This was one of the best tours we have ever taken. We learned about the entire process of how chocolate is made, from the flower to the finished bars and drinks. Our guide for the day was Allyson, and she was very warm and friendly. Back to the farm. We saw many different types of fruit trees while we were there, and had the opportunity to try some of the fruits we’ve never had before. Back to the chocolate process. This was extremely interactive, and our son, who has ADHD, was engaged the entire time. You really use your 5 senses to make the chocolate. There is a lot of hard work and time that goes into it. We had a couple of chocolate drinks (one cold and one hot), and both were great. I don’t want to give too much away as it was a very special tour. We did get to put our own ingredients in a chocolate bar to take with us. Lunch was wonderful! We had some allergies and food issues in the group, so they had to make a variety of items that tasted great. Everything was fresh, and the presentation was incredible. They served limonda at lunch which was really good too. For those wondering, they use filtered water, so it’s safe to drink. But bring some water with you on the tour, as it does get hot in the sun. You are in shade quite a bit, but water will help. Also, don’t skimp on the mosquito repellant. The organic ones don’t work well. There are a lot of mosquitos, but they also have mosquito spray that we used, and that stopped them from attacking us. My best advice is it’s annoying (and only for the first 30 minutes of the tour), but forget about it, and enjoy the farm. It’s amazing!

We last visited Ecuador in August 2015! I wrote a review about our fantastic time when I was eight months pregnant! Because of Mario, we couldn't wait to revisit Ecuador! He has a way of making his country the most beautiful and exciting one in the world. On this trip, we returned with a party of six. I (39 years old), my sons (ages 8 and 9), my parents (ages 67 and 72), and my sister (age 38). My oldest son has significant mental health issues, and my sister is mentally delayed. I say this because when traveling, people often shy away from groups with developmental disabilities or handicaps. This is NOT the way with Mario! He was so accommodating! My oldest could get very moody and dark; Mario knew when to give him space and when to engage with him. Mario was always aware of his surroundings and would give him gentle nudges if something wasn't 100%. We went on three tours with Mario and Hacienda Cocoa y Mango, and it was our final day! We had already been traveling for ten days and were on the edge of being sick of each other. The reason I write this review isn't because of how fantastic the chocolate-making day was but because of how excellent Mario and Gabby were with my sister and son! That day, we rode cooly in a van with driver Miguel alongside Gabby and Mario. Stopping on the way to grab bananas! Off the street, the boys were so impressed with the abundance of fruit! We then got back in to continue on our journey to the farm. The boys needed to run and stretch upon arrival as young kids did. Mario let them explore and engaged them in a scavenger hunt to find the perfect cocoa pod to crack open. The boys would swing while he gave the adults information about the farming process. He then engaged them in step-by-step instructions on how to make chocolate. The boys and my sister were involved in each process, from cracking the pop to roasting the bean inside. We couldn't wait to dive into the delicious fondue they had made. Then, after making our chocolate bars, we sat down for, hands down, the best lunch I've had in South America! It was a three-course meal with so much food. But I have to call attention to the fact that Mario called ahead to ensure there was food my very picky American children would eat! We were so surprised to see homemade chicken tenders and french fries! It was so thoughtful! The food for the adults was incredible and was quickly the best we had in Ecuador on this trip! The whole day was memorable for my family, and I am so thankful for Mario and Gabby's patience and kindness with our group!

Five stars are not enough! Mario went above and beyond to accommodate us for our Guayaquil tour. From the moment we were met in our hotel lobby through the afternoon in and out of the comfortable, air condition van, Mario and his team insured our time was well spent. We finished with a deeper understanding of the cities, history, culture, and appreciation for its beauty and hospitality. We can’t wait to visit again and see more of Ecuador’s treasures. Thank you, Mario, Tony and Roberto for helping us fall in love with your lovely city.

I’m so glad we booked with Mario for the layover sightseeing tour as we got to see so much of what the city had to offer despite our limited time. My only regret is not being able to stay in Guayaquil for longer to go on one of the other tours ‘My Trip To Ecuador’ offers - I’ll have to go back! Mario was really friendly, entertaining, extremely knowledgeable, made us feel very safe at all times and is an all round incredible guide - I’d highly recommend booking with him & ‘My Trip To Ecuador’

We had such a great trip to the Galapagos. Everything was seamless and arranged so we could focus on enjoying the islands and the wildlife. Mario was very flexible with our schedule to be able to arrange tours that would work for us. I would recommend this company for any of my friends going to the Galapagos.

Do not miss this tour, and do not miss out on visiting Guayaquil! Mario has been guiding for many years now - he is super knowledgeable, speaks English as well as Spanish, has fantastic contacts to locals to offer this amazing experience (as well as a range of other things), and he can recommend anything you need for your travels (accommodation, other activities, safe taxi transport etc). I only had a single day free for a tour and it turned out to be election day in Guayaquil, and it was Sunday. I didn't think anyone would be able to arrange a tour on such day. Mario and the family who own the finca made all arrangements to offer me an amazing experience, despite me being the only guest on that day. I was collected from my hotel on time and we spend hours on the finca. I felt like a child in a candy store! The owner provided a private tour and shared his knowledge and passion about what he is growing - cocoa is just one thing, but he also grows a large variery of fruit, spices, vegetables, coffee... I learnt so much in these few hours, and got to taste just about everything he was growing. Super interesting. The chocolate making experience was so much fun and super tasty. Best chocolate I ever tasted! And we somehow managed to still squeeze in the beautiful lunch that was prepared just for us, by the wife of the finca owner. After the experience at the finca, Mario showed me around town, sharing info about Guayaquil's history, daily life, and where I can venture alone on my next day in town. Guayaquil has a fantastic waterfront, and there is so much to see and do in the city. I should have stayed a lot longer. Do not be scared off by reviews about crime in the city - as in any big city, use common sense and spend a day when you arrive with a knowledgeable local guide (like Mario) and explore this place. I had absolutely no problems as a solo female traveller. Mario's advice about where to go was spot on, people were absolutrly lovely, and there is visible tourism police all around town to help you if you get lost. I will definitely need to return, and take advantage of all the other experiences Mario offers. Thank you, Mario, to you and the owners of the beautiful finca. It was a day to remember. I really appreciate the hospitality and hope to return someday soon.

Incredible day with Mario learning about small-farming techniques on a local cacao farm. Great activities incl walking the farm, roasting beans to make chocolate, and custom chocolate bar making. Incredible lunch was also included. Mario taught us so much about Ecuadorian life and was an incredible host. Highly recommend this tour if you have a some time in Guayaquil!

Very interesting to see the process of cocoa farming from A to Z then chocolate making. So much fun and informative. Also included are fruit trees . Lots of tasting and smelling. Felt very welcome . Even my 2 Teens were impressed and God knows that’s hard to accomplish.

We travelled to Riobamba, Quito, and Baños with Mario on a medical mission. From the moment he met us at the airport at 2AM up until he dropped us off at the airport at the end of the trip, Mario was the most kind, proactive, and fun-loving tour guide. We were a group of thirty, making logistics extremely difficult, yet Mario handled transportation, food, and differing needs with ease. His attention to detail coupled with his charisma meant we didn’t have to worry while we were working long days. I could not recommend MyTriptoEcuador more and look forward to returning again with Mario. If I could give him six stars, I would.

What a fabulous trip! Mario our guide for the day was so passionate about Guayaquil and Ecuador and it was an absolute delight to spend the day with him learning about this city and country.

Via “Mytriptoecuador.ec" we booked a walking tour through the city of Guayaquil. We had a great guide:Tony Escobar. He speaks excellent English and knows so much about the culture, the history and all of the things that are worth while in Guayaquil to visit and see. He could even tell many things about the flowers and trees we saw during tge walk. Tony really opened our eyes for the beauty of Guayaquil. It is a beautiful city, with many nice buildings and monuments; both historical and modern. A highlight was the visit to Iguana park in the centre of the city, where many iguana’s run around free. In the park an Ecuadorean bigband was playing at the time. I can really recommend a walking tour in Guayaquil and especially Tony Escobar as a guide!

We had a great time with Mario and everyone on the chocolate farm were wonderful hosts. We especially appreciated the ability to make the meal vegetarian. During the one hour trip outside of Guayaquil to the farm, Mario taught us about the local landscape and even helped explain recent political events. We would highly recommend this tour!

The city of Guayaquil is a perfect tourist place to walk, eat, play, have fun and learn more about this city, be it with your friends, boyfriend, children, or family. It is highly recommended to get to the rocks and go up to the lighthouse. Along the way you can find restaurants, historical parks, snacks, games, etc.

Possibly one of the best tours we’ve ever taken. Mario puts together an amazing experience at the cocao farm where he is an extension of the family there. We began with a comfortable ride in a van while Mario provided information along our drive. He even stopped along the road to pickup bananas for our chocolate later. Because he hires a driver we were able to interact with him throughout, which was thoroughly enjoyable. At the farm we took a short tour to see the wide variety of crops they grow and animals raised for the family, which is quite large. We broke open a ripe cacao fruit and tasted the fresh seeds (you suck on them, not chew). Next we learned about and participated in the roasting and grinding of the beans. This was followed by tasting of the chocolate in various combinations with other items. We drank traditional drinks as well which were great. Next we went to see you they turn the ground chocolate into a liquid form, cool, and we made our own bars by adding fruits and other items. Finally, we enjoyed a wonderful 3 course lunch, sourced with ingredients from and around the farm and prepared with family recipes. The owner who runs the restaurant stopped by to make sure all was good and to tell us about herself and the recipes. Mario clearly works to provide a premium tour and works hard to make sure we all enjoyed. This particular tour is one of his passions as he has a history with cacao farming. I would highly recommend any tour he offers!

Mario is the best tour guide you could ever ask for in Ecuador! He took care of the students on the internship program I was on for two unanticipated weeks during the road blocks in June (and later in the summer as well). We did so many of his activities while we were stalled in Guayaquil including the cacao farm tour, a cooking class, a city tour, and many many others. They were all a blast and he taught us so much about all of the different places we went to. And the food was absolutely delicious! Mario really set the tone for the entire summer and he elevated the experience of the entire 8 week program even when he was not there. In addition to the tours he led, he provided me with so many good recommendations for other cities and connected us with other incredible guides. He became a good friend and I can't thank him enough for all the experiences he provided us with and will never forget them. Until next time!