Leaning on the railing of the observation deck at the top of Cerro Tortuguero, we marveled at the beauty of the scenery below. Caribbean Sea, narrow strips of forest covered lands and couple of lagoons lay next to each other forming a remarkable topography. Fresh air swept the sweat off our faces. But what really soothed us at the end of that uphill hike was the sight of the lush forest canopy below, extending till the horizon.
Just when I was thinking if this view could get any better, nature decided to paint an additional stroke. On the canvas of the forest canopy, suddenly appeared a flash of vivid light green and blue in motion, accompanied with loud sounds. That was a group of elegant Great Green Macaws in flight.
Cerro Tortuguero is a small inactive volcano that was formed around 1.8 billion years ago. You can follow the clearly laid out hiking trail to reach the top of this inactive volcano that has an altitude of 390 feet (119 meters).
In this post, you will find all the details for planning a trip to Cerro Tortuguero on your own.
Read this post for a detailed guide to Tortuguero – Things to Do, Tours, Stays, Restaurants, and Transport
Location
Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area located on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, near the border of Nicaragua to the north. Covering an area of 81,177 hectares, the refuge covers several diverse landscapes like forests, swamps, coastal areas, lakes and rivers.
Only 1% of this refuge is accessible for public admission. That is where Cerro Tortuguero Sector is located.
How to Reach Cerro Tortuguero
You can visit Cerro Tortuguero on your own. It is easy to avail public transport from Tortuguero for making this trip.
Take a public boat from the main dock of Tortuguero town. Check the boat departure schedule with your hotel reception. Make sure to arrive at the dock 5 minutes prior to the departure time. It is a 15 minutes boat ride to Cerro. The entrance of Cerro Tortuguero sector is about 100 meters from where the boat drops you off.
Remember to ask for the boat schedule for the day at your hotel reception so that you can plan your return trip accordingly.
Cerro Tortuguero Sector: Hours, Entry Fees and Booking Process
Cerro Tortuguero of Sector Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge is open all days of the week, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.
Entrance ticket costs 2 USD for non-residents and 500 CRC (~0.81 USD) for Costa Rica citizens and residents.
You can purchase your tickets online from the official SINAC website. Login with your credentials to proceed with the booking. You need to register as user first if you had not previously done that.
Once you login, select the Wildlife Area from the dropdown options. Choose “Parque Nacional Tortuguero – Sector Cerro Tortuguero”. Select Entry Date and Schedule as per your travel plan. Enter the names and identification numbers of the visitors and proceed to the payment page to complete the booking.
Cerro Tortuguero Hiking Trail
The hiking trail of Cerro Tortuguero is an elevated platform in the initial section. It leads to a series of flights of stairs which will take you up to the top. The hike is not tremendously strenuous. But climbing a few hundred steps while handling the Caribbean heat and humidity can be challenging. So remember to carry a bottle of water with you. There are couple of resting platforms along the staircase trail. So, during the hike, you get the chance to pause for a bit and enjoy the surrounding forest while you catch a breath.
View from the Top
The view from the top is the best part of Cerro Tortuguero. There is an observation deck from where you can enjoy the scenery. If you pan your vision from left to right, your eyes will meet the sights of Caribbean Sea, Barra Tortuguero and Tortuguero town, Tortuguero lagoon, San Francisco town, Penitencia Lagoon and Sierpe hills, all positioned perfectly next to each other, with the Tortueguero National Park forest canopies extending till horizon.
We spent some time at the deck as we cooled down from the sweaty hike. At the time of our visit, the sky was overcast. So the water bodies, including the Caribbean Sea, wore shades of gray. We did like it though, as if nature was having a pensive afternoon. However, if you visit on a bright sunny day, you will see blue waters of Caribbean and brownish and bluish waters of the lagoons.
Wildlife
It is not just the incredible views that you get rewarded with at Cerro Tortuguero. Keep an eye for wild creatures as you hike along the trail, as well as when you reach the observation deck at the top.
While walking on the trail, we spotted howler monkeys up in the trees and blue jeans poison dart frog camouflaged in the wet brown leaves next to the hiking path. As we reached the top, we were closer to the forest canopies of the Tortuguero Mountain (Cerro Tortuguero). So, we could see the monkeys from much closer and enjoy observing their playful interactions with each other.
But the best part was when the group of Great Green Macaws flew past over the forest canopy below and finally settled into the branches of a tree. The spectacular flight was a momentary sight, so could not be captured on camera but was one that will forever be etched in our memories.
Bonus Experiences: San Francisco de Tortuguero
The Plan
Once you come down from Cerro Tortuguero, you can take the boat back to Tortuguero town from the same place where you were dropped off. But there is a catch. You need to wait for the boat as per its schedule.
We were ready to take the return boat at 4:17 pm. The woman selling coconut water at that place informed us that the next boat would arrive at 5:30 pm. But there was not much to do there, except for standing and waiting for the boat. She recommended that we could walk down a dirt path, and in about 400 meters down south we would reach the town of San Francisco de Tortuguero, and then take the boat from there. That would be a better use of our waiting time, according to her. And right she was!
By the way, when you visit Cerro Tortuguero, try the coconut water from that woman. It is so refreshing and costs only 500 colones (~0.81 USD). Her name is Tatiana.
The Experience
Immediately after starting to walk on the dirt path towards San Francisco, we chanced upon a group of spider monkeys. We observed them for a while as they jumped from one tree to another and played and fought with each other. As we walked further, we passed through the town of San Francisco, where children played on the streets, pet dogs roamed, old people gathered for their afternoon chitchats, and young people were working hard to earn their day’s last wages. We heard more Great Green Macaws fly over the town, probably making their way back to home for the night.
Without the development of organized tourism, San Francisco de Tortuguero is a typical Costa Rican village, at its rawest best. For us, it was an unplanned excursion that was utterly fulfilling. But we would recommend to include exploration of San Francisco in your original plan of Cerro Tortuguero trip, not just as a back up plan to kill time.
The Return Trip
When it was time for us to take the boat, we lost our way and arrived at the wrong dock, on the other side of the San Francisco town. A young chap and a man were having a conversation when we interrupted them asking for advice on how to take the return boat to Tortuguero. The man explained us the direction and then walked alongside, leading us to the spot, until the last junction.
He concluded our brief encounter with a hearty laugh and a friendly suggestion. He told us (in Spanish), “There’s still some time for the boat to arrive at 5:30 pm. There is a bar right around the corner. So you can have some drinks while you wait.” So we did! Indranil grabbed a chilled beer and I sipped on fresh mango juice from the bar and enjoyed the waterfront view and fresh air until it was time to embark on the boat at 5:30 pm.
Based on our experience of living and traveling in Costa Rica for a few years now, we feel that if you get the chance to experience Costa Rican hospitality in person, you will probably add an adjective or two to your personal definition of hospitality. No, this is not an exaggeration, come and find out for yourself.
Final Thoughts on Cerro Tortuguero
Tortuguero is one of the most magical places in Costa Rica. Sea turtles steal the show here, particularly during nesting and hatching seasons. Apart from the turtles, other major activities are centered around touring the Tortuguero National Park, whether on foot or by canoe or kayak.
But even amidst all these wonderful attractions and experiences, Cerro Tortuguero deserves a place of its own on your Tortuguero travel itinerary. It is a wonderful combination of experiences, of volcano and village, of macaws and monkeys, and of history and geography.
Check out our travel guides for other volcanoes of Costa Rica:
- Irazu Volcano: The highest volcano in Costa Rica
- Arenal Volcano: The volcano with the perfect conical shape
- Rincon de la Vieja: An active volcano with several secondary volcanic activities nearby
- Mysteries of Tenorio Volcano: Secondary volcanic activities and an incredible waterfall
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Hello,
Do you know if it is required to make a reservation for Cerro Tortuguero in advance ?
Can I just pay my ticket at the entrance ?
Hi Juliette. It’s recommended to purchase the tickets online from the SINAC website.