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)
For our first trip to Costa Rica, Adventure Life designed a tour that meets the interests, ecological and adventure, of our party; but also takes into account our physical limitations sine we are all septuagenarian. We are looking forward to the trip.
John Zent
1 day ago
Adventure Life is my favorite travel company due to their genuine care for their customers. They make every effort to ensure a wonderful travel experience for you. Their personal touch really gives the customer a lot of confidence with their travel plans and the trip leaders are always outstanding. They are truly consistent and accountable with the great service they provide. I can't thank Adventure Life enough for the incredible trips I have enjoyed thanks to them and their attention to detail.
Tim Duffy
2 days ago
Kevin Moore working with me and providing very timely answers to all my questions.
Sharon Worsham
2 days ago
Adventure Life coordinated all our domestic air travel in Argentina as well as
Multiple tours in four cities. Every thing went perfectly smooth. All the local companies were on schedule and very professional. We will surely use Adventure Life on future travels.
customer
3 days ago
Franny helped us put together a great itinerary, was very responsive and so helpful. We ended up not being able to use Adventure Life for our trip, but would definitely use them in the future.