Costa Rica: Chocolate, Coffee & Sugar Cane Tour with Pickup

Summary

Hands-on chocolate making, coffee brewing and sugar cane at a family-run Costa Rica farm

You’ll taste fresh cacao straight from the pod, grind your own chocolate, brew Costa Rican coffee the traditional way, and press sugar cane into sweet treats alongside locals who’ve done this for generations. Expect laughter, sticky hands, and stories you’ll remember long after you leave.

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I noticed was the smell — warm and earthy, like the air after rain but sweeter. We’d just stepped off the van (air conditioning still clinging to my skin) when our guide, Ana, waved us over to a table covered in cacao pods. She split one open right there. The inside looked nothing like I imagined; it was pale and sticky, and she laughed when I hesitated before tasting it. “It’s different before chocolate,” she said. She was right — tangy, almost floral. I liked it more than I thought I would.

We moved between open-air sheds and shady trees as Ana told stories about how cacao traveled from ancient times to Costa Rica. There were moments when she’d pause to let us listen — birds calling overhead, some distant laughter from kids nearby. The grinding part was messier than I expected (my hands smelled like roasted beans for hours), but watching the chocolate come together felt kind of magical. Someone asked if we could take extra home; Ana just grinned and said we had to try making it ourselves first.

After that came coffee — not just tasting but learning how Costa Ricans actually brew it with their café-chorreado method. There was this wooden stand and a cloth filter that looked simple but took some practice (I definitely spilled some). The smell was everywhere by then — deep and nutty. Ana showed us old picking baskets and explained how coffee shaped her grandparents’ lives here. It got me thinking about everything behind a cup of coffee back home.

The last stop was the trapiche: an old sugar cane mill where we helped crank out juice by hand. It’s sticky work, honestly — my arms were tired after two turns — but the reward was sweet candy made right in front of us. At one point a breeze carried hints of molasses through the open windows and someone joked that this must be what happiness smells like. Maybe they were right.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Chocolate, coffee, and sugar cane tour

• Learn cacao cultural background
• Discover cacao processing steps
• Explore coffee importance in Costa Rica
• See coffee picking instruments and plants
• Learn to make Café-Chorreado coffee
• Visit trapiche sugar cane mill
• Grind sugar cane and make candy

Top questions

Is hotel pickup included in this Costa Rica chocolate tour?

Yes, transportation is included for this tour.

Do we get to make our own chocolate during the tour?

Yes, you’ll participate in collecting, fermenting, grinding and making chocolate.

Is lunch provided on this tour?

No lunch is included on this tour.

Are children or infants allowed on the tour?

Yes, infants and small children can join; prams or strollers are welcome.

Will we learn about both coffee and sugar cane production?

Yes, you’ll see demonstrations of traditional coffee brewing and sugar cane milling (trapiche).

Is there a guide throughout the experience?

Yes, a local guide leads all parts of the tour.

Are there tastings during the tour?

You’ll sample chocolate as part of the experience.

Is this tour suitable for all fitness levels?

Yes, it’s suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup by air-conditioned vehicle from your hotel or meeting point, guidance from a local expert throughout each step — from splitting cacao pods to grinding beans — plus water for refreshment and plenty of chances to sample fresh-made chocolate along the way before heading back relaxed (and probably still sticky-fingered).