7-Day Tortuguero Kayaking Trip
A Kayaking & Wildlife Observation Trip in Costa Rica's Little Amazon
Join one of our trips and enjoy one of the world’s most unique kayaking and wildlife-watching destinations. Tortuguero, a.k.a. Costa Rica’s little Amazon, is located on the northern Caribbean coast and is known for its extensive network of rivers, canals, lagoons, national park, and village by the same name. The area is accessible only by kayak, small boat, or small plane, as no roads lead directly to it. Tortuguero is among the first National Parks established in Costa Rica and is the largest nesting site for the endangered green sea turtles in the Western Hemisphere.
September and October are two of the best months to visit because of the weather, great paddling conditions, and opportunities to see green turtles nesting on the beach. Seeing this amazing, slow-moving turtle make her way from the ocean, create her sand nest, and lay her eggs can be genuinely emotional and overwhelming.
7 Days From $2885
Highlights
- Perfect trip for the wildlife enthusiast paddler.
- This multi-day paddling and wildlife tour is fully guided and all-inclusive, taking care of you from the moment you arrive in Costa Rica until the moment you depart.
- Start and end Location: San Jose International Airport (SJO).
- While in Tortuguero, you will stay in a locally owned and operated small hotel surrounded by water and wilderness.
- Our trip features easy-to-paddle, good-quality, comfortable sit-in-side sea kayaks and top brand paddles and PFDs.
Itinerary
Day 1. A Sea Kayaking Costa Rica rep will greet you at SJO Airport
Today has been designated as your arrival day! You may arrive at any time on this day. A Sea Kayaking Costa Rica representative will meet you at San Jose International Airport (S.J.O.) and provide transportation to a conveniently located hotel only a 10-minute drive from the airport. Here, you'll have the chance to relax and unwind from your international travels.
You can enjoy dinner at the hotel restaurant or local eateries just a minute's walk from your hotel.
Accommodation: Overnight stay at Country Inn & Suites Hotel in San Jose.
Meals: No meals included today
Day 2. Travel to Tortuguero & introductory paddle
Early this morning, your guide will sweep you away on a beautiful drive to the Northern Lowlands. You'll first drive by the breathtaking Braulio Carrillo National Park, roadside villages, a major town, and banana fields to eventually reach La Pavona, a tiny river port on the 'end of the road' in the Caribbean Lowland Plain.
After a motorboat ride, we will reach Manatus Hotel on the edge of Tortuguero National Park, on a narrow strip of land between jungle canals. After settling into your cozy and comfortable hotel room, we will serve a delicious lunch.
Following lunch and a brief rest, you'll meet your guide(s) for a kayak orientation and fitting, followed by your first paddle of the trip. You will fine-tune your equipment on this first paddle and explore the forest-lined canals. Dinner is served after sunset in the hotel's restaurant.
After dinner, led by a local guide, we will explore the beach on foot, hoping to witness turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs or see hatchlings making their way to the sea.
Accommodation: Overnight stay at Manatus Hotel in Tortuguero
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3. Explore canals by kayak & hike Cerro Tortuguero
Are you an early riser? This morning or any of the following days, join your guide for coffee and birdwatching on the hotel grounds before breakfast.
After breakfast, we pack our kayaks with hiking shoes and other necessities. Our destination is Cerro Tortuguero, a dormant volcanic formation that starkly contrasts the predominantly flat terrain of the surrounding lowland rainforest and wetlands.
Tortuguero is known for its incredible biodiversity, and our stealthy kayaks allow us to encounter various wildlife, including monkeys, sloths, turtles, and numerous bird species.
Upon landing, we start our traverse by foot to reach the summit of Cerro Tortuguero, which provides panoramic views of the surrounding landscape, including the Caribbean Sea and the extensive network of canals.
Following lunch and a brief rest, we'll meet for a guided walk to the local village. Dinner is served after sunset in the hotel’s restaurant.
Accommodation: Overnight stay at Manatus Hotel in Tortuguero
Meals: Meals included today: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4. Paddle the canals of Tortuguero National Park
This morning, backed by a local boat captain and his support boat, we will embark on a paddle to reach some of the more remote sections of Tortuguero National Park. Today's water trails are narrow, calm, and lined with dense tropical vegetation, including towering trees, bizarre roots, oversized palms, and vibrant tropical fruits and flowers. Surrounded by a thick tropical rainforest, we will look for wildlife.
After our morning paddling session, we will return to our familiar Manatus Hotel by motorboat, arriving by midday. This afternoon, we will visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy and learn about local conservation efforts.
We will have some R&R time before dinner this evening.
Accommodation: Overnight stay at Manatus Hotel in Tortuguero
Meals: Meals included today: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5. Day visit to Corcovado National Park
On this special day, we will take a break from paddling and embark on a unique journey to Corcovado National Park, the crown jewel of the Costa Rican National Park System. After a 20-minute drive to Puerto Jimenes, we will embark on a 25-minute boat ride that will have us exit the Golfo Dulce. Upon entering the open Pacific Ocean, you will travel another excellent hour along the shores of the Osa Peninsula until we reach the heart of Corcovado National Park. Once at the Sirena Ranger Station, your knowledgeable naturalist guide will lead you on one of the six wildlife trails surrounding Sirena Station. Your guide's expertise will help you spot as much flora & fauna as possible while explaining about the animals, plants, and trees you see. At noon, you'll return to the station for a delicious lunch and rest on the beautiful wooden deck looking over grassy fields, the jungle, and the ocean in the background. After lunch, you will continue the guided hiking, exploring the other trails for more natural encounters. We will head to Sirena Beach early in the afternoon to board our boat, ride back to Puerto Jimenez, and then drive back to Lapamar Lodge. In the late afternoon, you can enjoy the beach or relax in your private cabin; dinner is served after sunset.
Accommodation: Lapamar Ecolodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6. Travel back to San José
This morning, after breakfast, we will say goodbye to our hosts at Tortuguero and begin our journey back to San Jose. We'll start with a motorboat ride, followed by a van trip, stopping for lunch and driving over the Central Volcanic Mountain Range. Once we arrive in San Jose, the rest of the afternoon will be free for leisure. You can relax, enjoy the hotel's amenities, and explore nearby restaurants.
Accommodation: Overnight stay at Country Inn & Suites Hotel in San Jose.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Day 7. Departure day or extend your stay in Costa Rica
We have arranged for your transportation to the airport so that you will be on time for your flight home. All good things must come to an end. Over the past seven days, you've experienced some of the best paddling adventures Costa Rica has to offer. You will take home great memories, amazing photographs, likely some coffee, and a huge Tico smile!
Accommodation: N/A
Meals: Breakfast
Dates & Prices
- September 14th – 20th
- October 14th – 20th: Parm’s Soul Nurturing Adventure (Monday – Sunday)
- October 26th – November 1st
- September 6th – 12th
- September 20th – 26th
- October 4th – 10th
- October 18th – 24th
- November 1st – 7th
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li>All activities and equipment as outlined in the itinerary
- Expertise and services of our experienced adventure guides
- Additional regional guides and local experts if applicable
- Comprehensive Trip Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- 6 nights of accommodation
- Most meals, as outlined in the itinerary
- Airport Meet & Greet and all ground transportation as outlined in the itinerary
- International flights to and from Costa Rica
- Alcoholic beverages (Sea Kayaking Costa Rica provides wine at select events)
- Travel Protection Program
- Personal expenses
- Gratuities for Sea Kayaking Costa Rica guides and guide-drivers
Instead of the full trip starting and ending in San Jose, we can offer you our Basic Trip Option, which is the same trip but starting and ending at La Pavona, the Tortuguero Dock on Rio Suerte (GPS Coordinates 10.53764 -83.59078).
This means your trip with us begins with lunch on Day 2 of the itinerary, ending with breakfast on the morning of Day 6. You can park your car safely at La Pavona at an extra charge. The Basic Trip Option of the 7-Day Tortuguero Kayaking Trip is priced at USD 2400 /person, based on double occupancy. This price includes all taxes and fees, including the mandatory 13% value-added tax stipulated by the Costa Rican government. Click here to book your trip online or contact one of our experts to answer any questions or assist you with booking your trip.
A down payment is required at the time of reservation. Down payments are USD 500/person, payable by credit card or direct deposit. We can also accept PayPal payments upon request.
To book your trip, you can click:
For questions and to book your trip, you may contact our office via email at: contact@seakayakingcostarica.com or call our US & Canada Line U.S. Line (+1) 719-212-5331 .Your booking is secured upon receiving your deposit. You will receive a booking confirmation email, a Costa Rica Useful Travel Tips Document, a Suggested Packing List, and our Survey Form to complete and submit online. The final balance is due 45 days before the trip commencement date.
Activity Level
DAY 2
2 hours/6 km (3.7 miles) of kayaking
DAY 3
2 hours/6 km (3.7 miles) of kayaking & 2.4 km (1.5 miles of hiking, primarily hilly terrain)
DAY 4
4 hours/ 10 km (6.2 miles) of kayaking
DAY 5
3.5 hours/ 12k m (7.5 miles) of kayaking
Accommodations
Country Inn & Suites
Manatus Hotel
Weather
The rainy season in Costa Rica runs from May to November. During this time, mornings are typically sunny and clear, and rains hit in the late afternoon or evening. Planning around this general pattern, you can make the most of the day (planning outings and tours in the morning and chilling in the afternoon). More importantly, Costa Rica’s temperatures are generally a few degrees cooler in the rainy season.
For San Jose, daytime temperatures will be in the 70°s and 80°s Fahrenheit (low 20°s —high 20°s Celsius), with evening lows in the 60°s (15°-21 °Celsius).
In Tortuguero, daytime temperatures range from 25°C to 30°C (77°F to 86°F), while nighttime temperatures range from 22°C to 25°C (72°F to 77°F).
While September and October are technically the rainy season, they are also a time when a “veranillo,” or Indian Summer, takes place on the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. So, dry weather occurs during these months.
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Faq's
7 Days From $2885
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