Private shuttle · door-to-door
Private Shuttle from La Pavona dock (Tortuguero) to La Fortuna
Back from Tortuguero by boat and heading for Arenal? We meet you at the La Pavona dock and drive you across the northern lowlands to your hotel in La Fortuna. You pay one flat fare for the vehicle, with taxes and tolls included.
- Private vehicle
- Door-to-door
- Taxes & tolls included
- Child seats free
- 24/7
The service
Your private transfer from Tortuguero · La Pavona to La Fortuna
This is a door-to-door service. Your driver meets you at your hotel, rental or house in Tortuguero · La Pavona, your group travels on its own in a vehicle reserved for you, and we drop you at the entrance of your hotel in La Fortuna.
There are no extras to discover later: the per-vehicle fare already includes taxes, tolls, fuel, insurance, water, WiFi and child seats. Pick Standard for a direct trip, or upgrade to VIP (+$80) to stop along the way.
Leaving Tortuguero · La Pavona
From Tortuguero · La Pavona to La Fortuna: the logistics
Tortuguero is a village and national park on the north Caribbean coast, crossed by canals and lagoons and reachable only by boat or small plane. The park is famous for its nesting turtles, especially green turtles in the main season, roughly July to October, and for wildlife-spotting by canoe and boat through the canals.
We meet you at the La Pavona dock when your boat from Tortuguero arrives. Boat schedules depend on the operator and the river; send us the expected arrival time and keep WhatsApp handy, and the driver will be waiting at the dock.
We know the La Fortuna end of this trip well, because it is where we live. Tell us the name of your hotel or the address of your rental and the driver goes straight there; if it is one of the hotels with a surcharge, the fare already shows it.
We confirm the pickup time with you when you book. With approximately 3 h 15 min of driving, a pickup after breakfast in Tortuguero · La Pavona gets you to La Fortuna for lunch or the early afternoon.
Before you go
Before you leave Tortuguero · La Pavona
Confirm the boat time
Check the return boat time with your lodge the night before and send it to us on WhatsApp.
Pack for the boat
Keep luggage compact and a dry bag for the river; boats can be splashy.
The route
What to expect on the drive
- Distance
- about 155 km between the town centres (our measurement, approx.)
- Driving time
- approx. 3 h 15 min without stops (our fare table)
- Main roads
- Rural roads from La Pavona to Cariari, Route 4 through Sarapiquí, then Route 142 to La Fortuna
- First stretch
- Rural roads from the La Pavona dock south to Cariari
From the dock the van drives south on the rural road between plantations to Cariari, and from there west on Route 4 towards Sarapiquí.
After the boat ride from Tortuguero, the drive starts at the La Pavona dock and runs south on rural roads through banana and pineapple plantations to Cariari.
From the Cariari area the route takes Route 4 west through Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí and across the northern lowlands to Muelle, then on to La Fortuna, with the volcano appearing ahead in the last hour if the clouds allow.
Along the way
What you'll see between Tortuguero and La Fortuna
The scenery changes more than once on the way to Arenal. This is what passes the window:
The canals
From the dock, the river winds into the canal network that leads to the village of Tortuguero.
Banana and pineapple plantations
Around Cariari the landscape is a sea of plantations, with cable lines carrying banana bunches to the packing plants.
Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí
A river town in the middle of the Caribbean-slope rainforest, known for rafting and birding.
Tropical Experts VIP
VIP stops on this route
Tropical Experts VIP adds $80 per vehicle and gives you one to two hours of stops, a bilingual driver acting as guide, a welcome kit (local beers, soft drinks and Costa Rican snacks) and sparkling water. We offer VIP stops on every route; on this drive these are the ones we suggest:
A riverside break in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí
A coffee or lunch beside the Sarapiquí River, roughly halfway, is an easy stop to ask for.
Need more than two hours? Add up to 4 extra hours at $35 each when you book. On Standard the driver goes straight there and stops for the restroom whenever you ask.
Before you travel
Road conditions and 2026 roadworks
Route 4 across the northern lowlands is paved and mostly flat, but it carries farm trucks and buses, and some bridges are narrow. This route crosses the plains to the Caribbean side without climbing the mountains of the Central Valley.
Our terms cover the rare day when a closure or extreme weather stops the transfer: you can move it to another date or receive a full refund.
From the road
Driver's tips for this route
- Tell us the name of your lodge and the boat company; if the boat is late, we wait and adjust.
- After the boat ride, a stop to eat in Cariari or Sarapiquí breaks up the drive; ask the driver.
- Keep a dry layer in your hand luggage: boat rides can be wet.
- Keep water, sunscreen and a light jacket in your hand luggage, not in the boot: the weather changes on the way.
Fares
Prices for this route
Per vehicle, in US dollars, taxes included.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Large bags | Standard | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hyundai Staria1–5 passengers |
1–5 | 5 | $270 | $350 |
 Toyota Hiace6–9 passengers |
6–9 | 9 | $315 | $395 |
 Maxus V9010–12 passengers |
10–12 | 12 | $400 | $480 |
Extra hour of stops: $35, up to 4. Hotels with a surcharge are listed below.
Google reviews
What travellers say
Short excerpts from real Google reviews of Tropical Experts Costa Rica.
“Muy agradable el servicio, nos encantó.”
Read all our reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Tortuguero · La Pavona → La Fortuna
How long is the drive from Tortuguero · La Pavona to La Fortuna?
Approximately 3 h 15 min of driving according to our fare table, for about 155 km. Stops, rain and traffic come on top of that; with VIP, add the one to two hours of sightseeing stops.
How much is a private shuttle from Tortuguero · La Pavona to La Fortuna?
$270 in a Hyundai Staria (1–5 passengers), $315 in a Toyota Hiace (6–9) and $400 in a Maxus V90 (10–12). Prices are per vehicle, in US dollars, with taxes included. VIP adds $80 per vehicle.
Which road do you take to La Pavona?
Across the northern lowlands on Route 4 through Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí towards Cariari, then rural roads north to the dock. It avoids the mountain roads of the Central Valley.
Why do you go to La Pavona and not to Tortuguero itself?
Because there is no road to Tortuguero. La Pavona is the dock where the road ends and the boats start; the boat ride along the river and canals to the village takes around an hour or more, depending on the boat.
When is turtle season in Tortuguero?
The main green-turtle nesting season is roughly July to October; leatherbacks nest earlier in the year. Night turtle tours are regulated and run with certified local guides.
What if the boat from Tortuguero is late?
We follow your arrival on WhatsApp and wait at the dock. River and weather conditions can change boat times, and we adapt.
Every private transfer
What's included
- Pickup at your door at the time agreed when you book
- A private vehicle for your group only, door to door
- Professional driver and full-cover insurance
- Fuel, tolls and taxes (VAT) — nothing to pay the driver
- Child seats at no cost, on request
- Free cancellation up to 48 h before pickup
Drop-off and pickup
Hotels we pick up from in Tortuguero · La Pavona
These are some of the hotels in Tortuguero · La Pavona that our calculator already lists. We go to any address in the area: if yours is not here, write it in the booking.
- Tortuga Lodge & Gardens
- Manatus Hotel
- Pachira Lodge
Pick-up and drop-off
Hotels we drive to in La Fortuna
Any hotel in the La Fortuna area, door to door. A few examples, plus every hotel with a surcharge:
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Plan the rest of your trip
Ready to book Tortuguero · La Pavona → La Fortuna?
Pick your date, vehicle and service in the calculator, pay online and get your voucher by email — or message us and we'll book it with you.