Where is Tortuga Lodge & Gardens?

Tortuga Lodge is located on the north east coast of Costa Rica, 47.5 KM or 29.5 miles from the Nicaraguan border, as the crow flies.

You cannot drive to Tortuguero because there are no roads; the only way to get there is by a combination of bus and boat or domestic flight.

The Tortuguero region covers a total of 190,000 square kilometers or 73,350 square miles. The lodge sits on the river bank directly across from the airstrip and 2 KMS or 1 mile from the mouth of the Tortuguero River.

Complete Package

By far the easiest way to get to Tortuguero is to buy a complete package that includes round trip transportation, lodging, excursions and meals, if you are interested in booking a complete package, please click here, Complete Packages.

If you do not want to buy a complete package, we offer the following transportation options:

Domestic Flight
We offer seats on charter aircraft to/from Tortuguero on a limited basis. Check with us for availability and pricing.

Private Bus Transportation to the Caño Blanco Dock is by min-van and Spanish speaking driver. Your van will have an ice chest with water for each member of group. Although our drivers do not always speak English, they are experienced professional drivers that are adept at communicating basics with guests. English speaking guides are available on request. Check with us for availability and pricing.

Shared transportation is for no more than 16 guests with Spanish speaking driver and English speaking guide. Your van will have an ice chest with water for each member of group. Transfers are included to/from hotels in the Metropolitan Area; there is a surcharge for hotels outside of this radius. Check with us for availability and pricing.

Private Boat Transportation from Caño Blanco to Tortuga Lodge & Gardens we offer private boat transportation with a Tortuga Lodge Boat Captain on a limited basis. Check with us for availability and pricing.

Rental Vehicle If you choose to rent for at least the driven portion of this route, be aware that driving conditions in Costa Rica are challenging. There are potholes, very few road signs, and drivers passing on blind curves - sometimes all at once. While you don´t need to be scared, do be aware that thieves and traffic cops looking for bribes routinely target rented cars. Road signs are scarce, maps are approximate, giving precise directions is not one of Costa Rica´s national strengths, and, most important, the unwritten rules of the road are very different from what you are used to.

Driving Instructions

E-Z Find at Itunes Store E-Z Find Main Page
From San Jose to Caño BlancoPDF
From Caño Blanco to San Jose PDF
From Fortuna (Arenal) to Caño BlancoPDF
From Caño Blanco to Fortuna (Arenal)PDF
From Puerto Viejo (Limon) to Caño BlancoPDF
From Caño Blanco to Puerto Viejo (Limon)PDF

Taking the Public Boat

While you may choose to make the trip own your own and with a rental car, you will not be able to drive all the way to Tortuguero. This is simply because there are no roads; the only way to get there is by a combination of car (or bus) and boat or domestic flight.

If you are up for a public transportation adventure while you are in Costa Rica and are planning on driving your rental car as far as the road will take you, the public boat schedules from the La Pavona dock to Tortuguero are below.

We recommend that you arrive 30 minutes before the boats scheduled departure time and buy your ticket at the counter in the restaurant; your receipt is your ticket. At La Pavona you will find a restaurant, bathrooms and a small shop where you can buy snacks and beverages.

Please understand that these boats do not have insurance and do not follow any rules with regard to carrying capacity of the boat, safe boat captaining or comfort.

If you decide to use this form of transportation, you do so at your own risk.

Pavona-Tortuguero
8:00 am
12:00 pm
4:00 pm

Tortuguero-Pavona
6:00
11:00 am
*3:00 pm

*It will take you approximately 1 hour to drive from Cariari to La Pavona, if you are not going to make it to La Pavona by 2:30pm DO NOT drive all that way. You will miss the last boat at 3pm and not make it to Tortuguero. There is no place to stay in La Pavona, you will have to drive all the way back to Cariari.

The ticket for the boat at the time of writing was $5 per person.

You can leave your car at La Pavona. They have parking spaces with roofs that are guarded day and night. Even with this in mind:

DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING YOU DON’T WANT STOLEN IN YOUR CAR

The fee for parking is $10 per day; again, this was at the time of writing.

Additional Services
Have you finished making all the reservations and planning for your vacation in Costa Rica? Tortuga Lodge owned and operated by Costa Rica Expeditions; we are a full service company and can take care of all of your planning and reservations.

Go to the following link and simply click on your interests. One of our Travel Planners will personally custom design up to 3 itineraries – Free!
Custom Designed Vacations

Monteverde Lodge & Gardens
If you are planning to visit the Cloud Forest on this vacation to Costa Rica, Monteverde Lodge & Gardens is rated #1 on Trip Advisor.

Forest View Balcony Rooms
"...the most outstanding hotel and also a good bargain." Costa Rica Handbook, Moon Publications.

Located just 15 minutes from the famous Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Monteverde Lodge offers second floor Forest View Balcony Rooms with two double beds (king beds are available on a limited basis on request), your private balcony with a Cloud Forest View has two wooden chairs and a coffee table. Your room also has glass enclosed showers, solar heated hot water, in-room safe, coffee maker, alarm clock, ceiling fan, reading lamps, hair dryer and laundry bag. Ask us about our Forest View Standard Rooms