Tamarindo Night Turtle Nesting Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Witness nesting of green sea turtles
- Explore protected nesting beaches
- Learn from expert naturalist guides
- Experience Costa Rican coastal ecology
- Enjoy a unique nocturnal wildlife adventure
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Guided tour to nesting sites
- Transportation from Tamarindo
- Expert naturalist guide
- Meals and beverages
Itinerary
Leaving just after sunset, you will meet at our office and your guide will take you to a protected beach located 30 minutes away.
You will have the chance to see Olive Ridley and Green Pacific sea turtles laying their eggs at a series of secluded beaches near Playa Grande. You could possibly see the Leatherback turtles, but it is rare. Due to the sensitive nature of this naturalist tour, the local guides prohibit the use of flashlights or flash on your cameras, but you may take pictures. A special red light will be provided by the guide that does not disturb the turtles. Turtles can be seen year round, November to April is the peak season for turtle nesting.
Pass by: Pick up Drop off $20 fee per booking Included in Private Tour
Pass by: Pick up Drop off $20 fee per booking Included in Private Tour
Pass by: Pick up Available for Private Tour
Pass by: Pick up Available for Private Tour
Pass by: Pick up Available for Private Tour
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Tours are subject to weather conditions; cancellations may occur due to adverse weather.
- Advance booking is recommended to secure your spot, especially during peak nesting season.
- Be prepared for a moderate walk on uneven terrain to reach the nesting sites.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable, dark-colored clothing to blend in with the environment.
- Bring a flashlight with a red filter to minimize disturbance to wildlife.
- Ensure your camera has a red light setting to avoid scaring the turtles.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Good to know
- Children under 5 years old are not permitted to attend this tour. We need to remain very quiet and often there are extended periods of simply waiting and observing
- There is not a long hike, however there are times where we move from one beach or viewing point to another. Standing around patiently is normal for this tour.
- Please reconsider booking if you have mobility issues, difficulty seeing in the night, recently undergone surgery, or have current physical injury
- The turtle season generally extends from Mid-November to Mid-April, however since this is a natural phenomenon, the season can start, slow or end without specific reason.
- A minimum of 6 people are required to operate. If we have not reached the minimum we will contact you 1 or 2 days before your tour to offer other options.
Traveler reviews
Turtle turtle everywhere
Lived up to expectations. Excited to see few green sea turtle coming out of ocean and couple returning back. 2 baby turtles were highlight of tour.
Mama’s and babies!
We were very lucky on our tour! We saw 2 adult turtles one heading back to sea and the other we got to watch dig her nest. We also got to experience 2 nests hatch so for us it was an amazing experience! The shuttle ride was longer than expected and there are no bathrooms but other than that this was one of our favorite excursions
Great experience
The pickup was in the centre of town. The guide was very clear on his instructions, and was very respectful towards the turtles! He took us to a remote beach where we saw 2 mama and a couple of baby turtles. It was an amazing experience would definitely recommend it!
Turtle nesting
We saw two turtle tried to dig the hole for nesting, but eventually the turtle gave up. Wish we had the luck seeing the nesting.
Bucket list nature experiences
Natives Way did this tour and our guide Ivan was amazing -he was very knowledgeable and had an eagle eye to spot the turtles and ensure we had the best experience-we were lucky to see about a dozen turtles overall and one nest and lay eggs.