Best Coffee Tours Monteverde

On the Don Juan Coffee Tour in Monteverde, you’ll dive into a captivating three-in-one experience, exploring the traditional methods used in coffee, chocolate, and sugarcane production right on the farms of Monteverde. This tour gives you a firsthand look at how these staple products move from plant to final product.

Walking through the farm, you’ll learn about the historical and cultural significance of coffee, chocolate, and sugarcane in Costa Rican culture. You get to see up close the traditional techniques passed down through generations.

You’ll also taste the freshly made products. While cocoa doesn’t grow in Monteverde due to the cooler climate, you’ll still engage in making chocolate and tasting the cocoa fruit that is brought in from warmer regions. For the coffee and sugarcane, you’ll follow the journey from the plant all the way to the finished product.

I recommend bringing rain gear, particularly if you have a reservation for the afternoon session. Booking your spot on the tour is easy, according to our experience; simply register on their website. You’ll receive an instant confirmation email with all the details, including a map and driving instructions.

The Don Juan Coffee Tour offers a thorough and engaging overview of Costa Rica’s cherished agricultural products, combining education with delightful hands-on activities. The guides also shared great insights with us.

What I liked:

I enjoyed learning about the traditional coffee, chocolate, and sugarcane production techniques.
Tasting the fresh products directly from the source was a real treat.
The transportation options were very convenient.
The hands-on chocolate-making experience was fun and informative.

What I didn’t like:

I was disappointed that there were no actual cocoa plantations due to Monteverde’s climate.
The tour path was not as well-covered in some areas, which could be problematic in rainier weather.

El Trapiche Tour Monteverde

Meeting Point: Puntarenas Province, Monte Verde, 60109, Costa Rica

Cost: from $45 per adult

Duration: 2 hours.

Age range: 5 years and above

During the El Trapiche Coffee Tour at El Trapiche Farm, the first sugarcane production farm in Monteverde, you and I will embark on a fascinating journey through the end-to-end processes of coffee, chocolate, and sugarcane production. Located in Cañitas, a quaint town just outside Monteverde, this tour is particularly family-friendly and offers an engaging yet informative approach suitable for kids and adults.

The tour starts with a captivating overview of coffee’s world, exploring its critical role in Costa Rica’s socio-economic development.

As we walked through the farm, the kids in our group loved making large sugar candies, and you’ll appreciate the typical homemade snacks. We’ll also learn about coffee picking, which you can try between November and February.

You will witness the de-pulping of coffee cherries using traditional machinery, the mucilage-washing process, and the separation of first-class coffee beans from the rest. We visited the drying patio to witness the natural sun-dried coffee beans, and then proceeded to the warehouse to witness the aging process, selection, roasting, and final packaging.

The guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. The tour concludes with the opportunity to make your own sugar candy and taste some coffee and local food. It’s a pleasant way to finish, so don’t forget your hat and sunscreen, as it can get sunny.

However, while the tour provides a thorough insight into local production practices and cultural aspects, it feels more oriented towards accommodating large groups rather than focusing on detailed production techniques. With up to 16 people per tour, it can feel crowded, and the mass-tourism approach might detract from an otherwise personalized experience.

What I liked:

The hands-on activities, especially making sugar candy and picking coffee, were fun and engaging.
Seeing the traditional machinery and learning about the coffee de-pulping and drying processes was interesting.
The homemade snacks offered during the tour were a delightful treat.
Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, making the tour informative.

What I didn’t like:

The tour’s focus on mass tourism took away from a more individualized experience.
With 16 people on the tour, it felt overcrowded.

Cafe de Monteverde Coffee Tour

Meeting Point: 400m south of the Iglesia de Cañitas, Province of Guanacaste, Cantón de Abangares, 50702, Costa Rica

Cost: from $45 per adult

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Age range: 12 years and above

The Cafe de Monteverde Coffee Tour provides a fascinating journey into coffee cultivation amidst the verdant landscapes of Monteverde. Starting from the bean all the way to your cup, this tour focuses on sustainable practices in coffee production.

You can easily book your spot online and receive an immediate confirmation email with all the essential details, including a Google Maps link and driving directions to the farm, located about 15 minutes from the main town of Santa Elena. When you book online, you can add transportation for an additional charge; simply provide your hotel or Airbnb details, and they will pick you up 30 to 60 minutes before the tour begins.

This tour is unique because it specializes entirely in coffee, unlike others that might include sugarcane or chocolate processes. Cafe Monteverde prides itself on being a top producer and exporter of specialty coffee in the region.

A notable feature of the Cafe Monteverde Coffee Tour is the availability of French-speaking guides, a rare offering in the area.

During the tour, our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, walking us through each step of coffee production. We engaged in hands-on activities such as picking coffee beans and learning about the coffee-growing process. The farm was charming, complete with small animals, and concluded with a coffee-tasting session.

However, the coffee taste could be improved; it was overbrewed by the time we tasted it, making it difficult to differentiate between roasts.

The service was excellent; the staff accommodated our family with a shortened tour to better suit our children’s attention spans. The shop offered a nice selection of coffee-related souvenirs.

While the tour was informative and the farm setting beautiful, some aspects felt overpriced, particularly as the tour included some less relevant information and focused heavily on coffee roasting and processing towards the end.

What I liked:

The tour specialized solely in coffee, allowing a deeper understanding of the process.
Our guide was very knowledgeable and explained everything from scratch.
I enjoyed the hands-on experience of picking coffee beans.
The small farm was charming, and seeing the animals was a delight.
The availability of French-speaking tours is a thoughtful touch.

What I didn’t like:

The overbrewed coffee made the coffee-tasting session disappointing.
The tour felt overpriced.
Some parts of the tour included irrelevant information, which didn’t add much value.

The El Cafetal Coffee Tour is offered by Cafe San Luis.

Meeting Point: de, Provincia de Puntarenas, Monteverde, San Luis, 60109, Costa Rica

Cost: from $43 per adult

Duration: 2 hours.

This tour offers a peek into a family-run organic coffee farm, which collaborates with other local families in a sustainable effort.

The farm setting gives a homely feel, much like enjoying coffee in a family’s backyard. A local woman, fluent in English, leads the tour and imparts extensive knowledge about the coffee-growing process.

Physical effort is minimal during this tour, as not much walking is required and there are only a few steps to climb. The tour includes tastings of two types of coffee, natural and honey-processed, complemented by delicious cookies.

The honey-roasted beans were so exceptional that we ended up purchasing several bags.

Note that the road to the farm is steep and daunting, but it is manageable and mostly in good condition according to Costa Rican standards. Just be sure to have enough gas, as no fuel stations are nearby.

The location is somewhat remote and challenging to access, making the journey there slightly uncomfortable. In terms of value, the tour’s quality and price are fairly balanced.

What I liked:

The honey-roasted coffee beans were outstanding, and I bought several bags.
Having coffee in such an authentic, homely setting felt like being in a family’s backyard.
The tour guide was knowledgeable and conducted the tour in English, making it easy to follow.
The physical demands of the tour were minimal, which made it accessible.
Tasting the natural and honey-processed coffee, along with delicious cookies, was a treat.

What I didn’t like:

The farm’s location is remote and inaccessible, making the drive there quite uncomfortable.

Monteverde Cloud Forest and Coffee Tour Shore Excursion by Gio Tours

Meeting Point: Multiple pickup locations offered, including W7RC+8H3, Provincia de Puntarenas, Espíritu Santo, Caldera, Costa Rica, Muelle De Puntarenas, X6J2+HJF, Puntarenas Province, Puntarenas, Barrio La Angostura, Costa Rica, Muelle de Cruceros, X5C9+HMQ, P.º de los Turistas, Provincia de Puntarenas, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Cost: $128.21 per adult

Duration: 8 hours.

Age range: 1-90 years

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This tour begins as you leave the port, head onto the Panamerican Highway, and take the road to Monteverde.

Upon arrival at the Cloud Forest, you will first explore an area that includes six bridges, immersing you in this magical rainforest. After leaving the forest, the tour takes you to a lower area in Monteverde, where the fun and learning begin with the Don Juan Coffee Tour. This part of the experience introduces you to the intricacies of coffee, chocolate, and sugar production. After the tour, enjoy a delicious, healthy lunch in your package before returning to the pier by 3 p.m. with lasting memories.

During the tour, you’ll appreciate the small group size, which makes the experience more personal. Our guide was exceptionally friendly, funny, and knowledgeable, enhancing our enjoyment of the hanging bridge hike, where we spotted various birds and a few monkeys. The lunch offered a taste of local cuisine and was a highlight, along with the informative coffee tour and tasting session. Before returning, we even had a few minutes to explore the town near our cruise ship, thanks to our guide.

I recommend booking the cruise ship tour in advance. Although the rain prevented animal sightings in the park, the coffee tour was educational.

As expected with ship tours, the cost was on the higher side. The trek through the dense forest featured uneven terrain, high altitudes with diverse vegetation, and a few waterfalls. The journey through Costa Rica’s countryside was as delightful as the butterflies kept in cages and some exotic birds at feeders.

What I liked:

The small group size made the tour feel more personal and enjoyable.
Our guide was exceptionally friendly, personable, and knowledgeable, which made the experience more engaging.
The hanging bridge hike was a highlight, with opportunities to see various birds and a few monkeys.
The lunch provided was delicious, with a good taste of local cuisine.
The coffee tour was interesting and informative, and the coffee tasting was a great experience.

What I didn’t like:

The tour was pricey, as it was part of a ship tour package.
The rain during our visit to the park prevented us from seeing any animals, which was disappointing.
The forest trek involved walking on uneven terrain, which might be challenging for some.

Coffee and Chocolate Walking and Sightseeing Tour at Monteverde Santa Elena by Costa Rica Itinerary

Meeting Point: Hotel pickup is available.

Cost: from $80 per adult

Duration: 4 hours.

Age range: 4–99 years