Tortuguero National Park
Animal observation in pure nature
complete tour from/to San José, Santa Ana or the Central Valley
Anyone who would like to get to know the Tortuguero National Park - and that is actually a must when traveling to Costa Rica - is spoiled for choice. How do you combine a stay in Tortuguero with your trip? Very good! We have concrete suggestions for this.
The easiest and cheapest way to travel through Tortuguero National Park is with an organized tour. Then - as strange as it may sound - you have the best price-performance ratio.
A very simple solution is a three-day trip from/to Santa Ana/San José . You will be picked up at the hotel early in the morning and will be back there or in Guápiles on the third evening, where you will pick up the rental car to continue your journey. Everything is organized, a tour and several little things are included in the package, additional tours can be purchased on site. The big advantage is that you no longer have to worry about anything, you are guaranteed that you will see a maximum of interesting things in the shortest possible time and that you will be accompanied by professional, very good guides . Information at
The package with the tour to Tortuguero National Park lasts 5 days and 4 nights, starting with pickup at the airport, 2 nights with breakfast in a superior room in our beautiful Posada Nena in Santa Ana and the tour to Tortuguero National Park (if available with the Mawamba Lodge, if not we will look for alternatives) with 2 nights, full board, a tour and several small activities. The price for the entire package is US$ 529 per person - please send us an email to info (at) alautentico.com with the desired date so that we can make the reservation.
The flora and fauna of Tortuguero National Park are unique in the world, our guides have the knowledge and experience to provide a lot of very interesting information about every animal and plant.
The trip starts in Santa Ana/San José and you cross the Braulio Carillo National Park , a very interesting national park that begins almost at the gates of the capital and extends into the Caribbean plain. The national park largely consists of mountain cloud forests - along the way you have the opportunity to look at them and get explanations about them.
Breakfast takes place in a very friendly restaurant on the “Rio Danta” river, where you have the opportunity to take a detour into the tropical rainforest, which is already dominant at this altitude. From the branch a few km further on we continue by boat . Depending on how many animals you can observe in the wild along the way, the journey to the lodge can take up to 2 hours.
Once there, there is a welcome drink and a delicious a la carte lunch before the first tour starts. Depending on the package, the tours are included or optional. It has a wide variety, we recommend the following:
- Guided early tour by boat, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. in the Tortuguero National Park, where you can see and get to know a variety of animals and plants. The bird world is particularly active at this time of day and you can see some of the national park's over 300 bird species. (optional)
- Hike in the rainforest, approx. 2 hours with detailed explanations about the tropical rainforest and its inhabitants. This tour is offered twice a day and you should take both. Once during the day, the second time at night. This is a completely different experience.
- Visit to the town of Tortuguero: a nice, friendly town where the taxis are bicycles with trailers. Located right on the beach and on the canal, with a friendly flair. You can visit the nice museum or just stroll through the streets and enjoy life away from civilization.
- Kayak tour, after you have already gained detailed knowledge of the flora and fauna, a kayak tour is a good idea to take a closer look at things in peace and quiet. A small group will take you a little upriver so that you can easily return to the lodge within three hours. (optional)
- Turtle spawning: this is only possible in the spawning season from July to October and is an unforgettable experience. You go to the beach at night and watch one of the giant turtles laying its eggs and then closing the nest again. The whole thing is strictly monitored by volunteers so that the turtles are not disturbed in their work. Flash photography and white flashlights are strictly prohibited; dark clothing is recommended. (optional)
Apart from the standard three-day tour, we offer many variations . Instead of traveling back to San José, we would be happy to take care of the onward transport to the Caribbean beaches of Puerto Viejo to our Posada Nena with a connection to Bocas del Toro in Panama or the onward journey to the north. You can also program the handover of the rental car after the tour so that you no longer have to return to the Central Valley.
The outward or return journey can also take place by plane if you have little time. You can plan another extra day or order one of the superior rooms, where you can enjoy even more holiday fun. We would be happy to advise you - please fill out the contact form below or send an
