Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Monteverde, Costa Rica
- 2 to 3 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
On this guided tour of the Butterfly Conservatory, which is dedicated to the preservation, growth, and study of the rainforest, with a focus on butterflies and other tropical rainforest species, experience a live demonstration of the butterfly life cycle, see poison dart frogs and other species of amphibians from the Arenal rainforest, and explore the botanical gardens and medicinal herb gardens.
- Learn how butterflies are being regenerated in the Arenal area
- This tour is a good option for nature enthusiasts of all ages
- Plan ahead and book your tickets to this popular attraction
- The conservatory is located about 30 minutes from Fortuna
What's Included
- Guide-assisted tours that operate all day long, encounter our staff at important points on the way.
- Rainforest River Walk, and other trails throughout the Project, still in their natural settings.
- Live demonstration of butterfly life cycle, and Insect Museum.
- Great views of the Arenal Volcano and Lake
- Largest exhibition of butterflies, exotic frogs and turtles, and others
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Butterfly ConservatoryUpper El Castillo, Provincia de Alajuela, El Castillo-Arenal, Costa Rica
On the corner at the School El Castillo, turn left on the Cement road, and go 800 meters up the hill to the Conservatory.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours
- 04/27/2022 - 09/28/2027
Monday - Sunday : 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Itinerary
Butterfly Conservatory - Arenal (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
What a cool little place in El Castillo!I had no idea there were that many species of butterflies! We learned a lot and saw even more! We even saw howler monkeys playing in the trees on the included river walk! Very cool place!
Reviews
4.8
based on 96 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
The butterfly conservatory was a great opportunity to learn about butterflies and more, native to Costa Rica. While some of the facilities have started to show their age, the staff were knowledgeable and passionate about the wildlife.
What a cool little place in El Castillo!I had no idea there were that many species of butterflies! We learned a lot and saw even more! We even saw howler monkeys playing in the trees on the included river walk! Very cool place!
This was a beautiful property. The staff were friendly and doing their best though it appears they were all recently arrived volunteers, so the depth of knowledge about the animals and Costa Rica were more limited than the professional tour guides we found at other experiences in the area. Still it was beautiful and the staff were pleasant and did appear to really enjoy the work.
The back hike was nice and more natural than some others in area, and lower traffic.
Personally I would recommend this experience after you've done the following, which are in the area:
Arenal volcano hike
Mystico hanging bridges hike / Zip Line Experience
Floating raft river tour
Chocolate and Coffee Tour
La Fortuna Waterfall
Hot Springs
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank for your review and comments Isaac. To clarify, we use Volunteers for our tours as we are an Eco-centered Educational facility focused on Rainforest Regeneration and recuperation of lost habitats. We offer graduate students the opportunity to study and learn with us as Docent Guides.
If you have questions at the end of the tour, a knowledgeable professional is always available in the Reception Center to answer your questions.
Your experience begins with your ride to the Conservatory. Outstanding drive and views. Once there, it is simply magnificent. Well maintained, with outstanding plants and animals as well as the incredible butterflies.
Lovely to see all of the different butterflies frogs. It’s crazy to see them actually land on you. Worth the drive.
Tons of butterflies and frogs. Our guide was amazing. You can go at your own pace and go back through the exhibits if you’d like. It was a magical day and I would do it all over again.
This was an absolutely brilliant experience. It was educational and extremely enjoyable. The volunteers were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
Such a cool place to see many species of both butterflies/moths but also their just plants. They have volunteers helping to guide you through portions and then there's a larger amount of self-guided area for you to explore. Great for solo travelers and groups, including high
A really enjoyable family experience at a good price with knowledgeable staff. I would really recommend taking the jungle river walk at the end of the butterfly tour as it’s so pretty.
The volunteer that took us through the butterfly and frog habitats was extremely informative. There's a short path and a long path around the rest of the place. We took the short path and unfortunately didn't see any other animals. But it was a great way to spend a few hours and get great pictures!
The conservatory was amazing. There was a volunteer that took us around and spoke about the various butterflies and frogs. We would have loved to spend more time there but worth spending two or three hours there easily.
Our visit to the Butterfly Conservancy was well worth the trip. The location is away from La Fortuna where other butterfly encounters are offered. This gave the opportunity to explore the area more and support the non-profit.
We saw several types of butterflies, the Blue Morpho and others, as well as various frogs. A terrific volunteer pointed out things of interest and gave info on behavior, etc.
I highly recommend this spot!
Member Pricing
From
$28.02
per personWas $29.50(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Member Pricing
Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica
96
2 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$29.50
$28.02
5% savings
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Food Tours
- Half-day Tours
- Bus Tours
- Food & Drink
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Private and Luxury
- Monteverde
- Half-day Tours - Miramar
- Bus Tours - Miramar
- Food Tours - La Fortuna
- Coffee & Tea Tours - La Fortuna
- Half-day Tours - La Fortuna
- Chocolate Tours - La Fortuna
- Bus Tours - La Fortuna
- Food Tours - Puntarenas
- Half-day Tours - Puntarenas
- Chocolate Tours - Puntarenas
- Bus Tours - Puntarenas
More attractions near Monteverde, Costa Rica