2.5-Hour Canoe Tour in Tortuguero National Park with Wildlife Spotting

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Explore Parque Nacional Tortuguero's freshwater creeks and lagoons by traditional canoe
• 02 Spot wildlife including caimans, river turtles, monkeys, sloths, iguanas, and basilisk lizards
• 03 Observe birdlife such as herons, parrots, and macaws in the dense rainforest
• 04 Visit local beaches known as nesting grounds for sea turtles, including endangered green turtles

Explore Parque Nacional Tortuguero, a protected wilderness area on Costa Rica's northern Caribbean coast, and enjoy a small traditional canoe ride powered by paddles and an electric motor. Take in views of the national park, listen to the calming sounds of nature, and look out for wildlife such as birds, monkeys, lizards, sloths, caimans, and more. You will also visit the local beaches, which are famous nesting grounds for sea turtles, including endangered green turtles.

You will also visit the local beaches, which are famous nesting grounds for sea turtles, including endangered green turtles.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 2 Hours

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Limon, Tortuguero

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Early Morning Canoe Tour in Tortuguero National Park

• Meet your tour guide at the village main dock around 5:45 am.

• Travel towards Parque Nacional Tortuguero.

• Discover the park's freshwater creeks and lagoons as you navigate them by boat or canoe.

• See sheltered caimans and river turtles.

• Explore the surrounding dense rainforest, rich with wildlife.

• Witness various bird species such as herons, parrots, and macaws, along with 3 species of monkey, 2 species of sloth, iguanas, basilisk lizards, and more.

End of the tour.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• English-Spanish speaking naturalist guide
• Canoe ride and its equipment (life jacket and paddles)

What's Not Included

• Personal expenses
• Tips and gratuities
• A park entrance fee of $16.95 should be purchased online

What to bring

• Depending on the weather, on a sunny day bring sandals, T-shirts, short pants, a backpack with a poncho, a hat or cap, bottled water, and sunblock cream.
• On a rainy day, bring long pants and long sleeves, shoes, a backpack with a poncho, a hat or cap, and bottled water.

Know before you go

• To get to our experience, you must drive to La Pavona. There is a parking lot with 24/7 security at a cost of $10 per night, payable on site. From there, you must take a 1-hour shared boat ride, which costs about $30 per person, including the return.
• Schedules from La Pavona: 7 am, 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, and 4:30 pm.
• Schedules from Tortuguero to La Pavona (return): 5 am, 7 am, 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm.
• We can help arrange this service; you just need to let us know your approximate arrival time.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Leonardo Tours, 45 Metros Sur del Muelle El Almendro, Limón Province, Tortuguero, Costa Rica

Tour start

Limón Province, Costa Rica

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.