Night walk in Tortuguero: Spot rainforest wildlife after dark

The rainforest comes alive at night with animals you won't see any other way.

A two-hour guided night walk in Tortuguero combines a small-boat journey through jungle canals with a headlamp search on foot through the rainforest, hunting for nocturnal wildlife adapted to life between land and water. Guides speak English, Spanish or French. Pickup from your hotel is included, and children from age five are welcome. The tour departs at 6pm from the main pier.

The experience

The tour starts at 6pm from Tortuguero's main pier, where your guide meets you and hands out quality headlamps. You board a small boat and navigate the canals (the network of waterways that winds through this Caribbean wetlands ecosystem) looking for aquatic animals in the dark. The boat portion gives way to a careful walk deeper into the rainforest, where the headlamp beam picks out creatures that only emerge once the village sleeps: species perfectly adapted to a life between land and water, moving through an environment that stays immersed year-round.

Tortuguero's complex system of rivers, canals and lagoons surrounded by rainforest has earned it the nickname "Amazon of Costa Rica." That biodiversity (the sheer variety of animals living here) is what makes the night walk work. Daytime tours miss most of it. The nocturnal species are the ones that define this place after sunset, and a headlamp in darkness is how you meet them face to face instead of catching a glimpse from a distance.

The walk takes roughly two hours total. Pickup from your hotel can be arranged for an extra cost if the main pier doesn't suit your schedule. The tour runs most nights, and guides are multilingual, so the commentary reaches you in English, Spanish or French depending on your group.

What’s included

• Quality headlamps.
• small-boat navigation through the jungle canals.
• guided walk through the rainforest.
• multilingual guide in English, Spanish or French.
• hotel pickup (for an additional cost if needed).

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 18:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 9 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Face to Face - Night Walk

Is this one for you?The tour runs in Spanish, English or French, so you choose the language that fits your group. If you speak one of those three fluently, the guide's commentary reaches you directly. If your group mixes languages, let the operator know ahead of time so they can match you with a guide who covers what you need.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 12 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What kind of animals will I actually see on the night walk in Tortuguero?

Tortuguero's nocturnal wildlife includes iconic Costa Rican species adapted to the wetlands ecosystem: creatures that live between the rainforest floor and the water. The exact animals depend on the night and the season, but the headlamp search targets the species most active after dark in this Caribbean jungle.

Do I need to be fit or experienced to do the night walk?

The night walk is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You walk carefully through the rainforest with a headlamp, so a reasonable comfort with uneven ground and darkness is helpful, but no special experience or training is required.

What's included in the two-hour tour price?

The tour includes the guide, the small boat through the canals, quality headlamps, and pickup from your hotel if you arrange it in advance (pickup adds an extra cost). The 6pm departure from the main pier is the standard meeting point if you prefer to get there on your own.