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Tortuguero Waterway

Two Days in Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Tortuguero Cost Rica

January 5, 2019 //  by Five Family Adventurers//  53 Comments

  51    

Two Days in Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

It’s been my good fortune to travel to Costa Rica several times for pleasure and work. Each time, I find myself falling more in love with the country. Costa Rica is a relatively safe country to visit, with decent infrastructure, and a strong commitment to tourism. Interestingly, every time I have gone, I have been told to avoid the Caribbean coast because of safety concerns.

Travelling throughout the country with a large group of my extended family, we had the opportunity to see the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Our visit included a two-night stay in Tortuguero National Park, located in the Limon district. We arranged for a guided tour, as independent travel to this area is a bit tricky (especially with eleven of us). No roads exist to take you into the park; only waterways. The best way in is either a puddle hopper direct from San Jose or private boats into the park.

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica


Our journey began from the Alajuela, north of San Jose. We departed on a private bus, making a three-hour journey towards the Caribbean coast. The road started out paved, but eventually turned into a dirt road with large potholes, which slowed our progress. Kids didn’t mind; they rather enjoyed the rugged dirt road adventure. Adults, on the other hand, were a bit weary of the constant bumps. We all enjoyed watching the landscape become increasingly dense with jungle as we headed east, towards the coast. With an hour left of our bus ride, we were met in transit by an armed convoy that escorted us the rest of the way towards the coast.

The armed convoy was due to the increased drug trafficking seen in Costa Rica in recent years. Costa Rica does not have an army and relies on working with security forces in neighboring countries and using the law enforcement of their own country. Sadly, they are seeing an increase in crime and homicide due to the increase of drugs coming through the country.

Tortuguero Costa Rica

When we reached the end of the road at Pavona dock, we boarded a small, flat, wooden boat along with an armed guard that would take us upstream towards Tortuguero National Park. As I had mentioned, the only way in or out to Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica are puddle hoppers or boats.

Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero National Park

Our boat took us down narrow, and sometimes very shallow, canals. We watched the jungle grow thicker and thicker the further we went. We caught glimpses of wild life along the way, many birds, caimans and the occasional howler monkey. After about an hour on the boat we arrived at our hotel, The Evergreen Lodge, Tortuguero.

We were greeted with a drink and a surprise visit by some not-so-shy white headed capuchin monkeys. We were escorted to our rooms and were told to meet back at the dock in an hour. The rooms were very basic, with very little lighting and screens (without windows). They were surrounded by dense jungle, which meant many critters. Kids loved it. They voted it the best hotel by far in Costa Rica. The hotel had a wonderful turtle-shaped pool and a zipline for the kids to do during some down time. They even had a small bar by the pool for snacks and cocktails.  It was relaxing and quiet.

Canal Tour

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

After dropping our stuff off in our rooms and checking out our surroundings, we all met at the dock for a tour of the canals and wildlife. We hopped onto a boat and were given a tour of the dense jungle of Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica. It is surrounded by waterways and small communities jutting out from the jungle. The kids enjoyed spotting the many birds and monkeys. We also came across turtles and many young caimans hiding out among the plants.

The boat turned down many narrow, alley-like waterways, into lagoons and back out into the canals. I was amazed the captain didn’t get lost among the passages or stuck in the thick grasses and roots. After about an hour, we headed back to the hotel for a free afternoon. Kids went swimming while I read and watched birds and howler monkeys in the trees above.

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Evening Wildlife Tour

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

In the evening, after dinner, the kids decided to do a night walk. The hotel arranged for the guide to meet us at the restaurant and he took us around the vicinity of the hotel. The hotel itself was surrounded by dense jungle and one could easily get lost if wandering away from the group. The guide–using a red light–pointed out nocturnal wildlife. We came across spiders, frogs, caimans, a snake and many bugs. The kids loved finding the creatures and couldn’t stop talking about it when they came back to the room. Our sleep was filled with the sounds of the jungles, the occasional screams of animals, and the singing of bugs. It was wonderful to fall asleep to.

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Day Two

Turtle Conservatory Visit

After a typical Costa Rican breakfast of rice and beans, eggs and fresh fruit, we all hopped on a boat to head to the village of Tortuguero. Once there, we were taken to a sea turtle conservancy organization. We then learned about the turtles and the conservancy the local area provides to maintain their survival in the wild. Tortuguero National Park, beach has 22 miles of protected beach area and is one of the most important nesting sites for the endangered green turtle in the western hemisphere.  Other types of turtles nest here as well.

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

We were not there during nesting or hatching season, but we were given a tour of the area and learned about the different species. We also had a guide teach us about the coconuts, how to differentiate between ripe and not ripe, how to cut into one, and the healing attributes of the coconut. While we learning,

After the informative morning, we were given an hour to walk around the town.  The kids found puppies and a good portion of the hour was spent taking pictures with these puppies. The village is small with few shops and just a couple of places to eat. We did find an ice cream shop, a nice treat for a morning snack.

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

After lunch, we were given the option to hang out at the hotel and relax or take another tour of the canals. The kids chose to hang out with my parents, so my husband and I decided to tour the canals some more to search for wildlife. It was just the two of us on the canals, enjoying nature and each other.

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

The kids, on the other hand, took advantage of the zip line at the hotel before spending the afternoon splashing in the pool. As the day wrapped up, we had a dinner with music and family time and concluded our last evening in Tortuguero. Although we arrived by boat to Tortuguero National Park, we were taken to a small clearing and flew out by puddle hopper direct to San Jose.

Natura Air

An easy drive from San Jose will take you inland to discover La Fortuna area of Costa Rica including the famous Arenal Volcano and zipline.

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Category: Central America, Costa Rica, UncategorizedTag: Arenal, beaches, birds, Costa Rica, Tortuguero, wildlife

About Five Family Adventurers

I have been an avid traveler since a young child, exploring the world by myself and with my family. I am a mom, wife and individual. When not running after three little dependents and a fat Labrador, you can find me working on our next destination plans. Somehow I also manage to fit in a job. Life is short. Fill it with family travel and adventures. You will not regret it. Embrace what the world has to offer. Oh we are also baseball obsessed, not sure how that snuck into our lives.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Krista D'Elia

    January 8, 2019 at 1:49 pm

    So much beautiful wildlife! I can’t wait to visit Costa Rica one day, thanks for this awesome guide!

    Reply
  2. Jenny

    January 8, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    Gosh. What an adventure for you and your family. And kinda scary at times, it seems. Beautiful scenery and your images are beautiful. I am ready to go visit, but somewhat cautious.

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 8, 2019 at 4:18 pm

      The rest of the country is relatively safe. Just the Caribbean coastal area that has seen an upturn in issues, sadly.

      Reply
  3. Anwesha Guha

    January 9, 2019 at 12:20 am

    Costa Rica is beautiful! Which places will you recommend to visitors if they are visiting Costa Rica for only a day?

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 9, 2019 at 3:49 pm

      It really depends where you are flying into. San jose to Arenal will take up to 3 hours, but Poas volcano is a wonderful alternative as it is only an hour outside of San jose. The City of San jose is also a great visit.

      Reply
  4. Ann

    January 9, 2019 at 8:43 am

    I love the photos of the monkeys! My sister is madly in love with the animals (she is a child) and I would love to take her to a place like this. Personally, I wouldn’t say no to hop on that small airplane! What an adventure you must have had. Can’t believe you actually have a zip line at the hotel, what a dream! I so badly want to travel to Costa Rica now 😀

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 9, 2019 at 3:46 pm

      It is a wonderful country. I could go over and over and never tire of it.

      Reply
  5. Hailey

    January 9, 2019 at 1:00 pm

    I want to visit Costa Rica just for all that adorable wildlife! I even thought the snake was cute! Your kids are so lucky to be having these awesome family adventures. 🙂

    Reply
  6. Shane Prather

    January 9, 2019 at 4:48 pm

    The adorable monkey sold me! I am so glad you took the risk to explore this beautiful country despite the escalating crime. Well worth it for the wildlife and adventures!

    Reply
  7. WanderlustBeautyDreams

    January 9, 2019 at 9:59 pm

    Costa Rica looks amazing! I would want to do this whenever I have the chance to visit.

    Reply
  8. blair villanueva

    January 10, 2019 at 1:31 am

    This is one of the tour I want when I visit a new place, to explore their nature and join an eco-initiative program. Bird-watching is also enjoyable activity!

    Reply
  9. Daniel

    January 10, 2019 at 2:28 am

    Costa Rica has been ranked highly on every list about sustainable tourism destinations and I can see why. The amount of wildlife over there is impressive. Would definitely love to visit someday.

    Reply
  10. Julie

    January 10, 2019 at 6:38 am

    Costa Rica has been on my bucket list for a while now, so much wildlife! Your pics are great btw

    Reply
  11. Missy

    January 10, 2019 at 10:09 am

    Love viewing the images of Costa Rica. we have had the opportunities to visit Costa Rica multiple times and have enjoyed the visits.

    Reply
  12. jen

    January 10, 2019 at 11:40 am

    gorgeous! maybe not the snake … LOL

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 10, 2019 at 9:13 pm

      Snake is better than a massive spider any day!

      Reply
  13. Tricia Snow

    January 10, 2019 at 12:15 pm

    I can not wait to go! I love all of the wild life!

    Reply
  14. Pam

    January 10, 2019 at 12:57 pm

    What a great trip. I would love to go someday.

    Reply
  15. Julie Gazdecki

    January 10, 2019 at 1:28 pm

    Outdoor fun is just what I like. The canal boat ride and learning about turtles sound fun!!

    Reply
  16. Janine

    January 10, 2019 at 3:33 pm

    What a fun adventure for your family! I’m glad that you got the lesser sting (though, still…ouch)

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 10, 2019 at 9:13 pm

      Oh same, but it still hurt. Although I’m a bit of a wimp.

      Reply
  17. Shirley

    January 10, 2019 at 4:17 pm

    Oh my, how cool is this? I’ve never been to Costa Rica but I would love to visit there myself after seeing your awesome photos. Especially that monkey! Awesome! Thank you.

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 10, 2019 at 9:12 pm

      The country’s dedication to conservation really shows!

      Reply
  18. Brandi

    January 10, 2019 at 6:04 pm

    I love Puerto Rico. This looks amazing!!!

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 10, 2019 at 9:11 pm

      Brandi, did you mean Costa Rica since that is what the article is about?

      Reply
  19. Ola

    January 10, 2019 at 7:20 pm

    Costa Rica is on my bucket list! Looks beautiful!

    Reply
  20. Heather

    January 10, 2019 at 8:07 pm

    We went to Costa Rica last summer and didn’t see many of these animals in the Guanacaste region. It’s amazing how diverse Costa Rica is!

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 10, 2019 at 9:11 pm

      It is so diverse. I know the white faced Capuchin are not in Guanacaste, but am not sure about Osa Peninsula, definitely on Caribbean side. They were all over

      Reply
  21. Victoria

    January 10, 2019 at 10:04 pm

    Gorgeous! Would love to visit to a place like this one day!

    Reply
  22. Trisha

    January 11, 2019 at 12:46 pm

    What an amazing experience for you and your family! I’m amazed at how much wildlife you saw. We would love to visit Costa Rica some day.

    Reply
  23. Tracy @ Cleland Clan

    January 11, 2019 at 7:24 pm

    I was all in until I saw the photo of the snake…The photos are beautiful, but maybe the jungle isn’t for me.

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 12, 2019 at 11:11 am

      Don’t worry it is the only one we saw

      Reply
  24. Jordin

    January 11, 2019 at 10:34 pm

    What an action-packed filled two days! I’ve never been to Costa Rica, but this post is a great guide for inspiration! I don’t know how I would do on that Hopper plane though.

    Reply
  25. Kevin Del Prado

    January 12, 2019 at 8:20 am

    I am a nature lover so I will probably love to visit to Costa Rica’s National Park and Conservatory.

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 12, 2019 at 11:10 am

      Yes then it is most certainly a place for you.

      Reply
  26. T.M. Brown

    January 13, 2019 at 10:51 am

    Wow – what an adventure!!! I could not imagine falling asleep to the sounds of screaming animals, but I love all the exploring you did. Sounds like such a fantastic place to visit. (PS – Glad you guys stayed safe! Yikes – armed convoy??)

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 13, 2019 at 11:22 am

      From the first time I traveled to Costa Rica, I never thought I would see an armed convoy. It was always such a safe place. So sad.

      Reply
  27. Riana Shahid

    January 18, 2019 at 2:50 pm

    Wow, seeing all these animals reminds me of the children’s book series my employer published. They’re called The Nocturnals and you can find them at nocturnalsworld.com

    Your kids looks like the right age for the readers of that book! You should check it out; a chapter from each book is available to read on the website.

    Books aside — I will definitely return to this post if I’m ever visiting a trip to Costa Rica!

    Reply
  28. HolyVeggies

    January 18, 2019 at 3:42 pm

    wow, this place looks gorgeous and the wildlife too! I’ve never been to Costa Rica but I love nature, so it looks like I’d like it very much.

    Reply
  29. Chelsea Lynn

    January 18, 2019 at 5:56 pm

    Wow! I feel like I was actually there by reading your post and seeing the photos. It’s so great that your children were able to travel with you. Thanks for sharing your incredible experience with me (:

    Reply
  30. Stephanie Jeannot

    January 19, 2019 at 1:54 am

    Everybody I know that has gone to Costa Rica always says that it is the most beautiful place you could visit. Sounds nice!

    Reply
  31. Monidipa Dutta

    January 19, 2019 at 1:25 pm

    I have never been there but I would love to be there. Such a lovely place. Seems you had a great time.

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 19, 2019 at 4:33 pm

      It is a beautiful, for the most part, a very peaceful country.

      Reply
  32. Angela Bethea

    January 20, 2019 at 8:04 am

    I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed your adventure there. That pkace looks very amazing!

    Reply
  33. vicky hallnewman

    January 20, 2019 at 12:06 pm

    What an amazing trip, it would be so educational for my little girl who is 8 years old. Kids learn so much from travel.

    Reply
  34. Cindy Ingalls

    January 20, 2019 at 6:38 pm

    Costa Rica in on the top of my must-see places. I’m longing to try out a zip line, especially through the rain forest.

    Reply
  35. LavandaMichelle

    January 21, 2019 at 2:12 am

    Costa Rica Is one of our favorite places to visit. We have family there and visit once a year and you just reminded me how much I love it. It is always a great adventure.

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 21, 2019 at 12:57 pm

      Oh so lucky to have family there!

      Reply
  36. David Elliott

    January 21, 2019 at 11:19 am

    I can see why you had a lot of fun on the trip. Although the snake would freak me out on a night walk. Hopefully, it was far enough away it wouldn’t have mattered. But the canal tour sounds great.

    Reply
  37. Johanes Bangao

    January 31, 2019 at 5:09 am

    The small adventure of hopping on different transportation seems fun! You wouldn’t know what animal or specie you would expect in each step. Costa Rica provides the mix of nature and wildlife I would love to have for a vacation – away from the busy streets. So relaxing!

    Reply
    • Five Family Adventurers

      January 31, 2019 at 1:08 pm

      It is stunning how much wildlife there is and the country does a wonderful job preserving the land just for that.

      Reply

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I have been an avid traveler since a young child, exploring the world by myself and with my family. I am a mom, wife and individual. When not running after three little dependents and a fat Labrador, you can find me working on our next destination plans. Somehow I also manage to fit in a job. Life is short. Fill it with family travel and adventures. You will not regret it. Embrace what the world has to offer. Oh we are also baseball obsessed, not sure how that snuck into our lives. Read More…



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