Cooking Class in Manuel Antonio with Medicinal Plants Garden Visit
Description
More than a cooking class, this activity will take you on a cultural, nature and culinary trip. We will visit a vanilla plantation, cacao plantation, botanical gardens, sugarcane mill and of course the cooking class with the locals.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please make sure to tell us is you are driving here or let us know where you are staying at to coordinate the pick up.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
Reviews(11)
Cooking class of local Costa Rican food was excellent in an excellent setting. No medicinal cooking as advertised but no matter. The garden tour afterwards was excellent. Squirrel monkeys in trees around house added to the ambience.
Our cooking class and garden tour in Quepos was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. Sergio was the perfect guide — knowledgeable, friendly, and deeply passionate about Costa Rican food and culture. Walking through the garden surrounded by the lush beauty of Quepos, learning about the local herbs, tropical fruits, and traditional ingredients, felt like stepping into the heart of Costa Rican living. Sergio explained everything with enthusiasm and patience, sharing stories, history, and insights that made every ingredient come alive. After the tour, we got hands-on in the kitchen and prepared delicious local dishes using the fresh ingredients we picked. The flavors were unreal — simple, vibrant, and full of pura vida spirit. This experience was more than a class — it was culture, connection, and Costa Rican hospitality at its finest. If you’re visiting Quepos, don’t miss this! You’ll walk away inspired, full, and with a whole new appreciation for authentic Costa Rican cuisine. Highly recommend!
Thank you so much for this incredibly heartfelt and detailed review. We are truly moved by your words. We are thrilled that Sergio provided such a memorable and authentic experience, sharing not just recipes, but the stories and spirit behind our food. It’s wonderful to hear that you felt the pura vida in every part of the tour—from the garden to the kitchen. Creating that deeper connection to Costa Rican culture is exactly what we aim for, and we're so grateful you shared your experience with future visitors. It was an honor to have you.
Had a wonderful time with Sergio and Ellie! They were understanding and supportive of our two young kids and the meal was absolutely amazing! Great attention to detail!
Hello good evening this really makes us happy, and we want to thank you for taking a moment and leaving us this beautiful review. All the products we offer during our session are made with love and this is why we are very satisfy when this comments are received. Hope you had a great time during all your time in Costa Rica. And dont forget to recommend our tour to friends and family please. Warmest regards
Sergio and Ellie! What a fantastic team of knowledge and experience. Sergio's expertise at the different plants, what each of the them are important for and where they originated from was enlightening. My favorite was the cinnamon tree! It was wonderful making a casado con pollo with our group. Thank y'all for your time and sharing your love of Costa Rica!
This was so fun , we had Ronaldo and Ellie helping us cook and learn about medicinal plants . Extremely informative .. loved learning how to make a traditional casado , it's my favorite meal. Learned so much about different types of healing for herbs as well. If ur worried about the cooking part being hard don't bc it's deff simple even for the most beginner type !
Gregory and Elizabeth were fantastic team guiding us on this cultural and culinary journey! We not only made a fully Costa Rican meal from the freshest ingredients, but also learned about the history and culture of this country. Gregory is an enciclopedia of the tour guide and you can ask him any question, from biology to Spanish proverbs, and he will have a colorful answer to it all. The farm is a gem worth visiting even without a class, as you get to see how vanilla, cacao, sugar cane and many more plants grow.
My friend and I really liked the cooking class. It was simple yet well explained. We learned a lot about plants when visiting the garden. We all ate togethet at the end and it was very good food. I recommend this tour.
We started off with a short hike, learning about vanilla, herbs, and other plants. We prepared vegetables, and tortillas in a fun and lively atmosphere. We ate a delicious meal which included what we prepared as well as a chocolate sundae. The staff was friendly and helpful. We had time to get to know the other participants who were from different backgrounds.
We had a great time. Brian was professional and knowledgeable. It was informative as well as fun. There was six in our group and we really liked that the operation was family run. Brian’s mom did the cooking, his cousin helped us and Grandpa was there as well. Highly recommend.
Fabulous!!! The cooking class and garden visit was a highlight of our Costa Rica trip and a nice change from the more active outings. Our guide Gregory, a multi-lingual (flawless English, French, Spanish, and even German) biologist born in CR, was a trove of information on the plants, permaculture, and, of course, the cooking class. We loved the experience, where it felt like cooking with friends and sharing (the very generous portions and delicious food). Highly recommend. We were a multi-generational group of 6, and the outing seems suitable for many, non-cooks and advanced cooks included, because of the local ingredients utilized. A sneak peek of the chocolate making facilities was also included - now we wished we had had enough time to come back for that tour.
