Tortuguero National Park

Green Turtle

Tortuguero (tor-too-gwAIR-oh) is located on the Northern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica part of the Limon province, accessible only by boat or plane. The area is home to the largest quantity of wildlife in one area of Costa Rica, including more than 300 bird species, among them the great green macaw; 57 species of amphibians and 111 of reptiles, 60 mammal species and 13 of Costa Rica’s 16 endangered species which consist of jaguars, tapirs, ocelots, cougars, river otters, manatees and turtles.

The area is extremely bio-diverse, due to the existence within the reserve of eleven different habitats including rain forest, beaches, swamps and lagoons. It is located in the humid tropical rain forest, and receives up to 250 inches (6,300 mm) of rain a year. Expect rain at any time of the year, but the three wettest months are December, June, and July, and the three driest are February, March and September. Yearly average temperature is around 79 °F (26 °C).

Tortuguero National Park Map

The most famous area of Tortuguero are the coastal and marine areas. Strong Caribbean currents have provided a long, straight 22 mile expanse of beach which has become a key nesting site for sea turtles. Hawksbill, loggerheads, and Pacific Green turtles nest from July through October. The Leatherback which is the largest sea turtle species in the world, nests from April to May.

Whilst in Tortuguero during the nesting months it is possible to visit the nesting sites only under strict supervision with a guide the guides are trained by the national park and will insist on dark clothing, no smoking, cameras, flash lights or anything else that may interfere with the turtles natural nesting process. Likewise if you come across a guide that is not following these rules and digs up the eggs etc they should be reported to the national park.

Travel through the Tortuguero canals

Transportation options:

You have a few different entry points to get to Tortuguero. From the South Caribbean the popular route is through Moin a 15 minute ($5) taxi ride from Limon, you can also take a public bus or your own car to Moin but you will have to leave your car at the port of Moin in a secure parking area. A taxi boat will meet you at the public port of Moin before taking a 3-4 hour boat ride through the canals up towards the small town of Tortuguero. Nature Air also has daily flights to Tortuguero from San Jose.

A package deal to Tortuguero can save you money and a lot of waiting around for public transport, with pickup and drop off points from San Jose, the South Caribbean and La Fortuna (Arenal). The price of the package will depend on how many nights and what standard of accommodation you are looking for.

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