Our guide for the canal tour in Tortuguero was amazing. There’s no way I would’ve spotted all these creatures if it wasn’t for his eagle eye, especially the lizards. Even when I look at the photos below I find them hard to pick out. I keep looking at the pictures and wondering why I’ve taken photos of plants, and then seeing a cheeky lizard hiding in the corner.

I saw all these creatures on a two-hour canal tour departing from the Pachira Lodge in Tortuguero. As well as seeing all the wildlife and fauna, it was also a lovely and relaxing trip just cruising up the canal.

We got pretty close to the animals on the canal tour, as you’ll see, and our driver pulled up nice and tight so we could get the best photos. Unfortunately there weren’t any sloths on this day, but we had seen two on the way in to the Pachira Lodge the day before. Mustn’t be greedy. Sloths need time out too.

READ MORE: What is Costa Rica Really Like?

15 Unusual Animals You’ll See on a Canal Tour in Tortuguero

1. A woodpecker

2. A puffed up bird*

3. Wants-a-hug bird*

4. 110 of the 1,100 bat species are in Costa Rica!

5. Spot the Basilisk lizard

6. Howler Monkeys (THEY’RE SO LOUD)

7. Unimpressed white-faced capuchin monkey guy

8. Another huge lizard

9. Green Iguana dragon

10. The original angry bird

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Check out my video of the trip, from 3:58

Watch all my Costa Rica vlogs here!

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11. Pretty bird

12. Wooopahh – it’s a spectacled caiman!

13. Big foot bird*

14. Yellow forehead bird*

The Canal Tour in Costa Rica

The canal tour in Costa Rica was amazing. When I think back I can’t believe how many birds and creatures we saw in such a short space of time. It was so peaceful drifting along the canal and just hearing the birds calling to each other. As soon as the howler monkeys started the peace was pierced, but all creatures add to the atmosphere of the canal banks.

If you carry on and explore the rest of Costa Rica by Canal, beyond Tortuguero, you could see sloths, toucans, turtles, ocelots, pacas, tapirs, anteaters, and many, many other animals. It’s one of the best places in the world, to see all these animals!

Where to stay in Tortuguero

If you’d like to do a canal tour in Tortuguero, I’d definitely recommend staying at the Pachira Lodge in Tortuguero. I stayed in a chalet style room, loved the swimming pool, enjoyed a massage, and made the most of the buffet breakfasts and dinner. It’s also a great place to stay if you want to see the turtles late at night and early in the morning. Definitely one of the most incredible sights I’ve ever seen.

I was invited to Costa Rica by the Costa Rica Tourism Board in return for my thoughts.