Turtle Nesting

On this tour you will go for a nighttime walk on the beaches of Marino Las Baulas National Park to look for green turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs. Instead of the park’s heavily trafficked Playa Grande, you will head for the lesser-known playa Minas.

This is a protected area, and it’s important to abide by the park rules while you’re here. A visit to the Marino las Baulas National Park helps finance the local efforts to protect the area from development that could damage this fragile ecosystem.

Hotels near the beaches keep their windows shaded to prevent light pollution. Visitors are not allowed to take pictures or do anything else that might disturb the turtles.

Green turtles are most likely to come ashore to nest from May until August. Unfortunately, the number of turtles you can expect to see has diminished over the past decade. They no longer reliably appear on the beach during nesting season. But even if you don’t see turtles, rest assured that seeing the moonlit shore will be well worth your while.

If you’re lucky, you will see a green turtle emerge from the waves and head for a spot on the beach near the shoreline. Then the female turtle will dig a shallow hole with her fins, and deposit 65 to 90 eggs. Afterwards the female with cover her eggs with sand and return to the sea. 60 days later tiny hatchlings will emerge, and follow in their mother’s footsteps to the water.

The other option is Ostional but only certain times a year. This is mass leatherback turtle arrivals. Contact Andrei to inquire about availability fo this unique tour.