Tour to the Canals in Tortuguero National Park

A great tour for our family

Exciting tour. Erick our guide was awesome. We saw caiman, monkeys, a snake and numerous birds. Would definitely recommend.

Amazing!

This tour exceeded our expectations. The canals are magical with an abundance of wildlife to be seen. However, without Nortons' knowledge and expertise, we would have missed most of it! If we had another day, we would have done it all over again and would have loved to complete a trek in the park, definitely with Norton as a guide!

Top experience

We had a great tour with a great guide. Book the Don Chico Tour through Luis and ask for the guide Norton, top guide. And they promise a 2.5h tour.... And we had over 3 hours. Caveman, turtles, monkeys, birds, iguanas etc....

Great tour with Norton!

We did a morning tour with Norton, who was a great (and eagle-eyed) guide! We saw sloths, iguanas, howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, many caimans, a swimming boa constrictor (!) and more. I would highly recommend this tour.

Fantastic guides and trips. Book this!

We - mom, dad and two girls of 8 and 11 - went with Luis on the canals and Erick in the natural park. We absolutely loved both tours and the guides! They showed us soooo many animals we would have never seen like aras’, basilisk, iguanas, kaiman, sloths, monkeys, toucans, anteaters, poisonous frogs, lizards, footprints from jaguars, parrots, butterflies, hummingbirds, kingfisher etc etc. both experienced guides knew so much about the wildlife and the history of Tortuguero and the country. “Like walking with a friend” my wife said. Wow! I highly recommend doing these trips with these guys!

Fantastic

So pretty! And we got to see so many different species. Our guide, Bernal, was incredibly nice and knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. Definitely recommend.

The best tour in tortuguero

Bernal was the best guide ever and im really glad that we have chosen this tour. Its the best and the price its SO worth it. with the little boat we coulded go into the very little canals and we saw many animals. I really suggest this.

Fantastic wildlife

6am tour is amazing for animal spotting. We did not spend much time in the actual canals but maybe better to book a kayak tour if this is important to you.

Must do

We went to the canals with our Guide Bernado. He was so polite and friendly and taught us a lot things about the animals. Great experience!!

Great to see animals of the canal

The close ups of animals great and very memorable. I got some fantastic photos and saw species I didn't expect to see.

Book locally and get cheaper

Too expensive, you will get it cheaper there and also no mention of the extra payment of around $20pp for National Park entry, which is not included in this price, so close to £200 for 4 people.

PERFECT

The experience was absolutely amazing! A big thanks to Luis for the explenations and his kindness We recommand this activity

Silently rowing at the edge of the rainforest and it's waterways, lots of animals big and small

We were given big, thick ponchos because it was pouring down with rain. Our guide Will was rowing whilst we could admire the landscape. Will pointed out so many animals that we had passed without noticing. With our small camera we were able to take many photos. Will also had some binoculars we could use. We were lucky and the sun came out again for a while. We did some rowing as well but it's quite tiring if you are not used to it. All in all an excellent experience. :-) thank you very much!

Canal tour

We saw many birds and a caiman. Also learned about the biodiversity of the area. Enjoyable paddle tour.

A great (but wet) tour!

Although there was lots of rain, this was a lovely tour through the winding rivers of Tortuguero. Our guide was great! He was very knowledgable and was able to spot some animals from miles away. He even brought us some fruit snacks!

Canoe trip in lagoon and canals

This was an excellant tour. Eric our guide was very knowledgeable and told us a lot about the waterways, plants and animals. We saw Howler monkeys, a sloth moving through the trees , some caimans and many birds. Highly recommended.

Good tours

We did two tours with Don Chico; Canals with Bernal and night walk with Abel. Canals was great we saw lots of wildlife and Bernal was very personable and explained a lot! The night walk was ok but we didn't see as much also we noticed other groups' guides had better bigger torches and also telescopes to see things better, which our guide didn't have. It felt like we didn't spend as much time looking for wildlife as we could have.

Nice tour with Brandon

Really nice tour with Brandon. We saw many animals like caimans, iguanas, monkeys and various birds. Brandon explained everything very well.

Amazon experience, great guide and team

From the start, even before the tour, Luis and the team were very helpful (they even sent us a reminder through WhatsApp)! The tour itself was an amazing experience! We rode in a canoe small enough to go into the narrowest of canals to see the forest from the inside. During the tour we got to see various iguanas, birds, monkeys and caymans. Our guide, Brandon, spoke English really well, was very helpful with everything and was always happy to answer our questions.

Brilliant even in a thunderstorm!

Great experience even in a tropical thunderstorm! We were drenched but still had a great time and saw loads of wildlife - our guide Eddie was really knowledgable and knew all the spots to find things - even sleeping bats! Great trip and our 8 year old loved it

Personal Tour Around the National Park

We had a great guide who rowed us around the national park. We saw many birds, reptiles and monkeys as well as different trees. We learnt interesting facts about the animals. I would highly recommend, especially if you want a more personal tour.

Okay

It was okay. We didn't see much wildlife...some birds and a cayman under water. That was it. The boat is quite uncomfortable.

Excellent tour provider

Great tour company, very easy to communicate through Whatsapp they are always available and happy to help. We had Brandon as guide for both the night walk and the day canoe trip and he was very knowledgeable, told us interesting stories from when he was growing up in Tortuguero, and did the tour simultaneously in English and Spanish. The number of people in the group in both tours was very small so that made it very enjoyable too. We saw lots of animals and felt very close to nature!

An excellent tour

This was an amazing tour with a tour guide who truly loves his job. He honestly answered all our questions and gave us many information about all the animals, nature and Tortuguero. It was a great experience. Thank you so much!

Pura Vida

Pura vida with Erick! He was a real great guide. Lots of knowledge about the area, flora and fauna and he has great humor! We enjoyed a lot!

A Memorable Canoe Tour with Don Chico Tour!"

We had the pleasure of participating in a canoe tour through the enchanting lagoons of Tortuguero, organized by Don Chico Tour, and we can't recommend it enough! Our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable about the surroundings and the various animals that inhabit them. His friendliness and cheerful personality made the experience all the more enjoyable. Even though we were well over time, he still took the time to let us photograph additional animals we encountered on the way back. This truly shows his dedication to maximizing the trip. We would definitely book another tour with Don Chico Tour. The price-quality ratio is excellent!

Amazing experience

We had an amazing experience in the tortugero national park with Bernal. We learned a lot about the park and his animals and plants. It was a great tour and we really enjoyed it!

Amazing !!

We had a great experience right from the beginning. Staff was very responsive, answered all questions about the visit on WhatsApp promptly. Our guide was Abel and he took that small conoe deep in the canals where we wouldn’t have imagined - sightings aside, navigating the canals itself was an experience. He was very engaging and described many animals that are found here along with mimicking their sound. Sightings itself always vary but we saw Sloths, Toucans, Iguanas and several water birds.

Great sights, affordable, and memorable!

Had an amazing time being paddled through the Tortuguero area! Bernal was our host and he was very friendly and spoke great English. Some of the little pockets of the area we entered by boat were breathtaking. Bernal never seemed to get tired and was chipper throughout. A true Pura Vida experience!

La pura vida en Tortuguero

The best and friendliest tour guides! They helped us a lot and gave us good advice. I recommend visiting the viewpoint on the hill to enjoying a great view over Tortuguero! With the canoe as well as in the national park you can observe many animals and, depending on the season, even the baby sea turtles… So don't wait and book straight away! ;)

Absolutely amazing...

Absolutely amazing experience. The guide (Bernardo) was very precise in navigating the boat, spotted animals we would have missed and was very patient with showing us where can we see one (for example monkeys on the top of the tree).

Canoe tour review

The tour was really good and the guide was passionate about his job. We saw a lot of animals and went with a boat without motors which was a plus to navigate in small river paths and to not scare animals ! Definitely recommend

An Amazing Canoe Ride Through the Tortuguero National Park Canals

The tour was awesome! Luis, the tour operator, was very friendly and helpful and helped coordinate my arrival and departure to the tour. Abel, the tour guide, was funny and knowledgeable and kept the tour fun and interesting. We saw a lot of wildlife and the ride through the rainforest was amazing. I highly recommend this tour!

Wonderful Canoe Trip!

The canoe tour was amazing! We had a beautiful morning on the lagoon - we saw caimans, iguanas, basilisks, monkeys, herons, and even a pair of great green macaws! Bernal was a great guide. He's knowledgeable about the animals and area and very skillful with the canoe, taking us into small passageways for intimate views of the jungle. Can't wait to come back to Tortuguero!

Great tour and helpful boss

It was a great tour, the guide was good to spot animals (monkeys, lizards, toucan, bats...). Big thanks to Luis the manager of Don Chico. He is kind and helped us a lot (finding a night tour at tortuguero at the last minute, giving a good contact for the corcovado tour. Elyess & Tatiana

Best way to see Tortuguero

Certainly the best thing to do in Tortuguero. With the small canoe, you can get into even the tiniest canals and really see the wildlife. The guide was very knowledgeable and patient when I couldn't see the animal he was pointing out. If you only have time for one tour in Tortuguero, do this one!

Best way to see Tortuguero National Park

Amazing tour! With the canoe, we could get into the small canals and get the real jungle experience. The guide was super patient when I wasn't able to spot the animals he was pointing out. And he was very knowledgeable. We saw different birds, monkeys, a caiman and macaws.

Great experience!

We loved the tour with the guide, Abel. He was good at spotting the animals and telling us facts about them. He was very kind and we would definetely recommend. The “seats” in the canoe were hard and that is the only kind of negative thing to mention - and that’s probably just how it should be.

Amazing tour

Erick gave a brilliant tour! Informative, fun and really enjoyable. He has an amazing talent for spotting the animals. Great communications throughout. Recommended.

Superb tour in tortuguero

We had a superb tour with Bernal. Communication beforehand was smooth, Luis was proactive and responsive. Meeting point on the docks or Tortugero, super easy to find. We were welcomed by Luis and Bernal with smiles and friendliness. The tour in itself is really great. Bernal is rowing all tour long, so no noisy and disturbing sounds from a motor. He is very respectful of the environment, never tried to touch or get too close of the animals. He knows a lot of things and was super helpful with all of our questions. The tour took place in the mains canals and also in the forest with smaller canals. It was great to see the mangrove from inside. I 100% recommend them.

ABSOLUTELY SUGGESTED

It was an amazing experience! Above all expectations! Bernand was really nice and prepared! He could spot animals from the nowhere and led us through the most hidden corners! Super advised

The most amazing and unforgetable experience on the jungle canals of Tortuguero

Amazing tour on the pure nature. The canals are beautiful and absolutly preserved. Our guide Bernal was most helpful and commited on showing us the animals, and going to the narrow canals, where we just hear the sounds of nature. We loved this tour and recommend Don Chico Tours to everyone

Fantastic Experience!

The canoe tour was an amazing experience! The guide was very knowledgeable, friendly, and had a great sense of humour. He found many animals to show us, including animals that are very difficult to spot. The guide ensured that every person in the boat got a good view of the animal. The guides were helpful and attentive and went above and beyond expectations. What a great experience!

Highly recommended

Highly recommended! The guides are knowledgeable, experienced and attentive. We saw many animals thanks to their help and was an amazing experience. Thanks amigos! Pura vida!

Canoe Tour of the Tortuguero Canals

Our guide, Robierre, shared so much information about the area and the wildlife. He took us into areas off the main canal that allowed us to see and hear animals in their natural homes. Definitely a wonderful way to experience this unique part of Costa Rica.

Canoe Tour

I was staying just outside of Tortuguero so was a little difficult logistically, but communication before the tour was excellent ensuring I was good to go. The tour itself was really enjoyable, our guide was Erick who not only had a really strong knowledge on the park and it’s wildlife, but was also really great at articulating his points and made it really inclusive and relatable for each member of his multinational party. He made it fun and ‘tested’ us on our newfound knowledge as we progressed through the tour. The park was full of wildlife and we spotted multiple caiman, monkeys, birds, lizards and bats. A definite recommend.

This is a "Don't miss it" trip

Your guide can make or break the trip. We got lucky and had a fabulous guide that truly enjoys what he does. We saw howler monkeys, a mama sloth with her baby, several Jesus lizards, a caiman, tons of turtles, lizards, and birds...even a horse. The ride is so peaceful. I would highly recommend it as this was one of the highlights of our trip.

A must do!

Amazing! My tour guide had an impressive knowledge about the animals that we we were seeing along the way, as well as what they like, where possibly they could be found. Really loved that they don’t use any tricks to attract the animals. It is as it is and it is wonderful. I do recommend choosing that option!

Great experience

We went with Luis as our guide on the canoe tour and it was absoluetly amazing! The nature and the animals were very beautiful. Luis was very knowledgeable about the wildlife and lead us through the narrow canals with ease. I would recommend this tour especially when you want to go trhough the narrow canals that wouldn't be reachable with big boats.

Highly recommended for touring the canals of Tortuguero’s

We had a great experience with Luis. He was very patient with our kids, we saw a lot of animals and he knew everything about the wildlife