GUAYAQUIL CITY TOUR (3 hours)

Welcome to the Pacific and the largest of its cities, Guayaquil!

Crossing Avenue 9 d’Octubre you will arrive at Centenario Park which is the largest in the city. Afterwards, you will visit the Seminario Park which is better known as: “Iguana Park”, home of many iguanas. Visit to the City Museum and the Malecon 2000 which is the pride of Guayaquil. Then, you will go up to Santa Ana hill to reach the “Las Peñas” neighborhood, where there are some houses from the colonial era.

GUAYAQUIL CITY TOUR AND VISIT TO HISTORICAL PARK – Full day.

Crossing Avenue du 9 d’Octobre, you will arrive at the “Centenario” Park which is the largest in the city. Afterwards, you will visit the “Seminario” Park which is better known as: “Iguana Park”, home of many iguanas. Visit the City Museum and the “Malecon 2000” which is the pride of Guayaquil. Then, you will climb the hill of “Santa Ana” to reach the neighborhood of “Las Peñas”, where there are some houses from the colonial era. At the end, lunch in a typical restaurant to taste fresh seafood from the ocean. And afterward, visit the Historical Park. This is an interesting attraction that gives you the feeling of walking through the jungle to see the animals. It is possible to take a very pleasant walk enjoying the view of the local fauna, plants and vegetation, at this natural “zoo”. You will be able to spot a large number of animals such as different types of parrots, birds, as well as, flamingos, crocodiles, monkeys, and other mammals, too. Your guide will explain more about the atmosphere of the place. We recommend tasting one of the typical fresh fruit juices that they sell along the promenade. Enjoy the historic architecture, and, also, the banana and cocoa plantations. Return to your hotel in the afternoon.

DISCOVERY OF COCOA PLANTATIONS – Full day

From March to June, it is cocoa season, across the meadows of the southern coast of Ecuador. The pods are ripe for picking, some turning from green to yellow, like bananas. Although the cocoa harvest is not limited to a short period, it is spread over several months, once or twice a year. Cocoa harvest time varies by country, depending on climate and cocoa variety. In countries with a marked wet and dry season, the main harvest takes place 5-6 months after the start of the rainy season. In Ecuador you can actually visit the plantation all year round, despite the harvest, because there are quite a few things to see and learn. Some people, when they visit cocoa plantations, feel like they have seen trees unlike anything you have seen before; their precious cargo does not grow on the branches, but, directly, on the tree trunk, generally, the shape of the cocoa tree.

For chocolate lovers, this is a trip not to be missed, since this small equatorial country produces one of the best cocoa beans, the best for its aroma. As a result, the country’s chocolate producers have recently gained international recognition in most of the prestigious chocolate tasting events around the world. Across the grasslands of Guayaquil, cocoa is grown on family plantations, each generally owning a few hectares. Small plots of land are passed down from generation to generation, and some farmer associations have also joined in selling and producing cocoa beans. With global demand for cocoa easily outstripping supply, the finest Ecuadorian beans are increasingly valuable to major global chocolate companies.

Enjoy a lovely day of fine chocolate, learning the process and having a delicious experience.

CERRO BLANCO, NATURAL RESERVE – Mid-day program

This place is a little gem, located in the close surroundings of Guayaquil. Nature abounds in this place with forests, streams, tropical birds and small wildlife. If you like hiking in the woods and seeing lots of tropical birds, then this place is not to be missed. “Cerro Blanco” has it all! Tropical dry forest and trail system. It is an excellent place to enjoy nature and wildlife. Depending on the time of year, wildlife sightings are limited, but the pleasure of walking on this greenery is always a big bonus!

In just a few hours of easy hiking, you can see a multitude of fascinating and colorful insect species, plants, butterflies and birds. Several hikes are available, the length and difficulty of which will depend on you. On the shorter trail, there is a new and excellent cliff-top birdwatching station where you can find several types of hummingbirds, tanagers, woodcreepers, and other families of birds. There are “Ceibo” trees which are magnificent and exotic.