Tortuguero National Park
Tortuguero National Park
4.5
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Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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Admission tickets
from ₹2,688.08
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  • Rubby H
    4 contributions
    The Best Tour Company Ivantours Costa Rica Tours
    Ivantours and Costa Rica Tours really take you to experience Tortuguero. We were able to walk inside the National Park, see animals and take a boat to explore the canals and rivers inside the national park. I 100% recommend Ivantours for this experience.
    Visited November 2022
    Written 5 February 2023
  • Kim G
    Pacific Grove, California3,187 contributions
    Enchanting; Exotic; Vast & Wet!
    Eleven habitats are located within the vast and biologically diverse Tortuguero National Park within Costa Rica’s Limon Province. Receiving an average rainfall of 250 inches per year, the visitor may feel that it all falls during his visit! Needless-to-say, the rainforest is dense. The Tortuguero Canal is the primary mode of transport to and through this remote location, but the area can also be reached by small plane. We enjoyed a three day visit at Aninga Lodge located across the wide canal from Tortuguero Village, which is bordered by the canal on one side and the Caribbean on the other side of the small, colorful village. The National Park derived its name from the abundant turtle population that nest seasonally upon the shore. The National Park hosts numerous exotic species, including birds, reptiles, monkeys, trees and vibrant flowers. Explore the pristine surroundings by boat along the canal and its tributaries. This is the third most visited area by tourists to Costa Rica and was the highlight of our journey. Absolutely enchanting!
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 30 March 2023
  • betteskid
    Boston, Massachusetts1,310 contributions
    Amazing place to see the animals and birds that can be found in Costa Rica
    I spent two days exploring here with a naturalist guide and really enjoyed my time here. I saw many, many animals and birds and learned a great deal about the area and the animals who inhabit it. Overall, it was an amazing experience and one I really enjoyed. I hope to return before too many years pass. It is important to realize that you have to travel quite a way from San Jose to reach this area so planning to stay for at least a couple days is best.
    Visited March 2023
    Written 7 April 2023
  • FoxyS
    8 contributions
    Can definitely skip
    Like the rest of the national parks in Costa Rica, Tortuguero hardly has animals in there. The local population is doing its best to make a buck out of the remaining animal population. If I were to plan a trip again, I would skip this park. It is so out of the way from the rest of the tourist locations. We went there only to attempt viewing the turtles laying their eggs/ turtles hatching but July was still early so we did not get to see any which is ok since we can only predict and hope for such things to happen. We did the sunrise kayak trip to the park and only got to see a baby cayman and 2 iguanas. The kayak trip on the river was fun but did not serve its purpose since we didn’t really see much wildlife.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 3 July 2023
  • Amanda E
    2 contributions
    Thank you Ivantours. Thank you guys.
    As an avid traveler, I can confidently say that my experience with Ivantours was nothing short of exceptional. The tour to Tortuguero National Park was a true highlight of my Costa Rica trip. The knowledgeable guides provided insightful commentary, making the wildlife and lush landscapes come to life. The attention to detail and commitment to responsible tourism by Ivantours made me feel like I was not only exploring but also contributing to the conservation of this beautiful region. Highly recommended!
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 16 August 2023
  • Sophia B
    3 contributions
    Best Experience in Tortuguero
    My recent trip to Tortuguero with Ivantours was an absolute delight from start to finish. This secluded paradise on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast was brought to life in the most extraordinary way by Ivantours' impeccable planning and expert guidance. The boat tours through the intricate network of canals were a highlight of the trip. Gliding through the waterways, we were treated to mesmerizing views of wildlife in their natural habitats – from playful monkeys in the trees to colorful birds soaring overhead. The excitement peaked when we spotted a majestic sea turtle making its way up the beach to lay its eggs, a sight I'll treasure forever. Ivantours ensured that our stay was nothing short of extraordinary. The accommodations were nestled perfectly within the lush surroundings, allowing us to feel immersed in the environment while enjoying modern comforts. The attention to detail was evident in every aspect, from the delicious local cuisine to the seamless coordination of activities. Thank you
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 20 August 2023
  • The_Wanderer1992
    Columbia, Maryland1,817 contributions
    Day Tour
    My husband and I took a day tour to Tortuguero National Park. We were the only ones on our tour with a very friendly, knowledgeable guide. The national park began with a boat tour on the Tortuguero river. We went on a hike where we saw squirrel monkeys and a lot of poisonous dart frogs. We then climbed up 400+ steps to get an overview of the whole area. We then went to the town of Tortuguero where we had lunch. We saw a number of animals including great green macaws, crocodiles, basilisks and several birds. Tortuguero is boarded by the Caribbean where sea turtles come and lay their eggs. We were not in season, so we did not see any. However, it was still nice to see the remote town of Tortuguero that is only accessible by boat or airplane. Many who go to the national park tour spend two days, so it was not common for us to only to do it in one day. A number of hotels are lined along the river. Several boats run up and down the river carrying passengers and goods.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 25 November 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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The_Wanderer1992
Columbia, MD1,817 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
My husband and I took a day tour to Tortuguero National Park. We were the only ones on our tour with a very friendly, knowledgeable guide. The national park began with a boat tour on the Tortuguero river. We went on a hike where we saw squirrel monkeys and a lot of poisonous dart frogs. We then climbed up 400+ steps to get an overview of the whole area. We then went to the town of Tortuguero where we had lunch. We saw a number of animals including great green macaws, crocodiles, basilisks and several birds. Tortuguero is boarded by the Caribbean where sea turtles come and lay their eggs. We were not in season, so we did not see any. However, it was still nice to see the remote town of Tortuguero that is only accessible by boat or airplane. Many who go to the national park tour spend two days, so it was not common for us to only to do it in one day. A number of hotels are lined along the river. Several boats run up and down the river carrying passengers and goods.
Written 25 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Anne0319
Kingsbridge, UK180 contributions
Sep 2023 • Friends
We visit the national park for a canoe tour, for a self-guided hike along the trails and also for the turtle tour. The canoe tour and the hiking trails were amazing, we saw so much wildlife. However, my low review score is due to the regulations surrounding the turtle tour. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH REGULATIONS TO PROTECT THE TURTLES. We turned up with our guide and there were only 6 people in our group which we thought was very reasonable. However, when we got to the beach, we realised that it wasn’t just a small group of people that trekked onto the beach to view a turtle laying.

We arrived at a shelter where we were told to wait for the ranger to find a turtle. At this shelter, there were approx. 60-80 people waiting to be told which turtle they would view. Half of those people were told to go with the ranger and their guide to view ONE turtle, whilst the rest had to wait for another. When it was our turn, we walked along the trail and down onto the beach. There were 3 groups waiting to view one turtle. In total, there were about 30 people waiting to view one single turtle and crowd around her nearly at once.

On two occasions, the turtles made their way up to their laying sites, made their nests, dug the fake nest AND the real nest, only to abort and head back to sea…making me really wonder if the mass presence of people resulted in them both not feeling comfortable to lay.

I’m a marine biologist, I know how important it is to educate people and show them these processes to incentivise them to stop, think and care about anthropogenic impacts. However, there was absolutely no reason whatsoever for so many people to be viewing the process at any one time. With the turtle laying her eggs and then covering them and camouflaging the nest, there are at least 30 people standing around her…it was totally shocking and made me not want to be there at all.

Don’t get me wrong it’s obviously an absolutely amazing thing to see, but it needs to be PROPERLY regulated. They need to have max 10-12 people viewing the process and if they sell out, they sell out. Too bad! I just felt it was a mass money making scheme and that the actual human presence of so many people was just totally unnecessary. Some people were standing extremely close to her, other people were wearing bright colours and some of the guides were talking so unbelievably loud. THIS SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED!!!

On that basis, I am so saddened that I fell into this trap. Whilst I was standing there I really wished I wasn’t. I hated the feeling of being part of such a mass of people viewing in this way. It wasn’t what I expected at all.

To top it all off, we realised that the national park isn’t actually gated. Whilst there is a tourist ‘entrance’, where they happily take your money and close the ‘gate’ (that you can walk around) at 2pm, there is another entrance where anyone and everyone can walk in free of charge and unregulated. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE IF THEY WANT TO PROTECT THE TURTLES! Have a manned, properly gated entrance, put as many obstacles as possible in the way of poachers to limit the stealing of eggs etc.

It was all just totally unregulated and I am so so disappointed and saddened with my experience.
Written 6 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sophia B
3 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
My recent trip to Tortuguero with Ivantours was an absolute delight from start to finish. This secluded paradise on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast was brought to life in the most extraordinary way by Ivantours' impeccable planning and expert guidance.

The boat tours through the intricate network of canals were a highlight of the trip. Gliding through the waterways, we were treated to mesmerizing views of wildlife in their natural habitats – from playful monkeys in the trees to colorful birds soaring overhead. The excitement peaked when we spotted a majestic sea turtle making its way up the beach to lay its eggs, a sight I'll treasure forever.

Ivantours ensured that our stay was nothing short of extraordinary. The accommodations were nestled perfectly within the lush surroundings, allowing us to feel immersed in the environment while enjoying modern comforts. The attention to detail was evident in every aspect, from the delicious local cuisine to the seamless coordination of activities.

Thank you
Written 21 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Amanda E
2 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
As an avid traveler, I can confidently say that my experience with Ivantours was nothing short of exceptional. The tour to Tortuguero National Park was a true highlight of my Costa Rica trip. The knowledgeable guides provided insightful commentary, making the wildlife and lush landscapes come to life. The attention to detail and commitment to responsible tourism by Ivantours made me feel like I was not only exploring but also contributing to the conservation of this beautiful region. Highly recommended!

Written 17 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FhamFamily
London, UK17 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
We had various different guided boat trips into the park and really enjoyed the abundant wildlife and beautiful scenery. Lots to see!
Written 4 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Julie S
1 contribution
Jul 2023 • Family
We had a great couple of days in Tortuguero staying at Mawamba Lodge. The hotel was fine - basic but lovely position just 10 mins walk from Tortuguero village. We struggled a little to get response from them so decided to book private transfers and tours with Miguel Circuito who we found on the Tortuguero local info page. He was very responsive and helpful - great at communicating and always on time. He picked us up and showed us wildlife on our way to the hotel then took us for a morning tour as well as evening turtle tour. We saw loads of wildlife including caimans, iguanas, toucans, monkeys, sloth, and many different birds and insects. His knowledge was very good. Definitely recommend him and a visit to this amazing national park.
Written 1 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FoxyS
8 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
Like the rest of the national parks in Costa Rica, Tortuguero hardly has animals in there. The local population is doing its best to make a buck out of the remaining animal population. If I were to plan a trip again, I would skip this park. It is so out of the way from the rest of the tourist locations. We went there only to attempt viewing the turtles laying their eggs/ turtles hatching but July was still early so we did not get to see any which is ok since we can only predict and hope for such things to happen.
We did the sunrise kayak trip to the park and only got to see a baby cayman and 2 iguanas. The kayak trip on the river was fun but did not serve its purpose since we didn’t really see much wildlife.
Written 3 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Wanderer35715606891
3 contributions
May 2023 • Family
We had an amazing experience with ivantours in Tortuguero National Park. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly, and showed us the best spots to see wildlife and nature. We saw monkeys, sloths, toucans, crocodiles, turtles and more. The park is beautiful and full of biodiversity. The hike to the top of the hill was challenging but rewarding, with stunning views of the forest and the sea. The boat ride through the canals was relaxing and scenic. The food and accommodation were also great. I highly recommend ivantours for anyone who wants to explore this wonderful place...

Written 4 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sheri c
Southwest Gulf Coast, FL11 contributions
Apr 2023 • Couples
The guide through the Aquatic trails was awesome
Lots of
Birds, monkeys and some
Sloths make sure to wear sunscreen!! Awesome
Trip
Written 9 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

betteskid
Boston, MA1,310 contributions
Mar 2023
I spent two days exploring here with a naturalist guide and really enjoyed my time here. I saw many, many animals and birds and learned a great deal about the area and the animals who inhabit it. Overall, it was an amazing experience and one I really enjoyed. I hope to return before too many years pass. It is important to realize that you have to travel quite a way from San Jose to reach this area so planning to stay for at least a couple days is best.
Written 7 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Tortuguero National Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero National Park admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost ₹ 2,667.56, while a popular guided tour starts around ₹ 2,084.03 per person.

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