A Night Walk at CIEE Monteverde

The following blog was written by a student intern on a 2026 CIEE high school summer abroad program. Read on for a first-hand account of what it's like on program in Costa Rica. 

One of the students' favorite activities on campus is our guided night hikes, which we typically have once per program! In general, students have plenty of free time during the afternoons to explore the on-campus trails and spot all sorts of wildlife, but after dark, it becomes slightly more difficult. 

For our night hike, local guides came to campus to meet us. The guides are very familiar with the Monteverde area, and the campus as well. They know where certain species tend to hang out, and have keen eyes and strong flashlights! The students split into three groups to create smaller walking groups, cognizant of the noises we make in the forest. Each group heads on a different path, but the guides communicate with each other when certain species are spotted. 

We began our walk by the soccer field, where we shone our flashlights into trees to search for sleeping birds. We found a few species, including the yellow-throated euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea). After these tree spottings, we headed down the road towards the farm and spotted a few small bats flying back and forth ahead of us. Along the side of the road, we spotted a few stick bugs (Phasmatodea). 

We then turned onto a trail and entered the forest where we encountered a variety of insects, birds, and a couple tarantulas! We spotted two orange-kneed tarantulas (Megaphobema mesomelas) in separate trees. The highlight of the hike for everyone was spotting the Keel-billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus) trying to sleep on a branch (our flashlights were not helping his efforts). 

After this exciting sight, we reached a small clearing, where the guide instructed us all to turn off our flashlights. Upon doing so, we saw a log glowing in the dark. This log was covered in a bioluminescent fungus, which we could see well with the naked eye. The fungus also photographed brighter on camera (image above). 

Finally, on our way back to main campus, we spotted a Nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) running along the outskirts of campus. Many students did not know armadillos lived in Costa Rica, so this was particularly exciting!

Overall, a night walk on CIEE Monteverde's campus can reveal much more than a daytime hike! Although the dark may be frightening, it is completely worth it due to the variety of creatures you can spot. 

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