Santa Elena Skywalk
Santa Elena Skywalk
4.5
About
Half way between the town of Santa Elena and the Santa Elena Preserve the Sky Walk is located: This complex use trails, suspension bridges for a more tranquil introduction to the ecology and natives of the forest canopy, constructed within the cloud forest. It allows a vision of the forest from a different perspective which starts with a walk on the ground taking you up to explore the treetops, a hardly discovered habitat, called the “canopy” with a naturalist guide. Also discover the night wildlife at our Sky Walk Night Tour.
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4.5
312 reviews
Excellent
163
Very good
97
Average
39
Poor
11
Terrible
2
catsailor2014
Truro, UK171 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
A walk through the tree tops over several bridges. We had to ask to do all 11 bridges as the guide only took us along 9 of them so the others were self guided. Very easy to do if you want but the guide does point out some flora & forna that you might miss.
Written 3 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cory B
Puno, Peru7 contributions
Jul 2021
It was lovely, and the park has multiple activities, adventure activities like ziplines, a nature walk through the skybridges, a reptile and bird house. Our guide was nice, although maybe a little "going through the motions." I understand you can't always guarantee what wildlife will be visible, so most of our guides fall back on little facts about the plants, or overhyping a bird or a caterpillar as a major find. The walk was nice through some beautiful old forest, and bridges gave big sweeping views. Would definitely recommend. Definitely drive to their parking lot if you have a car, the shuttle was infrequent and tedious through every hotel stop.
Written 29 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Virginie P
Ramsgate, UK157 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
We did the Bridges Walk with Joshua and we had a fantastic time. Joshua was very friendly and he knew a lot about all the animals we saw during the walk. It was very nice to walk on the hanged bridges or in the Cloud forest and be able to spot some sloughs as well as a variety of monkeys. birds or other animals. We had some food at the café/restaurant before the walk and it was nice to eat while looking at people doing the zipliner.
Written 27 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Benoit G
Dieulefit, France112 contributions
Do not except to see any animals walking on the bridges. It is a nice experience to walk over the forest but visitors are so noisy that all the birds are away. Large groups come here to spend some hours and discuss while walking. They don't care about the other visitors. Uneducated guides are more focussed on their business (making money) rather than on the environment and they do not notify the visitors to keep quiet and respect those whom paid their entrance ticket to watch the wildlife.
It is a tourist trap !
It is a tourist trap !
Written 29 March 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OnAir33166
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida9 contributions
Too chicken to do the zipline, we opted for the hanging bridges. They were super fun. We'd gone on a few near-deserted trails in the cloud forest area prior to our visit to SkyWalk, and had actually seen no wildlife at all up until that point. While walking the bridges (there were two of us), we came in contact with other tourists only twice. Once was with another couple who passed us, and then with a tour group. The tour had a camera with an enormous zoom lense propped in the middle of the bridge aimed at the trees ahead. The group was hushed and staring at what would be our first cloud forest wildlife sighting: a group of howler monkeys. The largest of the monkeys bellowed and the tour guide howled back a convincing mimic, revealing how he'd found the elusive animals in the first place. After the tour group had gone, my boyfriend tried his hand at howler monkey conversation. The obviously irritated alpha male never failed to howl back, so we followed the noises onto a service trail until we were within a few feet of him. The growing ferocity in his roars and the ever-closer rustling in trees above our heads told us it was time to run away, and that we did. Messing with the monkeys was some of the most fun we'd had all trip.
Monkeys aside, the views from the bridges are BREATHTAKING. The treetops bear evidence about just how huge the plantlife can get in that forest, and standing above them is a great way to take it all in. At the end of the trail are hummingbird feeders, where you can sit amongst them and the bees zooming back and forth. It was a really fun experience and would recommend it to anyone visiting the area.
Monkeys aside, the views from the bridges are BREATHTAKING. The treetops bear evidence about just how huge the plantlife can get in that forest, and standing above them is a great way to take it all in. At the end of the trail are hummingbird feeders, where you can sit amongst them and the bees zooming back and forth. It was a really fun experience and would recommend it to anyone visiting the area.
Written 7 June 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
EasyHiker
Austin, TX40 contributions
Jan 2012 • Friends
First I want to say that I am not an engineer and I do not know whether these bridges and cables are well built. However, they look convincingly solid. This company has an advantage over their competitors, Selventura in that they are located higher on the mountain and have more options. I had no reluctance whatsoever to walk across the bridges in the SkyWalk and I would have no reluctance to take one of their zip lines if I were a zip line customer. The SkyTrek company has three "attractions" to sell: 1) the zip lines, 2) the cable SkyTrams that take visitors above the tree canopy on a ride and 3) the SkyWalk, a series of bridges built across the ravines that course down the mountain between the mountain shoulders on each side. Of these three choices, I believe that anyone who wants to see birds and wildlife should opt for the SkyWalk. The tram goes along at a steady pace, unable to stop for any interesting birds or photo ops. The zip lines, of course, are for an adrenaline rush and not much else. They are way too high to see anything. The SkyWalk, however, gives the visitor a real chance to stop periodically and look around him. We did not do the other two options, but I am confident that the SkyWalk is the choice for anyone who wants to get the maximum exposure to nature from his experience in this area.
Written 1 February 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cynthia010
Alexandria, VA94 contributions
Jan 2012 • Friends
This was not my favorite activity at Monteverde. It was raining so hard that I could hardly see, and the trails - well-maintained considering the challenge of the location - were very wet. I have bad knees and would never have attempted the full walk if I had know how many steps I would have to ascend and descend. (I would guess there are 400 - 600.) That said, I would like to return on a dry day. I would start at the "end" of the trail, which is just to the left of the official beginning. (It's a grand circle and everyone is free to go in either direction.) Taking it in a clock-wise directiton, I would encounter one of the hanging bridges almost immediately (the one where we saw a family of howler monkeys below us!) and another one shortly after that. At that point I might turn around and walk out, but I would consider my money well spent. It's not often that you get the chance to walk above a cloud forest. If this review is helpful, please check "yes."
Written 19 March 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claudito-Basel
Basel, Switzerland65 contributions
Mar 2016 • Couples
Except of screaming tourists you hear from the Sky train above, the road passing nearby and some threes you can find anywhere in the area, there was not much else to see.
We didn't see any animals, except some bugs, although we were almost alone on the trails, that were very short (about 1.5h).
In Curicancha, or Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve was much more to see like primary forests, breeding Quetzals, Sloths, different Toucans, Bellbirds (only with a telescope/guide), a Hummingbird garden, Coatis and amazing landscapes for the same price. Also the trails were much longer and challenging..
Shortly, we would rather safe our money and go into one of the three (real) parks close to Santa Elena..
We didn't see any animals, except some bugs, although we were almost alone on the trails, that were very short (about 1.5h).
In Curicancha, or Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve was much more to see like primary forests, breeding Quetzals, Sloths, different Toucans, Bellbirds (only with a telescope/guide), a Hummingbird garden, Coatis and amazing landscapes for the same price. Also the trails were much longer and challenging..
Shortly, we would rather safe our money and go into one of the three (real) parks close to Santa Elena..
Written 24 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aidens_Granny
Ashbourne, UK235 contributions
We did this skywalk with our guide Fabian Guzman. He was so knowledgeable that he was able to spot dozens of birds and the elusive Quetsal! What a gorgeous creature. It seemed that we were the only ones on the trail and the bridges are amazing - a great opportunity to have a birds eye view of the forest and a close up view of the epiphytes, ferns and bromeliads that grow on the trees. A guide is essential if you are going to spot all the wildlife as we would not have seen half as much had we not had Fabian guiding us and listening out for different noises in the forest. He was able to identify the birds in an instant. We also saw Agoutis and monkeys but the Quetsal was the icing on the cake.
Written 21 April 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
karen300658
Ipswich, UK68 contributions
Feb 2018 • Friends
This is well worth a visit. There are 6 hanging bridges that sway but very safe. We had amazing hot weather but of course it can rain. We only saw monkeys in the distance and we saw no birds but we went mid morning. Maybe you would see more early morning or evening.
Written 14 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is this place available to visit without a tour? What are the entry fees? We will be travelling to Costa RIca the end of November and will have a rental car. We'd love to just drive to a certain point, pay entry fee and hike. Everything I find online are guided tours.
Thank you.
Written 31 October 2019
19ns47
Los Angeles, California
We will be staying in Occidental Papagayo March 4-8. How can we arrange the tour to this place for 4 adults with transportation from/to our hotel
?
Written 27 September 2018
Hi 19ns47
Los Angeles, California,
Please note that the drive time from your hotel to the Skywalk is close to three hours.
Written 11 February 2019
Would this be appropriate for a 3 year old?
Written 4 February 2018
it’s quite a hike through the woods and i don’t think a 3 year old would be up to it , as well all you wld be doing wld be watching the child an not enjoying the walk
i wouldn’t
Written 7 February 2018
Can anyone tell me how to get to the Skywalk, please? We will be in Puntarenas just for a day. Thanks.
Written 7 January 2018
From Punta Arenas to Monteverde is quite a distance and will take to travel. Google map says its 60 kilometers and 1.5 hours but depending on the state of the dirt road up the hill this may take 2-3 hours each way. You would need to take a taxi very early in the morning and get one back very late at night. The sky walk can be done as a non guided tour so it does not matter to much what time you arrive as long as it is before closing hours. I walked very slowly and hung out on a couple of spots along the walk and think two hours is a minimum for the walk itself. Enjoy !!
Written 8 January 2018
I'm not interested in the ziplining but would like to go on the suspension bridges. There are so many places that have suspension bridges in the area though, there's Costa Rica Sky Adventures, Santa Elena Skywalk and Selvatura Park. Does anyone know which one is best for the suspension bridges experience?
Written 8 October 2016
What are the entry fees for adults? Thanks!
Written 6 January 2016
Do i have to take an organizad tour profesional can i do it no yown?
Written 13 October 2015
You can certainly do it on your own. That's what I did. You will mostly see pristine cloud forests from the hanging bridges and some exotic birds if you are lucky. There is really not much a guide can add to your experience, unless you want to know the names of the different trees. They may be able to help you spot a Quetzal but that is low probability. You get to do it at your own pace as well.
Written 14 October 2015
Please could you tell us how we would get to the Santa Elena Sky Walk from the cruise terminal and how long the trip would take. Thanks.
Written 7 January 2015
Hi, we are located 76km away from the cruise terminal, that will take around 2 hours drive since part of the road its unpaved.
We dont offer a shuttle service from there but they are several options you can book from the terminal. For the Sky Walk you have to dispose at least 2 hours for the walk.
greetings
Written 7 January 2015
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