Private Tour
Half Day Guayaquil Historical Tour and Cocoa Culinary Experience
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
This half-day experience invites you to get to know Guayaquil. Explore its history, cultural diversity, and Ecuadorian cuisine. The tour begins at the Historic Park, where you can observe wildlife and the architectural history of the city.
Next, we will visit the Las Peñas neighborhood, famous for its cobblestone streets and colonial architecture. The climb to Cerro Santa Ana offers breathtaking panoramic views.
Additionally, we will visit the Cacao Museum. You will learn about the agricultural tradition and development of cacao in the region. You will see the chocolate-making process at the Cacao Factory, an educational and delicious experience.
We will finish with an Ecuadorian cooking class. We will prepare traditional dishes, especially seafood, and enjoy homemade hot chocolate. We will cook fish with cacao paste, a recipe that will help you better understand local gastronomy and the uses of cacao. The objective is to appreciate the cultural and culinary diversity of Ecuador.
Additional Info
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Parque Historico Guayaquil
Historical Park: The tour begins at the Historical Park, which is home to a variety of wildlife and also preserves the architectural history of Guayaquil. This park provides a unique opportunity to learn about the city's past while enjoying the natural surroundings.
Las Penas
Las Peñas: Next, you will visit the historic neighborhood of Las Peñas. This area is known for its cobblestone streets and colonial architecture. It offers a glimpse into Guayaquil's past and a chance to explore the charming streets lined with colorful houses and art galleries.
What‘s Included
Map of Guayaquil
Tour guide
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Bottled water
Private transportation with air conditioning
Lunch
Coffee and/or Tea
Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Gratuities
Pickup points
Sheraton Guayaquil Hotel
Avenida Joaquin Jose Orrantia Gonzalez Guayaquil Ecuador
Guayaquil Airport Suites
Av. Juan Tanca Marengo y Abel Romeo Castillo Torre Del Sol 2, Diagonal Mall del Sol Guayaquil Ecuador
Grand Hotel Guayaquil, Ascend Hotel Collection
Boyaca 1615, y Clemente Ballen Guayaquil Ecuador
Hotel Palace Guayaquil
Chile 214 Y Luque, Guayaquil Ecuador
Wyndham Guayaquil Puerto Santa Ana
Calle Numa Pompilio Llona S/n Guayaquil Ecuador
Hostal Villa 97
Ciudadela Simon Bolivar, Manzana 1 Villa 97 Guayaquil Ecuador
Hilton Colon Guayaquil
Ave. Francisco De Orellana Mz. 111 Guayaquil Ecuador
Oro Verde Guayaquil
Avenida 9 de Octubre 414 y Garcia Moreno Guayaquil Ecuador
Options
Early Bird rate
History & Cacao: Cultural and gastronomic experience in Guayaquil.
Private and personalized tour.: A private tour that allows you to see the city from a different perspective, guided by an expert.”
Duration: 5 hours
Cacao Tasting: Cacao and chocolate tastings, plus a hands-on local cooking experience.
History & Cacao: Las Peñas (historical origin of Guayaquil).
•Coffee Museum tasting session.
• Cacao Museum (history, cacao varieties .
Private Tour: A private tour that allows you to see the city from a different perspective, guided by an expert.”
Pickup included
Trips for family groups
Guayaquil Cultural & Culinary : Guayaquil Cultural & Culinary Half-Day Tour
Private or small-group.
Duration: 5 hours
Food & Drinks: Chocolate tasting, prepared seafood dish, hot chocolate
Tour Route: Historic Park
Las Peñas
Santa Ana Hill
Cacao Museum
chocolate factory
Cooking class
Vehicle Type: Air-conditioned SUV or minivan
Family friendly experience : All cooking equipment provided; basic travel insurance included
Pickup included
Last-minute offers
Guayaquil Cultural & Culinary: Guided walk through Historic Park, Las Peñas, Santa Ana Hill, and Cacao Museum
Private tour : Private or small-group experience
Duration: 5 hours
Food & Drinks: Chocolate tasting, prepared seafood dish, hot chocolate
Guayaquil Cultural & Culinary : Professional bilingual guide
Entry fees to Historic Park and Cacao Museum
Chocolate tasting Hands-on Ecuadorian cooking
Pickup included
Reviews
40 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Extraordinary Cultural Experience
Lisa C,,Dec 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Yamil is an outstanding tour guide & communicator ahead of our experience! We were running behind because it took awhile to get off the ship. We had a rich enlightening culture experience! Learning about the history of Guayaquil from the indigenous perspective to modern times. The on going commitment to preservation & advances that support people. We learned about Ecuador’s coffee & chocolate from framing to production. Walked through historic sites and went to a wildlife preserve and historical site with a traditional home. A true highlight was a culinary experience in Yamil’s home with his wife Wendy!! We learned about how to prepare ceviche (delicious), has a fish dish with plantains and a peanut and chocolate sauce with rice! The meal was rounded out with a delicious hot chocolate that was not sweet and had vanilla, cinnamon & turmeric it was other worldly! We were moved by the hospitality and cultural exchange! And we felt safe in Guayaquil & it was clean! My husband and I are medical professionals and highly recommend the tour and spending time in Ecuador.
From the heart
Sabine E,,Nov 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Yamil and Daniel opened our eyes to Guayaquil. An informative and humorous tour contrasting historical and modern parts of the city, a sanctuary for rescued wild animals and culminating in a taste of Ecuadorian cuisine. They shared not only their city but also their hearts.
An authentic Ecuadorian experience near Guayaquil
keykoa2025,,Oct 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A wonderful experience near Guayaquil. I visited Cerro Blanco Forest and a cacao farm where I learned all about the artisanal chocolate-making process. The best part was the warmth of the people — they made me feel like family. We ended the day with a delicious shrimp and fish ceviche with cacao sauce! 100% recommended if you’re looking to disconnect and experience the real Ecuador
Half day Guayaquil Historical Tour and Cocoa Culinary Experience
R6380TXfayec,,Oct 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were introduced to Simon & Jameel by the Concierge of the Grand Hotel Guayaquil. The Tour was a blast. They were very engaging, and there was commonality ,as my family also originated from Guyana in South America. We felt safe with Simon & Jameel as if they were our family. Lunch was the best. Highly recommended this company.
Amazing Trip
D6139LMkristined,,Oct 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing Time . Great Tour amazing food . Wonderful time. Great tour People . Best trip. Recommend to book. You will enjoy
Personalized experience and expert guide
330selenea,,Apr 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I really enjoyed the tour accompanied by Yamil. It was a very complete and personalized experience to make the tour fit as well as possible to my arrival times. The cooking experience was great, I was able to better understand Ecuadorian food with excellent quality ingredients and the expert guide in the city was the perfect complement. Thank you very much for all the attentions.
Amazing time in Guayaquil!
nnbreeze,,Mar 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Simon and Yamil (English translator) were wonderful tour guides. They are passionate about their city and are very knowledgeable. We enjoyed walking las Peñas, going to the cocoa museum, and seeing all the animals at the historic park. We ended the tour with the best meal I’ve had while in Ecuador- sea bass with cocoa and peanut sauce, ceviche, and ice cream with the chocolate sauce. Everything was made from scratch and delicious! Simon and Yamil are very professional and patient. We felt well taken care of the whole time. I would highly recommend this tour for those wanting to explore some of Guayaquil.
A highly recommended and heart opening experience
aldengagnon,,Jan 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Yamil and his English translator Simon were both wonderful humans, they arrived early to pick us up at our hotel and we felt very held and supported by them the whole day. We did the main parts of the tour that were on the brief (las Peñas, Santa Ana, the cacao museum, trying local food and drink) and what I really appreciated is they allowed for flexibility (for example, we didn’t want to climb all 444 steps due to asthma and my aunt’s heavy bag, so we only went up about 150 steps). Yamil clearly cares about the experience of the guests and was very welcoming and supportive. I felt very safe with Yamil and Simon (my aunt and I are visiting from the US and were stopping over in Guayaquil before a yoga retreat in the Galapagos) and we both really felt like we got to experience the culture and the heart of Guayaquil by having them as our tour guides! The treats were lovely, we had coffee with rum and DELICIOUS cacao. And then Yamil even had us over to his magical and lovely house (which is also a nice hostel) where we did a ceviche making experience, had a wonderful meal made by his prima, and then drank some delicious cups of cacao and had beautiful conversation. I also must add that a highlight for me was we got to meet Yamil’s two ADORABLE Yorkies, one of whom (Bimba) has my heart!!!! It was a memorable experience and if I ever get the chance to come back to Ecuador I will definitely be calling on them for help with guidance!
Perfect Mix of History, Culture, and Flavor!
571josu m,,Dec 3, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Amazing tour! Excellent guide, beautiful sites, delicious cooking class, and safe experience. Highly recommend! xs
Excellent Experience in Guayaquil
Keely S,,Dec 1, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00After researching many tour options for my overnight stay in Guayaquil, I chose the Half Day Guayaquil History Tour and Ecuadorian Cuisine with Cocoa and I certainly made the right choice! To preface the activity, let me say that the communication was impressive. I was a little apprehensive about touring the city based on the US Embassy's warning and the current rolling power outages, so I reached out to the tour and the owner, Yamil, quickly responded and reassured me that everything will be fine and that the areas that we will be visiting are very safe. We then exchanged ideas of what we could see and do and Yamil created an itinerary based on my interest of local customs, historical sites and culinary experiences. I opted for the private tour which included a pick-up from the hotel I was staying at. Yamil arrived promptly at 9:00 ready to show of his city. As a surprise, he also brought along another guide, Nanfi, who would provide us with an amazing culinary experience at the end of the tour. For almost 6 hours, Yamil and Nanfi showed us the boardwalk, Malecón 2000, Iguana Park, and a tour of a Cacao museum which included chocolate tasting. All the while explaining the importance and the history of each locale. They both were very knowledgeable and a lot of fun! Just when we thought our tour was over, Yamil took us to a private locale where Nanfi, which we did not know at the time, is a professional chef, cooked us a delicious Ecuadorian lunch made from ingredients which came directly from her family's farm! It was truly an unexpected, amazing experience! If you have half a day in Guayaquil, I highly recommend this tour. And if you have extra time, check out Nanfi's tour of her family's farm and their production of cacao.
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Operated by Yamil Saman Cabrera