2 days in Tortuguero, Costa Rica – family-friendly itinerary
Tortuguero is a conservation area along the Caribbean coast in remote northeastern Costa Rica. Tortuguero National Park is one of the most biodiverse areas in the country, and possibly the most unique. It is not “remote” in the sense that it is far – it is only about a 3 hour drive from San Jose. But its wilderness is so preserved it can only be accessed by boat or plane. That in itself makes the entire visit and experience very special. Tortuguero is one of Daniel’s favourite spots in Costa Rica.
Why visit Tortuguero?
If you are in the planning stages of your itinerary, you might be looking at Tortuguero on the map and debating whether it’s worth your time. As we mentioned, it’s not *far*, per se, but it is relatively out of the way compared to other Costa Rican destinations such as Arenal, Monteverde, and beach resorts along the Pacific coast. It wouldn’t be worth the drive if you only had a week in Costa Rica. But if you’re planning a longer trip, Tortuguero adds a completely unique experience to your Costa Rica adventure.
1) Turtle nesting
Tortuguero beaches are one of the most important nesting sites for the endangered green sea turtle in the Americas. “Tortuguero” means “turtle catcher” in Spanish. Turtle nesting season is from July to October, and turtle hatching season is September to November. During these months, turtles will come up to the beach by the hundreds to dig nests in the sand. Other species like Leatherback and Hawksbill also nest in Tortuguero from around March through the summer, but there are less of them and they don’t come up to the beach en mass like green sea turtles. We did not visit during turtle season, but if you do, this might just be one of the most memorable experiences you will ever have!
2) The quintessential “jungle” experience
Even if you are not visiting during turtle season, visiting Tortuguero with kids is still worth it. The National Park is one of the country’s most biodiverse (although can’t most regions in Costa Rica make this claim?) To us, it also felt the “wildest”. The expansiveness, the huge vegetation, and the river/jungle vibe felt very similar to when we travelled to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.
Because there are no cars in Tortuguero, the park is best explored from the water by canoe or kayak along its many rivers and canals. This was definitely one of the most unique tours we had in Costa Rica. This area also has a high density of predatory cats, so it might be your best chance to spot jaguars. (We did not, but our guide did show us a number of recent jaguar sightings from the security cameras right in town.) We did find that contrary to many things we read before our trip, we saw *less* animals on the whole here compared to say, Arenal or Manual Antonio. The rainforest is so vast and dense animals were not easy to spot.
3) The town of Tortuguero
The town of Tortuguero has a completely different vibe compared to the rest of Costa Rica. The town sits along a small strip of land between the Tortuguero river and the Caribbean Sea. It’s small, remote, laid-back, and there are no cars. You can walk from one end of town to the other in less than 10 minutes. We loved how the touristy elements of the town blends seamlessly with people just going about their daily lives. You will see kids walking to school or playing soccer in the alleyways, and locals walking to get dinner at night. Lil S loved how there are dogs *everywhere*. Tortuguero grew as a tourist town, but it still feels “off the beaten path”.
4) The Caribbean beach
The caveat is you can’t actually swim here. (Because of strong rip currents, but also allegedly the high population of sharks.) But Tortuguero beach was *the* most beautiful beach we saw in all of Costa Rica. It’s just miles of unbroken sand with turquoise blue water on one side and the jungle on the other. Even though you can’t swim, Big S and Lil S loved running in and out of the waves and playing on the beach. Our hotel was right by the water – relaxing in a hammock with the ocean breeze was one of our favourite Costa Rican memories. If you visit during turtle hatching season, you might even find nests of baby turtles making their way to sea.
Is Tortuguero family friendly?
We didn’t see as many kids and families here as Arenal or Manuel Antonio. (On the other hand, we did see a lot of local kids and families!)
I would say the main barrier to visiting Tortuguero with kids, especially young kids with lots of gear, is actually getting there. Because you can’t drive, you need to park your car outside the conservation area, and take an almost 2 hours boat ride to Tortuguero with all your stuff (luggage, strollers). And you have to haul this around with you your entire stay. Furthermore, one of the highlights of Tortuguero is kayaking/canoeing into the National Park. The second highlight is a turtle night tour during nesting season, where you are required to keep quiet in order not to disturb the turtles. Depending on the child, their attention span, and how long they can sit still, these activities may not be ideal.
However, if you are looking for a unique Costa Rican experience, Tortuguero is totally doable even with babies and young kids. Like most destinations, you can have an amazing time if you manage your expectations. Tortuguero town and beach are both extremely kid-friendly, with tons of nature and space for kids to run around, play, and explore. There’s a huge playground right in town. Because the town is so small, it’s extremely convenient to get around. Tortuguero in general is more low key – there aren’t really any adrenaline activities here (besides a small zip line course).
All in all, we would say Tortuguero is a place to experience, not to “do”. You don’t have to book anything at all, and can still have a unique experience. It’s a good change of pace from some other Costa Rica destinations.
Safety: Traveling with kids, we had no concerns about safety in Tortuguero. We’d heard because it’s more remote and less developed than the rest of Costa Rica, we needed to be careful, especially at night. We found it was almost the opposite. We felt completely safe walking around town, and we saw a tons of local kids running errands by themselves in the evenings. The only thing we found was once you get outside of town, the pathways are not well lit at night (although there are lots of groups out on night tours).
Tortuguero planning tips
How many days to spend in Tortuguero?
Getting to Tortuguero takes a bit of effort, so we recommend staying 2 nights here. This will give you a travel day to get there and relax once you get there, a full day in Tortuguero, with departure on your third morning.
If you are looking for a place to unwind and relax, you can easily stay more days. We met some Costa Rican families vacationing in Tortuguero who were there for the week. Alternatively, you can make your way down from Tortuguero to Puerto Viejo, a laid-back tourist friendly spot along the Caribbean where you can swim, snorkel, and surf.
How to get to Tortuguero?
If you are traveling Costa Rica with kids, we definitely recommend renting a car. There are many multi-day tours from San Jose or La Fortuna to Tortuguero, but not being able to travel at our own pace would be a nightmare for my kids. However, if you are not traveling with kids or your kids are more flexible than ours, joining a tour is a convenient way to visit Tortuguero. You would not have to pay for car rental, and would not have to worry about leaving your car overnight. Once you finish the tour, you can pick up your rental car or have it delivered to you to continue the rest of your travels. (I am not even going to get into the logistics of taking public transport with kids in tow… if you are looking for this option, than you are both very brave and also crazy.)
If you are driving, you will need to drive to La Pavona, and leave your car in the parking lot. We were a little nervous about this, but it was actually way more organized and straightforward than we expected. We drove in to La Pavona from San Jose, then drove to Arenal after our stay in Tortuguero. The roads were in excellent shape and easy to navigate. The drive from San Jose is a winding road through the mountains, so it would be more challenging in fog or bad weather.
Parking in La Pavona
Once you get to La Pavona, you will see two large parking lots and a few staff directing you where to park. We were relieved the lots were fenced and someone would be monitoring them, as we were warned on the risk of break ins. (It’s still a good idea not to leave anything in your car while you’re gone.) We were impressed the staff actually have a list of expected guests for the day provided by the Tortuguero hotels. *You should confirm your arrival date and time with your hotel beforehand, and make sure they know you are planning to park and take the boat from La Pavona.*
You will pay for the parking ($8 USD per night) and boat ride ($8 USD per person) on the spot. The staff with give you a ticket for a return trip (so don’t lose this!)
There are multiple companies that operate public boats from La Pavona to Tortuguero, but from what we could see, they are all interchangeable. All the boats look the same, and depart at the same time. Our hotel gave us the schedule of the particular company they work with and a WhatsApp number to make a reservation in advance if we wanted. We found we did not have to do this. The staff simply found a spot for us on the next fleet of boats when we got there.
The official departure schedule from La Pavona is: 7:30am, 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 4:30pm, but these seem to be suggestions. (When we were there, there was a 1:00pm and 3:00pm departure time.)
When you are booking a return trip from Tortuguero, check with your hotel a day in advance to confirm departure. Our hotel was just outside the town, and we were even able to schedule a pick up from our nearest dock.
La Pavona has a restaurant on site that sells pizza, sandwiches, and traditional Costa Rican food, as well as bathrooms and a small gift shop.
Where to stay in Tortuguero?
There are two main options for where to stay in Tortuguero.
The first is in the town itself. There are also hotels that extend from the town along the beach (this is where we stayed.) These tend to be more hostels and budget options. Popular options are:
- Hotel El Icaro: in town, right along the beach
- Miss Miriams: in town, has its own pool and a highly rated restaurant
- Miss Junies: just outside of town, has its own pool and beach access. *This hotel does not have family rooms*
The second option for hotels is one of Tortuguero’s resorts or eco-lodges. These hotels are pricier, more upscale, and are generally further from town. These hotels have their own boats that take you to and from town. Some resorts are all inclusive. Popular options include:
- Tortuga Lodge and Gardens: meals included, along the riverfront with their own private reserve, pool on site
- Mawamba Lodge: luxury hotel outside of town with beach access, but still walkable from town. The hotel has their own floating restaurant! Pool on site
- Manatus Hotel: a boutique hotel with just 12 rooms. Pool on site and along the riverfront.
- Evergreen Lodge: each hotel room is a bungalow, in the middle of the jungle. Pools on site.
Hotels near town are better for those on a budget, looking for convenience, and prefer a livelier scene. These hotels have better beach access. If you’re looking for nature, or more of a luxury or retreat experience, go outside of town. We picked a hotel near the beach, because that was important for my kids.
We found that even outside of turtle season, hotels in Tortuguero book up very early. Even when we booked our hotel about 2 months prior to our trip, many places were already sold out. We recommended booking 3-6 months in advance or even earlier if you plan to arrive during turtle season.
Booking tours in Tortuguero
There are two main guided tours for Tortuguero National Park outside turtle season. One is a canal tour (either by canoe or kayak), the other is a guided hike in the park itself. A third option is a guided night hike. During turtle season, a nighttime turtle tour is a MUST (you are not allowed on the beach at night during nesting season without a guide). Guided tours are approximately $30-40 USD per person.
All hotels, whether budget or luxury, should be able to arrange tours for you. We recommend booking a few days in advance of your arrival. If you do book on site, you can visit the Tortuguero Information Centre right at the main docks, or directly at your hotel.
When you book your tour, confirm whether it includes the entrance ticket to Tortuguero National Park. If not, purchase a day ticket through the official park website. Tickets cost $15 USD for adults and $5 USD for kids. Make sure you select the “sector canales” option. Keep in mind the passes are only valid for the day, so you will need to take your water tour and your “land tour” on the same day. We were able to book tickets to the national park the day before, but if you are visiting during turtle season, we recommend booking earlier. (You can scope out the website a few weeks before your trip to see how far out they are booking.)
Tortuguero packing tips
BRING CASH!!!
This is a big one. There are no ATMs in Tortuguero (at least as of 2024). Hotels or tour offices may accept credit card, but there is a steep fee for using plastic (ours would have been 8%!) Pay online in advance, if that is an option, and bring plenty of cash.
What to wear
Tortuguero weather is very tropical – think hot and humid. Unlike other regions in Costa Rica, there is a chance of rain all year round, whether you visit during wet or dry season. We recommend light, breathable clothing, and a rain jacket. Guides will want you to wear fully closed shoes in the National Park (I don’t know if all guides enforce this but ours did.) The park has well maintained trails – shorts are okay, hiking pants are not necessary. During rainy season, you can rent rubber boots just outside the park for muddy days.
You will be bringing all your Costa Rica luggage with you, as it is not recommended to leave anything in your car.
Sunscreen and bug repellant
Sun in Costa Rica is very intense. You need to apply sunscreen multiple times a day if on the water or on the beach. There were not as many bugs as we expected, but you will need bug spray if venturing out at night.
Drinking water
Water is Tortuguero is safe to drink, but has a strong salty taste. Our hotel recommended we drink bottled water. You can buy water from the town’s grocery store (it is along the main street and impossible to miss). Make sure your water bottle is full before you embark on the boat ride, or buy a bottle from the La Pavona cafe.
Download WhatsApp
This is a global tip for traveling through Costa Rica. Most of the tourism industry uses WhatsApp to communicate. Make sure you download the app ahead of time, and you have the contact number for your hotels and any tour guides. Our hotel even gave us the WhatsApp number for the La Pavona boat company, although we never had to contact them directly.
2 day Tortuguero itinerary for families
Traveling with kids, we try not to overwhelm them with too many scheduled activities per day. As a rule of thumb, we schedule 1 activity/tour a day, maximum 2 if we have to. We did not have to factor in a turtle night tour, but if you are visiting during nesting season, we will make recommendations about fitting in a turtle tour.
Day 1 – arrive in Tortuguero
The main event for day 1 is getting to Tortuguero. You are looking at a 3 hour drive to La Pavona from most major tourist destinations (San Jose, Arenal). If you are traveling with kids and making pit stops, you’ll most likely be aiming for the 11:00am or 1:00pm departures from La Pavona. The last scheduled departure is 4:30pm, which means you will be getting to Tortuguero at 6pm – after nightfall.
If you arrive in La Pavona between departures, you can stop for lunch at their cafe before you board the boat. The boat ride is just over 1.5 hours through narrow rivers. This was a highlight for us, although the kids grew a little restless toward the end. We loved winding through the jungle, and spotted caiman, iguanas, and lots of birds.
The boat will bring you to the main docks in Tortuguero, right beside the information centre and right in the middle of town. If you are staying at a hotel outside of town, hopefully your hotel’s own boat will meet you here and take you to the hotel. If you are staying near town, you can walk to your hotel from the docks.
Day 1 – relax at your hotel or at the beach
We recommend taking the rest of the afternoon and evening to unwind and enjoy your hotel, especially if you are staying at a retreat or resort. Have dinner onsite. Don’t bother venturing back into town again. If you are staying in town, we recommend an afternoon by the beach, or chilling in the pool if your hotel has one. Those in the centre of town can bring active kiddos to the large playground (just up the road from the main docks.) Have dinner in town at one of the sodas. (You can find sodas all through Costa Rica – small mom-and-pop spots serving traditional fare at cheap prices.) We ate at the soda attached to Bebidas Naturales Pure Vida, a beverage and ice cream shop. The food is decent, but their smoothies, milkshakes, and ice cream really hit the spot on hot days.
The sun sets just before 6pm here, so it’s a good time to turn in early after dinner. (Day 2 morning is an VERY early start, so we do not recommend additional nighttime activities.)
Day 1 – optional activities
Cerro Tortuguero: If your family is up for an adventure in the afternoon, instead of relaxing, you can venture out to Cerro Tortuguero. This is an easy 2.5 jungle hike up to the Mirador lookout point, where you get a birds-eye view of Tortuguero and surrounding rainforest. You will need to take a boat to the Cerro Tortuguero dock. You can choose to take a public ferry (check at the information centre when the boat departs), or hire a private boat. The ride takes about 20 minutes. You also need to buy tickets online – tickets are a very reasonable $2 USD, and you can buy them from the park website. (This is the same website where you purchase Tortuguero National Park tickets, but you would select the “Cerro Tortuguero” option.)
Day 2 – Canal Tour
Day 2 is your full Tortuguero National Park day. (Remember to buy your tickets online!) The park is open daily from 6am to 4pm.
Almost all canal/waterway tours into the national park start at 6am, and are generally 2.5 hours-ish. (Any later and it gets scorching hot on the water, and your chances of seeing animals decreases.) You will either start from your hotel, or join a tour group at the main docks in town. There are many guides who lead tours from the main dock, but somehow they all seem to manage rounding up their guests without too much trouble.
You can either do a kayak tour (privately or as a group), or a canoe tour. Because we had kids, we opted to do the canoe tour. Each canoe can take about 10 people. Some canoes are motorized, and some require you to paddle.
The canal tour was the highlight of our visit to Tortuguero. We saw iguanas, caimans, basilisks, and many species of birds from the water. We also ran into a large family of howler monkeys. Canoeing past towering trees with the not-altogether-reassuring cries of howler monkeys overhead is an experience we will never forget. Some of the canals are so narrow you really feel like you are trekking into the heart of the rainforest. The guides are entertaining, and have a wealth of knowledge to share about the forest and animals.
Day 2 – Tortuguero National Park hike
You will finish your canal tour around 9am, which gives you plenty of time to enjoy your day. We recommend having breakfast at one of the sodas near the main dock. We ate breakfast at Soda D’Leite. (The Huevos Rancheros was delicious.) The service was fast and we were all famished after our early morning activity.
We recommend squeezing in your visit to the national park in the morning, while it is still a little cooler and you have a better chance of spotting animals. This is an exception to our 1 activity/day rule, because unless you want to buy multiple entrance tickets, you need to do all your park activities in 1 day!
Like all hikes in Costa Rica, you do not *need* a guide, but a guide is essential for Tortuguero if you want a hope in the world of seeing animals. Unlike some other rainforests in the country, Tortuguero is huge, dense, and only a tiny fraction is open to visitors. It’s not easy at all to spot animals here. With our guide, we saw a snake, leaf cutter ants, and 2 sloths from afar. We also saw a turtle shell that had been left after a jaguar attack. (The parrot in the photo was actually from the sliver of forest right outside out hotel.) We had a good hike, but the scale and awe-factor of Tortuguero is much better appreciated from the water.
The length of a guided tour is around 2 hours, but you have the option to hike further after the tour ends.
Day 2 – enjoy the beach!
…. And after that morning our kids were completely zonked and had no mental capacity for anything else.
Because we had a late-ish breakfast, we opted for a quick snack in town. (There is a pizza “bar” at Buddha cafe and sandwich shops along town for a quick bite. Of course, Big and Lil S stopped for milkshakes at Bebidas Naturales Pure Vida.) If you would like a sit down meal, consider tacos and Mexican food La Casona de Tortuguero.
We recommend spending the afternoon at the beach. As we said before, Tortuguero beach is breathtaking. It seems to stretch forever, all jungle and pristine water, and feels beautiful and wild – the very definition of tropical paradise. If you are visiting during Sept-Oct, you might even stumble across baby turtles hatching! Because we were right by the beach, we spent the afternoon in our hammocks, “pura vida-ing”.
In the evening, venture back into town for dinner. We recommend the Buddha Cafe. Buddha Cafe is sort of Tortuguero’s answer to Italian food and clean eating. It’s a little more upscale than most other dining options in Tortuguero. The kids had pizza and we had salad bowls. There is an extensive drinks menu. But the highlight of this restaurant is its generous patio seating overlooking the river. It is the perfect spot to sip a drink and enjoy an epic sunset over the water.
Day 2 – optional activities
If you are up to doing something a little more on day 2, you can always do the Cerro Tortuguero hike if you did not do this on day 1.
You can also opt for a guided night tour. Night tours usually start at 6:00pm, and can take place in the Tortuguero National Park itself or along another trail in the surrounding area. A night tour in Costa Rica was one of the highlights of our trip. Depending on your travel plans, you can choose to do this here or elsewhere. We did our night tour in Arenal, but we met a number of people in Tortuguero who spotted sloths at night.
Day 2 – alternative for turtle season
If you are visiting during turtle season, a canal tour and the turtle tour are your main priorities. Turtle tours run in the evenings starting from about 6pm, lasting 2-3 hours at the beach. You are required to dress in dark clothing, stay quiet, and photography is not allowed, in order not to disturb to turtles as they nest. If your kids are troopers, you have the option of adding the turtle night tour to the end of day 2. If your kids are like mine and definitely can’t handle that many organized activities, we recommend skipping the Tortuguero National Park hike. Before dinner, considering checking out the Sea Turtle Conservancy, which is in town and provides information on the life of turtles and ongoing conservation efforts.
You *could* do a turtle tour the evening of day 1, but keep in mind you are in for a very early start the next day.
Day 3 – departure
Departures from Tortuguero back to La Pavona are mostly scheduled for the morning, starting from 4:45am, then approximately every 2 hours until 10:40am. The last departure time is 2:00pm. (Make sure you have confirmed this with your hotel the day before.) Keep in mind restaurants and sodas in town will not be open until 7am or 7:30am. If your hotel does not serve breakfast, you may need to buy breakfast the night before. Ideas include bread, yogurt, or frozen burritos from the grocery store (if your room has a microwave). There are a lot of fruit vendors in the evening, if you want to complement a breakfast on-the-go.
If you leave in the morning, you have plenty of time to drive to San Jose or Arenal and still have time to enjoy the afternoon.
Questions about visiting Tortuguero with kids? Drop us a message!
