Hanging Bridges in Costa Rica: Everything You Need to Know

If you’re hoping to find out about hanging bridges in Costa Rica, where to find them and how to visit them – you’ve come to the right place.

Hanging bridges in Costa Rica are tall suspension bridges (anywhere from 100-200 ft off the ground) that allow you a bird’s eye view of the rainforest.

There are about a dozen hanging bridges in Costa Rica and they were originally built in the 1980s and 90s for research purposes.

Now, they’re a way for nature-lovers to experience the Costa Rican biodiversity. Personally, they’re my favourite thing about Costa Rica.

Here are the 8 best rainforests with hanging suspension bridges in Costa Rica and how you can add them to your Costa Rica itinerary.

The 9 Best Hanging Suspension Bridges in Costa Rica

Hanging bridges in Costa Rica give you a chance to walk over the treetops and experience the jungle and cloud forest from a different perspective. The views are breathtaking and scenic. Here are the places where you can find hanging bridges.

Hanging Bridges near La Fortuna (2 parks)

1. Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park

Number of hanging bridges: 6
Hike duration: 1-2 hours (many ways to shorten the hike if desired)

The Mistico Hanging Bridges Park is a part of the wider Arenal Volcano National Park, close to La Fortuna.

There are six suspension bridges that hang between 157 to 320 feet off the ground (46 to 48 metres.)

The Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges park is great for all ages and ability levels. The trail is stroller-friendly and kid-friendly.

I hiked here on a self-guided tour with my family. I definitely recommend Mistico to people looking for a family-friendly walk with options to either lengthen or shorten the hike, and you hope to see waterfalls (there is a small waterfall in the park.)

Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Tours

• If you want to visit Mistico independently (no guided tour) then you can book a ticket on their website. This is what we did, since we had a baby in a stroller with us and didn’t want to hold other people up
• Discover Mistico Hanging Bridges By Night (2 hours long, $80 per adult, ages 10+). Discover nocturnal wildlife in the rainforest, which can differ from daytime wildlife, as you walk across several hanging bridges
• Hanging Bridges in Arenal (3 hours long, $100 per person) For all ages, be picked up at your La Fortuna hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle, and explore the wildlife and flora and fauna of Mistico Arenal National Park with a professional guide

Pro Tip: On a sunny day, you can see amazing views of the Arenal volcano from the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park. Unfortunately, it was cloudy when we went so we couldn’t see it – but we’re still glad we visited the park!

2. Sky Walk La Fortuna

Number of hanging bridges: 5
Average hike duration: 1-2 hours

Sky Walk La Fortuna is a bit further away from La Fortuna than Mistico is, about a 30-minute drive.

There are a total of five hanging bridges that give the park its name ‘sky walk.’

The longest bridge is 774 ft (236 metres) long, and the highest is 197 feet (60 metres) from the ground.

SkyWalk La Fortuna Hanging Bridges Guided Tours

• The only way to visit Sky Walk is to do a guided tour. They don’t allow self-guided tours. You can either book through them directly, or book on Viator. The one upside I can see to Viator is that you have 24 hours cancellation, whereas through them directly you have to cancel before 48 hours. Not ALL of their tour options are on Viator though. PS: You can read my post on pros and cons of Viator here if you’re curious!
• 5-hour skywalk, sky tram and zipline tour (ages 8+) at SkyWalk is offered on Viator. Plus, they pick you up from your hotel

Hanging Bridges in Monteverde (5 parks)

Monteverde has more rainforests with hanging bridges than any other area in Costa Rica, with five different rainforests with hanging bridges found there

3. Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve

Number of hanging bridges: 2+
Average hike duration: 1-2 hours

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is the most famous cloud forest in the world.

Cloud forests are a rare ecosystem that only make up 1% of all the forests left on the Earth’s surface.

(Sadly, these rare ecosystems are still threatened due to global warming.) Visiting the Monteverde Cloud Forest gives you a chance to appreciate the environment of these rare forests.

The Monteverde Cloud Forest has hanging bridges that are up to 330 feet (100 m) long, and up to 220 feet (60 metres) off the ground.

Tours to Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve

• Guided Tour: Monteverde Guided Walking Tour ($50, 3 hour tour) For adults and children 3+, take this guided tour through the Monteverde Cloud Forest to spot wildlife
• Self-Guided: You can just buy a daypass from the park if you don’t want a guided tour

4. Treetopia Park in Monteverde (formerly Sky Adventures)

Number of hanging suspension bridges: 6
Average hike duration: 1-2 hours

Treetopia (also known as Sky Walk) also offers tours and excursions of their hanging bridges in a forest near Monteverde.

Their tours are great if you’re visiting Costa Rica with children; they welcome all ages on their easy going jungle hikes.

There are six hanging bridges in total, on a hiking trail roughly 2.5 km (1.5 miles) long.

Skywalk Monteverde Hanging Bridges Tours

• You can book directly with Treetopia/Skywalk on their website. They have three different hanging bridges tours that have been 6-8 bridges in total.
• Skywalk from Monteverde Guided Tour on Viator (2 hours, $100 per person, ages 5+)

5. Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve

Number of hanging suspension bridges: 8
Average hike duration: 2-3 hours

Santa Elena Cloud Forest is located in Monteverde, close to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.

Because this is the lesser famous of the two, many visitors prefer this cloud forest because its less busy with fewer tourists.

It also has a different ecosystem than the Monteverde Cloud Forest, so if you’re planning to stay in Monteverde, there’s no harm in visiting both.

The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve has eight suspension bridges, between 164 to 558 feet (50 to 170 m) in length, and as high as 196 feet (60 m) off the ground.

I definitely recommend Santa Elena if you want to experience a cloud forest that is less popular and busy than the Monteverde Cloud Forest

Santa Elena Hanging Bridges Tours

• Private guided Santa Elena tour (3 hours, $80 per person, ages 6+ allowed) around the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve.

6. Selvatura Park

Number of hanging suspension bridges: 8
Average hike duration: 1-3 hours

Selvatura Park is located near the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, although it is not the same park.

Its a private reserve that covers 850 acres (344 hectares). There are eight hanging bridges between 150 to 510 feet in length, and 36 to 180 feet (11 to 55 metres) off the ground.

You can also are also zip-lines and a hummingbird garden at Selvatura Park. At the entrance to Selvatura park, there’s also a sloth sanctuary and a butterfly conservatory.

There are benches along the trail of the hike, which is perfect for hiking with kids or with a low fitness level.

Guided Tours in Selvatura Park

• Hanging Bridges Guided Walk ($110 per person, 3 hours long) For adults and children 5+, this tour will pick you up from your hotel and allow you to view the cloud forest from above

7. Aventura Monteverde

Number of hanging bridges in the park: 6
Average hike duration:

Aventura Monteverde offers a fun hanging bridges experience in an area that has been reforested.

Supporting these reforested areas is a great thing that enables Costa Rica to conserve and strengthen its biodiversity, which is so important for the planet.

The scenery at Aventura might look a little different than a forest that’s been there for hundreds of years, but you can still get some very picturesque views.

There are six hanging bridges in total at Aventura Monteverde, on its 3 km (1.86 miles) trail.

Even though this forest is newer than most, there is a lot of wildlife that have made homes in the area, and therefore some chances at spotting some.

Book the hanging bridge experience at Adventura on their website here (minimum age is 4 years old.)

Hanging Bridges Near San José (1)

There are two different hanging bridges that you can visit from the San Jose area

8. Braulio Carillo National Park

Number of hanging suspension bridges: 2
Average hike duration: 1-3 hours

Braulio Carillo National Park is located in the central part of Costa Rica, north of San Jose.

Its one of the lesser-visited national parks, but it has a beautiful scenic sights and diverse wildlife. Parts of this national park are cloud forests.

One of the most convenient ways to get to Braulio National Park is to take a tour from San Jose.

You can also drive yourself if you’re renting a car in Costa Rica.

Tours to Braulio Carillo National Park from San Jose

• Canopy Zip-line Eco-Adventure Tour ($90 per person, 6 hours) This full day tour from San Jose will allow you to zip-line, and experience gorgeous views of the national park from the hanging brides. Hotel pick up and lunch included
• Rainforest Tram at Braulio Carillo National Park ($90 per person, 3 hours) If adrenaline isn’t your thing, or if you’re travelling with kids, the rainforest tram tour is the perfect option for those who want to keep their trip low-key. This kid-friendly tour allows you to discover the rainforest from different heights, enjoying spectacular scenic views, and check out a butterfly garden

9. Adventure Park San Luis (Parque Aventura San Luis)

Number of hanging bridges: 6
Average hike duration: 30 minutes – 1 hour

Adventure Park San Luis is located in the central area of Costa Rica, halfway between Monteverde and San José.

It’s a less visited, family-friendly park, because its smaller and the trails are well maintained. They’re some of the shortest trails in all of Costa Rica.

Adventure Park San Luis has a whole bunch of other activities at their site which include birdwatching, ziplining, a Tarzan swing, and many others.

Pro Tip: If you’re interested in visiting Aventura Park, you can book with them directly to be picked up at 8 am at your hotel in San Jose. Minimum age is 4 years old.

Hanging Bridges in the Guanacaste Region (1)

The 10th hanging bridge in Costa Rica is the only one we know of in the Guanacaste region. Guanacaste is popular for tourists wanting to see the beach, but the forest with hanging bridges is located a bit more in-land.

10. Heliconia Rainforest Reserve

Number of hanging suspension bridges: 3

Heliconia Rain Forest Reserve is a lesser-known hanging bridges park in Costa Rica. It’s located inland (not near the beach) in the Guanacaste region, which is where most tourists visit for a beach vacation.

If you’re staying anywhere near Tamarindo, this is the closest rainforest to see hanging bridges in Costa Rica.

There is a family-friendly rainforest lodge you can stay at near he forest, or it would be about a 2-hour drive from Tamarindo.

This family-friendly tour of the hanging bridges at Heliconias Rainforest will pick you up from multiple locations in the beach areas of Guanacaste. Select the drop-down menu to see if any of the hotels are nearby to where you’re staying.

What to Bring to the Hanging Bridges Parks in Costa Rica

Hanging Bridges are located in cloud forests, jungles and rainforests, so there are a few things to keep in mind about what to bring. Here are our recommendations.

1. A good sunscreen

Choose a mineral-based sunscreen (not a chemical-based one) to avoid the chemicals used that are hurting the coral reefs. This sunscreen is perfect – affordable, effective and 50 SPF – perfect for protecting skin against the strong equator sun.

2. Good quality hiking shoes

Visiting the hanging bridges means you’ll be doing some hiking in the jungle. You’ll want a decent-quality shoes – especially because of how damp the jungle can be at any time of the year. You’ll want a waterproof pair, like this pair for women or this one for men. If you’re heading to Costa Rica with kids, then this is the perfect hiking shoe for kiddos.

3. Mosquito Repellent

Don’t be caught in Costa Rican rainforest without a good quality repellent to protect against Costa Rican bugs, such as mosquitos and sandflies. Not having one will be a huge regret. These stickers are a good option if you don’t like to use a spray.

4. Rain gear

Even in March, it can still rain in Costa Rica. We were glad that we brought umbrellas, and rain jackets because we needed them more often than we would have thought. You want your rain gear in Costa Rica to be EXTRA LIGHT because of the heat and humidity, especially in the rainforest where the hanging bridges are. Something like this set here would be ideal.

Final Thoughts: Hanging Bridges in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a country unlike many others in its effort to protect biodiversity and provide us with amazing experiences in being able to witness it. From my visits to Costa Rica, I find it to be a great place to connect with nature, and experience the rainforests or cloud forests from a view that wouldn’t otherwise be possible. Costa Rica is a country known for its commitment to biodiversity, and visiting hanging bridges are a special way to observe the beauty of the nature in these forests.

If you’re renting a car in Costa Rica, you can drive to rainforests that have hanging bridges. You can also take private and group tours that pick you up at your accommodations and bring you there.

Visiting hanging bridges in Costa Rica and going on forest hikes supports their commitment to be a sustainable country that protects biodiversity and wildlife that would suffer and die out if things were run differently. Not only can you see the valleys of the jungle, but you hear the jungle sounds and sometimes even see wildlife. Whether during peak season (December through March) or low season, the hanging bridges in Costa Rica are a year-round attraction.