Tamarindo Sea Turtle Tour

Costa Rica is known for its amazing wildlife, and one of the most beloved creatures found in the Guanacaste region are the giant sea turtles. Our Tamarindo Sea Turtle Nesting Tour at night allows you to witness this phenomenon up close and personal on a very special nature tour in Costa Rica. Joining an organized tour is the only safe (and legal) way to witness this beauty first hand. Let our passionate guides share this once in a lifetime experience with you.

Sea Turtle Nesting in Costa Rica

Major turtle nesting sites have been located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and most notably Costa Rica. Every year during the turtle nesting seasons in Costa Rica the magnificent sea turtles seek the Costa Rican beaches which have become a safe haven to continue the circle of life by building their nests and laying their eggs in the safety of the darkness of night. There are 4 types of turtles that come to build their nests in Costa Rica; Olive Ridley, Pacific Green, Hawsbill, and the giant Leatherbacks. Turtles are nesting on one side of the country or the other at any given time of the year.

Tamarindo Sea Turtle Nesting

Just north of Tamarindo you will find Playa Grande. Not only famous for its surf, Playa Grande is home to the Las Baulas National Marine Park which is a safe haven for both Olive Ridley and Green Turtle nesting. Pacific Green Turtles can live up to 80 years and average about 1.5 meters (4 ft), but they can grow over 2 meters (7 ft) long! The Olive Ridley Sea Turtle is the most common type found here. They are a bit smaller averaging just over half a meter (2 ft) long. Incredibly enough, these turtles travel as many as 1,600 miles in order to reach their spawning grounds in Costa Rica. What a special sight to behold!

Guided Sea Turtle Tour with a local Conservationist Sea Turtle Expert

Patience will be needed on this turtle nesting tour so as to protect and preserve the Costa Rica Sea turtle population. After registering at the park ranger station with your passport, we will wait for our knowledgeable bilingual guide to spot a female turtle emerging from the ocean. We will then walk closer to witness her digging a deep hole, and depositing her eggs (60-90!) inside of it before covering it up again. No flash cameras or lights are used, and we will keep our voices down to not disturb this process.

Sea Turtle Nesting Cycles - Baby Sea Turtle Hatchlings

After 100-150 days, these turtle eggs will hatch and the baby turtles begin the most difficult part of their life, trying to reach the water! They must avoid predators such as crabs, gulls, and other sea creatures in order to reach adulthood. It is estimated that only 1% of hatchlings reach sexual maturity to continue this unique process.

Later in the nesting season, you may have the opportunity to see both nesting and baby sea turtle hatchlings. But there are no guarantees. Unlike other countries, Costa Rica does not allow you to handle the babies, but if they are available the guides will take you to see them. Part of every tour purchased goes for the conservation efforts to help this number increase. So even if you are not lucky enough to see the baby sea turtles, you can know your vacation dollars were well spent giving them a fighting chance to survive.

For nature and animals lovers, our turtle nesting tour in Costa Rica will be an educational and unforgettable evening. Book your discount nature tours in Costa Rica with The Real Deal Tours and don´t miss out on this lifetime experience.