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Chocolate Tour at Tirimbina Reserve
4.6
14 Ratings
La Virgen
Embark on a private cacao experience in the rainforest, exploring Tirimbina’s lush surroundings and crossing the longest hanging bridge in the region. Indulge in the delectable flavors of chocolate and learn about the process of making it. Book now!
Embark on a private cacao experience in the rainforest, exploring Tirimbina’s lush surroundings and crossing the longest hanging bridge in the region. Indulge in the delectable flavors of chocolate and learn about the process of making it. Book now!
Duration:
7 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Tirimbina Biological Reserve - Tirimbina is a private biological reserve situated in the Sarapiqui region. Here, we offer a chocolate tour in an old cocoa plantation. Additionally, the reserve features the longest hanging bridge in Costa Rica.
- Braulio Carrillo National Park - Braulio Carrillo National Park is one of the largest protected…
- Tirimbina Biological Reserve - Tirimbina is a private biological reserve situated in the Sarapiqui region. Here, we offer a chocolate tour in an old cocoa plantation. Additionally, the reserve features the longest hanging bridge in Costa Rica.
- Braulio Carrillo National Park - Braulio Carrillo National Park is one of the largest protected areas in Costa Rica, covering 50,000 hectares. It is located in one of the country’s steepest topographical regions, north of the Central Valley in the Central Volcanic Range, between the massifs of Poas and Irazu Volcanoes. This magnificent natural treasure includes the Barva and Cacho Negro volcanoes.
The park reaches a maximum elevation of 9,534 feet (2,906 meters) above sea level at the summit of Barva Volcano, with temperatures ranging from a minimum of 37.4°F (3°C) to a maximum of 75.6°F (24°C). Due to the park’s significant altitudinal gradient, precipitation varies widely, from 8.2 feet (2,500 mm) on the slopes facing the Central Valley to 18.8 feet (5,734 mm) on the Caribbean slope.
- Sarapiqui River - The Sarapiquà River, or Rio SarapiquÃ, in Costa Rica is a tributary of the San Juan River and forms the eastern border of Sarapiquà Canton. The area surrounding the river is primarily lowland tropical rainforest, characterized by lush vegetation and a diverse array of plant, animal, and insect life. During our tour, you will appreciate the beauty of this river and cross a long suspension bridge over it. The Tirimbina Reserve is located right next to this river.
What's Included
- 100% private deluxe transportation
- 2 hours chocolate tour at Tirimbina Reserve
- Professional naturalist tour guide
- Delicious lunch
- Bottle of water
- 100% private deluxe transportation
- 2 hours chocolate tour at Tirimbina Reserve
- Professional naturalist tour guide
- Delicious lunch
- Bottle of water
What's Not Included
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Tips for tour guides
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Tips for tour guides
Additional Information
Your breath-taking, adventure begins with a pickup from your hotel and a relaxing private drive through the wonderful Costa Rican countryside on an air-conditioned deluxe transportation.
The tour takes place in a private biological reserve located in Sarapiqui, a small town located in the Caribbean of Costa Rica and 2 hours from the capital.
Join us on…
Your breath-taking, adventure begins with a pickup from your hotel and a relaxing private drive through the wonderful Costa Rican countryside on an air-conditioned deluxe transportation.
The tour takes place in a private biological reserve located in Sarapiqui, a small town located in the Caribbean of Costa Rica and 2 hours from the capital.
Join us on the best chocolate tour and taste one of the most delectable food from the rainforest. During this tour you will be taken through Tirimbina´s rainforest across the longest hanging bridge in the region to a traditional cacao plantation where you will have the opportunity to taste the cacao bean at its different stages in the process of making chocolate and also be involved with different preparations of it, so make sure your appetite is ready!
This is an interactive experience where besides to learn all about chocolate, you will be able to make your own bar using many different local ingredients.
- Child and infant rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
Location
Tirimbina Biological Reserve
Route 126
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(14 Ratings)
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Jktakenaka
Nov 25, 2023
So worthwhile! A delicious and informative way to experience chocolate from raw bean to table. - Although the drive is long (2 hours from San Jose), the trip and tour were TOTALLY worth it! During the drive out (in a super comfortable bus) our guides from Greenway pointed out sights, information, and wildlife along the way.
At Tirimbina, they handed us off to a naturalist from the ecological preserve that walked us out to the chocolate tour. The presentation on the preserve took us on a historical, culinary, and sensory experience from raw beans through processed chocolate. We were able to experience and sample throughout the presentation and it was honestly some of the best chocolate we’ve ever tried. It was delicious and really fun, and the park is gorgeous and teeming with wildlife.
After the chocolate tour we stopped for lunch in a location that had a ton of birds and other creatures to see (frogs, coati, etc)
I should perhaps mention that the chocolate sampled is on the pure/more bitter end of the chocolate spectrum. My kids (who are now college students) agreed they might not have appreciated the flavors when they were younger and prefered sweeter chocolate.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C5940snkathym
Apr 7, 2023
Excellent experience - The tour guide was fantastic with a lot of personality! Both in your and chocolate demo. I would recommend leaving time if you can to take the trails along the rainforest. Highly recommend the trip
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Erika
Mar 11, 2023
Nature and sweetness - Perfect private tour for your group. Leonardo was our great driver, and Francisco was our wonderful guide that was a world of knowledge. He was able to answer our questions and gave us all the highlights of the country as we went along our ride. The Trimbina Biological Reserve is an amazing place. Our guide, Walter and our chocolateir Cristian made the tour a fun experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gingerz7
Dec 4, 2022
Fun and educational chocolate-making experience. - Our guide, Willam, who was knowledgeable and funny, took us across a long, high, hanging bridge. Views were great. We saw a Howler monkey and a huge Iguana. Further along, we saw more monkeys and a Bullet Ant (if it bites you, it feels like you've been shot, and the pain lasts for 24 hours). We saw wild vanilla plants and then we came to the cocoa plants.
William took us to a little pavilion, where he and Juan showed us how chocolate was made, using the same ingredients and processes that the Indigenous people used. It was fascinating and delicious.
Afterward, we had lunch in the restaurant on site. It was all excellent..
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mueller1939
Mar 31, 2022
My wife and I were the... - My wife and I were the only passengers. However the guide and driver gave us the entire package.
They were very knowledgeable and did an excellent job.
Review provided by Viator
Stephen_h
Mar 14, 2020
Perfect from the start! - We were recommended by a close friend to try a coffee or chocolate tour. His recommendation turned out to payout so much in the positive I cannot thank him enough; but I would caveat that the experience we had that was so meaningful all started with our driver/guide Geraldo!
Geraldo showed up on time, greeted us, got us to the car, which was clean, nice and very comfortable. Our conversations just seemed to flow as if we had known each other for a life time; talking about everything and anything and providing us with great insight on Costa Rica. The drive was long, but didn't seem that way because of the good conversations had by us all. Once we arrived at the bioreserve; Geraldo got us all squared away with the tour company and because we had a considerable amount of time before the tour; he took us on a mini tour which allowed us to see a sloth and most importantly to me; a poison dart frog! My hearing is pretty bad, but Geraldo was able to focus in on the singing little guy and point it out for me to grab a picture of it! We got back and went on our tour with Walter. Walter did a great job sharing the history of the park and the fauna and animals that we saw. After our tour we went back to the tour area and sat down in the restaurant. Shortly after our arrival, Geraldo showed up and asked about the chocolate...We were puzzled and stated there was no chocolate on the tour. He instantly jumped to his feet and took off. After a little bit of time had passed he arrived and we very apologetic...it seems the bioreserve had made a mistake and booked us on a walking tour and not the chocolate tour. Geraldo asked us if we had time to go back out on the actual chocolate tour and we were totally fine with it. Geraldo, that short period of time had engaged his company, the bioreserve company and worked out what went wrong and how to resolve it. After a very delicious lunch (I loved the ribs) we were off again with Walter, but this time to the small chocolate plantation on the bioreserve. Very informative, very interesting, but my wife found out that fresh chocolate with lots of cocoa is very bitter! Additionally to having the correct tour, we had a chance to see a basilisk sunning itself on a rock in the river and a mother sloth with her baby! We were back with Geraldo and on the road back to the hotel, the conversations continued to flow and Geraldo offered some extra stops for photos, but we knew we had those stops on another tour and passed so that he could get home at a reasonable hour.
We cannot recommend Geraldo and Greenway Nature Day Tours enough; great communications from start to finish and they are definitely above the rest when it comes to their customer experience!
Review provided by Viator
Iamcrash72
Jul 15, 2019
Great guide and outstanding venue - We had a great day beginning with out tour guide, Gerrardo with Greenway Nature Day Tours. He was on time, picking us up at our hotel in San Jose in a very comfortable Hyundai mid-size SUV. He provided bottled water, and was great in answering our questions along the way about Costa Rican culture, life, and some of the great things Costa Rica is doing, as well as challenges for the future of the country. Gerrardo was also very accommodating, stopping a few times along the way to allow us to take pictures at scenic sights. Once at the site of the chocolate tour and suspension bridge hike, Carolina took over as our guide. She has an undergraduate in biology from the University of Costa Rica. She was very knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna, as well as pointing out different insect, amphibian, and tropical wildlife while hiking to the jungle cultivation site. The walk across the suspension bridge was amazing, with wonderful views of the river and the surrounding area. With her co-worker Theresa, they talked us through the traditional method of producing chocolate from the cacao, including cultivation and its historical impact both locally and globally.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stuartsv1647cg
Jan 28, 2019
Amazing tour with a wonderful guide - The Tirimbina chocolate tour is a superb experience especially if you are guided by the beautiful and immensely charming Carolina, a fount of information, sly humor and magic. The chocolate you will eat is prepared by the lovely Theresa and is stunningly tasty. The setting is a tropical rain forest with iguanas, howler monkeys, humming birds and the occasional viper. A truly worthwhile experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Peter_g
Jan 7, 2019
Amazing first tour in Costa Rica - We had a really fun time doing this chocolate tour. My wife and I were on our honeymoon and chose to do a real chocolate tour (since I'm a chocolate maker in the US) Our tour guide Mario was right on time picking us up for the drive from San Jose to the rain forest preserve where the wild life and chocolate tour began. On the way, Mario added historical information about the city and country. We even stopped for a quick view of a pineapple plantation, howler monkeys and a banana search. The chocolate tour was everything we were hoping for and more. A hike through the rain forest and hanging bridge to open and taste real cocoa fruits. Most chocolate makers I know never tried the fruit. It was really good. My wife and I had some amazing chocolate and made our own drinks. We loved it. The lunch after was great too. On the way, we saw some green frogs that were deadly to the touch. Mario made sure we didn't get too close. We just had a lot of fun and well worth the price. Thank you. I wish I could post pictures as we took a ton.
Review provided by Viator
Becky
Jul 28, 2023
NOT WORTH IT!! - We paid for a private tour and didn’t get a private tour. 8 more people were added to my group. Also for that amount of money it was truly NOT worth what we got for it. Crossing a hanging bridge and a lesson on chocolate THAT WAS IT!! NOT WORTH IT AT ALL.
Review provided by Viator
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