the safest hanging bridges in the country. Built-in San Jose and transported to Monteverde, their construction was fully approved by the College of Architects and Engineers of Costa Rica.
The park also has an attendant at each bridge limiting people based on the weight limitations of each bridge, so you can never be concerned that the bridge won’t hold you.
The pathways between the suspension bridges have been fitted with special paving stones that provide enhanced traction and a more uniform walking surface for hiking in Monteverde Cloud Forest.
Avid hiker? Try Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park
Selvatura Park Sloth Sanctuary
Costa Rica
This is by far the best sloth sanctuary Costa Rica offered during my two-month trip through the country. The Selvatura Park sloth sanctuary Monteverde boasts a guided tour that can be purchased as part of one of your Selvatura admission packages.
The naturalist will teach you some interesting facts about Costa Rica sloths (they aren’t always slow!) and give you free time to walk around in the sanctuary.
Home to 20 Costa Rica sloths, the exhibit at Selvtura Adventure Park is made to feel like their natural habitat. Working closely with the Carribean Sloth Sanctuary, the sloths that call Selvatura home have been rescued from the effects of poaching, illness, accidents and habitat destruction.
A visit to the Monteverde sloth sanctuary at Selvatura is only available through the All-Day Package or Black Diamond Package. In my humble opinion, the best sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica.
Butterfly Garden at Selvatura Park
The Selvatura Park Butterfly Garden is set in a beautiful white and black striped dome with over 30 Costa Rican butterfly species. Walk amongst this fairytale environment watching the butterflies float from flower to flower or perch on feeding stands.
But first, stand on the viewing platform and listen to your guide explain all the wonderful facts about Costa Rica butterflies, including their extraordinary life cycle.
A tour around the butterfly garden is included in all Selvatura Park admission packages except the Gold Package. Have a look out for the resident parrot!
Reptile Exhibit at Selvatura Park
The reptile and amphibian exhibit at Selvatura Adventure park house various lizards, snakes and frogs that can be commonly found in the Monteverde rainforest. The 360° terrarium-style housings allow for observation from all angles while your guide gives you insight with exciting facts about reptiles and amphibians in Costa Rica.
I didn’t love seeing reptiles and amphibians kept in terrariums for the sake of human entertainment and wouldn’t visit this activity again in the future. Instead, opt for a rainforest night walk to see the creatures in their natural habitat!
Want to see turtles? Plan a visit to Playa Ostional in Nosara Costa Rica
Hummingbird Garden at Selvatura Park
Selvatura Adventure Park no longer has a hummingbird garden onsite and no longer offers this activity.
The butterfly garden is quite beautiful though, and you can find a plethora of hummingbirds at the Colibri Restaurant right at the entrance to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve.
Selvatura Park vs Monteverde Cloud Forest
The Selvatura Park and the Monteverde Cloud Forest are two different things and provide different experiences. The Selvatura Park, while located amongst the rainforest surrounding the community of Monteverde is not considered a part of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve.
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve, or commonly and confusingly shortened to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is a paid activity where you can hike trails, cross one hanging bridge and watch for wildlife and birdlife. While Selvatura Park offers ziplining, 8 hanging bridges, a sloth sanctuary, a butterfly garden and a reptile exhibit.
The best things to do in Monteverde are located outside of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve amongst the rainforest surrounding the community of Monteverde (mislabelled as the Monteverde Cloud Forest) and Santa Elena, which includes the Selvatura Adventure Park, amongst others.
What to Bring to the Selvatura Adventure Park
It rained sporadically on my trip through the canopy and hanging bridges of Selvatura Adventure Park. One moment it was blue sky, the next was gloomy and rainy. This is the nature of the weather in Monteverde, so come prepared!
Make sure to wear sturdy closed-toe shoes, long pants for ziplining, and bring along a rain jacket. I also found it helpful to bring a well-fitting water-resistant day bag that housed my purifying reusable water bottle (the trails are long!).
RAIN JACKET | Because Costa Rica is covered in rainforest, that means the weather can be pretty unpredictable. Make sure to bring a hooded rain jacket with you that can pack up small in your day bag just in case. I definitely used mine.
WATER RESISTANT DAYPACK | Costa Rica is a wealth of adventure and with that comes multiple day trips or days spent in and out of your rental car. Make sure to have a water resistant daypack that can carry your water bottle, snacks, mosquito repellent and sunscreen.
PURIFYING REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE | I travel full time, so I’ve seen the devastation single-use plastic can have on our environment. Once I purchased this purifying reusable water bottle, I never looked back. It’s super stylish and you can recharge it through USB!
SUNSCREEN | Y’all, the sun is HOT in Costa Rica as the country is located close to the equator. Make sure to throw on some sunscreen even if it’s cloudy out. That’s what it gets you. There are some great reef-safe sunscreens out there nowadays, so let’s protect our ocean life!
MOSQUITO REPELLENT | Yup, there are mosquitos in the rainforest, who would have thunk. I like to use a more natural mosquito repellent.
Travel Insurance for Monteverde
Monteverde Costa Rica is known for nature adventures, and with that, comes the risk of fall, injury or accident. Don’t be left with huge hospital bills and protect yourself with the right travel insurance.
Travel insurance is one of those things I hope you never have to use. But in case you do, you’ll want reliable insurance on your side. Plus, it’s such a small cost for peace of mind. Please, don’t leave home without it!
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Selvatura Park Practical Information
Selvatura Adventure Park Conclusion
I highly recommend a visit to Selvatura Park when travelling through Monteverde. Try flying through the sky on a zipline, strolling across scenic hanging bridges, and discovering Costa Rica sloths, butterflies and reptiles. It’s great fun for the whole family.
