★ 5.0 on Google · Rain or shine · Free cancellation up to 48 h before

Farm & Cheese Tour in Monteverde: Milk a Cow & Make Fresh Cheese

Two hands-on hours on a working dairy farm. You will milk, you will make, you will taste.

Farm Tour at a Glance

Price: $35 adults · $20 children (2 to 12) · free under 2 · Costa Rican residents ₡12,000 adult and ₡7,000 child
Duration: 2 hours
Start times: 8 AM, 11 AM and 2 PM
Group size: up to 10 people
Language: English or Spanish
Location: about 15 minutes from Santa Elena, Monteverde
Includes: farm walk, bottle-feeding calves, milking, cheese-making workshop and a tasting with tortillas and drinks
Hotel pickup: $15 per person, round trip
Cancellation: free up to 48 hours before
Payment: by card online

What You’ll Do on Our Monteverde Farm Tour

The tour follows the milk from the cow to your plate, in four hands-on stops.

Meet the Cows and Try Milking by Hand

You start in the barn with our Jersey cows. You bottle-feed a calf, then your guide shows you the technique and it is your turn to milk by hand. Almost nobody gets it on the first try: that is part of the fun, and the cows are calm and used to visitors.

Make Fresh Cheese with Your Own Hands

In our farm kitchen you turn fresh milk into cheese, step by step: warm the milk and add the rennet, cut the curd, then salt it, shape it and press it into a mould. Along the way you will hear how Monteverde became cheese country.

Taste Farm Cheese, Tortillas and Costa Rican Coffee

You taste the cheese you made with handmade tortillas and drinks: coffee brewed in a traditional chorreador, tea or sugar cane water.

Walk the Pastures of a Working Dairy Farm

A short walk through the pastures where the cows graze. You feed the farm animals, from chickens to pigs, and see how a small family farm works day to day.

Monteverde Tour for Kids: Is the Farm Tour Family Friendly?

Yes. The tour is built so kids are doing something every few minutes, not listening to long talks.

What Kids Do on the Farm

Ages, Child Prices and Safety

What’s Included and What to Bring

Included

Guided farm walk
Bottle-feeding calves
Milking
Cheese-making workshop
Tasting with handmade tortillas
Drinks: coffee, tea or sugar cane water
A dairy-free option if you ask when booking

What to bring

A Farm Tour in Monteverde Rain or Shine

The milking area, the cheese kitchen and the tasting area are under roof, so rain does not stop the tour. Only the short pasture walk is outdoors. It is a good plan for a rainy day in Monteverde.

Why Our Farm Tour Is Different from Other Farm Tours in Costa Rica

Most farm tours in Costa Rica are about coffee, cacao or sugar cane. Here, dairy is the whole story, and you take part in every step.

You make the cheese yourself

Not just a sample to taste: you make it from fresh milk.

A working dairy farm

Not a show farm: the cows you milk are the ones that give our milk.

Small groups with the family

Up to 10 people, hosted by Orlando and his family, who run the farm.

Add the bread class

Make it a full farm morning with our bread making class.

Sustainable Farming and Happy Cows

We farm without chemicals and take care of our animals and the land. Our herd of more than 20 cows grazes outdoors in the hills of Monteverde, and the family looks after them every day.

Farm Tour Reviews from Our Guests

★ 5.0 on Google · 254 reviews

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 254 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Emily Saavedra 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Sweet and beautiful stop for your costa rica journey! Amazing tour
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jonny 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Wowzers. A last minute “what should we do to pass the time” turned into one of the highlights of our trip. Orlando and his family are so genuinely gracious even by Costa Rican standards (everyone is ridiculously nice here). The cheese being delicious was a cherry on top. I remember drinking raw milk as a kid and thinking “this is gross”. But the milk straight out of the udder was the best milk I’ve ever had, sweet even. You don’t have to do that of course, but it seems that enough people have asked that he even has cocoa powder ready to make into chocolate milk for you (which unsurprisingly was the best chocolate milk I’ve ever had). An organic farming family that loves what they do and want to share that with others. We were lucky enough to experience that little slice of heaven.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Alex Mishin 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very nice experience. Hosts are friendly and take good care of the farm.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Orly Lichter 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Absolutely amazing experience! Very nice local family farm. One of the best experiences we did in Costa Rica
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Prateek Patil 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great tour! The kids loved it, especially milking the cow, making cheese, and making tortillas.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Arash 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had such an amazing time at Finca Paraiso, a family run farm where Orlando is incredibly passionate and explains everything so well. We milked a cow, fed the cows, and got to experience farm life in a super hands on way, which felt really special in today’s digital world. It was honestly one of the most unique experiences I have ever had and perfect for all ages, and making our own cheese at the end was the cherry on top, it was delicious. Highly recommend this tour.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Neeka Sabri 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This cheese tour at Finca Paraiso was unforgettable. Orlando and his family are amazing hosts and make the entire experience feel authentic and meaningful. We fed the cows, milked a cow ourselves, and really connected with the farm and the animals. It felt refreshing and grounding to step away from technology and experience something so real. Making cheese at the end was the highlight, and the cheese tasted incredible. This is a must do experience for anyone visiting, no matter the age
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Moritz Abler 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Sehr interessante Eindrücke, vom Farmleben bis hin zur Käseherstellung. Kühe auf der Weide, eine freilaufende Katze und Hühner - echtes Landleben!
Zur Tour gehört unter anderem das füttern von Jungkühen. Auch werden zum Ende der Tour Tortillas selbstgebacken und zusammen mit dem frischen Käse serviert. Super lecker und absolut empfehlenswert!

Am besten direkt über die Website buchen, da Plattformen wie Getyourguide immer eine Vermittlungsgebühr kassieren.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Chris S 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Orlando and his family were great!  Our whole family had a wonderful experience on the tour of the farm.  We got to see several of the various animals on the farm and interact with them, like feeding the baby cows with milk and leaves, playing with their 4 month old farm kitten, and milking a cow, which none of us had never done.  Afterwards we made tortillas and Orlando’s sister made fresh cheese which we ate with the tortillas and our choice of coffee, tea or agua dulce.  If you get the agua dulce, ask Orlando for a lime to squeeze into the agua dulce.  My wife said it reminded her of her abuelita’s agua dulce that she always served.  I highly recommend booking this tour, Orlando’s hospitality is top notch and it felt like a very unique “tico” experience.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Tianwei Xu 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Amazing experience! You can feed the cow, milk the cow, and make tortillas. The guide is very nice.
  
 
  
  
 
    Verified by Trustindex  Trustindex verified that these reviews were published on Finca El Paraiso Cheese Farm Tour Monteverde's Google Business Profile. Learn more

How to Get to the Farm

We are about 15 minutes by car from Santa Elena, Monteverde, on a well-kept gravel road that any car can drive. Hotel pickup is available for $15 per person, round trip, and there is free parking at the farm.

Farm & Cheese Tour FAQ

What do you actually do on the Finca Paraíso farm tour in Monteverde?

You get your hands dirty. In two hours at Finca Paraíso, a family-run dairy farm in Monteverde, you meet the cows, try milking one by hand, and make fresh cheese yourself in the farm kitchen. Then you taste what you made with handmade tortillas and Costa Rican coffee. It is not a demo you watch from behind a rope; you do every step.

How much does the farm and cheese tour cost, and how do I book it?

It is $35 for adults and $20 for kids aged 2 to 12, and children under 2 are free. Costa Rican residents pay ₡12,000 per adult and ₡7,000 per child. The easiest way is to book on our website: you pick a date and time, pay by card and get instant confirmation. You can cancel for free up to 48 hours before.

Is the farm tour good for kids?

Yes, it is one of the most family-friendly things to do in Monteverde. Kids are not stuck listening to long talks: every few minutes they are doing something, like feeding the animals, milking with the guide’s help or helping make cheese.

How long is the tour? Can I do it on the same day as ziplining or the hanging bridges?

The tour takes 2 hours, so it fits easily into the same day. A common plan is a zipline or the hanging bridges in the morning, then our 2 PM farm tour. If you want a full morning on the farm, add our 2-hour bread making class.

What should I wear for the farm tour?

Closed shoes or boots, because the pastures can get muddy; we lend rubber boots if you need them. Bring a light jacket, since Monteverde is cool, and a rain jacket even in the dry season. And charge your phone: the milking photos are always the favourite.

What happens if it rains in Monteverde?

The tour still goes ahead. It rains a lot in Monteverde, especially from May to November, so the milking area, the cheese kitchen and the tasting area are under roof. Only the short pasture walk is outdoors.

How do I get to Finca Paraíso? Do you pick up from hotels?

We are about 15 minutes by car from Santa Elena, the main town of Monteverde. We pick up from hotels in Santa Elena and Monteverde for $15 per person, round trip. The road is well-kept gravel that any car can drive, and there is free parking at the farm.

Is the tour in English, and how big are the groups?

Yes, every tour runs in English or Spanish, and mixed groups get both. Groups are capped at 10 people, so everyone gets a real turn at milking and making cheese. You are hosted by Orlando and his family, who run the farm, so you can ask anything about the cows, the cheese or life in Monteverde.

I am lactose intolerant. Can I still join?

Yes. We have a dairy-free option, so you can do the whole tour and skip the cheese tasting. Just tell us when you book.

Is Finca Paraíso a real working farm? How are the cows treated?

Yes. It is a working dairy farm, not a show farm: the cows you milk are the ones whose milk becomes our cheese. We farm without chemicals, our herd of more than 20 cows grazes outdoors, and we keep alive the dairy tradition of Monteverde, which goes back to the 1950s.

Add Our Bread Making Class

Make it a full farm morning: after the cheese, knead and bake traditional bread and empanadas in our kitchen. Two hours, small groups, all levels welcome.

Book Your Farm & Cheese Tour

Choose your date and time, pay by card and get instant confirmation. Questions first? Message us on WhatsApp.