We had started the walk in the Bajo del Tigre sector of the Children’s Eternal Rainforest little late in the morning. Most parts of the sector were expected to be easy, so the plan was to enjoy the hike and explore the typical vegetation and atmosphere. The cloud had already gulped the mountains by then and given our late start, we thought that we might not see any wildlife at all. However, luck was on our side, we did end up spotting several birds and animals.
While the hanging bridges of Monteverde take you over the canopies of the cloud forests, hiking in these forests bring you close to the heart of activities.
The reserve forests of Monteverde are great stories of initiatives protecting the biodiversity of the region. Children’s Eternal Rainforest is one of the most significant part of that history. The Bajo del Tigre Reserve in Monteverde is a glimpse of the history created in the 1980s.
History
The Children’s Eternal Rainforest or Bosque Eterno de los Niños spreads over 23,000 hectares and is the largest private reserve of the country. It is run by a non-profit organization, Monteverde Conservation League (MCL), founded in 1986, who kickstarted the project by purchasing land to protect the biodiversity of the region.
The awareness about the rainforests reached Swedish school through biologist Sharon Kinsman (US biologist who worked in Monteverde) when she visited Sweden. The Swedish students initiated the effort of collection of funds from people across the world to protect these rich biodiverse tropical forests. Hence the name ‘Children’s’ came into existence.
How to reach Children’s Eternal Forest
The Bajo del Tigre reserve entrance is located around 3 km / 1.9 miles from the Santa Elena town center on the way to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
After crossing the Stella’s Monteverde restaurant, take the next right. Look for the sign on the right, there is a prominent one at the start of the alley leading to the reserve’s entrance.
Here is the google map link of the location.
Booking Information, Schedule, Costs
Schedule
Bajo del Tigre Reserve of Children’s Eternal Rainforest in Monteverde is open all days of the week, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Booking Information
You can do a self-guided hike in the reserve, or opt for a guided hike, either private or in group. For private guided walks, you need a minimum of 2 people but the group size should not exceed 5 people.
Guided night walks are also offered at the Bajo del Tigre Reserve.
For self-guided hikes, you can directly reach the entrance of Bajo del Tigre Reserve and buy the tickets from the office. For guided hikes, prior reservation is recommended.
To make your guided walk tour reservation for Bajo del Tigre Reserve, you can contact the reserve or their main office in Monteverde for inquiry. Given below are their contact information:
Main Office Monteverde
email: info@acmcr.org , WhatsApp: (+506)8386-9565
Bajo del Tigre
email: reservationbt@acmcr.org , WhatsApp: (+506)8895-2529
Entrance Fees (Self-guided & Guided)
The tour cost varies by self-guided vs. guided hikes, and also based on if the visitor is international or domestic tourist.
Discounted tariffs apply for children between 6-12 years of age and for students. Children up to 5 years of age, of all nationalities, get free entrance to the reserve.
For adults, the tariffs are as listed below:
For foreign nationals:
- Self-guided walk: 15 USD
- Day walk guided (group): 33 USD
- Night walk guided (group): 24 USD
- Day/Night walk guided (private): 38 USD
For Costa Rican citizens and residents:
- Self-guided walk: 8 USD
- Day walk guided (group): 27 USD
- Night walk guided (group): 20 USD
- Day/Night walk guided (private): 31 USD
Other important information
Free parking is available on site. However, it is recommended not to leave any valuables in the car as there are no guards monitoring the area.
Restrooms are available only at the entrance, next to the booking office.
There are no restaurants/ cafes inside the reserve.
Trails Experience at Bajo del Tigre Reserve, Children’s Eternal Rainforest
Trails
The Bajo del Tigre Reserve has around 3.7 km / 2.3 miles, the shortest ones are 500 m and the longest is 1 km.
The trails are mostly flat with few uphill stretches. However, they are not strenuous and suitable for children. Also, to add to the fun of exploring the forests, some information about forest’s flora and fauna are provided on boards scattered on the trail. This section is called ‘Children’s Trail’.
There is a 200 m long Mirador trail, which is difficult, compared to the other parts of the reserve. We visited when the clouds had already gathered around the trees and there was not much visibility. So if you are up for this short steep hike, the views can be rewarding on a clear day.
It took us 2 hours to complete all the trails, including plenty of photo stops.
As of Sep’20, the Jaguar trail was closed for the visitors.
Wildlife Sightings
Within few minutes of the start of the hike, we found couple of rufous motmots. We heard them first and as our eyes followed the calls and moving leaves, we found them.
Next we found an agouti beside the trail. Instead of running away, it moved slowly between the shrubs giving us plenty of opportunity to take some pictures.
As we turned from the agouti, to continue the hike, a coati ran across the trail.
We did get more such encounters with several species of birds on the canopies or hopping around in the dense bushes. Not everything could be captured on our camera, but it made the hike interesting.
There is a Bellbird observation area in the reserve, although we were not lucky enough to encounter one.
Best Time to Visit Children’s Eternal Rainforest
Costa Rica has several micro climates, and thus varying weather and season changes from one zone to another. In Monteverde, rainy season is from June to October. Although chances of rain are lower during the dry season months, clouds often engulf Monteverde at different times of the day.
According to us, any time during the year can be a great time to hike in the Bajo de Tigre Reserve of Children’s Eternal Rainforest in Monteverde.
We visited the reserve in the month of September. It did not rain until the last few minutes of our hike. But the trails were mostly covered in clouds. While we did not get clear views from the viewing platform, we definitely enjoyed the dreamy feel of the dense forest covered in clouds and mist.
What to Wear/Carry
The hiking trails at Children’s Eternal Rainforest, although not paved, are fairly easy. Bookmark this checklist of what to wear and what to carry for the hike.
- Wear comfortable closed toed walking shoes.
- Hiking pants/shorts and light tee should be fine.
- Carry raincoat, a must have item on your Costa Rica packing list.
- Carry drinking water.
- Do not forget your camera!
Final Thoughts on Children’s Eternal Rainforest
The trails of the Bajo del Tigre Reserve are among the easiest to explore of all the forests in Monteverde. But, easy does not mean that you miss out on the experiences, in fact you can make the most of the forest experience in a short amount of time.
Plan your Monteverde trip:
Monteverde: The Complete Travel Guide
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Birding at Curi-Cancha Reserve
Best Restaurants in Monteverde
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