Tortuguero Turtle Egg Laying Tour

Tortuguero, Limon

Location

2 Hours

Duration

English, Spanish

Languages

July To October

Dates

A once in a life time opportunity for all nature lovers to watch sea turtles lay their eggs! Tortuguero is home to one of the most important nesting sights for Green Sea Turtles in the world. Approximately, over 22,000 sea turtles come to shore to lay their eggs in the coastline of this protected national park. Join your guide and witness the spectacular event of Green Sea Turtles nesting along the sandy beaches of the Caribbean.

Your tour starts at the meeting location of the Tuanis Tours main offices, just a short walk from the main wharf in Tortuguero village. After a quick meet and greet, your guides will explain the activity before heading over to the respective sector (base) where we will wait for the go-ahead from the park rangers. Once permission has been granted, we will either walk along the beach or take a short boat ride to where the turtles have been spotted. Once the turtle is insight, you and your group will slowly be able to get close to the turtle whilst keeping a respectful distance. Your guide will give some incredible information about the life cycle of the Green Sea Turtles from hatching to breeding. With any luck, you will be able to see these incredible animals spawn, bury their eggs and return to the sea, all in one unforgettable night.

Finally your guide will take you back to Tortuguero village where your tour will conclude. More than a simple tour, this is a once in a life time experience that will be forever engraved in your memory.

Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero Turtle Nesting

Tortuguero Beach

Green Sea Turtle Costa Rica

Turtle Spawning Turtuguero

Turtle Egg Laying Tortuguero

Turtle Laying Tortuguero

Turtuguero Turtle Egg Laying Tour

DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION

Tuanis Tours Main Office in Tortuguero village

DEPARTURE TIME

8.00pm to 10.00pm (viewing times will be assigned by the national park)

RETURN TIME

10.00pm to 12.00am, respectively.

BRING

It is required to wear dark colored clothes (black, dark green, dark gray, etc.) to camouflage you at night. It’s also recommended to bring closed shoes, mosquito repellent and rain coat.

INCLUDED

Local certified naturalist guide	Conservation sticker
Transport by boat (if necessary)

NOT INCLUDED

Gratuity (optional)

Please note: You are not allowed to bring any forms of electronics (including cameras or phones) on this tour. This will be a moment that you will keep only in your memory. We ask you to listen closely to your guides instructions and to not disturb the turtles in anyway!

Private tours with special prices for groups and families are available on request – please use the contact form on our contact page to request a quote.

Schedules, sectors, and permits for this tour are exclusively issued to us by the Park Rangers and Tortuguero National Park. For this reason, we cannot choose a time of departure or any specific sector to see spawning turtles. It is also possible that the national park will not issue us or any tour operator a permit to see turtles any any given evening, which is why you will not be charged for this tour until the day of departure when confirmation is given. Permits are usually issued at 5.00pm, so we ask that you check in with Tuanis Tours Main Office at 5.45pm to confirm the tour is operating and to receive an official schedule.

If the tour is cancelled, then you will be offered a refund/not be changed or offered an alternative date of travel.

8.00 AM / 1.30 PM

Meet or make contact with the Tuanis Tours Main Office in Tortuguero village, where they will confirm whether or not they permit has been granted and that the tour will be operating that evening. If the permit is granted, a time of departure, meeting point and schedule will be given.

8.00 PM / 10.00 PM

Meet your guide at the designated meeting point where the activity and rules will be explained in detail. From here, you will head to the respective sector (base) assigned by the Tortuguero National Park Rangers. We will then wait for the right moment to enter the beach. Turtle trackers will advise where the turtles are and when they are coming to shore. Once we get a sighting, your guide will take you to the turtle either by walking or by boat depending on the turtles location.

Once you have arrived, you will be able to get close to the turtle while still remaining a respectful distance as the turtle begins to lay her eggs in the sand. You will learn all about the lifecycle of the Green Sea Turtle, from hatching to breeding, along with some interesting facts about these incredible reptiles. Our goal is to see at least one of the for processes of sea turtle spawning and with any luck you might just witness all four in one night.