Parque Nacional Tortuguero Overview

Sheltering the most important nesting site for marine turtles in the entire Western Hemisphere, Parque Nacional Tortuguero encompasses 261 sq. km of coastal territory and 501 sq. km of marine territory 84km north of Limón. It is almost exclusively accessible and navigable by boat. The park’s 35km beach, where thousands of turtles return each year to lay their eggs, has brought the park international fame and thousands of visitors. Not content to surrender the show, howler monkeys echo in the treetops, toucans coast overhead, and caimans glide through the canals that flow into the park’s swampy regions.

Despite decades of research, scientists still do not know why the turtles flock in such numbers to Tortuguero or how they are able to find their way back here to nest over 30 years after they first hatched. However, despite an extinction scare in the 1960s when the population almost died out due to poaching and egg-stealing, conservation efforts have tremendously helped the turtle population, and the famous green turtles continue to nest in the park (end of June-Sept.), along with leatherbacks (Mar.-July), hawksbills (May-Sept.), and loggerheads (June-Oct.). All of these species are endangered, though the recent focus on ecotourism in the area has helped the turtles considerably; they are now worth more as a tourist attraction than as an ingredient in turtle soup. However, the turtles still face an immense number of natural predators. If they make it to the sea, baby turtles are prime meat for sharks, big fish, and other sea creatures. In the end, only one out of 1000 sea turtles will make it.

Today, researchers tag turtles and use satellite tracking to determine patterns of birth dates, routes, and travel patterns in an attempt to uncover the mystery behind these forever-returning females. Tagging turtles has revealed amazing information about their migratory and mating habits: one turtle tagged near Tortuguero was found just one month later on the coast of Senegal, Africa, and many reports show that female turtles, after visiting hundreds of beaches around the world, return to their birth site to nest 30 years later.

Transportation. Tortuguero Village is the gateway for Parque Nacional Tortuguero. See for transportation to and from Tortuguero. The entrance to the park, at the Cuatro Esquinas Ranger Station, is a 400m walk south of the main docks in Tortuguero Village. The less-frequented Jalova Ranger Station is accessible by boat—arrange transportation at the main docks.

Practical Information. Most journeys into the park begin at the Cuatro Esquinas Ranger Station, where rangers sell entrance tickets, provide maps, and answer visitors’ questions. Park entrance is open daily 5:30am-6pm. Although the park closes at 6pm, tickets must be purchased before 4pm, and the last entry is at 4pm. If planning a boat trip, remember that many of the canals around Tortuguero are part of the national park and thus are only open daily 6am-6pm. Most of the canals also have speed and motor restrictions; check with the park rangers for more details (☎2709 8086).

Hiking And Guided Tours. There is only one official land hike in Tortuguero National Park. Starting from the Cuatro Esquinas Ranger Station, Sendero El Gavilán (1hr., 2km) is not a difficult hike, although it can be muddy and buggy. The trail winds through the forest and ends on the beach, where you can take a left and walk back to town. Rubber boots are required for the hike and can be rented for US$1 per person at the ranger station.

The best way to explore the park is by canoe or kayak on its numerous canals and rivers. Although it’s possible to go alone, hiring a guide is much more informative and fun. Keep in mind, however, that guides abound in Tortuguero, and the competition between guides can become aggressive. If you want a particular guide, stick with them, even if competitors try to mislead you. Most guided boat tours cost about US$15 per person, plus park entry fees.

Bárbara Tinamon (☎2842 6561 or 2709 8004; www.tinamontours.de), in the purple house 100m past Cabinas Tortuguero, owns Tinamon Tours and leads canoe, hiking, and village tours in English, Spanish, French, and German. She prefers groups of four to five people (tours US$5 per hr. per person). Book several days in advance as tours fill up quickly. Bony Scott offers canoe tours each morning (3hr., US$15 per person plus park entry fee of US$10), and he will rent you a kayak to explore the canals yourself (¢4000 for the day plus park entry fee of US$10). Caño Harold is one of the best waterways for caiman, turtle, monkey, and kingfisher sightings—make sure to have the park map with you.

The hike to the top of Cerro Tortuguero offers one of the most spectacular views of Parque Nacional Tortuguero but is under-frequented due to its location across the canals from the village. Guided tours of the hike last about 3hr. and include transportation (US$20 per person).

Turtle Watching. The park’s feature presentation is the nightly deshove, when turtles come to lay their eggs. The female turtle emerges from the sea and makes her way up the sand, pausing frequently to check for danger. When she finds the perfect spot, she uses her flippers to dig a body pit about 1 ft. deep, and then a smaller pit for her eggs. After laying her eggs and using her flippers to bury them in the sand, she leaves them, never seeing the final product. The intriguing process takes about two hours.

Visitors must be with a guide certified by the park (ask to see a license). The beaches are guarded by 18 rangers whose sole job is finding and protecting the turtles; if you try to watch the deshove without a guide, they will throw you out. (Tours leave nightly at 8 and 10pm. US$15 per person. Park entrance ticket required for beaches south of Cuatro Esquinas Ranger Station.)

Talk to any of the guides mentioned above to set up a tour or ask around town to find an experienced local guide. It is best to find a guide before 4pm because the guides must purchase permits before the park closes. Or, it may be possible to show up (daily 5-6pm) at the Cuatro Esquinas Ranger Station, where local guides await, to obtain the necessary permission slips. Wear good walking shoes and dark clothing. Flashlights are useful for the hike to the beach, but cameras and flashlights cannot be turned on once at the beach, as the light disturbs the turtles and causes them to stop the nesting process. Make sure to bring a bottle of water along with you, as some of the hikes are upwards of 2km long and you may end up waiting up to an hour after arrival for a turtle to arrive on the beach. Official park rules state that once a tour group has seen the egg-laying process, they must leave, regardless of whether or not the two hours have elapsed. The park rangers take any offenses very seriously and may deny future entry to any visitor that violates the rules.

Cerro Tortuguero And Caño Palma Biological Station. Located just off the canals en route to Tortuguero Village from Pavona, Caño Palma Biological Station offers similar naturalist attractions and fauna to Tortuguero without the large numbers of tourists. Staffed by a small group of employees and volunteers from the non-profit Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC), the station offers numerous hiking trails for day visitors and opportunities for long-term volunteer work, identifying medicinal properties of local flora, classifying and labeling trees on the trails, and helping to protect the area’s sea turtles. Though technically part of Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge, the entrance to Caño Palma is more easily accessed from Pavona or Tortuguero. (☎2709 8052; www.coterc.org. US$250 1st week, US$180 each week after; includes dorm-style lodging, meals, hiking, and pickup from Cariari or Tortuguero. Station admission US$2.)

From Pavona, take the boat heading for Tortuguero and ask to be dropped off at the station (30min.; 9am, 1:30pm; ¢1600). From Tortuguero, catch any of the boats heading back to Pavona and ask to be dropped off at the station (30min; 6am, 11:30am, 3pm; ¢1600).