Day 1:

Early in the morning you will be picked up at your hotel in San José. After a scenic drive through Braulio Carillo National Park you will stop for a typical breakfast. The journey continues through wide banana plantations to Matina/Caño Blanco, where you'll take a boat. Cruising down rivers and canals you already have the opportunity to observe animals. 2 ½ hours later, you will arrive at your jungle lodge**(*) and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon you can either choose to relax at the pool, or undertaking a first hike in the rainforest, or visit the village of Tortuguero. In Tortuguero you have the opportunity to and visit the Caribbean Conservation Center (entrance fee not included), dedicated to the protection of the endangered sea turtles. There will still be some time to enjoy a drink in Tortuguero before you head back to the lodge for dinner. After dinner and only between July and September, you can take part in an optional night walk on the beach to observe sea turtles while they lay their eggs in the sand.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 2:

The first included boat ride on the canals of Tortuguero National Park takes place early in the morning, before breakfast. This is the best time to see birds and animals. After breakfast discover more of Tortuguero National Park as you will glide through the narrow canals, observing crocodiles, monkeys, sloths, turtles, iguanas and many different species of birds. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you have the choice of taking a hike in the jungle or, weather permitting, climb Tortuguero hill, from where you can enjoy a nice view across the canals and the sea. Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3:

After breakfast on the third day, you will return to Matina/Caño Blanco by boat and continue by bus to Guápiles, where lunch will be served. Crossing Braulio Carillo National Park you will arrive at San José at approximately 5.00 pm.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch

With Mawamba Lodge, Laguna Lodge and Turtle Beach Lodge only.

Mawamba Lodge

is situated on the Northeast area of Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast on a sand bar between the Tortuguero Canals and the Caribbean Ocean, an excellent location that provides direct access to the pristine beach and the canals. Nestled in the lush rainforest, this is the ideal hideaway for nature lovers and the perfect place to discover the wonders of the Tortuguero National Park. The Lodge is a 15-acre beach front property located on the right side of Tortuguero, offering nice views to the Tortuguero Lagoon and the canals. All the spacious and comfortable rooms are built in fine woods and are equipped with either 1 double and one single bed or three single beds. All feature a private bathroom with hot water and ceiling fans and offer tranquil garden views.

The Family style restaurant caters International and delicious local cuisine and a pool - whirlpool area surrounded by beautiful gardens where you can enjoy exotic tropical cocktails, are some of the facilities that you will find at the Lodge

Laguna Lodge

is located on a narrow strip of land, six hundred feet wide, the lodge's spacious gardens enjoy the Caribbean Sea on one side and Tortuguero Lagoon on the other. It offers 80 rooms divided in blocks of 4 or 6 rooms furnished with all the basic elements for a very comfortable stay. Private bathroom, hot water, ceiling fan, reading lamps, wooden benches outside your room to admire the gardens.

The lodge has fifteen acres, full of trees and exotic plants, the gardens also shelter a great number of birds and butterflies.

Prices per person from 1 December 2007 - 30 November 2008

* Children aged 0-4 stay free of charge at Mawamba and Laguna Lodge, but must pay the National Park entrance free of US$7. Child rate applies to children aged 5-12 who share parents room.

Prices includes entrance fee to Totuguero National Park and meals as indicated in the itinerary

Attention: Due to limited storage capacity of the boats, luggage allowance is limited to 12kg per person.

NOTE: All our Costa Rica adventures can be combined to form individualized packages. Please ask if you need help creating your own itinerary. We also offer fly drive packages and some short mountain biking and white water rafting tours that are not mentioned in the index. Please ask.

Options & Combinations

1. You can also fly to Tortuguero one or both ways at extra charge.
2. This tour can also be booked for 1 night only. However we recommend to fly at least one way.
3. Extra nights can be added.
4. For groups of at least 5 persons, we can arrange the return trip via Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí at a small surcharge. This avoids traveling the same way twice. With this option you will enter or exit Tortuguero National Park cruising on the San Juan River, which forms the border to Nicaragua. As you will briefly cruise on Nicaraguan territory, you will pass a check-point and must bring your passport. The border fee, currently US$ 9, is not included. We recommend to bring the exact change as border officials do not provide change. Colones are not accepted.

Option 1) flight back to San José and connection to all SANSA flights

Instead of traveling back to San José by land, you can book a flight with SANSA. Thanks to the very early operation of this flight, you can make connections to all SANSA destinations departing after 08.00am.

Option 2) with Selva Bananito Lodge or hotels on the Caribbean coast

a) Available for Mawamba Lodge and Turtle Beach Lodge: You can take the regular transfer included in this package, back to a restaurant near Siquirres (Caribbean Dish), where you can connect to the collective bus (Interbus) transfer to the Caribbean Coast/Selva Bananito Lodge or to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí. Please note that the lunch included in the package will be missed and is not refundable.

b) Available for Laguna Lodge: You take the regular transfer, included in the package until Guápiles and enjoy lunch. Continuation by private transfer to the Caribbean Coast/Selva Bananito Lodge or to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí and La Fortuna. Please see also our combination package 'Tortuguero / Selva Bananito'.

For booking inquiries and further information please contact Sacred Earth.