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Guayaquil City

Guayaquil is Ecuador's largest city with about 3 millions inhabitants. Situated at sea level its port Puerto Maritimo is the main sea port of the country where about 80% of the country´s imports and more than 50% of its exports are handled. It is the commercial and industrial center of Ecuador and lies on the west bank of the river Guayas about 60 km from its outflow in the Gulf of Guayaquil. The climate in the dry season (May to November) is warm and pleasant (27C or 81F), in the rainy season or between January and April a hotel-room with air conditioning is recommended. Guayaquil, the gateway to the Galapagos, has been transformed over recent years with its newly restored historic district characterized by centuries-old houses and narrow lanes. Guayaquil is the main port of the country and is considered one of the most important because its location and infrastructure provides facilities for international maritime trade.

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Manglares Churute

Discover the Churute Mangrove Ecological Reserve, one of Ecuador's largest protected areas, spanning over 38,000 hectares of mangroves and 12,000 hectares of tropical forest. Just 58 km (36 miles) from downtown Guayaquil, this birdwatcher's paradise boasts more than 300 bird species, including 27 endemic and 11 endangered. Join us for a boat ride through the winding saltwater canals of the Guayas Estuary, where you'll learn about diverse mangrove species and the unique flora and fauna. The adventure continues with a hike through dry tropical forests in search of rare birds and howler monkeys.

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Cacao y Mango Farm

This incredible visit takes place along the arms of rivers and wetlands that connect to the mighty Guayas River, about 25 miles from the populous city of Guayaquil. Here you can observe and learn the process of sowing and harvesting cacao, accompanied by the preparation of the 100% pure chocolate. This farm has been in the Lara family for more than 65 years. Last century, government-owned mangrove forests were divided into 12-hectare plots and granted to farmers to encourage settlement. Through the generations, the Lara family has created not only abundance of crops such as cacao, mango, toquilla straw, fruits, plantains, lemon grass, rice, but also medicinal plants.