[dandelion_xola comment=”don’t remove me!”]
We originally called this trip Chocolate 303. Since even those of us who have visited many cacao farms learned an immense amount, we decided to rename this to Chocolate 401 for our next trip.
Join Dandelion for a week exploring Ecuador while learning how cacao is grown and processed, for both fun and education! Our home base will be in the lovely Manso Boutique Hotel in Guayaquil where we will set out to learn about Camino Verde Cacao and the work that they do to make delicious cacao. While in Ecuador you’ll see and learn about fermenting, drying, and shipping cacao.
This trip is designed for people looking to learn a lot more about cacao. Those who have already been to a cocoa farm will get the most out of this trip since we’ll be learning a lot at Camino Verde Cacao. Dandelion trips often include a combination of chocolate makers, chocolate lovers and typically an agriculture enthusiast or two. The goal of this trip, as with all trips, is to understand how cacao is grown, but this trip will focus on farms with multiple opportunities to learn by doing… (Yes that means you can use a machete to cut open a pod… or 50 pods!).
Please contact trips@dandelionchocolate.com with any questions.
Agenda
NOTE: Below is the agenda from our first trip in 2015 when we called this trip Chocolate 303 to give you an idea of the activities we’ll be doing. All activities are optional so if you need an extra morning of rest you’re welcome to stay back at the hotel or lodging (we’ll be splitting time between the city of Guayaquil and on the Camino Verde’s farm about 1.5 hours from the city).
Day 1 Saturday (Sept 12) – Arrival in Guayaquil | Manso Hotel
WELCOME
Fly into Guayaquil, settle into the hotel, and meet everyone.
Day 2 Sunday (Sept 13) – Guayaquil | Manso Hotel
CHURUTE MANGROVE ECOLOGICAL RESERVE AND SMALL CACAO FARM/CULTURE
AM – Breakfast at Manso Hotel, Churute Reserve birdwatching and Monkey walk
NOON – Lunch and cacao farm
PM – Dinner and Discussion: Cacao Export/Import
Day 3 Monday (Sept 14) – Guayaquil | Manso Hotel
EXPORT/SHIPPING
AM – Breakfast at Manso Hotel
NOON – Lunch, then tour Ecom
PM – Dinner and Discussion: Overview of the agricultural side of chocolate making
Day 4 Tuesday (Sept 15) – Balao | Camino Verde Lodging (dependent on size of group)
FERMENTATION
AM – Drive to Camino Verde
NOON – Lunch on farm
AFTERNOON – Tour Camino Verde, harvest cocoa pods and prepare them for fermentation, explore micro-fermentation, taste cacao pulp
PM – Evening on the farm and cultural activity?
Day 5 Wednesday (Sept 16) – Balao | Camino Verde Lodging
BANANAS
AM – Tour banana crop at Camino Verde
NOON – Lunch at Camino Verde
AFTERNOON – Time at Camino Verde – learn about Bulk Cacao
PM – Evening on farm and cultural activity
Day 6 Thursday (Sept 17) – Guayaquil | Manso
HEALTHY FARMS &
AM – Soil Science at Camino Verde
NOON – Lunch at Camino Verde
AFTERNOON Drive back to Guayaquil
Day 7 Friday (Sept 18) – Guayaquil | Manso
FREE DAY IN GUAYAQUIL
Day 8 Saturday (Sept 19)
TANGO AND DEPARTURE
Saturday at 11am: Tango lessons are available at Manso hotel.
On the last day we’ll depart from Guayaquil full of chocolate and stories.
Room Options
Most nights we’ll be resting our heads at the El Manso, a boutique guesthouse in Guayaquil.
Pricing includes lodging, food, daily group activities and in-country transportation. Flights and alcoholic beverages are additional.
Dorm Room/The Blue Room
The dorm room is a shared room with 4 twin sized beds with private bathroom and air conditioner.
Private Rooms
Each private room is unique and holds a Queen size bed and private bathroom.
Tangerine Room
STANDARD Window with view to an interior patio, TV Cable, DVD, private bathroom, air conditioner, a Queen size bed. This room is in a 3rd floor, no elevator.
Ginger Room
Standard Window with river view, TV Cable, DVD, private bathroom, air conditioner, one Queen size bed and a sofa bed. This room is in a 3rd floor, no elevator.
White Room
Standard River view Balcony, TV Cable, DVD, private bathroom, air conditioner, a Queen size bed. Desk.
Flor de Loto (Lotus Flower) Room
Standard Window with view to an interior patio, TV Cable, DVD, private bathroom, air conditioner, a Queen size bed. This room is in a 3rd floor, no elevator.
Recent Comments