Ostional National Wildlife Refuge: Turtle Tours & Access

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Ostional National Wildlife Refuge lies roughly 10 to 12 kilometers north of Playa Guiones along Route 160 and protects one of the world's most important nesting beaches for Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea, locally called lora) sea turtles.

Essential Ostional Rules & Seasonal Expectations

• **Solitary Nesting vs. Mass Arribadas:** Individual Olive Ridley females nest at Ostional throughout the year, while synchronized mass arrivals (arribadas) peak during the green season (July through November, typically building around the dark last-quarter moon).
• Mandatory Certified Guide & Refuge Entry: Visitors may not walk the nesting beach alone during turtle activity; entry requires a certified guide (5604877P1 includes certified guide, refuge ticket, and A/C pickup from Playa Guiones/Nosara).
• Strict Light & Distance Rules: Flash photography, white flashlights, and bright phone screens are prohibited. Guides use dim red light so nesting females and hatchlings are not disoriented.
• Nearby Sámara / Corozalito Alternative: We also list {tl('turtle-tour-near-samara-beach')} (12702P8, 3h departing Playa Sámara ~45 minutes south to Corozalito Beach) and direct airport transportation {tl('private-transportation-liberia-airport-to-ostional')} (348885P50) in #standalone-tickets below.

Guided Tours Departing from or Serving This Area

Tour of Ostional Beach Turtles

Discover the natural wonder of Lora turtle arrivals at Playa Ostional, a fascinating event that attracts thousands of females each month. Watch as between two and two hundred thousand turtles arrive at the beach, especially from July to October, on Luna Menguante, when between 20...

• Departure / meeting zone: Playa Guiones / Nosara pickup to Ostional National Wildlife Refuge · Area hub: Ostional National Wildlife Refuge · Category: Turtle-Watching Excursions
• Duration: 2 hours · Format: Private (Private tour (your group only, up to 15 travelers per booking))
• Included: Certified guide; Entrance to the wildlife refuge; In-vehicle air conditioning
• Run by: Nahual Tour · Reviews: 1 customer review(s) on Viator (5.00 score)
• Cancellation: Cancel at least 24 hours before scheduled departure for a full refund.

See Current Price & Availability — Use the deal buttons on this page to check open dates and live pricing on Viator.

Turtle Tour Near Samara Beach

This tour is for all nature lovers. In this tour, you will have the exciting and wonderful opportunity to watch turtle nesting. Accompanied by a bilingual guide, you will walk along the beach in search of the turtles and witness the turtle nesting process at Corozalito Beach. It ...

• Departure / meeting zone: Nearby Nicoya Coast Day Trip — departs Playa Sámara to Camaronal/Corozalito (~45 min south of Nosara) · Area hub: Ostional National Wildlife Refuge · Category: Turtle-Watching Excursions
• Departure & season note: Departs from Playa Sámara (~45 minutes south of Nosara).
• Duration: 3 hours · Format: Shared (Shared small-group tour (up to 10 travelers per booking))
• Included: Professional guide; Bottled water; Snacks; Beverages; Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
• Run by: Samara Adventures · Reviews: 4.64 average from 61 customer reviews on Viator
• Cancellation: Cancel at least 24 hours before scheduled departure for a full refund.

See Current Price & Availability — Use the deal buttons on this page to check open dates and live pricing on Viator.

Kayaking and Stand-up Paddle Boarding in Costa Rica

Come join us on a unique experience in our beautiful wild national reserve. Its a magnificent place for all to admire and get to know our ecosystem and ways to sustain it. We will drift down river with the perfect tidal conditions to ensure maximum entertainment. Grab a "Pipa" wh...

• Departure / meeting zone: Boca Nosara / Río Nosara & Río Montaña (Playa Guiones pickup option) · Area hub: Playa Nosara & Biological Reserve · Category: Kayaking & Paddleboarding
• Duration: 2 hours · Format: Shared (Shared small-group tour (up to 30 travelers per booking))
• Included: Snacks; Kayaks, doubles or singles and SUP boards are provided
• Run by: Everyday Nosara Outdoor Experience · Reviews: 5.00 average from 37 customer reviews on Viator
• Cancellation: Cancel at least 24 hours before scheduled departure for a full refund.

See Current Price & Availability — Use the deal buttons on this page to check open dates and live pricing on Viator.

Hiking and birdwatching Nosara

The Nosara biological reserve is a 85 acre property and has a great potential, having many species of birds, some mammals, many reptiles and among other things that our visitors will be able to observe at the same time, all tourists will be guided by guides with enough experience...

• Departure / meeting zone: Nosara Biological Reserve (85-acre reserve near Playa Nosara) · Area hub: Playa Nosara & Biological Reserve · Category: Wildlife & Nature
• Duration: 2 hours · Format: Shared (Shared small-group tour (up to 12 travelers per booking))
• Included: Binoculars; Licensed Guide; Telescope
• Run by: Hiking Tours Nosara · Reviews: 4.64 average from 22 customer reviews on Viator
• Cancellation: Cancel at least 24 hours before scheduled departure for a full refund.

See Current Price & Availability — Use the deal buttons on this page to check open dates and live pricing on Viator.

Supporting Standalone Airport & Regional Transfers

The listings below are standalone point-to-point airport and inter-regional shuttle transfers between Liberia Airport (LIR), Monteverde, Nosara, and Ostional—kept separate from the guided excursions above:

Private Transportation From Liberia Airport to Ostional Guanacaste (Viator 348885P50)

Do you want to visit the happiest country in the world? You've come to the right place, we offer a daily shuttle service from Daniel Oduber International Airport. If you want to explore the wonderful beaches of Costa Rica, travel to visit friends and family or for your business t...

• Type: Private airport/regional transfer (up to 12 passengers) (standalone point-to-point transfer) · Area hub: Ostional National Wildlife Refuge
• Route / meeting zone: Liberia Guanacaste Airport (LIR) → Ostional, Guanacaste · Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Included: Private transportation; Bottled water; In-vehicle air conditioning · Run by: Guanacaste Airport Shuttle Cr
• Cancellation: Cancel at least 24 hours before scheduled departure for a full refund.

See Current Price & Availability — Use the deal buttons on this page to check open dates and live pricing on Viator.

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