Turtle Watching Night Tours With Expert Naturalist

We were traveling with our two young kids (5 and 18 months) and made the mistake of booking the night after a long travel day. Our guide, Moses, went above and beyond to make sure our kids and us were comfortable. The kids were on the verge of melting down from exhaustion and he took us back to the car and let us calm them down in the AC which was above and beyond. As far as the turtle experience goes, he was extremely hardworking and we were able to see 2 turtles and one even laid eggs on the beach. What an incredible experience! He was so knowledgeable, compassionate and hospitable. He knew so much about the life cycle of the turtles of the area and went out of his way to make sure everyone had a great time. Highly recommend!

Wow! One of the most magical moments of nature I’ve ever experienced. We were lucky to see a Green Turtle do its whole nesting ritual: digging, laying the eggs, and covering them. We saw two more turtles in the process, too. Our guide was amazing. He’s been doing this for 10 years and it shows. We learned a lot about the history of Costa Rica, sea turtles, conservation in general, and more. Highly recommend!

What an amazing experience. Christian and his team were absolute pros. Full of information, answered every question with reverence and respect for the animals and environment. We definitely hiked, but it was so worth it. Truly fortunate to have experiences like these available.

Christian was a great tour guide! We got there early in the night and were the only people for the first 30 minutes. It was early in turtle season and still got to see 3 turtles. Him and his wife are very knowledgeable. Highly recommend!

We didn’t do it. They never contacted us and we waited

Our guide at the beach was enthusiastic and clearly loved the turtles and the natural environment. And it was fun to be on the beach at night in a safe environment. We saw one turtle and two baby turtles, as well as hermit crabs. However, we wished we had asked more questions before booking. For example, how long of a drive to the beach? In our case, we had to pick up other passengers and drive to a far beach, so it took much longer than we were expecting. And where are we in the turtle nesting season? In our case, we were at the very end and were lucky to see one mother turtle and two babies. There is a phone number in the booking you can call to ask these questions.

I would give the Turtle Watching experience three stars. The reason is this: my husband and I had trouble with this trip because he has low vision, and I have mild mobility problems. Neither of us was comfortable navigating the trail to and from the beach in the dark. The turtle viewing itself was amazing, and our guides were fantastic, making sure we got there and back safely. One of our friends got separated from the group, and the guides took steps to find him and make sure he was safe. My recommendation is as follows. The write up about this trip mentions that it is not suitable for those with heart or back problems. The write up should also make it clear that the tour includes a 12 to 20-minute walk to the beach in the dark using flashlights. If guests are not comfortable with that aspect, then maybe the Turtle tour is not for them. Sincerely, Colleen Isherwood (416) 844-1519

Amazing experience! We were able to see baby turtles walk to the water. We also saw a few adult turtles walk on the beach as well! Beautiful experience and amazing view of the water and the beach.

I would give the Turtle Watching experience three stars. The reason is this: my husband and I had trouble with this trip because he has low vision, and I have mild mobility problems. Neither of us was comfortable navigating the trail to and from the beach in the dark. The turtle viewing itself was amazing, and our guides were fantastic, making sure we got there and back safely. One of our friends got separated from the group, and the guides took steps to find him and make sure he was safe. My recommendation is as follows. The write up about this trip mentions that it is not suitable for those with heart or back problems. The write up should also make it clear that the tour includes a 12 to 20-minute walk to the beach in the forest in the dark using flashlights. If guests are not comfortable with that aspect, then maybe the Turtle tour is not for them. Sincerely, Colleen Isherwood (416) 844-1519

Very interesting. Wonderful!

Amazing! We saw a female turtle lay her eggs and we also saw baby turtles in their race to the water! Our guide Anthony was very informative, you can tell how much he cares about these turtles and he was very professional in making sure the turtles were not disturbed by us. It was a great tour.

Tour was awesome, we saw baby and large turtles, but sadly the guide was not very pleasant. Still worthwhile

There are good things, and extremely bad things about this tour. I should’ve looked at the way they responded to bad reviews and adjusted my expectations. The tour guide is extremely rude, condescending, and rough. I get why. He told our group over 20 times to not have light and DO NOT do any flash photography. We had several people who used their flash and several of the turtles aborted laying their eggs because of it. However, he would ask trivia questions and when we tried to answer, he would condescendingly scoff and say no. Then pressure more people to answer his trivia questions. He had this red flashlight and would flash it in my friend’s face several times throughout the trip. Then, when we would sit to look at the turtles, he would roughly grab me and push me to the side to squeeze in. Only problem is, there are rocks and branches everywhere. I landed hard on rocks and branches on my knees because he would grab me to the side. Another thing is there are dangerous trees in the area that burn the skin on contact. He warned us about them AFTER we already wandered in the dark and wandered past these trees in close quarters. I just feel like that’s something you warn the group about before we start walking in the dark with no light. We did, however, get to see a turtle making a nest and laying eggs very closely. Unlike other tours we’ve seen, there were also limited people on the trip so the beach wasn’t crowded. It is clear that they do care about the sea turtles also. We definitely spent way too much time watching sea turtles push themselves back in the water though, in silence. Like 10-15 minutes every time the turtles would abort and leave.

It’s a little hard to walk on the sand but totally worth it for the experience. Amazing time! My wife and I both went. The stars in the sky while we were watching the Turtles was amazing.

This was a bucket list to see the turtles during nesting season. Our guide Moises was very knowledgeable about the Turtles. He could answer every question the group had. The tour begins with pick-ups at various locations and then proceeds down a pretty rough road to a trail that leads to the beach. Moises gave us all flashlights to help light our way. Once at the beach we had to put our flashlights away but we could see red lights along the sand. Other guides radioed Moises that a Mama turtle was making her way to the ocean. The group quickly located the Mama and we were able to take photos and videos (without flash). Next we learned of 2 baby turtles making their way to the ocean! Oh my goodness but they were adorable. Seeing babies in nature makes your heart grow❤️. We walked a long way through the sand and the moonlit night. We were lucky to see 11 turtles in all. The last turtle we saw was seeking a good place to nest. She found a hole already dug out but it was too dry to lay her eggs. She continued up an embankment and seemed to find a perfect spot under some scrubs to offer a little protection. When we got back to the trail, we used our flashlights again to get back to the van where Moises gave all of us bottled water. For my husband and I this was our #1 tour and we will go again when we return to Costa Rica. 🐢❤️

Wow, honestly a bucket list experience. We managed to see 11 green turtles come to nest. We also saw some babies make it to the ocean. Great trip, second time having Christian as a tour guide. He has a genuine love and passion for turtles. He’s also super patient meaning we extended our time on the beach to watch a turtle actually lay her eggs.

Nice guides and a great experience. Be though prepared for a bumpy ride :)

We had an incredible turtle watching experience last night led by our extremely knowledgeable guide, Moises. He apparently has decades of experience since beginning observing sea turtles as a child. Fortunately, last night the Pacific green turtles decided to cooperate. We lost count, but during the couple of hours we spent on the beach, we observed approximately 10 turtles appear from the ocean, make their way to the back of the beach, decide whether to dig, excavate extremely large holes, and then head back into the ocean. We also observed about a half dozen hatchlings as they made their way from the nest into the ocean. Moises clearly has the animal’s best interests at heart and carefully guided us to ensure that we did not disturb these large creatures as they engage in their essential task of laying eggs. He did not rush and gave us plenty of time to observe while offering explanations and answering our many questions. Keep in mind that on any animal watching trip, we humans are dependent upon the vagaries of animal behavior as to whether they decide to appear during the brief time of the trip. This time we were very lucky. Our guide parked at the edge of the beach and we had the whole area to ourselves for quite a while before other tour groups arrived. Overall, it was a great experience.

Moses truly loves what he does and is all about what is best for the turtles NOT the tour- that is phenomenal as turtles are sensitive to shadow and humans can impact their egg laying. Only 1 in 1000 turtles make it so if we disturb them they will not exist to even see! We had a remarkable experience at Pirate Brach seeing 6 green turtles come in from the ocean, make it into the trees and try and find a safe acceptable spot to lay her eggs. None of those turtles chose to stay ( 1 was due to a group of human shadows causing her to turn around (,she thinks that is a blocked path). But 1 turtle was already back in the trees digging ( it takes several hours) and wow what a sight!!! Then right when I thought we were leaving another group found 2 baby turtles trying to make it to the ocean! They are SO tiny you will freak you make accidentally step on one you can’t see… successfully saw the 2 finally make it to water … be prepared for lots of patiently waiting and amazing stars!!!

We saw four mother turtles during our tour, but unfortunately, none of them managed to lay their eggs. It was clear that the presence of the tours was badly disturbing the turtles, which is incredibly concerning for an endangered species. To make matters worse, our guide was aggressive and rude. If you care about animal welfare, please stay away from this tour.

What an amazing experience! Christian, our tour guide, was wonderful. He was so knowledgeable about the turtles and you could tell how passionate he is not only about hosting tours, but also about the well being of the turtles. We were lucky to see many adults, babies, and a mother laying her eggs. Though you are only guaranteed to see at least one turtle, Christian was adamant about allowing us to see as much as we could! The hike to the beach was a bit more rigorous than we expected, which was not a problem for two young adults but be cautious and ask questions before booking the tour if you have concerns about uneven ground/hiking, and being on your feet in sand for a couple of hours.

Definitely a worthwhile experience! The tour company was very communicative and worked with us when we were running a little late. Moises our guide knew all the good places to go and had the best night vision to spot the turtles. He was very knowledgeable and friendly! We were lucky to see st least three mommas coming out of the water and returning. The best though was escorting a pack of baby turtles to the city!

We thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Our guide Anthony was very informative, and caring of the turtles. We watched a Pacific Green sea turtle prepare her nest and lay her eggs.

This was an absolutely amazing experience. We saw some pacific green turtle mothers come out of the water and even saw some baby hatchling turtles make it to the ocean. Mother Nature is unpredictable so we were beyond lucky to have seen both! We had a very informative guide Moises who has an immense passion for the turtles and conservation and in turn made us passionate about them as well. Bring good walking shoes for the beach and remember that it isn’t a zoo you can’t control Mother Nature.

This was a once in a lifetime experience for all of us! It was an easy stroll to the nest area on the beach, which was quiet and serene. We saw green sea turtles come ashore and dig their nests. We even saw a newly hatched baby and watched while it made its way to the water. Our guide was knowledgeable, patient and kind. The whole event was Beautiful!

Great experience ! We managed to see a turtle, appear from the ocean, pick her spot, dig a hole, lay her eggs and cover it. Incredible sight. On the way back we saw baby turtles make their way from nest to the ocean and watched them till they managed. Moses the guide was great, respectful of the turtles and the delicate environment but also made sure everyone got a good look of all the process. Thank you !

This experience exceeded all expectations. Tour guide Christian was personable, knowledgeable, and a real pro 10/10. We were on site for over two hours and there was never a dull moment. Your results may vary because the operator doesn’t control nature. Beforehand I felt the fee was high - I left feeling it was a bargain. Lots of walking in soft, uneven sand, if you have mobility problems this activity might not be for you. I highly recommend this activity and ask for Christian. Photos were shot with only the available red light and converted to black and white.

This night time turtle watching trip was the highlight of our time in Costa Rica. The guide was very knowledgeable and led an excellent excursion. We saw several turtles climbing the beach and laying eggs. Brilliant stars was an added bonus. A once in a lifetime experience. It required some Hiking and walking in the dark. Flashlights provided. Don’t miss this!

Patience may be required; after walking down to the first beach and waiting about 45 minutes we saw nothing and had to walk back and be driven to another beach. It was definitely worth it as we saw several turtles at the second beach!

Christian was a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. We were picked up and dropped off at our hotel. We got to see green turtles lay eggs, come out of the ocean, dig holes for eggs and return to the ocean. We even got to see baby turtles hatching and head to the beach. Magical! 7 female turtles in all.

Literally one of the BEST experiences of my life! You have to go into it with an open mind, this is nature, they cannot command the animals to appear and perform for you. However, they do an amazing job of tackling the entire beach to find you a turtle nesting or baby turtles throughout the entire time! This tour fulfilled my dream of seeing baby turtles making their way to the ocean. Again, this is not a guarantee but they truly make the odds of seeing this so much higher! Our guide was Moses and he was the most knowledgeable and truly caring guide, the entire ride he told so much information about turtles and he truly puts the turtles well-being over the tour which I personally respect! If we ever come back we would book with this team again!

We did a night turtle tour with Verny through Discover Tamarindo. Clear communications with the agency and pick up at our resort was seamless. Verny was the star of our evening. hHe made a family trip a dream come true in just a few hours. He was kind, patient and safe. Which would have made our tour 5/5. But above that you could feel the passion he has for his beautiful country and the flora and fauna. From the very beginning he set clear expectation of us during the tour to ensure our safety and the safety of the turtles we were lucky enough to see. You could tell he truly cared about the turtles and was not just doing tours for profit. He was funny and informative. And excellent with our three kids.

Amazing adventure on the beach learning about leatherback sea turtles and their nesting habits. Saw a mama and 3 hatched babies as well, very unexpected!

The turtle watching itself is an incredible, surreal experience. The guide clearly knew exactly where to take us and positioned the group in the right spots for the best possible viewing. What held this experience back was the lack of professional attitude and patience, especially with kids. At times, the guide would snap at us or say things like “I already told you before,” which took away from what should have been a magical moment. If the guide had been kinder and more patient, this would easily have been a 5-star experience.

Really amazing to be able to watch an animal so majestic laying eggs. We got to watch a turtle for a while and got to see her lay. Bring bug spray & Turn your flash off! Our guide says this happens every night/every tour that someone disrupts the animals. Maybe they should only do the tours once every few days or something to give the animals space and limit the disruptions. I enjoyed how they gave each group time to watch her and we weren’t allowed to crowd around her unless otherwise told.

We saw 5 turtles and 2 baby turtles. Our tour guide, Christian was awesome and is very knowledgeable about turtles. You can tell how passionate he is about them and their conservation. I highly recommend to experience and even more so to choose this tour group.

Be patient and flexible and you won’t be disappointed! We arrived at one location, walked down to the beach, got word another guide had spotted a turtle, so we walked back to the bus, quickly drove to other beach, and waited. Within minutes we saw two turtles emerge from the water! We walked further down the beach where we had the luck of witnessing the full nesting cycle! A green sea turtle digging out her hole, laying eggs, and burying them! We turns around to see yet another emerge from the water and start her trek ashore. On the walk back we saw another, starting to dig, another laying eggs, and more tracks!! Chris and his wife were excellent tour guides!

We really enjoyed our tour. We had a group of 10 total which made it easy for us to stay together and get quickly to the turtles once they were spotted. Tour guides were very informative and passionate about conservation. We were picked up and dropped off in central Tamarindo. Very convenient! Don’t forget to look at the stars.

What an amazing experience, we were able to see three turtles come to shore in an attempt to lay her eggs. We watched one turtle dig for about 30 minutes and then suddenly she covered the nest without laying any eggs. Christian was a very knowledgeable & patient guide, truly a once in a lifetime experience.

Our guide, Christian, told us to see turtles, we would have to be patient, as these are not staged events. After arriving at the beach, we waited a short while before another guide informed Christian that there was a turtle on the beach. She was returning to the ocean, without laying eggs. Just SEEING her was impressive with her struggle to "walk" back to the ocean. A short while later, we walked to another part of the beach and were rewarded with seeing another turtle returning to the ocean, also without giving birth. Then we waited quite a while, while Christian explored other parts of the beach and communicated with other guides. No luck. We were driving away, however, when Christian got a call and he asked us if we wanted to see more turtles. YES was the reply. Christian drove us to another beach where we were lucky enough to see a Green AND a Ridley giving birth!! It was a beautiful night. Yes, it was long night but thanks to Christian and the patience of our fellow group members and willingness to stay longer we hit the jackpot!. (2 in our group apparently left early, upset after 'only' seeing the 2 turtles returning to the ocean- and they lost out)

Amazing experience. Our guide Christian, was very informative about the turtles as well as Costa Rica history and culture. He ensured we respected the turtles so as not to interfere. We saw a green back turtle but she decided to not nest in that spot so we were able to see her return to the ocean. We would definitely tour with Christian again.

Did the turtle tour. Amazing...they were so nice and we're so helpful to my wife who struggled a bit walking in the sand. We actually saw a turtle giving birth!!!!! Where else could see this. Do the tour.... it's worth it...

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and clearly cared about the conservation and sustainability of the turtles. They have excellent customer service and communication is excellent. They pick you up and are safe drivers. The tour is an adventure and you are at the whim of Mother Nature. We saw a Pacific Green Back turtle attempting to build a nest but she hit a rock so gave up for the night and returned to the sea. There were other tours on the beach and their guides did not hold clear expectations about respecting the turtle and it was sad to see the turtle crowded by these other groups. This company is owned by Costa Ricans and their guides must be locals who grew up in the area so they are committed to the sustainability of the natural habitats and animals.

Good experience overall but our group joined with 2 other groups and there was a little bit of selfish behaviour from a guest. Out guide was ok but listening in to one of the other guides was more informative. . We had to walk in the water so bring shoes that you don’t mind getting wet.

I rated this experience is excellent because on our way to the travel agency, Google map directed us to a dirty road which is really undrivable so we have to drive back, use another way and be late. The guide is very flexible and tell us to meet the group bus in the midpoint, the packing lot of the post office. It was really appreciated. For the turtle seeing experience, it is an OK experience. We did see turtles coming to the shore in the end but we need to leave. I wish the guide can be more flexible so that we can have 10 or 15 more minutes to watch, especially after waiting for quite a long time in the beach.

No response from tour guide asking for information plus last minute cancellation while waiting in the lobby.

What an amazing tour! Our guide was awesome and it was nice to be with a manageable sized group to ensure we could see the turtles laying eggs without disrupting the process

Excellent, excellent tour! Saw so many turtles. The guides are so knowledgeable, friendly and very accommodating. Made it a fun and safe experience for both us and the turtles.

We loved the tortuga tour with Cristian and Antonio. They were excellent guides and very knowledgeable!