Sea Turtle Nesting Tour in Tortuguero (June–October)

Tortuguero’s beach is 18 km long, but only 6 km are open for turtle watching — divided into 6 protected sectors. 

Here’s how your night unfolds:

1️⃣ Assigned Sector & Waiting at Base

Once booked, you’ll be registered in the official turtle lottery system and assigned a sector and time slot (8–10 PM or 10–12 AM).

Your group will wait quietly at a base station — you won’t walk the beach looking for turtles.

Instead, a team of trained Turtle Spotters patrols the beach, protecting the turtles and notifying guides when a turtle enters a safe observation phase.

2️⃣ Getting the Call

When a turtle reaches Step 4: Egg Laying, your group will be guided silently to the beach.

At this point, she’s in a trance-like state and unaware of human presence — allowing a respectful, unforgettable wildlife encounter.

3️⃣ The Final 4 Steps of the Nesting Ritual

You’ll quietly observe the turtle from a safe 2-meter distance, guided only by the soft red light handled by your certified guide.

If you’re lucky, you may witness the full sequence — a rare glimpse into one of nature’s most instinctive cycles:

• 🥚 Laying the Eggs – up to 100, dropped gently into a carefully dug nest

• 🐢 Covering the Nest – using strong back fins to pack it with sand

• 🌿 Camouflaging the Area – flinging sand to disguise the nest from predators

• 🌊 Returning to the Sea – follow silently behind as she vanishes under the waves

Groups take respectful turns to observe her, sharing this moment in near silence — a powerful, unforgettable connection with the wild.