How to get to TORTUGUERO from SAN JOSÉ, LA FORTUNA & PUERTO VIEJO by shuttle, plane, car or bus

Are you in Costa Rica and want to know how to reach Tortuguero? In this article, I’ll guide you on how to get there from SAN JOSÉ by SHUTTLE + BOAT (👉price), by taking a FLIGHT (👉price), or by bus or car. I’ll also explain the options for getting to Tortuguero from LA FORTUNA by SHUTTLE +BOAT (👉price), or if you prefer, by car or bus and then taking the BOAT (👉price & schedule).

Lastly, I’ll provide you with all the instructions for reaching Tortuguero from PUERTO VIEJO (👉SHUTTLE+BOAT), from CAHUITA (👉SHUTTLE+BOAT), and also from MANZANILLO (👉SHUTTLE+BOAT) and from Limón, including details for transportation options such as bus and BOAT.

If you plan to travel by your own vehicle or RENT A CAR, I’ll let you know the best route and the distance you’ll have to cover to reach Tortuguero.

Additionally, you’ll find information on where to stay and the BEST HOTELS in Tortuguero, as well as some extra tips to make your trip more enjoyable.

How to get to Tortuguero National Park

If you are planning a trip to Costa Rica (👉COSTA RICA GUIDE), you should know that it is a country characterized by the beauty of its beaches, mountains, volcanoes and the diversity of its wildlife.

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Tortuguero is a Costa Rican National Park that is divided into a forest area, another of lagoons and the beach part. It can only be accessed by boat, and this makes the place better preserved and respects its nature.

The climate is hot and humid, with an average annual temperature of 25°C and 30°C; so I recommend that you bring light and comfortable clothing for hiking and exploring the park.

It is also the area of Costa Rica that has the most extensive biological variety and is the most important zone in the western half of the Caribbean for green turtle nesting; although other sea turtles also lay their eggs on its beaches, such as the leatherback and the hawksbill.

Jaguars, crocodiles and caimans, poisonous frogs (beautiful colors!), raccoons, fishing bats, some species of monkeys (such as the red and white-faced monkey), manatees, and many more animals live in Tortuguero.

How long does it take to get to TORTUGUERO

Let’s see how long it’ll take you to get to Tortuguero, depending on whether you’re starting from La Fortuna or San Jose and the transportation you choose.

How to get to TORTUGUERO from SAN JOSÉ

If you’re traveling to Tortuguero from San José using public transportation, you have four choices: fly on a PLANE, take a SHUTTLE + BOAT, drive your own car, or go by bus. Each option has its benefits, and I’ll explain the details of each of the four methods below.

How to get to Tortuguero from La Fortuna

To reach Tortuguero from La Fortuna, you can cover the distance of 175 km by either shuttle or public bus. Below, I will provide details about both transportation options.

Getting to Tortuguero from Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, Manzanillo & Limón

To go to Tortuguero, there are three options:

1. the fastest and most comfortable is to hire a minibus + boat service from PUERTO VIEJO (SHUTTLE + BOAT) and CAHUITA (SHUTTLE+BOAT) and MANZANILLO (SHUTTLE+BOAT)
2. and the cheapest is to go by bus (many transfers)
3. then go by boat independently (more practical than the second one)

Next, I will tell you all the options step by step:

How to get from Puerto Viejo & Cahuita to Tortuguero BUS

This is cheaper, but involves changing more transport. The route is Puerto Viejo > Limón > Guápiles > Cariari > La Pavona > Tortuguero (yep, there are a lot of changes and it’s scary, but, within the hassle, it’s done faster than it seems).

If you decide to choose this option, this is what you have to do:

1. Puerto Viejo/cahuita > Limón

You take the bus from Puerto Viejo or Cahuita to Limón. It costs 1970 CRC and takes an hour or an hour and a half.

Important: you have to change terminal to transfer. The next terminal is next door (don’t ask for a taxi), just ask the driver or the people and they will guide you.

2. Limón > Guápiles

Once there, you get on the bus that takes you to Guápiles, it costs about 3,200 CRC per person and the tour lasts a little less than two hours.

3. Guápiles > Cariari

When you arrive in Guápiles, the bus to Cariari leaves from the same terminal, it will cost you 520 CRC.

4. Cariari > La Pavona

Once in Cariari, you have to go to La Pavona, which is the pier from where the boat leaves to get to Tortuguero.

Super important information: the last bus leaves at 3:00 p.m., you have to be there before. If it happens to you like me, that you miss the last bus and you start asking people if they know of a cheap hotel to spend the night, keep in mind that it is most likely that they will recommend a hotel for hookups and prostitution (to me They recommended 3 different ones until I found a hotel just to sleep).

5. La Pavona > Tortuguero

Finally you are going to enjoy the BOAT (👉price & schedule) ride to Tortuguero! The landscape is very beautiful and if you are lucky you may see some little animals. On the way back I saw a sloth, an alligator and different birds.

HOW TO GET TO TORTUGUERO from Limón BY BOAT

This option is much more comfortable but a bit more expensive:

1. You have to go to Limón by bus.
2. From there go to the Moín pier by bus (it is next to the stop).
3. A boat leaves at the pier at 10.00 in the morning and in 4 hours you are in Tortuguero. The only disadvantage is the price, since the ticket is quite expensive.

Of course, if you opt for this option, be well informed about where the tickets are bought or if they have to be bought the day before (I think so).

Where to stay in Tortuguero

The town of Tortuguero is very small, and you really shouldn’t worry about the location of the accommodation. Even if you stay a bit far from the center itself, in a few minutes walk you will find a restaurant where you can eat or you will arrive at the pier to do the tours.

I recommend that you prioritize finding a nice hotel/hostel that fits your budget; and, if possible, that it has good views of the lagoon.

If you are vegan, or want to save or eat healthy during your stay, in the very center of town there are two supermarkets where you can buy the basic things to cook. They are tiny but have a little of everything, including fresh fruits and vegetables.

Budget-friendly

• CASA MARBELLA
• CABINAS TORTUGUERO NATURAL
• ARACARI GARDEN
• EL HOSTEL DEL PATIO

High budget

• ANINGA LODGE
• TORTUGUERO ADVENTURES

How many days in Tortuguero?

If you want to enjoy Tortuguero National Park, you have two possible options: to do a one-day tour or to spend more days in the park.

If you have little time to visit Costa Rica and want to make the most of your time, you can do a 1-DAY TRIP to see Braulio Carrillo Park and Tortuguero Park.

On the other hand, if you have more time and want to travel in a more relaxed way, I recommend that you spend a minimum of two nights in the park. This gives you time to take a boat ride, hike to see the nocturnal wildlife and make a trip to the hill.

Tours in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a country with a wide variety of fauna and nature. You can visit volcanoes, national parks, towering waterfalls, sunbathe at the beach, go kayaking,…

There are different TOURS and ACTIVITIES that you can do during your trip, so you can make the most of your stay:

When is the best time to visit Tortuguero?

There are three factors you have to take into account when deciding when to visit Tortuguero National Park: temperature, rain and turtle nesting season.

Temperatures in Tortuguero remain stable throughout the year, with maximums of between 29 and 31ºC.

The next factor to consider is rainfall. In Tortuguero, the wettest months are from May to December, although it is a very humid place throughout the year.

And finally, the nesting of turtles. The three species that nest in the park swim towards the shores of Tortuguero between the months of July and October. It will be during this period that you will have more opportunities to see them.

What to do in Tortuguero

The excursions that you can do in Tortuguero revolve around knowing the channels of the lagoon, hiking, and seeing and learning about its fauna.

There are different activities and tours that you can do during your stay; although, you can also do some of them on your own and without the need to hire a guide.

Visit the lagoon by boat

This excursion is done in a small boat where a small group of about 6 people can fit. The size of the boat is great, as it allows you to feel closer to the natural environment and gives you the feeling of living a little adventure; especially if you come across alligators, you will have them very close!

Tip: you can do this at different times of the day, but I recommend that you choose the first thing in the morning, since it is less hot and the animals tend to be seen more (during midday they are hidden).

Night trekking to see the fauna

It is an activity that takes place after dark. You do a little walk without going too far from the town, and the fun is to go looking with the flashlight, and see all the nocturnal animals that are hidden during the day.

Depending on how lucky you are, you will be able to see different types of animals such as snakes, frogs, small mammals, armadillos,… I walked back along the beach with the guide, to try to see the sea turtles and enjoy the starry sky (it’s full , full of stars, it’s amazing).

Learn about SEA TURTLES spawning

Sea turtles spawn 3 to 4 times a year. On the beaches of Tortuguero, 4 different species of sea turtles arrive to nest. These are the different stages of the process:

1) The mother turtle arrives at the beach at night to dig a hole in the sand, and lays between 80 and 120 eggs. Then it runs back to the water before the predators arrive.

2) 45 to 70 days later, the baby turtles break out of their shell, and run as fast as they can into the sea. This seems very easy but it is an odyssey, because there are some that go to the side that they do not touch, others that are preyed upon by the animals that live there, or sometimes the waves are strong and throw them back onto the sand.

3) Once in the water, they begin to swim like damned so that they are not eaten by any seagull or any bug that is there.

Hike to Cerro Tortuguero

Cerro Tortuguero is an extinct volcano that is located about 5.5km from the town. Although not particularly high, the summit (standing 119m above sea level) is the highest peak in the region.

The day begins with a boat ride (about 10 or 15 minutes) to the beginning of the path that leads to Cerro Tortuguero. The walk lasts a total of 2 hours and at its highest point you can see the views of the lagoons, the jungle, the town of Tortuguero and the sea.

I hope you have a great time in Tortuguero and enjoy your trip to the fullest!

Is Costa Rica SAFE to Travel? 

Costa Rica is a moderately dangerous country, where nothing should happen to you if you go carefully and take precautions. Remember to follow these recommendations:

• In case of robbery, do not resist physically.
• Do not show a high purchasing power, that is, do not go with jewels, bags, etc … that are expensive.
• Be careful if you go out at night, and stay in crowded places where you are surrounded by other people.
• Thefts are usual, so don’t go with the camera or mobile in your hand or hang out of your neck.
• Try to avoid carrying the backpack on the back. Put it in front of you, or use a belt pouch or a cross bag.

Personally, I spent 3 months traveling alone in Costa Rica (I visited San José, Puerto Viejo, Tortuguero, Dominical, Uvita, Bay Drake and Puerto Jiménez) and I did not find myself in any really serious situation.

Going down the street with the camera, several Costa Rican people approached and warned me that they were carefully with robberies, since they told me that they are very frequent.

In my case, during the trip they tried to steal 2 times and, luckily, I realized on time and I could avoid it. In any case, it is always a good idea to have travel insurance (👉5% discount) that can compensate you financially and help you if a medical emergency occurs.

If you are interested in traveling alone, I recommend this article about the reasons and benefits of traveling alone and this other article with tips for traveling alone being a woman. I encourage you to try it since it is a great and very profitable experience for oneself.