Visit a cacao farm alongside a Maya farmer

Cacao Farm Tour

  • Minimum: 3 guests per tour
  • Maximum: 8 guests per tour
  • Duration: 4.5 Hours
  • Price: $50 USD per person (includes lunch)
  • Booking: 3 days in advance required

Transportation:

  • If traveling by bus from Punta Gorda, the cost is $5 USD round trip.
  • Inquire about private transportation. We will gladly assist.   

Discount is available for Groups of 10 or more

Tour Overview

Join a Maya farmer on his cacao farm tour where local beans are sourced for chocolate-making. See how a Maya family grows organic cacao and other produce hand in hand with nature to sustain his family. 

Cacao carries a rich cultural tradition. Today, the market for organic cacao is active and growing, making it an attractive cash crop for farmers. Cacao is an understory tree species native to South America.

You and the farmer can pick ripe cacao pods from the trees. The farmer will demonstrate the extraction of seeds and you are invited to sample the sweet, savory pulp of the cacao. He will explain the process the beans go through to a chocolate drink, which includes fermentation, roasting, grinding and chocolate paste.  

This is a behind-the-scenes look that few tourists get the chance to experience and will lead to a deeper understanding of how people and the environment are interconnected locally. After your visit to the farm you will enjoy a lunch prepared by one of the local Maya women’s groups of Indian Creek, where you will sample even more of locally grown and sustainable produce. You will also get the opportunity to sample delicious, raw, organic chocolate products.

If time permits, you can visit Ya’axché Conservation Trust’s nursery located at the field station. The nursery is continuously supplying a variety of top quality, organic native fruit and timber seedlings. 

Fitness level: Moderate to Intermediate

Itinerary

We are more than happy to amend the itinerary to meet your needs based on your time and length of stay in the Toledo District, southern Belize.

  • 8:15am – Arrive at Ya’axché Field Station, Golden Stream Corridor Preserve
  • 8:30am – Depart for tour
  • 8:45am – Arrive at destination and begin tour
  • 12:00pm – Lunch at local Maya women’s group
  • 1:00pm – Tour concludes

Click this link for directions to the Field Center at Golden Stream Corridor Preserve.

We Recommend

  • Sturdy walking shoes/boots with a good tread, expect them to get muddy and wet depending on the season
  • Non-aerosol bug spray
  • Sunscreen
  • Lightweight, long pants and a long-sleeve shirt with the option of a t-shirt or other quick drying shirt
  • Hat with rim and/or bandana
  • Binoculars and a camera if you care to get a closer look and record some of your sightings
  • Water and a snack for the trail

Start typing and press Enter to search