Don Olivo Chocolate Tour La Fortuna: Cacao criollo farm & tasting

Where the cacao actually grows, and what happens to it before the wrapper

You walk through rows of cacao trees, watch how chocolate and spices are processed on-site, taste what they make, and pick tropical fruit straight from the farm. The tour includes coffee if you want it, takes around ninety minutes, and works for families and people with mobility needs. Pickup from La Fortuna hotels is available. Ask when you book.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore cacao farm and local products

• See cacao criollo strain
• Observe spice harvesting and extraction
• Discover vanilla, rum, and sugar cane
• Explore tropical fruits collection
• Taste coffee and chocolate products
• Learn about cacao production process

The experience

So you're standing in La Fortuna and someone mentions the Don Olivo farm, and you think, sure, chocolate tour, probably a shop with samples. Then you walk out into the actual rows: 1,600 cacao trees, criollo strain, the kind that takes longer to grow but tastes different. Your guide points to the pods still on the branches, splits one open with a machete, and suddenly you're holding the beans inside, the ones that become chocolate. It's not a factory floor. It's a farm, and the work is happening right there.

The tour moves through the spice section next (vanilla plants, cinnamon, the sugar cane they use), and then into what they actually do with it all. You see how they ferment and dry the cacao, roast it, grind it into paste. The coffee comes in here too, if you want it. They grow that on the same land. What lands is that they've been doing this since 1926, so the rhythm of the place feels settled, not rushed. You're not watching a demonstration built for tourists. You're watching a farm that happens to let people in.

The tasting part is straightforward: chocolate they've made, tropical fruit from the farm (they grow over 37 kinds), and if you're into it, the coffee. Nothing fancy, nothing plated. Just the actual products, the actual flavors. The whole thing runs about ninety minutes, and the pace is easy enough that you can ask questions or linger over a fruit you've never seen before. Families with kids do fine here. Strollers work on the paths, and the farm is set up so you're not climbing or navigating rough ground.

What’s included

• Your tour includes entry to the farm, a walk through the 1,600 cacao trees, a look at how chocolate, vanilla, and other spices are processed on-site, and tastings of the chocolate they produce, tropical fruit grown on the farm, and coffee if you want it.
• Hotel pickup from La Fortuna is available.
• Confirm when booking.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 10:00, 13:00 and 15:00

AgesAdult (19 to 74 years) · Senior (75 and older) · Youth (13 to 18 years) · Child (2 to 12 years) · Infant (under 2): free

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “Rout 142 very well signed find us in goolgle maps or waze”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Don Olivo Chocolate Tour

Is this one for you?Right for travelers in La Fortuna who want to see where chocolate actually comes from, not just taste it in a shop. The farm is working and unhurried, so you get the real process without a scripted performance.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 18 years); Child (2 to 12 years); Infant (under 2): free.

How long is the Don Olivo chocolate tour?

About ninety minutes, including the walk through the farm, the processing area, and the tasting.

Do they grow coffee on the farm too?

Yes. Coffee is optional and included in the tour if you want to taste it.

Can I go if I use a wheelchair or stroller?

Yes. The farm is wheelchair accessible, and all paths and surfaces are paved or cleared.

What's cacao criollo?

It's a strain of cacao that takes longer to grow but produces a more complex flavor. Don Olivo specializes in it.

How many tropical fruits do they grow?

Over 37 different kinds. You'll taste some during the tour.

Is this a working farm or just a tourist attraction?

It's a working farm. They produce about 150 pounds of cacao every week and have been operating since 1926.

What's included in the price?

Chocolate, tropical fruit, spices, and coffee tasting, plus the farm tour. Lunch is not included.