Visiting The Tortuguero National Park (Cerro Tortuguero Sector)—Photos And Brief (5-Minute Read): Tortuguero, Costa Rica
Nikki Solano
Last updated on July 8th, 2024 at 10:16 am
Written by Nikki Solano
Nikki is the CEO of Pura Vida! eh? Inc. (Costa Rica Discounts), and the author of the guidebooks Moon Costa Rica (2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 editions) and Moon Best of Costa Rica (2022 edition) from Moon Travel Guides. Together with her Costa Rican husband, Ricky, she operates the Costa Rica Travel Blog, created the online community DIY Costa Rica, built the Costa Rica Destination Tool, oversees the brand-new (summer 2023) Costa Rica Travel Shop, and designed the Costa Rica Trip Planning 101 E-Course. Also, Nikki wrote the Costa Rica cover feature for Wanderlust Magazine's sustainability-focused Travel Green List issue, showcased Costa Rica destinations and experiences on Rick Steves' Monday Night Travel show and podcast/radio show, and served as the Costa Rica Destination Editor for Essentialist, a luxury travel brand. Want to show your appreciation for her free article below? Thank Nikki here. ❤️️
Ricky and Nikki; hiking Cerro Tortuguerostairs to Cerro Tortugueroview of the Tortuguero area (including the community of San Francisco) from the top of Cerro Tortuguero
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Tortuguero National Park (Cerro Tortuguero Sector) brief
A fun way to kill a few rainy hours in Tortuguero (or a few bright and sunny ones, for that matter) is by hiking to the top of Cerro Tortuguero (Tortuguero Hill), a hill with an observation deck—reachable via climbing up a staircase of 432 steps—that overlooks the bulk of the Tortuguero National Park from the north. Despite belonging to the national park, Cerro Tortuguero isn’t the park’s main attraction. (Most Tortuguero visitors are drawn to and tour the park’s marine sector, known as the Canales Sector, and others explore the park’s Cuatro Esquinas Sector, a terrestrial area adjacent to Tortuguero Village that’s toured on foot.) Regardless, visiting Cerro Tortuguero is one of the least expensive and most rewarding things you can do in Tortuguero, a winning combination that shouldn’t be missed. Although it’s possible to access Cerro Tortuguero entirely on foot from Tortuguero Village, quick 20-minute boat rides to and/or from the hill are the safer and more scenic way to reach it. Our preferred way of accessing Cerro Tortuguero is to take a boat that travels between the Almendro Dock in Tortuguero proper and a dock on the east side of the hill (you’ll find the staircase to the observation deck at the end of a short nature trail beyond the dock), then climb the staircase on our own. Alternatively, guided tours of the hill travel from Tortuguero Village and area hotels by boat, and they typically access Cerro Tortuguero from beyond a dock on the west side of the hill. (Accessing the hill via the west requires payment of the park entrance fee but accessing the hill via the east does not, although you should pay the entrance fee anyway to support and help maintain the park.) No matter which dock you enter through, the climb up the staircase to the observation deck is the same, and it’s not as daunting as it looks; you can stop and rest whenever you need. Not surprisingly, the panoramic view from the observation deck is stunning (you’ll have the Caribbean Sea, Tortuguero’s lagoon and canals, and the nearby community of San Francisco de Tortuguero in your sights), and although the view is more photogenic on sun-filled days, aim to make a trip to Cerro Tortuguerowhen it’s overcast to experience less heat, less humidity, and a more comfortable, enjoyable hike.
Tortuguero National Park (Cerro Tortuguero Sector) photos
a boat dock on the east side of the community of San Franciscoa boat dock on the east side of the community of San Franciscothe boat dock on the east side of Cerro Tortugueroarriving at the boat dock on the east side of Cerro Tortuguerotrail leading to the boat dock on the east side of Cerro Tortuguerovisitors hiking to the boat dock on the west side of Cerro TortugueroRicky; showing where to find the staircase to Cerro Tortuguero when arriving from the boat dock on the east side of Cerro Tortuguerostairs to Cerro TortugueroRicky; taking in the landscape that blankets Cerro TortugueroRicky; at the Cerro Tortuguero viewpointRicky and Nikki; at the Cerro Tortuguero viewpointCerro Tortuguero viewpointview of the Caribbean Sea from the Cerro Tortuguero viewpointtrail from the dock on the east side of Cerro TortugueroRicky; taking the flat trail that leads to the staircase to Cerro Tortuguerothe flat trail that leads to the staircase to Cerro Tortuguerothe bottom of the staircase to Cerro Tortuguerostairs to Cerro Tortuguerostairs to Cerro Tortugueroflora on Cerro Tortugueroflora on Cerro TortugueroRicky; almost at the top of Cerro Tortuguerothe trail that leads to the boat dock on the east side of Cerro TortugueroRicky and Nikki; taking the boat from Cerro Tortuguero to Tortuguero Village
Map of the Tortuguero National Park (Cerro Tortuguero Sector)
More information about the Tortuguero National Park (Cerro Tortuguero Sector)
For more information about the Tortuguero National Park, including the attraction’s current operations and visitor information, please see the national park’s website. (Note: If you wish to hike the Cerro Tortuguero hill, be sure to select the “Cerro Tortuguero” option, not the “Cuatro Esquinas” or “Canales” option, when reserving tickets to the Tortuguero National Park on the park’s website.) For information about the Tortuguero National Park entrance fee, don’t miss our related blog post: A List Of 50+ Costa Rica Entrance Fees: How Much It Costs To Enter National Parks, Reserves, And Refuges.
Pura vida!
Do you have questions about the Cerro Tortuguero Sector of the Tortuguero National Park, or how to best incorporate a visit to this park into your vacation? No problem! When you’re ready, make an appointment here to communicate with me (Nikki) privately and we can discuss these and other topics to get your questions answered fast and your Costa Rica trip poised for success. Pura vida, amigos! 🙂
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Summary
Article Name
Visiting The Tortuguero National Park (Cerro Tortuguero Sector)—Photos And Brief (5-Minute Read): Tortuguero, Costa Rica
Description
We describe the most memorable aspects of the Tortuguero National Park (Cerro Tortuguero Sector) in Tortuguero, Costa Rica, plus share photos from our visits.
