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River trip

Tortuguero

Example 3 Day Tour
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Enjoy this three-day excursion to the Tortuguero region. To get there, you'll travel through Costa Rica's Caribbean lowlands, passing banana and pineapple plantations. There are no roads in Tortuguero, so the main mode of transportation is by boat. You'll take a scenic boat ride on the La Suerte River and through the Tortuguero Canals, offering lovely views of lush Costa Rica rainforest and mangrove swamps. Enjoy two nights on the Tortuguero coastline, which is considered one of the Western Hemisphere's most important nesting sites for green sea turtles. Relax and explore this exotic region on this extension tour.
Beach Costa Rica TripHolding a baby sea turtleButterfly in Costa RicaKayaking through the Costa Rican rainforestMelissa on the Canopy TourCanal Trip TortugueroRiver trip
Highlights
  • Enjoy a picturesque boat ride on the La Suerte and Tortuguero rivers
  • See exotic wildlife such as sloths, howler monkeys, coatimundis, raccoons, jaguars, and more
  • Visit Tortuguero's coastline, a vital breeding ground for green sea turtles in the Western Hemisphere
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Arrive Tortuguero

Early in the morning, you'll be picked up from your hotel for the drive to the Caribbean coast, traveling through the lush tropical rainforest of Braulio Carrillo National Park, which is one of the largest in the country. Banana plantations line the highway en route to La Pavona, where you board a boat for a scenic ride on the La Suerte River, Tortuguero River, and through the Tortuguero Canals. The boat ride offers lovely views of the Costa Rica rainforest and mangrove swamps, teeming with exotic wildlife such as sloths, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, coatimundis, raccoons, crocodiles, egrets, parrots, and jaguars—to name a few!

Arriving in the island village of Tortuguero, enjoy lunch at Turtle Beach Lodge and then a free afternoon to relax and explore on your own. Spend the next two nights at the lodge, which offers optional garden tours, a refreshing turtle-shaped pool, a dugout canoe, and nightly turtle-watching tours.

Day 2: Canal Tour

Today is a free day to spend as you please – tour the town, visit the turtle conservation museum, or take a walk through the jungle. You can explore the canals winding through the rainforest, which is home to exotic wildlife, from egrets to crocodiles, monkeys, and butterflies. And keep your eyes open for turtles! Tortuguero has many highlights, but it is best known for the four species of sea turtles that nest in the region. Tortuguero's coastline is considered one of the Western Hemisphere's most important nesting sites for green sea turtles, which can be found by the thousands in the summer months. The baby turtles hatch from July through early November, emerging from their nests to scramble across the sand to the waiting waters of the Caribbean.

Be sure to take advantage of the miles of beach and jungle trails in Tortuguero National Park, horseback riding, kayaking to a nearby lagoon, or fishing in the Tortuguero River for tarpon, snook, and mackerel.

Day 3: Return to San Jose

  • 1 Breakfast
Enjoy a final breakfast in our open-air restaurant before catching a boat back to the main dock and transferring to San Jose.

Accommodations

Tortuguero - Hotels

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

  • Feb 3, 2025from $7,540Secrets of Central America
  • Feb 23, 2025from $7,090Secrets of Central America
  • Mar 5, 2025from $8,890Secrets of Central America
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  • Apr 13, 2025from $6,890Cruising from Morocco to Spain’s Andalusian Coast with Smithsonian Journeys
  • May 4, 2025from $7,880Celtic Voyage: The Hebrides and the Irish Sea – with Smithsonian Journeys
  • May 30, 2025from $8,160Scottish Isles and Norwegian Fjords Voyage - with Smithsonian Journeys
  • Jun 27, 2025from $10,254Cruising the Norwegian Fjords – with Smithsonian Journeys
  • Jul 4, 2025from $8,614Scottish Isles and Norwegian Fjords Voyage - with Smithsonian Journeys
  • Jul 21, 2025from $8,970Iceland Voyage: Land of Fire and Ice with Smithsonian Journeys
  • Jul 28, 2025from $7,970Icelandic Mosaic
  • Oct 4, 2025from $7,560Shetland, Orkney & Hebrides
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  • Oct 26, 2025from $10,130Lisbon to the Canary Islands by Sea: Spain, Morocco, & Atlantic Isles – with Smithsonian Journeys
  • Dec 12, 2025from $5,200Pearls of the Caribbean
  • Dec 28, 2025from $5,200Pearls of the Caribbean
  • Feb 28, 2026from $6,400Cruising the Caribbean's Windward Islands – with Smithsonian Journeys
  • Mar 8, 2026from $5,200Pearls of the Caribbean
  • May 7, 2026from $7,070Celtic Voyage: The Hebrides and the Irish Sea – with Smithsonian Journeys
  • Jun 1, 2026from $8,800Iceland Voyage: Land of Fire and Ice with Smithsonian Journeys
  • Jul 27, 2026from $13,810Expedition from Greenland to Canada via Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • Aug 11, 2026from $9,120A Voyage Along the Great Lakes – with Smithsonian Journeys
  • Aug 19, 2026from $8,810A Voyage Along the Great Lakes – with Smithsonian Journeys
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Per person starting at
$6,890

Notes

This Add-on is available only for our travelers extending or customizing their itinerary. This trip is enjoyable at any time of year, but for those wanting to see the turtles, July-October are the prime months to travel.
Included
  • 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
  • 2 Nights Accommodations
  • Accommodations as listed
  • Ground transportation as listed
  • Activities as listed
  • Meals as listed
  • Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
Excluded
  • Gratuities
  • Travel Insurance
  • Personal Expenses
  • Flight costs (please request a quote)
  • Additional excursions during free time
  • Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
  • Park Entrance Fee
  • Arrival Transfer
  • Departure Transfer

Map

When to Go

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Good to ideal period to travel, and many people choose to visit at this time.
Chance for unpredictable weather but with fewer visitors.

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The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney

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