As part of a tour to Costa Rica, we visited the Tortuguero National Park, located along the Caribbean coast. Tortuguero, named after the famed sea turtles that nest there, is a 47,000 acre park located on the eastern Caribbean side of the country. The remote park is primarily known for the sea turtles that nest on its beaches, but it also contains vast rainforests, rivers, mangroves, and a wide variety of wildlife.
Tortuguero is the third most visited site in Costa Rica. The park is dominated by forest, and a labyrinth of rivers and canals that allow visitors on boats to see up close the exotic plants, insects, animals and over 300 bird species. These include resident and migratory birds, mammals such as jaguars, sloths and monkeys. However, the main attraction at the park are the sea turtles which can be found along the beach during the nesting and hatching season. Tortuguero experiences much more rain than other parts of the country, and the rain can be any time of year, so visitors should prepare by bringing appropriate clothing and gear.
The park is open daily, and there are a wide variety of organized tours than can be taken, including by kayak, canoe, or hiking. Tours can be arranged through your lodge, or through Viator. As part of our package tour, our guide took us on both a boat and walking tour where we were able to observe up close a variety of birds, caimans, monkeys, insects, lizards and sloths. I was amazed at how easily our guide was able to instantly spot the wildlife from afar.
How to See Sea Turtles
There are four species of sea turtles that make their way to the beach at Tortuguero annually for nesting. These include the Green, Leatherback, Hawksbill, and Loggerhead sea turtles. The largest is the Leatherback, which averages 6 feet long and can weigh up to 1500 pounds. Turtle nesting is generally between March and October. Turtle nesting walks can be arranged by lodges, or as part of a tour package, such as through Viator. There are a variety of tours available, including night tours.
The Sea Turtle Conservancy, located in Tortuguero Village, is the world’s oldest sea turtle research and conservation group. Founded in 1959, its mission is to ensure the survival of sea turtles through research, education, training, advocacy and protection of natural habitats. The visitor center includes an indoor conservation exhibit, gift shop, outdoor trail, and documentary movie on the conservancy’s efforts.
Getting to Tortuguero
The only way tot get to Tortuguero is by boat or small plane. Daily one hour flights from San Jose are provided by Sansa Air. From the landing strip, a boat is required to reach Torguguero village or any of the lodges.
The more common and less expensive option is to drive, take a bus or shuttle to La Pavona (approximately four hours from San Jose), a small hamlet west of the park. From there, a one hour boat ride will take you to Tortuguero. Lodges and some tour groups provide boat service from Caño Blanco, located south of the park. The boat ride from here is approximately two hours. More information on transportation to Tortuguero can be found here.
Tortuguero Village
Tortuguero is a village along a long peninsula or sand bar that separates the Caribbean Sea and an inlet. The population has grown to over 2,000 persons and is the only major settlement near the national park, and therefore a major tourism destination. The beaches adjacent Tortuguero are key nesting sites for sea turtles, and a turtle tagging program is operated by a local biological station. The village, with its colorful painted buildings, has many restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, hotels and hostels.
Where to Stay in Tortuguero
There are many motels, hostels and lodges, incuding eco-lodges near the park. Most of the accommodations can be found in the village of Tortuguero, but there are also a number of lodges located along the inlets and rivers within or near the park. A variety of lodging opportunities can be found at Booking.com. During our stay, we stayed at the Evergreen eco-lodge, located along the Tortuguero River within a forest, and five minutes from the park entrance. This lodge features a restaurant, bar, pool, gift shop, and individual cabins built on stilts above the forest floor. The lodge commits to environmental sustainability through energy and water saving, recycling programs, and training programs. We enjoyed observing wildlife right within the lodge grounds, including monkeys, agaouti and paca (relatives of the guinea pig), and tropical birds including toucans. One morning, we were greeted by a monkey that cleverly stole bananas off the breakfast table.
