Tortuguero Turtle Season & Information

We always get asked about when turtle season in Tortuguero is, so we decided to put it down in writing for you:

Best Time to Visit: March to October; July-October is peak season for green sea turtles. The best time to see baby turtles is August - November as the incubation period is typically 30 days. Therefore if you travel August - Nov you will have the opportunity to see turtles laying eggs and turtles being born.

Four different species nest in Tortuguero, laying their eggs from about March to October.

Leatherback turtles kick off nesting season, lumbering up the beach from March-May.

Loggerheads nest from July-October, while hawksbills arrive in small numbers from March to October. And while these sea giants are an incredible sight, Tortuguero’s crowning jewel is the green sea turtle.

The beaches of Tortuguero are considered some of the world’s most important nesting sites for green sea turtles, which weigh up to 400 pounds and can lay up to 700 eggs per season.

Nightly turtle tours depart several times daily during nesting season.