Tortuguero kayaking and wildlife-spotting trip

An early-morning kayaking trip through the backwaters of Tortuguero offers the chance to watch the jungle awake.
With its maze-like network of canals, lagoons and swamps smothered by tangled tropical vegetation, Tortuguero National Park is best explored from the water. Kayaking will allow you to remain quiet and unobtrusive, with a great chance of spotting the monkeys, sloths, river otters, caiman and iguanas that are regularly seen here. There is also a huge amount of bird life, from toucans, parrots and kingfishers to lesser-known species like the trogon, manakin and fruitcrow.
Wildlife is at its most active in the early morning, so we’ll set off at 7.30am for some gentle kayaking along a peaceful tributary where there are no motorised boats to disturb the animals. Trees laden with vines and orchids hang over these backwater channels and mangroves line their edges – a rich habitat for river life.
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Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.

Rosie embarked on a year-long backpacking trip across Latin America. She is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with others.

Finn discovered his passion for travel on an extensive 18-month trip to Latin America, experiencing the vibrant Carnaval in Rio, the end-of-the-world city of Ushuaia, trekking the Andes and volunteering on the Galápagos Islands.

Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.

Gary discovered what he had been missing with his first foray into the wilds of Latin America. In his role as Product Manager, he combines this personal obsession with years of industry experience to help ensure that travellers will fall for the region every bit as much as he has.



