Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica

In a lush and remote area by the Caribbean Sea, where winding canals weave through the landscape and the tangled roots of mangrove forests spread out, you’ll find one of Costa Rica’s most exciting national parks, Tortuguero National Park.

Here, you’ll discover unique landscapes and fascinating wildlife – including a multitude of sea turtles which have given the national park its name.

Learn more about Tortuguero National Park and discover why it needs to be part of your tour to Costa Rica.

Why should you visit Tortuguero National Park?

Tortuguero National Park is a popular destination – and for good reason. With its rich biodiversity and captivating wildlife, including fascinating sea turtles, playful monkeys, and colourful birds, the national park is a paradise for wildlife and nature lovers.

One of the unique aspects of Tortuguero is that it can only be reached by boat or domestic flight, making the journey there an experience in itself. Here, you will begin to leave the modern world and step into a jungle paradise where nature reigns, and adventure awaits.

What can you experience in Tortuguero?

In Tortuguero National Park, you’ll find stunning nature that includes tropical rainforests, mangrove swamps, lagoons, and long sand beaches. The park also hosts fascinating wildlife, which you can experience up close on a boat tour through the jungle.

Wildlife

The national park is home to a multitude of different animal species, including more than 50 amphibian species, 110 reptile species, 60 mammal species, and 300 bird species.

In the rainforest of Tortuguero, you might be lucky enough to spot everything from sloths and monkeys climbing among the trees to colourful parrots and toucans flying around the treetops. Tortuguero is particularly renowned as one of the best places in Costa Rica to witness sea turtles.

Sea turtles

The sea turtle is undoubtedly the species that has most profoundly shaped the identity of the national park. The beaches of Tortuguero are crucial nesting sites for sea turtles, with many returning faithfully every year to lay their eggs in the protected areas of the national park.

This includes the green sea turtle, which came dangerously close to extinction in the 1960s but now safely nests in the park’s protected areas. It’s no surprise that the park earned its name Tortuguero, from the Spanish word ‘tortuga’, meaning ‘turtle’.

Moreover, you can also see other sea turtle species here, such as the leatherback and the hawksbill and loggerhead turtles.

The nature of Tortuguero

Tortuguero National Park spans over 76,000 hectares and consists mainly of low-lying flood plains. It features an extensive network of labyrinthine waterways that provide a unique opportunity to observe the spectacular plant and animal life on a boat tour through the lush jungle.

Along the banks of the twisting canals and rivers, mangrove forests with long, crooked roots elevate the trees’ canopies, allowing them to stretch over many rivers and channels, creating a dense and protective landscape.

Further inland, the landscape transitions into dense and lush rainforests, home to intriguing plants and wildlife. Tortuguero National Park is one of Costa Rica’s largest tropical rainforests and is considered the country’s second-largest tropical lowland jungle, second only to Corcovado National Park.

Aside from the lush rainforests and swampy areas by the low flood plains, the park also boasts beautiful sandy beaches stretching miles along the coast of the Caribbean Sea.

The beaches in Tortuguero aren’t ideal for swimming and sunbathing due to strong currents – but they are among the world’s most important nesting sites for sea turtles, making them fascinating places to explore.

When is the best time to visit Tortuguero National Park?

You can visit Tortuguero National Park year-round. The best time to explore the park largely depends on your priorities and what you wish to experience on your adventure in this jungle paradise.

When is the weather at its best?

Tortuguero National Park is located in one of the rainiest regions of Costa Rica, with significant rainfall throughout the year. It’s not uncommon to experience sudden showers anytime you visit the park.

If you wish to travel when it rains the least, plan your trip for March-April or September-October. Historically, the heaviest rainfall occurs in July, as well as in November and December.

When is the best time to see sea turtles?

The best time to witness the green sea turtles is between July and October.

At the beginning of the season, the turtles come ashore after spending a long time in the sea to lay eggs. Thus, there’s a great chance of seeing adult sea turtles during this period. They mostly lay eggs in the evening, and to ensure they are not disturbed, beach visits are only allowed with a guide at this time.

Towards the end of the season, you’ll see fewer adult sea turtles. However, this marks the start of the hatching of eggs, offering a unique opportunity to see the newborn hatchlings making their way from their nests to the sea.

How to best explore Tortuguero National Park?

You can experience Tortuguero from the water, on a jungle hike, or by visiting its beaches.

The best way to see the park is undoubtedly from the water, as it comprises an extensive network of rivers and canals. Our tours include a delightful boat trip where an experienced guide can help you spot the wildlife that is otherwise hard to detect in the dense jungle. You also have the option to add a canoe tour, during which, accompanied by a guide, you can paddle along the canals and enjoy the natural calm while searching for exciting wildlife.

If instead, you wish to explore the rainforest’s unique vegetation and wildlife on foot, you can go on a hike through the lush jungle and observe the impressive wildlife along marked trails. By following the many steps of the Cerro Tortuguero trail, you will reach the summit of an inactive volcano at 119 metres, where you can enjoy a splendid panoramic view over the Caribbean Sea and the park’s extensive canal network.

If you wish to see the turtles’ tracks and nests on the beach, you can do this by taking a guided walk along the designated paths during the turtle season.

Book your tour to Tortuguero National Park with TourCompass

Eager to explore the jungle on an adventurous boat tour and visit the serene beaches to see if sea turtles are visiting the shore? Then Tortuguero National Park is just the place!

We offer several tours where Tortuguero National Park is part of the itinerary.

Unsure which tour to choose? Contact our experienced travel specialists, who are ready to help you find the perfect tour for you!

TourCompass – From tourist to traveller