Tortuguero is one of the world's most famous places for viewing sea turtles, and it lives up to its reputation. The National Park protects about 20 miles of pristine beaches where turtles nest and 46,815 acres (18,946 ha) of land. The population of sea turtles seriously declined due to the poaching of eggs and the hunting of adults for meat in turtle soup, but due to conservation and breeding efforts, the turtles are making a big comeback. The adjacent Pacuare Reserve also provides exceptional access to turtles. Here you'll explore the area by boat, canoe, and foot, discovering some of the 300+ bird species, and possibly an elusive jaguar, tapir, or even manatee that live in Tortuguero's nutrient-rich waters. Contact one of our Costa Rica experts for help planning your Costa Rica trip.
Sea Turtles are the star of the show in Tortuguero. Even the name comes from Spanish meaning "person who collects turtles", which, by the way, is strictly prohibited these days after generations of poaching and declines in turtle populations.
Now, the turtles of Tortuguero are recovering in population after significant efforts to protect the beaches where they breed from poachers and predators. Dr. Archie Carr of the Univ. of Florida started studying turtles here in 1995, and his studies still continue today.
Here are the three species commonly seen on Tortuguero's beaches:
Green Sea Turtles (tortuga Verde in Spanish, Chelonia mydas mydas ),
Hawksbill Turtles (tortuga Carey in Spanish, Eretmochelys imbricata)
Leatherback Turtles (tortuga Baula in Spanish, Dermochelys coriacea)
I am a returning client to Adventure Life and am very pleased with their commitment to put together a great trip. Clara replied and clarified to any and all questions we had.
Claire Palmer
2 days ago
Jessica was very responsive to my questions and never balked when I asked her to go back and find more options. She really worked hard to find the right cruise for us.
Amy Siegel
2 days ago
Friendly, accommodating, knowledgeable, timely. They have made us feel very comfortable for our trip!
Gregg Chamberlain
2 days ago
Adventure Life took care of a lot of details for me because I flew separately and met up with the group at the start of the trip. On the return they dropped me off in Cantania and flew back to the UK as one group.
I was the only American on the Exodus trip which was not a problem. Communication between the two companies was good.
Happy Camper
2 days ago
We loved our time aboard the Angel. Beautiful boat and crew. Naturalist Jose Luis was incredible-very knowledgeable and thoughtful. He adapted tours to our group and we all had an amazing trip. Love staying a the quaint hacienda and the recommended activities.
