Contents
- 1 Cruise Port Limon Costa Rica | 5-in-1 Tortuguero Canal, Uvita Island, and Chistopher Columbus
- 1.1 Tour | 5-in-1: Tortuguero Canal, Uvita Island and Limon Highlights
- 1.2 Cruise Port Limon Costa Rica Excursion | Tortuguero Canal – Uvita Island | What to expect?
- 1.3 Time Schedule
- 1.4 About ‘Tour Guide Costa Rica’ | Cruise Port Limon Costa Rica Excursion
- 1.5 Cruise Port Limon Costa Rica Excursion | Tortuguero Canal – Uvita Island
Cruise Port Limon Costa Rica | 5-in-1 Tortuguero Canal, Uvita Island, and Chistopher Columbus
Discover the finest Limon Costa Rica Cruise Port Shore Excursions with Tour Guide Costa Rica. Tailored specifically for cruise ship passengers, our exclusive shore tours operate in small groups, featuring air-conditioned transportation and experienced Tour Guides, certified by ICT.
See below all details of the popular Cruise Port Limon Costa Rica Excursions: 5-in-1 Tortugeuro Canal and Uvita Island. Discover the Legacy of Chistopher Columbus!
Tour | 5-in-1: Tortuguero Canal, Uvita Island and Limon Highlights
Excursion Highlights:
- Explore the marvels of Costa Rica with a thrilling Jungle Cruise along the Tortuguero Canals
- A brief stop at Playa Bonita awaits, where you can enjoy a stunning panoramic view
- Visit a Banana Plantation founded by the Dole Fruit Company
- Venture to Uvita Island, known as Isla Quiribrí, featuring stunning viewpoints and captivating rock formations
- Relax, relish fresh fruits, bask on the beach, and take a refreshing dip at Uvita Island’s pristine beaches
- Uncover the legacy left by Christopher Columbus on Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast during his final voyage in 1502!
- Explore key highlights in Puerto Limon, including the statue of Christopher Columbus
- Discover more noteworthy highlights in Puerto Limon and seize the opportunity to purchase souvenirs
Cruise Port Limon Costa Rica Excursion | Tortuguero Canal – Uvita Island | What to expect?
Upon Upon arriving at the Limón port in the morning, your dedicated driver will be ready to begin your adventure. Enjoy a comfortable ride to the Tortuguero Canal, famously dubbed the “Amazon of Costa Rica” for its lush rainforests, abundant freshwater channels, lagoons, and winding canals.
One of the main highlights of Tortuguero is a scenic boat tour through its captivating waterways. The guided boat tour offers a tranquil journey with plenty of opportunities to spot various wildlife and luxuriant vegetation.
As you cruise aboard a covered riverboat, our expert guide, well-versed in the rainforest ecosystem, will share fascinating insights about the flora and fauna. Watch for native creatures like crocodiles, howler monkeys, sloths, iguanas, bats, and toucans as you glide through the serene canals.
After the canal cruise, we’ll briefly stop at Playa Bonita, where you can enjoy the stunning panoramic views. The adventure continues with a short drive to Uvita Island, where a brief boat ride will offer you spectacular views of the contrasting landscapes—from untouched sanctuaries to the bustling city of Limón, home to nearly 100,000 residents.
Uvita Island holds historical significance, as Christopher Columbus left his mark on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast during his final voyage in 1502. Explore the island’s untouched beauty, relax on its pristine shores, and indulge in the fresh flavors of pineapple, papaya, and other tropical fruits. Our guide will share the island’s rich history while you enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.
During a leisure interlude, you’ll have a chance to relax, enjoy fresh fruit and local snacks, and perhaps take a refreshing dip in Uvita Island’s crystal-clear waters. The adventure continues with a trek around the island’s “abandoned rock,” where you can discover historical sites like an old monastery and the Leporidae bathing area. Along the way, you’ll be treated to breathtaking viewpoints and stunning rock formations sculpted by the crashing waves against the coral reefs.
Following your island exploration, you can take a final swim or bask in the island’s solitude. Our boat will then take you back to the mainland. The day concludes with a visit to local cultural landmarks, including the Statue of Christopher Columbus, and a quick stop for souvenir shopping before returning to your cruise ship in the afternoon, having experienced the best of Tortuguero and Puerto Limón’s natural and cultural wonders!
Note 1: The order of the excursion activities may vary to provide the best client experience
Time Schedule
Activity Order May Vary to Provide Best Client ExperienceTime | Shore Excursion Activity | |
8:15 | am |
Pick up at Shore [Main Port Entrance] Meet our ICT Licensed Tour Guide Departure to Tortuguero Canal |
9:00 | am |
Enjoy the Tortuguero Canal boat tour Take your camera, to spot the Wildlife |
10:30 | am |
The scenic route to Uvita Island Visit the Banana Plantation of Dole Fruit Company Break at Playa Bonita |
11:30 | am |
Boat Trip to Uvita Island Enjoy a Local Lunch Snack and Fresh Fruits Uvita Island Tour |
1:30 | pm |
Return to Limon for City Tour Visit Limon Highlights Souvenir Shopping |
2:45 | pm | Return and Arrival At Port Limon |
What is Included | All Entrance and License Fees
Airconditioned Professional Transportation | Driver Certified Tour Guides, Licensed by ICT Fresh Fruits Local Lunch Snack Bottled Water |
What is Excluded | Other drinks, such as beer or soft drinks |
About Tortuguero Canal
Discover the hidden gem of Tortuguero, a labyrinth of waterways that offers a one-of-a-kind rainforest adventure. This unique experience allows you to delve into the dense jungle, brimming with a wide variety of flora and fauna, without the need to navigate muddy trails. Often hailed as the ‘Amazon of Costa Rica,’ the Tortuguero Canals form the country’s second-largest wetland in the northern Caribbean region. Accessible only by boat or plane, this remote area is a sanctuary of biodiversity, waiting to be explored.
Embark on a journey through this extensive system of natural and artificial waterways, where each scenic boat ride unveils a breathtaking variety of wildlife. With our knowledgeable ICT Licensed guides at your service, ready to share their expertise on the region’s plant and animal species, your adventure becomes an enlightening and unforgettable experience.
Bird enthusiasts will find Tortuguero a magical destination, home to over 400 species, making it an extraordinary spot for bird watching. This exceptional natural setting offers an immersive experience in one of Costa Rica’s most biodiverse regions.
Tortuguero Canal – Wildlife, Flora and Fauna
The Tortuguero canal is a bustling ecosystem, teeming with life. It’s common to see herons, egrets, kingfishers, anhingas, jacanas, and other wildlife. Frequently observed creatures include basilisk lizards, bats, sloths, iguanas, various poison dart frogs, and howler, white-faced, and spider monkeys, showcasing the incredible diversity and abundance of life in this unique habitat.
You may find tracks of river otters, collared peccaries, and Baird’s tapirs along the riverbanks and canals. The waterways are inhabited by caimans, garfish, manatees, crocodiles, crustaceans, and occasionally bull sharks.
About Uvita Island
Uvita Island, or Isla Uvita (Spanish: “little grape island”), officially Isla Quiribrí, is a small Island with a rich Culture. It has a size of not even 4 acres.
The location is less than a mile from offshore Limón and can be reached by boat. It is currently uninhabited, but at least one structure on the island and a small dock. It is possible to visit the island by renting a boat and a driver at one fishing dock on the Cieneguita River.
Uvita has had several names over the years in English; these include Grape Cay, Grape Island, and Uvita Island in Spanish. The Cariari Indians called the island Quiribrí. In 1986 the National Commission of Nomenclature approved the restoration of the name Isla Quiribrí.
The Academy of Geography and History of Costa Rica asked that the Commission and the Municipality of Limón publish the name change in 2002 during the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus on the island.
Isla Quiribrí is now the official name but is seldom used; locally, the island is still called Isla Uvita.
Uvita Island and Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus anchored his ships on the island for repairs during his final voyage to America in 1502 and gave the island the name of La Huerta.
The two-week visit allowed contact with the Indigenous people, who welcomed the Europeans dressed in clothing of gold, which was the reason that some mistakenly attributed to Columbus the naming of Costa Rica (Spanish: “rich coast”), a name which was first used by the Royal Audience of Panama in 1538.
About the Tour, a rich explanation of what the entering of Christopher Columbus, inherited to the history of the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica, and how the Caribbean Culture started which is quite different from the rest of Costa Rica and its influence of Costa Rica history.