Tortuguero weather in January
January in Tortuguero: hot, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 25 rainy days.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#4 of 12 months in Tortuguero · #779 of 1413 destinations to visit in January · comfort 68/100 (tier C)
- Days
- 27°C
- Nights
- 22°C
- Wet days
- 25
- Sun
- 9.8 h
- Humidity
- 89%
- Daylight
- 12 h

Traveller notes on Tortuguero in January
Notes from nearby La Fortuna (125 km away)
Tortuguero doesn't have its own notes for January yet — these are about La Fortuna, close enough to share the season.
La Fortuna-forum threads on a January visit describe this as genuinely the start of the more favorable season, posters naming it one of the better months for a real shot at seeing the Arenal volcano's peak. Regulars call the summit genuinely elusive regardless of month, several posters naming roughly sixty clear-view days a year as the honest baseline. Posters call fast-drying clothes and rain gear worth packing no matter the month, several regulars naming this standard advice given how much cloud cover varies day to day. Regulars call January still genuinely warm and humid, several threads naming this a real contrast to how the season's reputation sounds. Posters recommend real flexible plans around volcano viewing, several regulars calling this standard given how unpredictable cloud cover remains even in January. The record: 25.7C days, 19.7C nights, 101.7mm across over 15 days and 89 percent humidity.
Other months in Tortuguero
Tortuguero-forum threads on a May visit describe turtle timing as genuinely mixed, posters calling the main Atlantic green turtle season not really underway until June, while leatherbacks nest in low numbers across March through May. Regulars call turtle release events, distinct from nesting tours, a real feature running May through August for a guaranteed sighting of hatchlings. Posters describe May itself as genuinely wet, real afternoon and evening showers a standing feature this deep into the rainy season. Regulars call the boat-based wildlife viewing, sloths, monkeys, caimans and birdlife, worth the trip independent of turtle luck. Posters recommend a guided night tour specifically if leatherback nesting is the priority, odds still real but lower than peak season. Regulars call real waterproof layers standing advice. The record: 29C days feeling like a punishing 36C, 24.1C nights, an extraordinarily high 285.4mm across 28 days and 89 percent humidity.
Tortuguero-forum threads on an April visit describe turtle season as technically underway but still early, posters calling leatherback nesting the more realistic target this month, green turtle season not properly starting until July. Regulars call guides promising a high sighting probability worth real skepticism, actual odds this early running lower than the pitch. Posters describe April as genuinely pleasant weather-wise regardless of turtle luck, warmer and less windy than other months and within the better stretch. Regulars call the boat-based wildlife viewing, sloths, monkeys, caimans and birdlife along the canals, worth the trip independent of turtles. Posters recommend a guided night tour for the best shot at nesting activity this early. Regulars call the village genuinely worth visiting any time of year, turtles simply a bonus. The record: 28.7C days feeling like a punishing 35C, 23.5C nights, an extraordinarily high 141.2mm across over 24 days and 86 percent humidity.
Tortuguero-forum threads on a June visit are direct real turtle nesting for the common Atlantic green sea turtles genuinely doesn't peak until July through October, June sitting just ahead. Posters describe one lucky June visitor witnessing an early nest regardless, though regulars call this the exception rather than something to plan around this early. Regulars describe real precipitation as a year-round feature, several posters reporting heavy systems during their stay but still calling the boat-based wildlife tours worth doing. Posters recommend real waterproof gear, this rainforest environment genuinely soaked most of the year. Regulars call the wildlife-watching boat tours the real highlight regardless of turtle timing, sloths, monkeys and birds all visible. Posters recommend July onward for turtle nesting specifically. The record: 28.7C days feeling like a punishing 35C, 23.9C nights, an extraordinarily high 408.4mm across nearly 29 days and 91 percent humidity.
Tortuguero-forum threads on September weather are direct this Caribbean-coast park stays genuinely humid and showery essentially year round, a real feature of the rainforest setting regardless of month. Posters describe canal boat tours and wildlife spotting as unaffected by a passing shower, most of the experience happening under forest canopy anyway, and call September a solid window for turtle activity even though peak nesting runs a bit earlier in summer. Regulars recommend building genuine flexibility into a multi-day itinerary, sudden downpours common enough that indoor-friendly backup plans are worth having. A serious rain jacket and waterproof pouches for electronics are essential regardless of dates chosen. Posters call the combination of turtle nesting, canal wildlife and rainforest atmosphere worth the consistently wet conditions. The record: 29.1C days feeling like a punishing 34C, 23.9C nights, an extraordinarily high 312mm across nearly 29 days and 90 percent humidity.
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Tortuguero climate normals — January
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Tortuguero in January
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusyChristmas and New Year, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Tortuguero's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherTortuguero's weather peaks February–April.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Tortuguero in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Hazard
Cold-surge rains (empujes frios)
1 Nov – 28 Feb · usuallyWinter storms & galesWhile the rest of Costa Rica dries out, cold surges from the north push rain and wind onto the Caribbean side from November to February. Expect grey spells that last for days and a wetter, choppier boat ride in; no turtle nesting tours run then either. Source ↗
- Holiday
Christmas and New Year
18 Dec – 3 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook earlyThe lodges fill with Costa Rican families over the holiday even though the turtles are long gone; the draw is the canals, the caimans and the boat ride in. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Tortuguero — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Tortuguero?
Tortuguero in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Tortuguero?
- January in Tortuguero: hot, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 25 rainy days. It ranks #4 of 12 months for Tortuguero on SeasonMap's comfort score (68/100).
- What is the weather like in Tortuguero in January?
- In January, Tortuguero averages a daily high of 27.1°C and a low of 22.2°C, with about 178.3 mm of rain over roughly 25.3 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Tortuguero in January?
- Tortuguero has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 27 in January.
Within 300 km: Boquete's Feria de las Flores y del Cafe on 7–18 Jan, and Bocas del Toro's Surf season around 1 Dec – 31 Mar.