Sea Turtle Release
Duration
2.5hr
Season
Ago-Jan
Groups
up to 12
Offered
Eng / Spa
Sea Turtle Camp Tour Details
Be part of the Sea Turtle Camp conservation in Puerto Vallarta!
We can find six out of the seven species of sea turtle recognized worldwide nesting in Mexican seashores, all of them under complete federal protection since 1990. To Puerto Vallarta beaches comes mostly the species known as Olive Ridley or Golfina, in Spanish, (Lepidochelys olivacea).
During summer, the coast of Banderas Bay give refuge to the female sea turtle that leave the security of the ocean to venture into one of the most important stages of their lives: lay their eggs in the warm sand of our beaches to be incubated by the sun. Once they spawn, the females return to the sea, trusting the next generation to Nature. When the young are ready to hatch, volunteers who have taken care of the nest for approximately 50 days, guard them until sunset to release them once the sun is gone, minimizing the risk of being prey to birds, fish and other natural predators.
Our adventure provides an encounter with this miracle. By joining this tour, in addition to helping the baby turtle hatchlings reach the ocean, you will support the hard work of a dedicated team of Mexican biologists and volunteers to increase the survival rate of Olive Ridley sea turtle, which is in danger of extinction. You will also know what is done in a turtle camp and you can even “plant” your own turtle nest.
Available days
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday. (except holidays)
Highlights
- Educational talk about sea turtles
- Biologist guide
- Small groups
- Visit to the sea turtle camp
- Donation to the sea turtle camp conservation program
Includes
- Ground transportation in vans with a/c
- Talk about biology, ecology and conservation of turtles in Mexico and Puerto Vallarta
- Visit and tour in a Sea Turtle Camp
- Soft drinks, juices and granola bars. Water to refill
Know Before You Book
- If there are no baby turtles on the day of your tour, our sales staff will contact you to re-schedule your reservation.
- Not recommended for children under 3 years old or pregnant women.
- People with back, neck, heart or knee problems are not recommended.
- Children from 4 to 11 years old must be accompanied by a paying adult.
- All participants must be able to walk 1 mile in total on sand and loose gravel.
- Not accessible for wheelchairs or strollers.
Itinerary
5:45 pm Meet with your guide and the rest of our guests at our office in Marina Vallarta, where we begin with an informative talk about the biology and ecology of sea turtles.
At the end of the talk, we go aboard our comfortable vehicles and go to our destination: the Boca de Tomates Sea Turtle Camp. To get there, we have to walk on the beach less than half of a mile (656 yards), on sand and loose gravel. Once at the camp, the guide will explain to you about the site and the work done there to protect the turtles. At dusk, the camp managers will tell us how to help the little turtles get safe and sound to the ocean.
Once the hatchlings have reached the sea, we will walk back to our vehicle looking for female turtles coming to shore to lay their eggs, however we cannot guarantee that we will find them, since they don’t have a specific place or time to spawn.
8:15 pm Approximately, return Marina Vallarta’s office.
What to bring
Bring your refillable water bottle or buy your bottle at cost with us and get 10% discount in our store.
Comfortable clothes, insect repellent, comfortable shoes or sandals for walking on sand, camera.
Cancellation Policies
- Cancellations 36 hours before, 100% refund
- Cancellations 25 hours before, 50% refund
- Cancellations the day of tour, no shows or being late, No refund, forfeit the entire amount
- Activities can be changed due to natural conditions (there were no hatchlings, hurricane threat, storms or swell)
- All guests must sign a risk acknowledgment
- No tour is refundable once it is taken
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