Private Navigation through Mangroves forest/ Beach time/ Chocolate experience
5

Private Navigation through Mangroves forest/ Beach time/ Chocolate experience

By Galapagos and Guayaquil Visit
Recommended by 100% of travelers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Free cancellation • Full refund if cancelled up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time).
Reserve now & pay later • Secure your spot while staying flexible.
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Ages 18-65
Duration: 8h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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  • Lunch


Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
    Pickup details
    • Simply Tell the name of your Hotel or the airport and we´ll meet you there
    Hotel pickup offered
    During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
      End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

        • Not wheelchair accessible
        If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 45424P5

        • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
        • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
        • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
        • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
        • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

        • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

        If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 45424P5

        From
        $250.00
        per adult
        Select date and travelers

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        About the operator
        Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
        • Galapagos and Guayaquil Visit
          4.8 of 5 bubbles330
          Guayaquil, Ecuador
          Joined in April 2013
        • Vanoisi
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Highly recommend this tour with Eduardo!
          We had a great time doing this tour with Eduardo. Not only did he show us the most interesting places in the city but also provided us with helpful insights for our upcoming trip to Galapagos Islands. We highly recommend Eduardo as a tour guide! He knows everything about Guayaquil's history and its nature. Thanks to him we were also able to touch one of the famous iguanas!
          Written August 20, 2024
        • TheFranci
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Fun and informative. Great tour guide.
          Eddie brings facts and energy. We could not help but be engaged the full time were we on the tour and learned a lot about the flora, fauna and history of the city. He answered all questions, offered tips for after our tour, and even dropped us off at a good restaurant for dinner near our hotel. We've traveled fairly extensively for decades. Eddie would easily be in the top 1% of tour guides we have enjoyed.
          Written March 30, 2024
        • Guide24800416592
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Amazing adventure with the best guide (Eduardo Meneses)
          Ecuador is a country to discover. Eddie, our guide is passionate and shows us places filled with an amazing wildlife. Very available and on the lookout for his guess. In bonus, the best chocolat ever... We enjoyed these excursions which will remain engraved in our memories.
          Written March 4, 2024
        • CanadianDale
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great visit in Ecuador!
          My trip to Ecuador was an amazing adventure in exploring its varied ecosystems. My time in the Galapagos and Guayaquil was enhanced by the great tours lead by our guide Eddie. His knowledge of wildlife and birds was amazing. He was even kind enough to share his amazing photos with us. Great visit!
          Written February 26, 2024
        • christianstjacques
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Amazing adventure with the best guide (Eduardo Meneses)
          Eduardo shared his passion and knowledge for this beautiful part of the world. A must!!! In bonus, he take care of taking all the pictures to give us memories.
          Written February 26, 2024
        • reagin33
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Galapagos Island Tour
          Great trip, beautiful sites, professional team! The food was fantastic and the islands exceeded my expectations!!
          Written February 18, 2024
        • ilove2travel753
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Outstanding Tour of Guayaquil!
          Eddie was a wonderful tour guide: knowledgeable, flexible to our interests, and focused on helping us to get the most out of the short time we were in Guayaquil. His knowledge of the flora and fauna of the area, the city's history, the cacao, coffee and wine industries made the tour enjoyable and educational. Our next stop was the Galapagos, and we found the information he shared on the islands to be invaluable. Highly recommend!
          Written February 17, 2024
        • danielagL4695QK
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Galapagos - Santa Fe island
          I went with Eduardo to Santa Fe Island (Galapagos). The tour was amazing, there is a lot of marine life there. Eduardo shared all his knowledge with us and now I understand better why this place is so unique. He is very kind
          Written November 30, 2023
        • Explore03200312721
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Excellent
          Excellent knowledge of the city and surroundings. Meneses is a great guide that loves his city and the history of ecuador.
          Written November 13, 2023
        • 886neale
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Couldn’t have seen this beautiful city without Eduardo. We stayed in Guayaquil before heading to the Galápagos.
          Eddie is the best. He & his driver coordinated everything perfectly. Eddie knows his city inside & out. Very knowledgeable, friendly, funny & thoughtful.
          Written November 10, 2023
        • Marisenmarie
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great tour. Do it for sure
          Eddie was super knowledgeable. He was personable. I enjoyed every minute of my tour. I would HIGHLY recommend him and this tour. The iguanas were the best !!!!
          Written September 29, 2023
        • Michael H
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Guayaquil city tour from a new perspective.
          I have been coming to Guayaquil for over 15 years. This trip I had my daughter with me. Eddie gave us a city tour that was off the charts outstanding! He showed us the city through his eyes. I have a new found love for the city and see why it is commonly referred to as the Pearl of the Pacific. If you are fortunate enough to find yourself in Guayaquil, a city tour or adventure with Eddie is a must! He is very personable and extremely knowledgeable about what he does. He speaks flawless English and is well versed in many cultures around the world. You will not regret hiring him. He is in a class by himself!
          Written November 27, 2022
        • C_Strache
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Excellent Tour of the Churute Mangrove Reserve and Coca Farm
          We toured with Eduardo and had a great time! We saw lots of wildlife including howler monkeys, a sloth, crocodiles and I added 25 different birds to my life list. The Churute Mangrove Ecological Reserve had several different areas- we took a boat thru the mangroves, which was great, we walked in the dry forest and we mostly drove but stopped to look at birds in the area where small farmers, and shrimp hatcheries dotted the landscape. Eduardo shared his extensive knowledge about all the wildlife, as well as about the local culture. Early on, we had stopped at a huge fruit market, and he gave us fruit to snack on as we traveled. Later, we had a delicious lunch at a cocoa farm and leaned how cocoa is farmed and prepared. Lastly, we made chocolate bars. All in all, it was a great day!
          Written October 24, 2022
        • PepeMor2810
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Trip to Galapagos and Montañita
          We booked a family trip to Galapagos and Montanita with Eduardo. We are nature lovers and we were lucky to have Eduardo as a guide, who in a very entertaining and professional way told us everything we needed to know about the history and nature of the places we visited. A highly recommended experience!! He is also a great photographer, and thanks to him we have unforgettable memories of these trips.
          Written October 17, 2022
        • GRS59
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          A good way to see the city for those who enjoy walking
          Our group of 16 had a ore-arranged walking tour with Eduardo of Guayaquil city highlights. The total tour was approximately 3.5 hours with a convenient break before tackling the hills of old Guayaquil which gave some tour members a chance to bow out which all but 4 of us did. Eduardo was well-informed about everything we saw and we covered a lot of ground. From buildings, to murals to city history, Even iguana park! One observation - and I’m sure it’s difficult to keep 16 people , of various ages, moving - but a few tour members commented that Eduardo was very regimented about it and that was a negative for some. I’d also like to point out that an elderly member of the group felt unwell during the tour snd eduardo immediately arranged transportation back to the hotel and ensured this woman was safely transported. It was really a kind gesture .
          Written October 9, 2022
        See all 330 reviews
        These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

        Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

        Popular mentions

        5.0
        5.0 of 5 bubbles16 reviews
        Excellent
        16
        Very good
        0
        Average
        0
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        Terrible
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        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Sep 2022
        To find a professional local guide rich in knowledge and a love and passion for culture, history and photography is hard to find in a bundle. Eddie Meneses is just that! The experience that he shared is one that all travelers should par taken in.
        I myself am a destination expert for the State of Florida and to meet someone that is truly passionate about there destination makes the visit so well worth it. Highly recommend if you are traveling to anywhere that is within Eddie's area that you use his services. A++
        Eddie takes the time to hand pick local people to also enhance the experience from the driver that navigated the local roads, the the people at a local market ( telling there stories ) to the boat captain and son that shared our adventure on our trip it is a bundle of professionals that created the overall experience to bring back to our families to share. Do not miss out on one of his adventures!
        Written September 3, 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        As I mentioned so many times during our excursions... I owe a big part of thi experience to my team. On behalf of all of us. THANK YOU being a destination expert Your wrds mean a lot to me warmest regards Eddie
        Written November 29, 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Micah “Doc” D
        6 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Sep 2022
        Going “off the beaten” path is a must when on any adventure. As a wildlife and landscape photographer, this is always how I like to make our trips memorable. On our final day in Guayaquil before heading to The Galapagos, we were introduced to Eddie Meneses. Eddie took us on a guided tour through the Chulute Ecological Mangrove Preserve. During the trip, he taught us about the history of the city of Guayaquil, the local area, its indigenous people, and the preserve itself. We stopped at a local fruit stand on the way to the preserve to sample some of the locally grown fruit. We arrived at the preserve to be met by the caretaker of the preserve, a friend of Eddie’s, who took us on a motorized canoe tour through the preserve to see the estuary from a different point of view. During the trip, we were able to witness over 40 species of birds in their natural habitat, taking photos along the way. We were awarded with some crocodile sightings and family of howler monkeys.
        Eddie was FANTASTIC, passionate, and a genuinely great person. I would HIGHLY recommend that for those travelers who want a real, authentic experience, book a tour with him. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
        Written September 3, 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Dear M. How can I answer this kind of reviews? I mean, THANK YOU seems too little . But I will say it THANK YOU THANK YOU Warmest regards Eddie
        Written November 29, 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        MaryAnn S
        3 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Apr 2022
        Eddie and his driver were the perfect guides for our last day in Guayaquil and were exemplary ambassadors for their country. Eddie was informative about the art, culture and history of Guayaquil as well as the towns leading out to the mangroves. Eddie was enthusiastic about pointing out birds and vegetation along the way and we stopped often for pictures... of which he sent us copies after we returned home. The Mangroves and Tropical forest were worth the trip alone... the Cacao Farm was over the top. It was artisan in every sense. We had a private lunch and tour of the grounds, every moment kept getting better. We bought different types of chocolate from our travel to Peru and Ecuador during our vacation and after returning home we opened it all up for friends. The chocolate from this farm was the best... I wish we had bought more!
        Written April 14, 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Dear Mary It was entirely our pleasure sharing this adventure with you. Please give my warmest regards to David, Lily and Noah. Hope to see you soon I´ll make sure that everyone in my team reads this review of yours. Roberto, Gonzo Rody and Alex will be happy to learn about it. Bless you. Eddie
        Written April 15, 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        George T
        10 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Jun 2022 • Couples
        My wife and I were lucky enough to have Eduardo "Eddie" Meneses as our private tour guide for the Guayaquil portion of our Equdor/Galapagos vacation. He is amazingly knowledgeable about both his country's history, culture and wildlife. Our one day tour included a walking excursion of the city, but the real highlight was about 20 miles outside of the city at the Hacienda Cacao y Mango where we went through the process of making chocolate, from harvesting the cocao beans, through roasting and grinding the beans to cocao paste. We were also interested in the local wildlife and Eddie has an extraordinary knowledge of his countries flora and birds.
        Written July 10, 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Dear George, Thank you for your comments, it was our pleasure to share a little bit of our land and culture with you. Bless you both . Hope to see you soon some other time.
        Written July 19, 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Caitlin H
        21 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Feb 2024 • Couples
        My husband and I booked a tour with Eddie of the Churute mangroves and Howler monkey forest. Eddie personalized the tour to fit our needs and schedule. We saw many different kinds of birds on our way to the reserve and at the Estuary. Eddie had eagle eyes for spotting birds and he brought his professional level camera to capture high quality photos of them for us. After an enjoyable canoe ride in the Estuary, we went to the forest to search for the howler monkeys. It was a very easy trail and it did not take long for us to find them. We saw some females with their babies and a bit further on we saw a male as well.

        The best thing about this tour is Eddie! We are fairly well traveled and Eddie was by far the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide we have EVER had. He told us so much about Guayaquil, the wildlife, plants, and answered all of our questions. He even filled us in on some of the information that we missed while we were in the Galapagos.

        If we ever make it back to Ecuador, we will definitely book with Eddie again!

        (Eddie captured the attached images for us!)
        Written March 3, 2024
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Dear Caitlin, Thank you ever so much for your kind words towards me. But it all a team work, our driver Roberto took us there, The canoe driver Stalin was also an integral part of the whole experience As for me, well I love my country and I LOOOVE what I do. Looking forward to see you again. Warmest regards, Eddie
        Written March 4, 2024
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Fiona2905
        Birmingham, UK81 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Sep 2022
        I contacted Eddie as we only had until 1500 to do a tour and he agreed to take us to the Churute Eco reserve and miss out the chocolate experience - which is what we wanted.
        Unfortunately, the day before our tour he tested positive for Covid, but contacted a replacement guide so that we could still take the tour. Simon, our replacement guide was fantastic and we had a wonderful few hours at Churute, journeying through the Mangroves and then walking the howler monkey trail.
        I obviously can't comment on Eddie as a guide, as we never met him, but I can comment on his professionalism in finding us another very good guide within 24 hours so that we were not disappointed and could take the tour we wanted.
        Written September 30, 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Thank you Fiona. We're a team really. My drivers (different number of participants: different vehicles) , my fellow guides, captain Gonzo (the canoe driver) we're all a team. So, thank you on behalf of all of us. Bless you Fiona
        Written October 1, 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        eripa124
        Erie, PA29 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Feb 2020
        We spent a day touring with Eddie to a Cacao Plantation and to Guayaquil. This day was one of the highlights of our wonderful cruise through the Panama Canal. It was by far the best tour we took on our entire trip. We usually use private guides on our cruises, and Eddie is probably the best guide we’ve ever toured with. He is very knowledgable, speaks excellent English, and planned our day to meet our interests, comfort and mobility limitations. He has a delightful personality, and is an expert professional. His van was very comfortable, and his excellent driver allowed Eddie to focus on explaining all we saw. Although we were well outside of the city, we never were concerned for our safety with Eddie. The plantation experience wonderful. The young owner was our guide, with Eddie translating to English. He assured us we could safely eat the food prepared for us at the plantation, and everything they served was very tasty. I highly recommend that you choose Eddie for a very special experience.
        Written March 8, 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Thank you so much for your kind words. You imght have noticed that we really enjoy what we do. So, it is only our pleasure to share these experiences with you
        Written October 23, 2020
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Anne M
        1 contribution
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Sep 2022
        I really enjoyed the mangrove tour, but making chocolate was probably the highlight. Eddie is very knowledgeable and lots of fun as well. He is passionate about his country and city and shares his pride and knowledge fully.
        Written October 4, 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Dear Anne, It was entirely our pleasure to share our part of this gorgeous country with you and Bridey and Yolanda &Neil. Would love to show you more some other time. Love, Eddie
        Written October 5, 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Mark
        1 contribution
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Jan 2020 • Solo
        Despite my very short notice (the evening before!), Eddie arranged a brilliant day trip for me to the Churute mangroves ecological reserve followed by a tour and lunch at a Cacao farm. Eddie was really professional and informative throughout. Eddie uses a dedicated driver so that he can focus on providing the most information that he can and to also look out for wildlife through out the day. The choice of cacao farm was also great - a friendly family owned business that showed great enthusiasm for their crop and artesan chocolates. If you have time in Guayaquil then I fully recommend booking this tour or another one with Eddie!
        Written February 5, 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        THANK YOU Mark, We thoroughly enjoyed the day too. Thank you for your kind words it means a lot to us (my team and I)
        Written February 6, 2020
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Silvia H
        6 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Sep 2021 • Friends
        My favorit part of this tour was manglares forest and chocolate farm. Remember we spent a wonderful day enjoying with everything there. Eduardo was very gentle and nice as well. Thank you very much for that experience. We'll repeat for sure 👍😊
        Written February 26, 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Dear Silvia, Thank you for your kind comments. It was a wonderful day for us to (My team and I enjoyed it thoroughly). Hope to see you soon. Eddie
        Written February 28, 2022
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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        Private Navigation through Mangroves forest/ Beach time/ Chocolate experience provided by Galapagos and Guayaquil Visit

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