A Real Coffee, Chocolate & Sarchi Experience

Coffee and Cacao production in Costa Rica has always played a key role in the country's history and still very important for the country's economy today. This enjoyable and educational guided excursion starts with a delightful ride through rustic countryside, passing a variety of landscapes including rich farmland, lush forests, (please insert a comma) and mountain views as you approach the highlands of Naranjo, The Espiritu Santo coffee plantation comprises 640 acres of prime coffee plantation, here the secrets of a real cup of coffee and cacao is turned into chocolate will be revealed to you. Begin with a nursery demonstration to observe the different stages of the coffee plant during its first year. The coffee is dried under the sun, using century's old methods to produce a first quality coffee. During your visit to the plantation and processing plant, you might see workers picking from the plants the cherries, other workers taking care of the final process of preparing and packing the coffee for exporting purposes. Visit an old, yet authentic replica of a Costa Rican laborer house, where your tour guide will explain how coffee used to be brewed, and why, after over 50 years, people still use a handmade "chorreador" instead of an electric coffee maker, then stop at our chocolate station to see how cacao was toasted, grinded and turn into delicious chocolate by our ancestors, sample the chocolate covered coffee beans, they are delicious! Spend a few minutes browsing the gift shop before boarding your transportation for Sarchi, famous for producing Costa Rica’s traditional hand-painted oxcarts, see artisans at work, enjoy a hearty typical lunch buffet a browse for mementos before returning to port.