Tortuguero means “turtle region” and turtles are definitely the main attraction here!  There are green turtles, hawksbills, loggerheads and giant leatherbacks.  All 4 species deposit their eggs along the 22 miles of beach at various times of the year. Tortuguero National Park was established in 1975 to protect the sea turtles and their nesting habitats.

Tortuguero National Park consists of lowland rainforests, swamp forests, beaches, canals, and lagoons and is 73 square miles in size.  There are 309 species of birds, 85 freshwater fish, 7 river turtles and 4 sea turtles. The park is also home to some 60 mammals including tapirs, jaguars, anteaters, howler and white faced capuchin monkeys, 3 toed sloths, ocelots, and blue morpho butterflies.

The beautiful beaches of Tortuguero are lined with palm trees and stretch for miles, but swimming can be dangerous because of the riptides.  It is almost impossible to get around Tortuguero on your own and you really need at least 2 days here to enjoy the area because of it's remoteness.

The dry season in Tortuguero National Park is from Feb - April and Sept - Oct. (although you still can expect random showers). The wettest months are Jan, June and July- You will need rain jacket at any time of the year. The Lat-10.473 and the Long- 83.4193

Activities that can be experienced from Tortuguero include turtle tours, canal tours, and fishing.

Although Costa Rica national park entrance fees do change often, plan on $10 park admission fee – open 8am-4pm daily. The fee does not include a guide. We highly recommend a guide to thoroughly get the most out of the natural flora and fauna and wildlife that you almost certainly will not see on your own.

Note:  Female turtles come ashore to nest every 2 to 4 years and nest 2 to 5 times in a 2 week period. She deposits about 100 eggs in each pit she digs out with her flippers. She then goes back out to sea after covering the pit.  The eggs incubate for 60 days and then the tiny turtles dig their way out of the sand, and try to make their way to the sea  Less than 1% ever make it to adulthood-most being eaten by birds, dogs, humans, and other natural predators.

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