There are no roads to Tortuguero. The National Park
and refuge consist of a vast alluvial floodplain. Located in
the extreme northeast of Costa Rica, Tortuguero’s tropical
moist to wet forest is accessible only by small plane or
boat, along the famous Tortuguero Canals. This system of
rivers and man-made channels parallels the coast and cuts
through beautiful primary forest. One of the wettest regions
in the country, it is also one of the areas with the
greatest biological diversity. The wildlife is rich and
varied. It is an excellent area for viewing monkeys, sloths,
caimans, and colorful tropical birds. Most exploring is done
by small boat in Tortuguero, although some hiking trails are
available. Renowned naturalist Archie Carr did much of his
work on sea turtles at Tortuguero and his “Casa Verde”
research station is still here. In fact, Tortuguero gets it
name from the Spanish word for turtle and is the most
important nesting site in the entire western half of the
Caribbean for the green turtle. Other species of sea turtles
that also nest on the wide beaches of the park and refuge
are the leatherback and hawksbill. Simple lodges with
homestyle cooking characterize the accommodations of
Tortuguero.
