Touring Tortuguero National Park by Canoe

If you’re looking for the best thing to do in Tortuguero, look no further. A small island village in the middle of Tortuguero National Park on the coast of Costa Rica, Tortuguero is fully submersed by tropical wildlife – and there’s no better use of your time there then by touring the beautifully dense rainforest by canoe. Continue reading below to find out more about what to expect on this boat tour adventure!

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The village of Tortuguero is located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Surrounded by water, Tortuguero provides access to the region’s dense tropical rainforest in a way that few other destinations can – by boat! With over 2000 species of trees and flora, navigating in and out of the small canals allows you to see the natural wildlife from up close!

The boat tours are capped at eight participants, but depending on the time of year you visit you may even get the whole boat to yourselves. Your guide will maneuver the canoe through the wetlands to see as many different species as possible, with the tour lasting for about three hours.

Tip: Remember to pack yourself a raincoat and hat prior to embarking! Regardless of the weather forecast, you are in a rainforest after-all. You may have bursts of downpour while on your journey (which to be honest, I thought was a really cool part of this experience! What’s more authentic than getting rained on in a rainforest surrounded by only wildlife and the sounds of nature?).

Home to many turtles, caiman, sloths, jaguars, monkeys, otters – and more – some species of animal will be easier to spot than others. Fortunately all tour guides are local to the area, and well-trained in spotting what’s nearby! In the photos below we were able to capture some close ups of an iguana next to our canoe, who was using camouflage in an attempt not to be seen. If you take the opportunity to visit Tortuguero, let us know what the coolest animal you were able to find was in the comments below!

Tortuguero National Park is also an amazing place for birdwatching, as it is home to over 400 species! With the tranquil, motor-less approach that a canoe allows, you’ll be sure to see some beautiful birds up close in their natural environment. Some notable species in the area are toucans, herons, green macaw, amazon kingfishers, sunbitterns, and egrets!

While Tortuguero is most famously known for its turtles, our top recommendation for this area is the canoe tour since it is accessible regardless of when you choose to visit (whereas turtle nesting only occurs from July-October). Please let us know how you enjoyed your Tortuguero boat tour in the comments below!

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Is Tortuguero just one stop on your adventure through Costa Rica? Check out our travel guides for La Fortuna and Monteverde next!

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