Veragua Rain Forest Tram, Trails with Live Exhibit

Enjoy a day of discovery and adventure in the wondrous 200-acre mountain reserve which National Geographic called “The Cream of the Cream of the Rainforest”. 

At the Veragua Rainforest Research 6 Adventure, home to The Foundation for Rainforest Research, you can glide through the picturesque rainforest treetops on an aerial tram, visit rainforest creature habitats and world-class educational exhibits, mingle with hundreds of colorful butterflies, and enjoy a nature walk to a spectacular cascading waterfall.  An outdoor enthusiast’s dream in a fascinating educational setting!  The world-class facility enlightens the wonders of biodiversity and treats you to a world of astonishing natural beauty. 

From the beginning, on your air-conditioned vehicle you’ll be in the company of expert naturalist guides, teaching about biodiversity and local history along the journey to the Veragua Rainforest, a private reserve protecting Costa Rica’s primary and secondary rainforest. Upon arriving, in a small, guided group, you’ll meet forest creatures in state-of-the-art environments replicating their natural homes. At the Reptile Habitat you’ll see endemic iguanas, lizards and snakes. The Frog Habitat is one of the world’s largest diurnal and nocturnal frog exhibits. And the Butterfly Garden swarms with hundreds of the world’s most colorful live butterflies, including the world-famous blue morpho, which only exists in tropical rainforests. 

Also, you will visit Foundation for Rainforest Research laboratories and meet our research biologists.  Here, partnering with the University of Costa Rica, we work to unlock nature’s mysteries and expand world knowledge of the rainforest’s fragile ecosystem- and share our findings with our visitors up close and personal.  To date, we have discovered 11 new species of plants and animals! You will see why Harvard University’s professor of zoology said the Veragua Rainforest has “incredible biodiversity” with “outstanding species richness”. 

Next, keep your camera ready as you board the aerial tram for amazing panoramic views during an unforgettable ride through the pristine rainforest canopy. Watch for toucans and shy sloths, and listen for howler monkeys as you descend the mountain to the riverbank below. Walk the “Trail of the Giants” (named for the gigantic trees that frame the path) or opt to hike to the cascading 60-foot Puma Waterfall. 

You’ll return by tram to the visitor center for a light snack buffet of sandwiches, fresh tropical fruits and juices at the Rainforest Cafeteria and free time in the gift shop, stocked with a variety of Costa Rican art and creative remembrances of this inspiring corner of Costa Rica. With your visit, you contribute directly to the earth’s sustainability through conservation and scientific research in Costa Rica, as a portion of each dollar goes directly to the Foundation for Rainforest Research.