On our chocolate expedition, you will learn about cacao growing and chocolate making from passionate farmers who are committed to preserving Ecuador’s renowned nacional cacao varietal using sustainable agricultural practices, and fine chocolate makers! While you will see Ecuador through a chocolate lens, you will also enjoy its many natural wonders and cultural traditions, including hiking, bird watching and a chocolate tour through Quito.
Highlights of our itinerary include a stay in the cloud forest of Mindo, a drive along the waterfall route on the way to the Amazon rainforest, a visit with an indigenous family, delicious meals made with regional ingredients and many other local adventures.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS are below, click on ITINERARY to see all the details.
Photo: Narci, Chief of Production loving her at Mashpi Chocolate Artesanal, Quito-Ecuador. (Credit: Mashpi Chocolate)
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Carbon Removal: According to the State of Global Carbon Dioxide Removal Report by University of Oxford, natural methods of removing carbon from the atmosphere are not enough by themselves due to the amount of pollution currently in the atmosphere. Innovations in removing and permanently storing carbon emissions are needed to conserve nature and reverse the course toward further climate change.
Tomorrow’s Air: Global Family Travels is passionate about encouraging tourism that is not only sustainable but regenerative. To help with our mission, we seek to partner with like-minded brands such as Tomorrow’s Air, which operates within the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).
Tomorrow’s Air is a collective of carbon removal innovators that work to permanently remove and store carbon from the atmosphere. Travel is a large contributor to global emissions, and we feel it is important to educate and empower travelers to support efforts that combat climate change! Clients can opt-in for a $25 donation to Tomorrow’s Air through the payment page.
Much more than a traditional tour operator, Global Family Travels’ mission is to “Learn, Serve and Immerse” through community-based travel programs. In partnership with non-profit organizations and schools, we offer family-friendly and sustainable travel experiences in support of education, gender equality, access to clean water, preservation of local cultures, conservation and economic growth, all of which foster cross-cultural understanding and global citizens.
Our trips include a unique mix of cultural and educational activities, homestays and participation in local service projects aimed at improving the lives of people in the communities we visit.
Expect to expand your family circle when you embark on a Global Family Travels trip! Visit our website for more information: Global Family Travels
• Enjoy a private tour with To’ak Chocolate and Fundación Guayasamín’s Chocolate & Art Experience, a one-of-a-kind journey in Quito that celebrates the rich history, art, and chocolate of Ecuador.
• Learn how chocolate is made by local chocolate company El Quetzal of Mindo. Owner Barbara Wilson will give us a private, guided tour that includes chocolate tasting
• After our chocolate tour at El Quetzal of Mindo we will enjoy dinner in their restaurant that focuses on local foods and, of course, chocolate
• Visit an indigenous group of Kichwa cacao farmers in the Amazon rainforest, taste their cacao and their chocolate
• Enjoy a farewell dinner with a chocolate focus, led by the chefs of Republica del Cacao
• Explore Quito’s chocolate shops with local expert Jenny Samaniego and pick up chocolate to take home
Meals denoted by B=breakfast, L=Lunch & D=Dinner
Day 1, July 29: Welcome to Quito! Upon arrival, you will be transferred to our hotel where you will be on your own to relax and rest up for your upcoming adventures.
Day 2, July 30: Enjoy a morning tour of historic Quito. After a welcome lunch, we will enjoy a private guided tour of renowned artist Oswaldo Guayasamín’s home, art and wine cellar with a chocolate tasting lead by To’ak Chocolate. (B,L,D)
Day 3, July 31: Today we visit the Cloud Forest of Mindo, Ecuador with a stop at El Quetzal of Mindo, a small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate company where you will experience the chocolatemaking process and enjoy tastings and pairings with chocolate from the source. We will enjoy dinner at Quetzal’s restaurant, El Quetzal, which focuses on local cuisine and chocolate before transferring to Sachatamia Lodge where we will overnight. (B,L,D)
Day 4, August 1: Spend the day at Mashpi Artisanal Chocolate farm, a small, family farm that has been brought back to health using biodiverse agricultural practices, and then taste their awardwinning hand-crafted chocolate bars. (B,L,D)
Day 5: Enjoy early morning birdwatching at the Paz de las Aves Refuge, and see the famous Lek of the Andean Cock of the Rock. After a late breakfast, we wind our way back to Quito in time for dinner at Zazu, one of Quito’s best restaurants. (B,L,D)
Day 6: We stop at Ecuador’s renowned waterfalls en route to Tena City in the Amazon rainforest, the commercial center of Napo province and enjoy our evening at La Casa del Suizo. (B,L,D)
Day 7: Enjoy a full day of engaging with families in the Kichwa community in the Amazon Rainforest, learning about their ways of life, and later enjoy a choice of optional outdoor activities, such as hiking, canoeing, rafting, butterfly house exhibit and guided nocturnal excursions. (B,L,D)
Day 8: Today is an educational day engaging with the Santa Rita community, which grows Arriba Nacional cacao, Ecuador’s prized, native varietal of fine flavor cacao. We will visit the cocoa chakra and trails inside the nearby forest, leading to petroglyphs, estuaries, spas and a viewpoint, and then enjoy a delicious chocolate prepared with the native guides of the community. Later, we will drive to Papallacta where we will end our day, taking in the views and relaxing at the beautiful Termas de Papallacta Resort and Spa, for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)
Day 9: Experience Otavalo and learn about Ecuador’s indigenous culture and heritage with a visit to one of Latin America’s most spectatular markets. Later, we explore breath-taking Cuicocha Lake in the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve before transferring to Quito for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant made by chefs from República del Cacao (B,L,D)
Day 10: Morning visit to the famous Equator Line or Mitad del Mundo, followed by a fun chocolate chocolate-making class with República del Cacao Morning visit to enjoy a guided v ernoon to rest before evening transfer to the airport for your flight home. (B)
Quito, Ecuador 
