Tortuguero Turtle Nesting Tour: Watch Green Sea Turtles Lay Eggs

Stand on the beach as sea turtles emerge from the ocean to nest.

A small-group night tour in Tortuguero during turtle season (June–October) where you walk the beach with a guide to observe Green Sea Turtles laying eggs, covering their nests, and returning to sea. The tour lasts about two hours and includes a guide who speaks English or Spanish. Sightings are not guaranteed. Moderate fitness is needed for the beach walk and standing for extended periods at night.

Step-by-step itinerary

Turtle nesting observation at night

• Meet tour guide at office
• Walk to beach with guide
• Wait for turtle spotters' signal
• Observe turtles laying eggs
• Watch turtles cover nest and camouflage
• See turtles return to sea

The experience

This tour runs only during the nesting season when turtles come ashore, making it a seasonal window rather than a year-round option. You meet your guide at the office, then walk together to the beach to wait for turtle spotters: locals who signal when a turtle has emerged and your group can safely approach. The guide stays with you throughout, answering questions and explaining what you're watching as it unfolds: the turtle digging, laying eggs, covering the nest, camouflaging the site, and making her way back to the sea. The whole experience takes roughly two hours, though timing depends on when the turtles arrive.

Tortuguero's beach is the ancestral nesting ground for Green Sea Turtles and other species that have returned here for generations. Watching this happen in real time (not in a documentary or behind glass) is why the tour exists. The trade-off is that sightings, while likely during peak season, are not guaranteed. Some nights the turtles don't come, or conditions aren't right for the group to approach. Your guide will tell you upfront what to expect and what the night might bring.

The beach walk happens at night and involves standing and waiting in sand, so you'll need moderate fitness and comfort with darkness and ocean conditions. Bring a light layer and be ready to move quickly and quietly when the signal comes. Cameras and phones aren't permitted during the tour, so you're watching with your own eyes rather than through a screen.

What’s included

• Permission fee to access the nesting beach.
• English or Spanish-speaking guide throughout the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayLast departure this season: 31 Oct

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Sambola Tours Tortuguero

Is this one for you?This is a shared small-group tour with a guide leading the experience, so you're not exploring on your own. You're waiting, watching, and learning as a group when turtles arrive. It suits travelers who want expert context and the safety of a local guide on a night beach, and who don't mind that sightings depend on the turtles' schedule, not yours.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

When does the Tortuguero turtle nesting tour run?

The tour operates only during turtle season, June through October, when Green Sea Turtles and other species come ashore to nest. Outside these months, the tour is not offered.

What exactly will I see on the turtle nesting tour?

You'll observe turtles laying eggs, covering and camouflaging their nests, and returning to the ocean. The guide explains each stage as it happens, but sightings are not guaranteed. Some nights turtles may not emerge or conditions may prevent safe approach.

How long does the tour take?

The tour lasts about two hours, though the exact timing depends on when the turtles arrive and how long you spend observing them.

Can I take photos or videos during the turtle nesting tour?

No, cameras and phones are not allowed for picture or video use during the tour. You'll experience the nesting firsthand without recording it.

What's the physical demand of this tour?

You'll walk on the beach and stand for extended periods at night, so moderate fitness is needed. The tour is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health. Infants can attend if held by an adult.