Desafio Adventure Company has been operating in Costa Rica since 1992, with, offices in both Monteverde, and Arenal.  Our knowledge of Costa Rica can help in the planning of your vacation.  We operate our own tours; in addition we provide assistance in reserving hotels, booking transportation, or arranging a number of other activities.  While our focus is on the Monteverde / Arenal area this site does contain other info pertaining to other popular destinations in Costa Rica.

Take a look at our hotel directory for listings on accommodations in Monteverde, La Fortuna (Arenal), and San Jose.  We offer rates, photos and descriptions on a number of hotels for all budgets.  Reserve your rooms online.      Monteverde is spread over a rural mountain slope.  Places to stay in Santa Elena, the town, are less expensive and closer to stores, restaurants and public transportation.  Santa Elena also houses most services such as the bank, police, clinic and post office.  Cerro Plano and Monteverde are higher in elevation and closer to the Monteverde Reserve.  Nearer the Monteverde Reserve rooms become costlier and more elegant.  Regardless your budget you'll find something in our hotel listings. Take a look at a map of Monteverde showing hotels and lodges.
A must see in Monteverde is a visit to one of the Cloud Forest Reserves.  The reserve is a nesting site for the Resplendent Quetzal.  Home to tropical mammals such as sloth's and monkeys, even more birds and reptiles, and many, many amazing insects.  Experienced naturalist guides are available to provide additional insight and share information on the natural history of the area.  Go birding in the morning or take a look at the nocturnal life while on a Night Hike.      There are other, smaller, nature sanctuaries that give hikers a chance to see secondary forest and lower elevation flora and fauna.  Kilometers of trails await those wishing to explore.      The biodiversity of Monteverde (Green Mountain) has attracted tourists and biologists for years.
Monteverde offers many great activities for all variety of traveler.  For those seeking a taste of adrenaline the area offers several different Canopy Tours with zip line cables to traverse in the cloud forest canopy.  Also available are suspended bridges that offer an eye level perspective of the inhabitants of the tree tops.      We suggest taking a day to visit the reserve hiking on foot, then to follow up with either the zip lines or the suspended walkways.
Desafio operates Horseback Riding tours on a private farm in Monteverde.  The trails, which pass through pasture and secondary forest, offer views of the Nicoya Gulf and the Pacific Lowlands.      There are many rides available for all levels of experience.  We have something for you whether your looking for an hour and half sunset ride or a 8 day cross country trek.    View more Pictures of our Horses.
Our sister site, ArenalVolcanoTours.com, offers more info on the Arenal Volcano and tours in the vicinity such as White Water Rafting and Volcano Hikes.  We offer 2 alternative modes of transport between Monteverde and Arenal.  The first is the Taxi - Boat - Taxi, leaving daily.  This service is the quickest route between the volcano and the cloud forest.  Secondly is the Lake Trail.  Ride horseback around the Arenal Lake and enjoy the scenery.
Take a look at our searchable Transportation Database

This site, while promoting the tours of the Desafio Adventure Company, also tries to convey information that is simply useful and informative.  The site attempts to be straightforward and objective.  We welcome any feedback, corrections or other remarks.

What the guide books have to say...

"Note that many other agencies in La Fortuna and Monteverde offer rides over a muddy, poorly maintained trail. Some riders have returned with stories of terrified horses barley able to navigate the way. It's best to avoid other tours. " 

- Costa Rica Fodor's 2002, Editor: Beatrice Aranow

"If you have a conscience, you'll choose a company such as Desafio, that only uses trails that go along the lakefront, and not over the mountain"

- Moon Handbooks Costa Rica 2001

"Desafio makes sure the trails used are safe for the horses, and the trip offers a fairly quiet and undemanding ride in a nearly uninhabited area, with spectacular views of the volcano (when it's clear)."

- The Rough Guide to Costa Rica

Desafio Adventure Company is a company with over 10 years experience meeting the needs of a wide range of travelers.

We are Specialists in Rafting and Horseback Riding Tours.

We have tried to create a web page that will help those who plan to visit a specific part of the country.  That does not mean we do not have information on the rest of Costa Rica.  If you have any questions regarding any aspect of travel in our country we are more than happy to try and help.

You can Contact Us by email at info@monteverdetours.com

This site is being updated constantly. Check back again soon to see what we have added. 

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts."

- Mark Twain