Chocolate Tastings in La Fortuna

Whether or not you’re a chocolate lover, you will find chocolate tastings in La Fortuna fascinating and informative.

Discover the secrets and traditions behind the Costa Rican chocolate culture and live the hand-on experience in the production process, from harvesting to grinding beans.

For even more fun, combine your chocolate tasting tour with a thrilling rafting trip down the white waters of the Balsa River.

Here's all you need to know about chocolate tasting, one of the most delightful gastronomic experiences in La Fortuna.

What are the best chocolate tasting tours in La Fortuna?

Rainforest chocolate tour from La Fortuna

If you’re looking to eat as much chocolate as you want, this rainforest chocolate tour from La Fortuna is what you’ve been waiting for. With the hands-on experience during the tour, you will discover the history and traditions behind Costa Rica’s chocolate culture.

Following your pickup from the meeting point in La Fortuna, you will visit a rainforest cacao farm where they cultivate, harvest and produce cacao. The farmers will share the secrets of Costa Rica’s cacao cultivation and chocolate production with you.

You will learn that the cacao tree was considered a "gift of the Gods" and had a significant role in ancient culture, as it was used as a ceremonial beverage. The cacao seeds also served as currency due to its monetary value throughout Mesoamerica, including Costa Rica.

You will be part of a 2-hour hands-on program, where you will discover all kinds of fascinating aspects of cocoa and chocolate, from its origins and historical development.

Participate in the production process, from harvesting the cocoa beans to drying and grinding it. The guide will also share the evolution of the popular traditional drink of the Costa Rican ancestors, while you’re sipping a top quality organic chocolate drink.

After your fascinating educational outdoor class, you will return to the meeting point in La Fortuna.

Craft specialty coffee and chocolate tour at North Fields

Discover Costa Rica’s coffee and chocolate-making practices at a family farm on the slopes of the Arenal Volcano near La Fortuna. You will visit a cacao and sugar cane plantation, see how chocolate is made from cacao and sample fresh coffee and chocolate from the farm.

For your tour, you can go directly to the meeting point at Calle 506 or request pickup from your hotel if you are less than 20 minutes away from La Fortuna. You will be traveling in a small group with a maximum of 8 people.

Your tour includes admission to the Arenal Volcano Rain Forest Reserve, where you will be heading towards the coffee farm.

In Costa Rica, coffee and cocoa are two of the most important products. The farmers will share the tradition and culture of their specialty coffee and cocoa with you. They take special care in growing their cocoa seeds and coffee beans using organic methods.

They will also explain to you the eco-friendly process step by step, from planting and harvesting to roasting and tasting the coffee. On a walk through the farm, you will see the kinds of plants grown, how they make coffee and chocolate from beginning to end.

Following your walking tour, you can sit down and sample different chocolates, coffees and sugar cane drinks. At the end of your chocolate and coffee experience, you will return to La Fortuna and be dropped off at your hotel.

Which places are seen?

Arenal Volcano

Costa Rica’s most active volcano until 2010, the  Arenal Volcano regularly spouted great volumes of lava and ash. Having been inactive for almost 400 years, the volcano began erupting again in 1968, when it exploded and buried three small villages, leaving 87 people dead.

Eruptions had been constant up until 2010, but were much less severe than before. In 2010, the volcano went into an indefinite pausing phase.

The Arenal Volcano is located in Costa Rica’s lush northern lowlands, and when traveling through this part of the country you will find it impossible to miss.

The volcano is high at 1,657 meters and towering over the landscape, and with its symmetrical shape a popular feature on sightseers’ lists. It is also associated with an abundance of outdoor ventures.

While Arenal is in an indeterminate resting phase, visitors will not be able to watch the volcanic explosions, but that could change within months or years. They can, however, still admire the numerous sights and sounds of the area, such as the hot springs, mountains and lakes.

Lake Arenal

Lovely Lake Arenal lies at the base of the Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica's northern highlands and represents the country’s largest inland body of water. Its surface covers almost 85 square kilometers and has an impressive depth of some 60 meters in places.

The lake is surrounded by pastured hills and rainforest land, with the high summit of Arenal Volcano dominating the horizon to the east.

The lake was enlarged to three times its original size in 1979 with the construction of the hydroelectric dam. The expansion meant relocating the towns of Arenal and Tronadora, which lay on the potential lake site, to the lake’s northeastern side.

Lake Arenal’s dam nowadays produces almost 12% of Costa Rica’s electrical generation. The lake also offers all kinds of outdoor activities all year round, which include fishing, boat tours, windsurfing, rafting and kayaking.

The rainforests are also a popular area for wildlife safaris or night walks to discover the rich diversity of Costa Rica’s nocturnal life.

How much do chocolate tastings in La Fortuna cost?

The rainforest chocolate tour from La Fortuna costs US$30 per person and the craft specialty coffee and chocolate tour at North Fields costs US$45 per person. The Arenal Volcano rafting and chocolate tasting combo tour costs about US$100 per person.

What is included?

Your chocolate tasting tour in La Fortuna includes hotel pickup and drop-off, water, local taxes, drinks, lunch and bilingual guides. Your rafting and chocolate tasting combo tour includes rafting equipment and admission to the Arenal Volcano Rain Forest Reserve.

Where does it start?

Chocolate tasting tours in La Fortuna start at various points around the town, such as the La Fortuna Waterfall, central La Fortuna or Calle 506 (for the coffee and chocolate tour at North Fields).

How long does it last?

The duration of the rainforest chocolate tour from La Fortuna is 2 hours and the craft specialty coffee and chocolate tour at North Fields lasts 2.5 hours. The duration of the Arenal Volcano raft and chocolate combo tour is 7 hours.

When is the best time for chocolate tastings in La Fortuna?

The best time for chocolate tastings in La Fortuna is between October and November if you are specially interested in experiencing the cacao plantations during the harvest season.

However, the time of the year does not really matter when you want to go on a chocolate tour, as there is always a lot of cacao growing and chocolate produced.

Are there any combos available with chocolate tasting tours in La Fortuna?

Arenal Volcano rafting and chocolate tour combo

Enjoy an exciting white water rafting stint for the whole family on this tour from La Fortuna, riding Class 2-3 rapids on the Balsa River. Hear about the production of chocolate from growing the beans to shaping the chocolate bar and create your own tropical chocolate drink.

You will learn about the history of chocolate since its important role amongst indigenous peoples to its introduction to Europe and the world market.

Then get a hands-on demonstration of how chocolates are produced, from the processing of the cacao beans to the chocolate products you buy in shops. You will also get the opportunity to mix chocolate with various exotic ingredients such as Jamaica flower, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Once you have finished your chocolate-mixing experiments, you will head for the tropical Balsa River to enjoy up to two hours of thrilling white-water fun. On your rafting trip, you will surge through wild rapids with names such as “Dredges” and “Magnetic Rock.”

Also enjoy a swim, have some tropical fruits and cold drinks and sit down for a real Costa Rican lunch at a traditional country estate. Following lunch, you will be transported back to your hotel in La Fortuna.

Is it safe?

Chocolate tasting tours in La Fortuna are safe, but the rafting trip is not suitable for people with back or heart problems or other serious medical conditions. It is recommended that you are in good physical condition to do rafting.

Are children allowed?

There is no age restriction on the rainforest chocolate tour from La Fortuna but children must be accompanied by an adult. The minimum age is 5  for the craft specialty coffee and chocolate tour at North Fields and, while the Arenal Volcano raft and chocolate combo tour allows aged 8 and above.

What are the other gastronomic experiences in La Fortuna?

• Dinners
• Cooking classes
• Cheese tastings

Travel tips

• Make sure to book your chocolate tour in La Fortuna in advance.
• Bring mosquito repellent and sunscreen.
• Wear fast-dry clothing for the rafting trip.