INFORMATION VERY IMPORTANT TO READ!!   

Peculiarities of the tour to observe the nesting of sea turtles

On the part of the authorities of the SINAC (National System of Conservation Areas), the Tortuguero National Park and the STC (Sea Turtle Conservancy), there are regulations and rules that must be respected at all times by both the guides and those attending the tour as tourists.

These regulations arise based on studies and investigations carried out over many years by the STC with the intention that both, nature and the natural nesting activity of sea turtles, be impacted as little as possible due to the involvement of human beings. It is for this reason that, although some regulations seem absurd to tourists, they must be properly respected, otherwise the authorities could decide not to allow people who violate the stipulated rules to enter the activity.

• Reservations for this tour will be received for the same day at most until 1:00pm. After this time no reservations will be received for the same day.

• For this tour there are only 2 times available (8pm and 10pm).

​       This tour has the peculiarity that it is not possible to choose the time, because once the guide has the reservation from the lodge, he must present himself to the raffle made by the personnel of the Tortuguero National Park at 4pm in which they raffle the times and sectors of the beach among all the guides who have reservations for that night. It is until approximately 5pm that the guide will know what time and sector of the beach corresponds to him. Reception will be in charge of letting clients know.

• The maximum number of people allowed per guide is 10 (ten).

• The group will not be able to enter the beach and must wait with the guide at the stations that are on the public path until one of the trackers* gives permission for the group to enter. Other guides and their groups may be waiting at the same location at the same time.

• All tour attendees must wear dark clothing. Light colored clothing is not permitted.

• The use of flashlights, cameras or lights from electronic devices such as cell phones or tablets is not allowed while in the beach area.

• You must remain silent.

• It is the trackers* and NOT the guides, who decide when the group can enter the beach and how long they can be present during the turtle nesting activity.

• The group will be able to observe the process of 1 turtle at most.

• In the case of children under 5 years old, they can attend the tour for free as long as they are carried by their parents at all times while they are in the beach area. In this case, the child would not count towards the maximum number of people allowed by the guides.

• The tour takes place even with rain present. It is canceled only in the event of the presence of lightning. In this case, refunds may apply.

• The permit granted by the Tortuguero National Park to enter the beach has a maximum of 2 hours. In the event that it is not possible to observe a turtle during this time, a maximum refund of 50% of the total amount of the tour would apply.

Your guide may be able to provide you with further information before and during the tour regarding additional regulations and precautions that may need to be taken.

*What is the Turtle Tracker Program and what are its objectives?

In 2004, a committee was formed made up of representatives from the Tortuguero community, the local hotel industry, the Tortuguero National Park, and the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC).

Initially, tourists had the opportunity to walk on their own along the beach at night, looking for spawning turtles and most of the time, getting involved in situations that endangered both the spawning activity and the nests that had already been deposited by other turtles, causing a serious impact on nature and on the preservation and conservation of nesting turtles as such. For this reason, the committee made the decision to create the Tortuguero Sea Turtle Tracker Program with the intention of preserving and responsibly regulating all the activities involved in the process.

The trackers are trained in the conservation and preservation of sea turtles with knowledge based on scientific studies carried out over the years by government entities and local conservation NGOs.

These trackers search for nesting females while certified guides wait with groups of visitors in designated areas. When a tracker finds a turtle and considers that the presence of visitors is safe for it, he will inform the guides of the location and will grant permission for the groups to enter in a coordinated and orderly manner, thus enabling the sustainable tourism and contributing to the reduction of the impact that the presence of human beings has on the spawning activity of these animals in danger of extinction.

About the certified guides for the spawning tour

The only guides authorized to carry out the spawning tour are those certified by the Costa Rican Institute of Tourism for such purposes. Avoid hiring tours with non-certified guides, as you could incur serious violations of the regulations and rules of the Tortuguero National Park. Avoid inconvenience.