Chocolate Farm Private Tour in Medellin: Real Genuine Experience
Description
Like our top-ranked coffee tour on TripAdvisor, this private Chocolate Tour is an authentic, personal and safe experience, where you get a chance to observe all the steps required to produce high-quality artisanal chocolate on a traditional non-touristy family farm. You have the opportunity to connect with nature and pick cacao fruits straight from the trees as well as support the local farmers who make their living growing cacao. In the tour you participate in every single step to transform cacao fruits into premium quality chocolate. Planting, picking, fermenting, drying, roasting, grinding and more is what you see with us in this tour. At the end of the process you can add up some organic fresh ingredients grown in the farm to your chocolate. We have milk, ginger, lemon and more, what's your favorite? What our customers consider the highlight is how genuine and authentic this experience is, interacting with this beautiful family in a private way. Book now, you won't regret it.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The tour starts on your doorstep–we’ll pick you up in our comfortable, private vehicle from wherever you are staying in Medellín. Then the journey to the farm starts: the driving time is 1 hour on a safe, well-maintained road through beautiful, Andean mountainscapes. Upon arriving to the cacao farm, you’ll receive a warm welcome in the form of the farmers’ big smiles and a fresh organic mandarin juice. For the first part of the Chocolate Tour in Medellín farm experience, you will gain insight to the world of chocolate, discussing subjects big and small, including: The history of chocolate and its production worldwide How to maintain a healthy plantation Natural enemies of the cacao fruits and how to control them After this complete introduction, you’ll almost have enough knowledge to start your own cacao farm! For the next part of the tour, you’ll learn about the complete process for making artisanal chocolate, while touring the plantation grounds.
First Step in our Chocolate Tour in Medellin: Picking cacao in the plantation As you walk through the plantation you’ll see cacao plants in their natural form, as well as other natural local products like mandarin trees, coffee plants, plantain trees and more. You’ll even get to use tools to pick the cacao from the trees. Second Step: Fermenting and Drying the cacao seeds After picking ripe cacao fruits, we’ll head back to the farm for the next step: fermenting. To ferment the cacao, we need to cut the fruit and extract the seeds. You’ll also get a chance to try the raw chocolate fruit which is deliciously sweet. Once we’ve opened the fruit, we pour the seeds into wooden containers to ferment for six days. After fermenting, the cacao then needs to be dried. To dry the fermented cacao, we either use a green house that we call Marquesina or by just spreading them out on the ground to dry in the sun.
Depending on the weather, the cacao will dry for 2-4 days. After drying, the cacao is then ready to be roasted. Roasting, grinding and packaging the chocolate: On our farm, we roast the chocolate in a very artisanal way, using a simple pot on a wood fire, that, after stirring it for about 30 minutes, gives it an amazing subtle woody flavor. After roasting the cacao beans, we remove the husk and manually separate them. Once the beans are husk-free they are ready to be ground and melted. At this point, we can add in some natural seeds to give the chocolate different premium flavors. Natural flavors we might add include: mandarin skin, rice, sugar cane, chia, quinoa, and peanuts. Have an idea for a new chocolate flavor? We’re always experimenting with new combinations, so let us know and we’ll test it out. As a result of the friction from the artisanal grinder, the cacao beans melt, leaving us with our final product.
We use superb quality cocoa to produce amazing fresh chocolate that can be made into hot chocolate or chocolate bars. The next process is super fun, you are going to mix your freshly ground chocolate with any of the ingredients we have available for you like powder milk, vanilla essence, green pepper, salt, sugar, ginger, lemon skin and more. After making your own invention then we mold them and put them in the fridge and in the meantime we have a delicious and fresh cheese bread with hot chocolate (from the farm) with an spectacular view. After eating this delicious cheese-bread and hot chocolate we are ready to receive our own-made chocolate that will be already solid and buy some in case you want. Fair trade: Take some chocolate with you Want to take some chocolate home as a gift? Don’t worry, you won’t have any problems with customs taking your fair trade handmade chocolate home with you.
We’ve already given you a detailed description of our Chocolate Tour in Medellín, but there’s more still to learn, and photos don’t do the experience justice. You’ll see for yourself when you join us up in the fresh, clean air of the Andes mountains exploring the process from seed to cup with local farmers. Ready for the chocolate experience of a lifetime? Just fill out the booking form and take the Chocolate Tour in Medellín with us.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We provide pick up and drop off in any neighborhood in El Poblado and Laureles District. If your place is not listed please don't worry just enter the name of the hotel/building or the address manually and we'll be there. For groups larger than six people, we must transport guests in two vehicles because vans cannot access the farm—the road is too steep and narrow. In this setup, one vehicle travels with our fully bilingual guide, while the second vehicle is driven by a transportation-only driver who does not provide guiding services. Once the group arrives at the farm, the entire tour experience is conducted 100% in English for everyone.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(173)
This was our third booking with Medellin Day Tours and they don't disappoint! Andres always finds a way to work with our family and adjust the schedule and itinerary to meet our needs. We had the pleasure of spending the day with Erika who was incredibly patient and understanding. She taught us all about Medellin on the drive to and from the cacao farm and answered our many questions. She understands kids and organized the experience to support their many needs. Sandra, Efrain, Alicia and her family kindly invite you onto their property and into their home to learn all about cacao and nature. It doesn't get better than this!
My sister and I did the cacao tour with our three kids 10 and under. Erica was our guide and she was AMAZING. The whole experience was so unique and cool. We did everything from cutting the pods off trees to sipping hot chocolate and had the most fun with Erica and the family. This was one of the highlights of our Medellin trip! 10/10
We loved this tour! From the moment Laura picked us up, we knew we were going to love everything about the tour. We learned how to make chocolate, ate delicious chocolates, drank chocolate milk and had a very interesting tour of the property. By the time we left, we felt like a part of the family. Laura is a perfect fit as a tour guide. We loved her too!
Had a great time with Erika, was super informative and accommodating
Our guide Sara was perfect, energetic; the explanations and details for getting to the farm and once at the farm were great. Upon arriving at the farm, the family was very welcoming; we visited the farm, tasted chocolate from the farm, and saw the process of making chocolate. Very beautiful day; it may seem expensive, but it is truly worth the trip.
We had an amazing day with Erika! It was our first full day in Medellin and it was great to have Erika's knowledge of the area. She knew everything about the city's history and culture! Erika knows all the tips and tricks to make sure you have a great time at El Peñón de Guatapé and then takes you to the beautiful chocolate farm where the farmers provide a great experience. It is a long day so wear comfortable clothes but the experience is very relaxing as Erika organizes everything for you! She was a great driver which was wonderful to have on the windy roads, and she even kept a great attitude when we got stuck in traffic heading back to Medellin! Just follow Erika's recommendations and advice and you will have a wonderful day!
So interesting and hands-on! Our guide, Sara, let us experience the entire process from cutting the pods down to making our own chocolate! The length of the tour and size of the group were perfect. The price was well worth it! Due to recent rain, we did not hike up the steep hill to harvest the pods, but that was fine with me. This tour is best for folks with good lungs and the ability to climb. We all learned a lot and gained a thorough understanding of the value of and issues facing these family-run farms. Would highly recommend!
Sara was an amazing guide for an incredible experience! Her knowledge of the area and the chocolate making process, as well as her relationship with the farmer and the farmer’s family, made for an informative, delightful, and delectable trip! It was so interesting to learn how chocolate is made, and having the opportunity to do it ourselves gave a new appreciation for all that goes into it. I would highly recommend this company, especially with Sara as a guide, and very much appreciated being picked up at our location and also dropped back there. Sara also took into consideration some mobility issues in our group, as well as some food sensitivities. If you are looking for a fun and interesting way to learn more about Colombia and Colombian agriculture… or if you just love chocolate!, you can’t go wrong with this excursion! And you will be very fortunate if you find yourself on the trip with Sara at the wheel!
Our tour of Guatapé, El Peñón, and a cocoa farm was nothing short of excellent, thanks to Erika. From start to finish, she demonstrated professionalism, deep knowledge, and a genuine passion for sharing her city with visitors. Erika has an outstanding command of English and an impressive understanding of the area’s history. She shared her knowledge in a way that was engaging, natural, and often very funny. Her storytelling never felt forced. It felt like spending the day with a friend who just happens to know everything about the area. She also proved to be an excellent and safe driver, which made the entire experience even more comfortable. Even before the tour began, Erika’s communication was exceptional. She provided a detailed list of what to bring and what to wear, ensuring we were fully prepared. On the day of the tour, she picked us up at our hotel in Medellín right on time. She thoughtfully brought bottled water for us and even carried umbrellas, bug repellent, and walking sticks for the hike at the farm even though some of these things were on our list to bring ourselves. Her level of preparation was remarkable. We truly couldn’t have asked for more. At all the places we visited, she shared fascinating historical context, but what made the experience special were the small details she pointed out along the way like a bridge designed specifically for squirrels to cross safely, unique trees that appeared to have silver-tipped leaves, and scenic viewpoints we might otherwise have missed. She has an incredible eye for meaningful details that enhance the entire experience and she is an exceptional photographer so don’t hesitate to give her your camera. Because we had arrived late the night before, we were quite tired, and Erika was very considerate. She sensed when we needed to rest and allowed us to relax during the drive. Her attentiveness and flexibility made the day feel perfectly paced and personalized. In Guatapé, she didn’t limit us to the typical tourist areas. She guided us through neighborhoods to admire the beautiful zócalos, giving us a more authentic feel for the town. During the cocoa farm visit at El Toche, she translated John’s entire presentation including his jokes so we didn’t miss a thing. We were especially delighted to discover that the chocolate tour took place at the very farm we had hoped to visit but couldn’t figure out how to access on our own. El Toche is truly a must-visit for a cocoa experience. The owners are warm, charming, and incredibly hospitable, and their authenticity and pride in their work are evident. The setting itself is a gem particularly for birdwatchers but beyond that, it simply feels special. At the end of the day, we mentioned that we had a dinner reservation. Erika made sure we arrived on time and even offered to wait nearby in case our very casual attire posed a problem. She kindly offered to drive us back to our hotel to change if necessary. That level of care and dedication is rare. Erika is an exceptional tour guide. We only had one day with her because friends had planned other activities for the rest of our trip, but that single day was truly remarkable and unforgettable. More than 5 ⭐️ ! Thank you, Erika, you are the best!
It was just perfect. :) We learned a lot. Erica is super tour guide. Our girls have a lot of fun too.
