Ecuadorian Chocolate Odyssey

With Martin Christy
Sat 10 – Thurs 22 November 2012 Ref: 12029
With flights: Twin Share £3,595; Single £4,495
For those who wish to make their own travel arrangements: Twin Share £2,695; Single £3,595
Please note: We are happy to arrange room shares for single travellers on request

Itinerary

Day 1

Morning flight from Heathrow to Guayaquil (via Madrid), Ecuador’s thriving largest city.

Transfer to the boutique Hotel Oro Verde, then get to know the rest of the group over welcome drinks and a brief introductory talk by Martin Christy.

Day 2

Field trip to Vinces, Los Rios Province, which with its ideal combination of rich soils, optimum rainfall and friendly climate produces some of Ecuador’s most flavourful and prized cacao. This is the province that by 1920, at the height of the cacao boom, was producing 70% of the country’s cacao.

Enjoy a typical Ecuadorian lunch, complete with traditional dancing.

Return to Guayaquil in the late afternoon with time to relax before sitting down to a specially themed Chocolate Dinner at the hotel’s award-winning Le Gourmet restaurant.

Day 3

A trip to Taura in Guayas Province, to discover how local farmers produce high quality organic cacao. Specially arranged by President of CacaoForum Corporation Lourdes Delgado, these field visits give unique insight into the methods employed by Ecuador’s growers in their quest to produce the very finest beans.

See how a cocao trading house operates with a visit to Transmar, specialising in all types of cacao beans and semi-finished products including nibs, liquor and specific origin beans from Ecuador’s various and diverse growing regions.

Lunch at Pepa de Oro restaurant at the Grand Hotel Guayaquil, a specialist coffee shop that recaptures the atmosphere of Ecuador’s cacao boom at the turn of the 20th century.

Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Guayaquil with its thriving port, attractive riverside, fascinating old district with original colonial wooden houses and impressive churches.

Also visit the Guayaquil Historical Park to see how life was lived by rural Ecuadorians raising cacao crops through the ages, to understand how the country has changed over the centuries, and to experience the region’s four distinct ecosystems complete with wildlife and flora.

Day 4

Field visit to view cacao farms and meet with growers in the Baba area of the productive Los Rios Province. Much of day will be spent at the farm of Colin Armstrong, Honorary British Consul, where we will be entertained to afternoon tea.

Day 5

Visit the town of Montecristi, traditional home of the Panama hat – a traditional brimmed hat of Ecuadorian origin (despite the name!) made from the plaited leaves of the toquilla straw plant. After lunch visit local craft shops to see Panama hat making in action, as well as ceramics and wickerwork, and perhaps even purchase some new headgear to wear during the rest of the trip.

Then on to the resort of Manta to check in at the Hotel Howard Johnson, spectacularly built into the side of a cliff. After lunch the afternoon is yours, to relax on the beach, swim in the warm waters of the ocean or the hotel’s pool, or explore.

The evening’s highlight is a Chocolate Dinner featuring a carefully prepared chocolate-themed menu at the exquisite Martinica Restaurant.

Day 6

Discover the cacao farms and producers of the Calceta district during specially arranged visits, including lunch at a cacao farm. Full details of all visits will be revealed in your final holiday itinerary.

Return to the hotel in the late afternoon, with time to enjoy the beach or hotel facilities.

Day 7

Morning flight from Manta to Quito, Ecuador’s capital city.

Check in at the boutique Hotel Le Parc in central Quito.

Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Quito’s historic Old Town, which nestles amid colossal Andean peaks at 2,800 meters above sea level and spans an area of over 800 acres – making it the largest and perhaps most prized heritage centre in the Americas. The Old Town was the very first site to be declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is home to invaluable colonial churches, chapels, monasteries and convents, squares, museums, republican estates and a fascinating architecture.

Get back on the chocolate trail with a tasting session at Galeria Ecuador Gourmet, which specialises in products which are 100% Ecuadorian in origin.

Day 8

A visit to Otavalo’s spectacular Saturday market, when almost a third of the town is overtaken with stalls selling colourful textiles, tagua nut jewellery, musical instruments, dream catchers, leather goods, indigenous costumes, hand-painted platters, purses, clothing, spices, spools of wool and a dazzling array of other wares. Join the hubbub and enjoy the sights and sounds of one of South America’s most memorable experiences.

After the noise and bustle of market day, wind down with a relaxing lunch by beautiful Lake San Pablo at the foot of imposing Imbaburu volcano.

Return to Quito in the mid-afternoon.

Day 9

Set off on the journey by road and by river to La Casa del Suizo in the midst of the Amazon Rainforest for an authentic jungle experience. Activities on offer at this stunning hideaway include trekking through pristine jungle past ancient trees and giant waterfalls; kayaking on the river; and drawing on the vast experience of local guides and villagers, with their in-depth knowledge of the diverse local fauna and flora, as well as the medicinal uses of many plants.

All meals are included during your stay.

Day 10

Another day to enjoy Casa del Suizo. Take your pick from the jungle activities on offer, or simply relax in the beautiful surroundings. We will also visit some local cacao growers during your stay here.

All meals are included during our stay.

Day 11

Today you will return to Quito and the Hotel Le Parc.  Spread across a spectacular Andean valley and flanked by towering volcanic peaks, Quito is a city with a breathtaking setting and a fascinating historic heart. Wander the streets of the Old Town with its resplendent colonial buildings; listen to the constant cries of the vendors advertising their wares; watch indigenous people in bowler hats going about their daily business; marvel at the contrast with the sleek architecture of the city’s modern commercial sector; and soak up all that this exceptional city has to offer.

This evening indulge in a special Farewell Chocolate Dinner at the elegant Hotel Plaza Grande in the heart of the historic quarter.

Day 12

Further time to explore Quito before the return over-night flight to London Heathrow (via Madrid).

Day 13

Arrive back in London.