Churute Mangroves & Cocoa Farm from Guayaquil: Make Chocolate

You make a chocolate bar at the end, after walking through mangroves where howler monkeys live.

A full-day tour from Guayaquil combines a boat ride through Manglares Churute Ecological Reserve, a Ramsar wetland 40 kilometers south, with a visit to a working cacao farm where you learn cultivation and processing, then craft your own chocolate bar. Hotel pickup and drop-off, a professional guide in English or Spanish, lunch, and all transport are included. Children from age 4 are welcome.

The experience

The day starts with pickup at your hotel in Guayaquil at 8:30 AM, then a drive to Manglares Churute, a protected wetland recognized internationally for its importance to migratory birds and coastal wildlife. Once there, you board a boat to move through the mangrove channels, watching for the canclón water bird and the coastal crocodile. A species that has vanished from most of the coast but survives here. A 40-minute walk through the tropical dry forest edges the reserve, where howler monkeys inhabit the canopy and local people still harvest crabs using traditional methods you'll see firsthand.

After the reserve, the tour heads to a cacao plantation where the guide walks you through how cacao grows, how it's harvested, and how it becomes chocolate. At the end of that section, you make your own chocolate bar: the hands-on part most people don't expect. Lunch is served at the hacienda, and then transport returns you to your hotel in Guayaquil. The whole outing runs about eight hours from pickup to drop-off.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off within Guayaquil's urban perimeter.
• boat travel through the mangrove channels.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• 40-minute guided walk through the tropical dry forest.
• lunch at the cacao hacienda.
• your own handmade chocolate bar.
• all transport between sites.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 34 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Perfect Destiny

Is this one for you?You join a shared group with a guide rather than exploring on your own, which means you learn the ecology and farming practices as you go and don't need to arrange transport or navigation yourself. This suits travelers who want the knowledge and the hands-on chocolate-making without the logistics of getting to a reserve 40 kilometers outside the city.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What birds and animals will I actually see at Manglares Churute?

Manglares Churute is home to the canclón, a freshwater water bird that lives in the lagoon, and the coastal crocodile, which has disappeared from most other areas along the coast but survives in this protected reserve. Howler monkeys inhabit the tropical dry forest you walk through, and the reserve protects many other threatened species across its wetland habitat.

Do I need to be fit to walk the forest trail?

The 40-minute walk through the tropical dry forest is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a hat and sunscreen, and mosquito repellent is recommended. The operator runs the tour in all weather, so dress appropriately for rain if needed.

What exactly do I do at the cacao farm?

At the cacao plantation, your guide explains how cacao is cultivated, harvested, and processed into chocolate. At the end of the visit, you make your own chocolate bar. You're not watching a demonstration, you're doing it yourself. Lunch is included at the hacienda.

Is this tour private or shared with other travelers?

The tour operates as a shared group experience with a professional guide who speaks English or Spanish. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for all participants staying in the urban perimeter of Guayaquil.