Turtle Watching Tour
Guanacaste and Northwest, Costa Rica
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Turtles are a big see on Costa Rica beaches, but if you don’t know where to find them, you may miss spotting them in their natural habitat. This Turtle Watching Tour from Tamarindo takes you to a popular beach where turtle nesting happens yearly for six months straight. Your guide knows the specific areas to visit to see these shelled creatures. Plus, pickup from Tamarindo is included.
- Costa Rica is one of the best places in the world to see turtles
- A guide knows where to look for turtle nesting areas on the beach
- Hotel pickup is available from Tamarindo and surrounding areas
- This turtle watching tour is offered daily for convenience
What's Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Bottled waterTransportation from Riu / coco beach / papagayo area $30 per person/ JW Marriott, junquillal beach and avellanas
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Just let us know your location and we will pick you up . Tamarindo and surrounding area. Hotel Occidental Langosta Beach
Operating hours.6:00 pm
What To Expect
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Stefanie_D
Lester was absolutely amazing!! I highly recommend! I would do this again in a heartbeat. He was so knowledgeable about the turtles and it was so nice chatting with him. This was a major highlight of our trip.
Reviews
4.2
based on 106 reviews
Kyle_B, Apr 2026
Lester and the driver were amazing, we got to the beach early to watch the sunset and take photos. We got the see everything and it was very informative about the turtles and the hatching process. Defiantly recommend this guided tour cause with the red light flashlights and making sure we didn’t disturb the turtle while she was laying her eggs.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much for your comment it help us a lot and hope to have you back.
Thanks Leo.
Stefanie_D, Apr 2026
Lester was absolutely amazing!! I highly recommend! I would do this again in a heartbeat. He was so knowledgeable about the turtles and it was so nice chatting with him. This was a major highlight of our trip.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Happy to hear that as a owner it makes so happy.
Feel to contact us again if you come to Costa Rica.
Lin_Y, Dec 2025
We did end up seeing the turtles, which was the main reason we booked this tour, so for that part, we are grateful.
However, the overall experience was quite stressful due to poor communication and organization.
We were first told to arrive at one meeting point, Gollo, at 5:50 PM, then asked last-minute if we could arrive earlier. We agreed and arrived at 5:35 PM, but no one was there.
After waiting, we were given a second location, super matapalo, and asked to arrive at 6:00 PM. Again, no one showed up. In the end, we waited until around 6:40PM before the the other guide arrived himself to pick us up.
The driving afterward was also very fast and honestly felt unsafe, which added to the stress of the evening.
While the turtles themselves were amazing to see, the logistics and communication need significant improvement. With better organization and safer driving, this tour could be much better.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
My apologies for the inconvenience we tried to do our best with the cordination but that day we had a crazy day and Amount of people and i am happy you enjoy seeing the Turtles
carli, Mar 2025
First of all, I’m giving it four stars strictly because we saw turtles and that made everything else worth it. I just feel like they should be more upfront about the tour. It’s mother nature so obviously they can’t control how long we have to wait or if we even see anything. However the tour lasted five hours because I was picked up at 5 PM even though the ticket said 6 PM. There is a hike which isn’t mentioned anywhere. I was fine but others in the group struggled. Then we had to wait on the beach for like almost an hour while the guides looked for turtles. Which I’m fine waiting, but there is no communication. I feel like there should’ve been two guides. One that stays with the group and another that’s searching. They told us we would wait in a spot while they searched, but they made it seem like it’d be like 10 minutes, walking down the beach to look, but it was almost an hour. Like, I said we saw turtles so that’s all I cared about. But I think more communication it’s definitely needed for this tour. Cause most people are fine with hiking and waiting, but be upfront about it. a lot of people on the tour also didn’t go to dinner before the tour because they were told they were getting back early enough to go to dinner. Also, the drive back the driver gave no communication either. Most of the time when you’re being dropped off, they say this hotel, next this hotel, etc. But he didn’t say anything. This could be a great tour with more communication. And also a better description on the site. A lot of tours lay out exactly how long each process takes. Pick up… drive… hike… wait on the beach… drive back.
Lynn_S, Jan 2025
Nice opportunity to see things you don’t normally get to experience. The drive was long but worth it
cathybnottmhotmailco, Jan 2025
The guide was very knowledgeable. We only saw one turtle coming from the sea to the beach, she was looking to build a nest. Need to be aware that you may have to walk quite a way to the beach.
Suzanne_T, Dec 2024
Experience was amazing that we were able to see turtles however it was very rushed the guide wanted to leave after being on the beach for 30 mins. We as a group refused to leave and set a time agreeable to everyone for departure time
Yvonne_T, Nov 2024
Tour guide was very informative. We didn't get to see the turtles but that was because it had previously rained and the tempreture changed and the turtles won't come out. A bit scary walking through the jungle at night. Not for the faint hearted!
Jennifer_M, Nov 2024
No one in our group had a flashlight or the right clothes/shoes for the trek. Running for hours through rapid water sometimes up to your thighs in the middle of the night with no lights or sometimes assistance is not for the faint of heart.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
We did the best we could with the rain the flash got damage with the water and we also Saw a turtle plus we had a lot of people.
I really appreciate You came and My apologies for any inconvenience.
John_E, Oct 2024
My wife and I really wanted to like this excursion. However communication on desired pickup (whatsapp) time from resort was not given then told we were late, when following the duration of trip per booking. The group was transported to multiple locations to look for sea-turtles but the guide would ask you to wait under a tree at the beach while he goes and looks for turtles with his red-light (10-45min) and if found will call the group to look (in theory).
We feel that each person should get a red-light flashlight and walk the beach with the guide, to feel more involved and if no turtles…possibly see some other CR critter. Or have spotters, ahead of the groups locating turtles/nests.
.
Maybe during peak season this approach works easily but October early turtle season spending multiple hours with zero sightings…or more involvement…not sure if id recommend trying out until peak season.
The shuttle was clean, driver and guide were nice, friendly and tried locating turtles…just a little unorganized.
Thank you for the trip and good luck growing!
Response from Host, Nov 2024
We can't give every customer a red light agains the law at the place plus it create a lot problem to the turtles.
Justine_B, Oct 2024
They promise us another tour the day after because we saw nothing.. the road was in bad condition and the weather terrible
We never go back with no news …
Response from Host, Nov 2024
First we did the tour and it's a Nature tour plus You did not pay for the excursión.
We don't own the public roads .
Kari_K, Apr 2024
Wow! What a truly remarkable experience! Antoni our guide was everything you’d look for in a guide. He made sure everyone in our group was ok and made sure we saw a turtle! We were lucky enough to see 2 mommas and even a baby! It is the end of the laying season for the green pacific sea turtle and we were all super happy and excited that nature gave us an opportunity! There was also a full moon which Antoni shared afffects the turtles when they are looking for a nest. We learned so much about the turtle laying process! Antoni was extremely kind and considerate of another group that was also observing the turtles. So happy to have been with this group led by Antoni! Thank you for an awesome experience!
Elizabeth_D, Mar 2024
Enjoyable adventure and
passionate guides! Awesome to see baby turtles 🐢 race to the ocean and then the mama's who climb the sand to lay their eggs.
Cecile_C, Mar 2024
The walk….no one explained how far we were going and how difficult it could be for seniors.
The guide was knowledgeable and obviously loved his job but…..
Response from Host, Mar 2024
The product was purchased in viator and the tour has all the descriptions and it tells you what to bring and wear / the tour it’s explains , you guys came wearing sandals not propert clothes to do the tour .
I am very passionate to my job we saw big turtles and baby turtles .
Rolf_d, Dec 2023
Very special experience to see the turtle lay her eggs on the beach.
Good guides with respect for nature and the animals.
Chung_L, Sep 2023
Overall, I gave the experience 4 stars, but our guide, Antoni, was 5 stars. The challenge is that the turtle nesting experience is a waiting game and you run the risk of not seeing turtles at all.
It was a bit of an adventure getting to the beach site. We drove the guide in our 4-wheel drive rental through the beat-up/ washed-out roads leading to the beach. I suppose our group tour ended up being a private one. It was hot, humid, and insects were nipping at us. We parked and hiked about 5 minutes through the woods in the dark and waited along the beach for the turtles to come ashore. Finally after about 2 hours of waiting, a solitary Green turtle was plodding over the sand to inspect its nesting place. Apparently, she did not find the conditions satisfactory to lay her eggs. So, she went back out to sea.
I guess, ultimately, we were lucky to see her at all. If you get to see this incredible event, the tour is worth it. Otherwise, you could be left with disappointment.
Sherie_M, Jul 2023
We were picked up outside the gates of our resort, because the tour guide said he couldn’t come into the resort, but we have been picked up before by other companies at the front door. The driver didn’t speak English. He could barely understand us, and we could barely understand him. We had an hour ride like this not knowing where we were going. The website should have told us we had to walk down a rocky path through the woods to the beach. We should’ve been prepared for that. The tour guide was late. He said he had come from another tour so we were sitting in a neighborhood waiting for him to arrive with the driver who couldn’t speak English! It was a disturbing tour.
Viator needs to do a better job of explaining this tour. Let people know whats really happening! And let ppl know they most likely won’t see turtles during certain times of the year!!!!
kate_p, Jun 2023
Didn't see any turtles, ended up standing on a beach getting eaten by mosquitos for 2 hours with strangers before giving up and giong back. The guide said we'd get a refund, since we were leaving the area and couldn't do another tour, but after messaging the manager he told me that no we would not get a refund.
Waste of time and money. Save yours.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
It's not how you do it. See first, the tour is nature. I can't guarantee you'll see an animal that's wild, and even so, we offered to take you again for free, and even so, you weren't happy, and the biggest problem in this matter was when you arrived at the beach. They forced the guide to return when the explanation says that the tour lasts 3 to 4 hours. You cannot go on a tour like this and wait for the turtle to wait for you on the shore. It is a tour that requires patience.
Markus_R, Jun 2023
A really great tour! We saw some turtles coming out of the sea and digging their holes for the eggs. If you have the change to be at the right time in Tamarindo, you should try this tour.
Vincent_B, May 2023
Wear bug repellent no matter what the guide says. Good to see the turtles but was a little confused about how the event would go would have liked a better explanation.
Response from Host, May 2023
I'm glad you saw turtles but the criticism of the tour doesn't make sense since the description of the tour is very clear that it is a night tour, it can be seen at the pick-up time, it also says that it is recommended to bring mosquito repellent and that it is a walk I think the problem was that you didn't take the time to read the details of the tour.
Thank you in advance for going on our turtle watching and best of luck.
Jennifer_M, May 2023
Amazing experience, life changing for me! Saw 2 mama turtles & 2 babies! Beautiful. Would highly recommend.
monica_k, Apr 2023
This was chaos from the beginning - the tour operator forgot about us. To give him credit, he showed up in his private vehicle and drove dangerously on backroads of Costa Rica to catch us up to the original tour. Apparently Viator had the wrong time listed (PLEASE DOUBLE CHECK WITH TOUR OPERATOR! THIS iS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED) and the operator overlooked our booking. We walked miles in the dark trying to find our tour... it could have been a dangerous situation. When we reached the tour, it was all in Spanish... we are English only. We did see 2 mama turtles nesting and 10 baby turtles working their way to the ocean... so that was great! Then when we got in the tour bus to leave, we suddenly pulled off the side of the road and were transferred to another car... my husband thought we were being kidnapped! scary experience
Response from Host, Apr 2023
First we picked them up 10 minutes after the pick-up time at 6:10 pm to be exact and we arrived at Bahia de los Piratas beach at 6:50 pm, which is the approximate time and we took the second alternate path. that if we arrived late because the other group had already left, which I informed them and they were also informed of the change of vehicle and that lights cannot be used on the tour on the beach and that you must be very active and walk quickly and the tour was bilingual because there were english and spanish speaking clients.
We saw adult and baby turtles.
The next day I received a message from you that you wanted a refund for an excursion and conditioning me to exchange the money for a bad comment, which I could not accept since the excursion took place and they arrived safely at your hotel and without any inconvenience and all the customers, the only ones who complained were you, nobody else, everyone else was happy.
Hannah_H, Apr 2023
We had a lot of fun on this trip and saw two huge turtles laying eggs! The animal experience was better than expected. I will say the roads are very bumpy and I took this down one star because the driving was awful and felt like we were in a movie car chase scene. Made me feel so car sick. But I would recommend someone do this trip because it was unlike any other experiences we’ve had in CR. Beautiful beaches and sunset as well.
Melissa_F, Apr 2023
A must do if you are in the Tamarindo area. We witnessed a baby turtle make the trek into the ocean and a mother turtle searching for an ideal spot to lay eggs. Anthony, Daniel and Veronica were very knowledgeable and respectful of these beautiful creatures.
Christopher_P, Apr 2023
Really great tour. Saw baby turtles making their way to the water. A momma green making her way down too and another momma green digging and laying. Would have liked a red light to make sure we could see where we were going, but amazing !
Eko_L, Mar 2023
Interesting and unique experience, 10-15 mins hike from parking to beach, needs patience, all encounters are up to nature. Bring bug sprays and just enjoy the beach and the starry night sky while waiting to witness some of the most amazing natural wonder at works. But don't expect pictures like in the nature documentaries.
DeeAnn_A, Mar 2023
Thunder in the distance, planets shining brightly, bioluminescent waves and turtles! We saw babies making their way to the ocean and mothers preparing a nest and laying eggs. Ivan was a very knowledgable guide who really cares about the turtles and biology of Costa Rica. There were other guides there with much bigger groups who seemed to only want to provide their guests with sightings, regardless of the damage they were causing to the process. While it was a wonderful experience, I couldn't help but wonder what we're doing to the ecosystem and life cycles of these turtles. Even the footprints in the sand were holes that the baby turtles were falling into. Maybe it's something we really don't need to see.
Aberamy_V, Feb 2023
It was an exciting breathtaking experience. We were lucky to have seen several turtles at once. I recommend this tour to everyone.
Mitzi_H, Dec 2022
This was one of the best tours we took in Costa Rica. Our guide JC was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable and gave special attention to our 3 grandkids. We were lucky enough to actually see a turtle lay her eggs and JC made sure the kids were right in front so they didn't miss a thing! We also got to see another turtle travel back to the sea...beautiful!! Once in a lifetime experience 🙂
Justin_E, Dec 2022
Lucked out and seen a mother turtle lay her eggs for nesting.
I personally got really lucky as I had gotten on the wrong bud several times and took the wrong get offs, but there were arrangements made to help get myself to location in hopes to see a turtle, right after showing up
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