Nocturnal Turtles Watching near Tamarindo

Tamarindo, Costa Rica

4 to 5 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Check out the beautiful turtles on one of Costa Rica’s most gorgeous beaches on this private, nocturnal turtle watching tour in Guanacaste. Your guide provides hotel pickup and drives you to the beach. Use your provided flashlight to observe turtle life at night.

Hotel pickup and drop off included for your convenience
Enjoy this private tour for you and your group
Use provided flashlights to find turtles
Tour lasts around 3-4 hours, then the rest of the night is free

What's Included

Bottled water
flashlight are include
Private transportation
Air-conditioned vehicle
MINIMUM 4 PERSONS ADULTS TO OPERATE THIS TOUR
Naturalist guide certified

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

I pick the clients near this hotels list destination. Please send me Google maps link where you staying

Operating hours

10/20/2021 - 12/31/2026
Monday - Thursday : 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday - Saturday : 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Sunday : 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Itinerary

Province of Guanacaste

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible

Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Reviews

3.4

based on 5 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Cool experience to see turtles

Theresa_R, Mar 2025

Our guide Wilmer was very knowledgeable and helpful he described the process, what to expect and how to be responsible participants to the turtles. The sunset was gorgeous. The road to the beach is a terrible drive. We arrived early so got to see the sunset a plan for dinner would have been nice due to the timing like a place to grab a bite prior to arriving or a stop to get a sandwich to enjoy on the beach would have made it better as it’s late and a lot of standing around. They do offer cold water we were able to get a beer from a vendor on the beach but didn’t get dinner til 9 pm when back to our hotel.

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Hello! Theresa Thanks a lot for your comments. You enjoyed the tour and seen this amazing Turtles .

Worst tour ever! Don’t waste your time or money, Viator does not refund for any condition!

Donna_C, Jul 2024

Unfortunately I booked this private tour for $150 each without reading the reviews, and thought we would have a knowledgeable guide that would bring the correct and right amount of equipment and look out for our safety not the case!, I also thought Viator would refund after finding out what a terrible experience it was. Not true again. We are knowledgeable about turtles and the ocean, I teach a conservation class and my son is a surfer and has seen turtles numerous times and actually had shown me one earlier in the week. The guide was not knowledgeable. He wanted to leave at 4:00, high tide was not until 8:30 my son changed the time to 5:30. He brought one headlamp for himself and one for my son and I to share, then said he couldn’t give it to us until the turtle started laying eggs, it was hard to see where we were walking, he had red paper and and a rubber band to go over a regular white light. I’m not sure it was a correct red light. The guide then left us on a dark beach for about 30 minutes to look for turtles while we stood on a dark beach with no light.. We went to another beach and he did the same thing, and left us on the beach, but gave us one light this time. He then told us to hide under a tree because there was a turtle, so we hid for about 10 minutes, he said it was moving , then people came from the other direction and it was a tree stump. He showed us turtle tracks which were obviously dirt bike tracks., he showed us other ones which was a water runoff. He showed us sea shells and said they were turtle egg shells. My son corrected him on all these things and wanted to leave. We walked through the woods to another beach, he got lost in the woods coming out, my son found the way and guided us out. There was also a tree that after we walked under it he told us it has poisonous fruit and people get sick from touching it and laying under it. He said we didn’t see turtles because the waves were to big, this was incorrect, the waves were almost flat to 1 foot all day, my son corrected him so he said the tide was to high, again my son told him the higher the tide the better for the turtles. On the way back in the dark woods he told a story of people being murdered. If I had been with anyone other than my son and been left on the beach and with no light, and gotten lost in the woods I would have been terrified. When I booked with Viator they said you can request a refund if you do not see a turtle, well you can request but you will not get it under any condition. I did not request a refunded for not seeing a turtle I requested because the guide did not bring the correct equipment, was not knowledgeable and put us in a frightening and potentially dangerous situation. Not a good tour! If Viator would not give a refund for this tour then they do not stand behind their tours DO NOT BOOK THROUGH VIATOR! Go into other tours and read the reviews. They are cheaper and I have heard good things.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Dear client I receive a call from viator customer service before do this turtles watching tour. Mrs. Donna ask me if i can guarantee turtles watching tour and i told customer service is impossible wildlife is not guarantee as proffessional Nature guide Certified by Costa Rica Tourism Board. Also client want to change the time to go watching the turtles. help with change of pick up 1 hour after at 5:30pm. I have all the flash lights and equipment to do the tour. She have low mobility and she can't walk on the forest. We only walk 200 meters and she was complain in all the tour. We don't see turtles but we seen 2 turtles track arrive 1 day before. When i set up a pick up time to clients is because we have to be 3 hours before high tide to spot turtles and aldo works 3 hours after high tide to see turtles. She don't have patience in this tour and she look really stress person because her and son drive 1 hour and 30 minutes in gravel road to meeting me. I did the best i can . I bring water and equipment for them . I suggest You go visit a zoo or Shelter in Costa Rica instead a turtle watching tour to this client. Best regards! Wilmar Retana Naturalist guide Certified License by Costa Rica Tourism Board #1156.

DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR

debbie_f, Apr 2024

DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR. The tour guide didn’t show up on the appointed day. The hotel concierge reached him and he blamed Viator and said the tour was supposed to the next evening. He did not show up again the second night. I have an extremely disappointed little boy and for two nights in a row, my vacation plans were completely messed up.

Response from Host, Jun 2024

With all the respect Debbie about this tour i going to pick you at the Main lobby at JW Marriott resort on time the day of the tour. I talked with you one day prior the turtle tour and i told you talk with the Concierge of the lobby and tell him coordínate with Main security of JW Marriott resort and you never didn't. The Concierge of this resort never do a good customer service then talk too much about the tour operators because they have an EXPENSIVE tour operator inside the resort and they lie to offer tours on the resort. I been at the main security gate of the resort 30 minutes ahead of the pick up time. Main security resort don't let me in because nobody coordínate the entrance of my unit van. This is a policy of the resort and be out of my hands. I tried to reach You in your cell phone and your like is off. I gave you money refund. I don't understand why viator leave a cellphone number of the client but mostly of them never answer either call or text message. Best regards

Very authentic, natural experience

Michele_H, Dec 2023

Very unique experience. Great for those who love a little adventure and to truly have a natural experience. I wouldn’t recommend for children under ten. There is a lot of waiting and being quiet while the turtles are laying their eggs. And be prepared to get sandy if you want to get close to the turtles. But definitely a once in a lifetime experience. Also, the ride to and from is quite rough. But again, well worth it to see the tortuga negra laying her eggs.