Full Day Churute Howler Monkeys and Chocolate Tour

I had a wonderful day with Yamil and his friends. We went to a private reserve and managed to find howler monkeys as well as many other birds, insects and flowers. We then went to a working farm and picked mangoes and saw how cacao is farmed and processed ready for chocolate making. And we ended the day with a wonderful surprise - Yamil took me to his own home for a cooking demonstration and to taste some of his own family recipes (which were delicious!). Would highly recommend this tour. Can't wait to review the photos.

We have just spent a wonderful day with Yamil (Viasam Day Trips) and Daniel (Daniel Falcon Photography). Yamil had informed us of options prior to the trip to avoid high mosquito season at the jungle and farm. After a prompt pick-up at our hotel, the first stop was Bosque Protector Cerro Blanco, a tropical dry forest near Guayaquil. No howler monkeys today but a big hairy spider, some birds, Daniel’s expert knowledge of the area and his amazing bird and monkey calls. Next stop was a boat trip to the Isla Santay eco village. We chose this instead of the Cacao Museum and it was an interesting place to visit. The community live amongst the mangroves and palms. There are farm animals, the occasional blue butterfly, crabs and bird life on the island. Finally, Yamil made us feel very welcome and we enjoyed a delicious traditional Ecuadorian meal prepared by Liz and Wendy. An unforgettable day!

This was such a wonderful trip due to the kindness, care and knowledge of our guides. Yamil was incredibly thoughtful in adjusting our itinerary for a group member with mobility issues, while still allowing us to have the experiences we wanted. Daniel was a wealth of great information! Loved it and wouldn’t hesitate to book with them again.

Jamil was great! Very knowledgeable and we learned a lot. The only downside was not getting to see any Howler monkeys, which is of course not the fault of the guides. I would definitely recommend this to anyone staying in Guayaquil before going to the Galapagos.

I signed up for this fantastic experience for the nature part of the day - but was equally enthralled by the tour of the Cacao farm. This was an excellent experience - The English-speaking Guide, Simon, who grew up in the area, has profound knowledge the environment (in all its aspects) and people. The walk through the dry forest accompanied by howler monkey calls was enhanced by Simon's ability to explain relationships between plants and animals (mammal, bird, reptile, insects) of all kinds. His tour around the farm provides an interesting overview of cacao production from planting/grafting to processing, including making your own hot drink and chocolate bar (the latter by Don Alberto). A small cacao souvenir shop allows you to bring some of this experience home for you and/or others. The tour company, Viasam, were amazing. They made early contact to check on my dietary preferences (I'm a vegetarian) and a delicious lunch with Ecuadorian ingredients/recipes, many grown on the farm, were included. They were flexible / agile in their adjustments to ensure I got to see as many of the areas around Guayaquil as possible in the few days I had here.

Our guide was amazing! We saw so many howler monkeys, and the chocolate-making/tasting experience was incredible. Very cool to learn so much about the cultivation of cacao and fruit trees. Lunch at the farm was delicious! Do prepare for mosquitoes on the hike… wear thick enough clothing that they can’t bite through and a good repellent. Glad we didn’t miss out on this VERY cool opportunity!!

It was a great day. From the pickup until the drop off Yamil kept the whole trip interesting. We learned about this history of Equador and a great deal about chocolate. We went to Cerro Blanca where we got to go on a very nice hike. The trail was easy to navigate and our guide pointed out many interesting plants and wildlife. Afterwards we headed to a chocolate plantation where we got to try some chocolate and then toured the plantation. Lastly we stopped for a wonderful lunch with amazing food. I highly recommend taking a tour with Yamil as I am sure you will have a wonderful time.

An unforgettable experience surrounded by lush nature and the warm hospitality of our guide and the hosts of the cacao and mango farm. Magical moments in harmony with nature! The importance of knowing your country and valuing the work and effort of our producers.

Perfect day trip, nature, agriculture, wildlife… and a very kind and passionate guide! A private tour, much better than expected!

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This trip was AMAZING! We saw several Howler Monkeys on the hike with our excellent guides Jamil and Roberto. Please do follow their advice and bring A LOT of bug spray and wear long sleeves and pants, this makes the hike far more enjoyable. Jamil shared the most delicious mangos and pineapple I have ever tasted. Cacao and Mango was the highlight of our trip. Young Jamil and family served up a tree to table meal that was worthy of Michelin Stars. The freshest ingredients pared with artistic plating can't be beat. Then the cacao. This was the best chocolate I have ever tasted, from the pods we harvested to the dried pods we roasted and peeled. They smelled and tasted like brownies baking in the oven! Don't pass this trip up! It is a once in a lifetime experience!

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