Tortuguero National Park:

The boat tour of the canals through the national park affords awesome views of primary jungle from the comfort of The Riverboat Francesca or, for larger groups, the pontoon boat Fiesta. You will have the opportunity to see jungle wildlife in their natural habitat while you cruise the 50 miles of canals in a cushioned, canopied fiberglass boat. The tour of approximately 3 & 1/2 hours will enable you to feast your eyes on the lush flora and abundant fauna of the Caribbean coastal waterways.

Be prepared for a close encounter with monkeys (howler, spider and white-throated capuchin), crocodiles, caiman, sloths, river turtles, iguanas and innumerable migratory, tropical and shore birds. You may catch a glimpse of one of the more elusive rain forest critters - river otters, racoons, coatimundi, anteaters, deer, even a manatee or a great green macaw!

Tortuguero National Park is the largest protected nesting beach of the green sea turtle in the Western hemisphere. Other marine turtles (hawksbill, loggerhead and leatherback) also nest on the 22 mile stretch of beach. After two months of incubation, hatchlings can be seen scrambling to the ocean in a mass exodus of their nest. During the green turtle nesting season from July to mid-October, a turtle walk is arranged in the evening to see this memorable event.