The Monte Verde Butterfly Garden is an environmental education center focusing on insects and spiders found in Monteverde, Costa Rica.

As a guide you are expected to give 1 to 4 tours a day, help at reception, and perform general maintenance of the facility. Work hours range from 8:30 in the morning, to 5:30 in the evening, at the latest. During the tours you are encouraged to handle insects (though it is not absolutely required) and express enthusiasm for your subject. The tours last approximately 1.5 hours. In the Nature Center the size of tours range from 2 to 40 people, while in the gardens the maximum is 10 visitors at a time. During working hours no uniform is required, but respectable attire is necessary.

All food is provided and lunch is prepared by the employees (not volunteers). Breakfast and dinner are your responsibility and can be prepared on your own or with other volunteers.  There are accommodations provided on site that sleep 3 persons. There are 2 single rooms and a bed in the communal kitchen. There is no laundry service, but there is a washbasin available for use on site. There are also places to get your laundry done in town.

Volunteers are expected to stay at the butterfly garden for a minimum of 2 (two) months and are expected to work 6 days a week.  Your days off are arranged according to the schedule produced by the manager. There are numerous activities to do on your days off including hiking, sightseeing, other tourist oriented past times etc. There is a phone available for use during working hours, in which you can be reached at (506) 645 5512 and there is Internet available between 4 p.m. and the end of the last tour. After hours there is a pay phone, which is a 10-minute walk from the garden. Phone calls require a phone card, which can be purchased in Santa Elena. The postal address in which you can receive your mail is: Jardin de Mariposas, Apartado 40, Santa Elena de Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

The town of Santa Elena is the closest town and is a 20-minute walk from the garden. It has: restaurants, Internet cafes, a grocery store, laundry service, the bank, the post office, an ATM, bars, hotels, movie rental stores, and a pharmacy. Closer to the garden is a restaurant/ice cream store, corner store, and an Internet café.

It should be noted that the butterfly garden is not at the beach, it is in the mountains, and as such the weather is very unpredictable. Warm clothes, in addition to rain gear, should be included in your things, as it is always windy and sometimes rainy. Good walking shoes/hiking boots are a must for hiking on your days off and walking to town, as the roads are not paved. A flashlight is also essential. Other useful items are: a towel, an alarm clock, binoculars, a camera, and a notebook.