Information:

Route Plan (From 2 people)

Day 1: Pucacaca

The District of Pucacaca was founded on May 8, 1936. It is located 53 km and 50 minutes from the city of Tarapoto and belongs to the province of Picota in the San Martín Region. Its elevation is 217m above sea level and it has a population of approximately 2,971.

• Collection of passengers from their different accommodations in Tarapoto around 09:00 hrs..
• We will arrive at the town of Pucacaca and travelers will receive a fresh coconut to drink while a local host provides a welcome talk throughout the day.
• There will be a tour of the coconut processing and production plant. Travelers will observe and learn about the many uses and products, including oil, dried coconut, and even charcoal made from the shells (this is a much greener fuel source than regular charcoal).
• Then there will be a tour of the MAKAO chocolate factory. It is a company where they collect cocoa from 20 local cooperatives and create chocolate from the beans. This single factory provides work and income for more than 200 local families.
• Lunch: Composed of regional dishes made with local products. • After lunch we will visit Falingahua Island. There will be a tour of the island that is home to a plantation of 50-year-old coconut trees that can reach up to 40 meters in height. The Island is 500 hectares and has a beautiful landscape. It's also a great place to see some wildlife, especially birds that live along the river.
• Return from the island to Pucacaca and from there to Tarapoto to conclude the first day.

 

Day 2: Chazuta

Chazuta is a beautiful town and cultural center on the banks of the Huallaga. It has a rich history in art and ceramics and there are multiple workshops, museums and exhibitions throughout the city. The women of the village still use a traditional method of making paper from the banana bark. They make high-quality paper perfect for certificates or legal documents, but they also produce small boxes and bags that they sell for extra income. The economy of the towns revolves around cocoa. There are several farming families, as well as some that process and produce chocolate. It is a very common sight to see freshly harvested cocoa beans lined up on the sides of the roads as they dry in the sun..

• Pick up from the respective lodging and travel by vehicle for 1 hour from Tarapoto to the town of Chazuta.
• Visit the Bosque Mágico river before crossing the street to a restaurant to enjoy a hot chocolate made with local cacao.
• Later we will visit a small farm where they both grow cocoa and have an agroforestry project for different medicinal, fruit and timber species.
• Return to the restaurant for a homemade lunch.
• IImmediately after, there will be a workshop on how local people have made chocolate for generations. Travelers can see the entire process from fruit to finished product and be able to taste the end result.
• Return to Tarapoto.
• End of the experience.

Price per person: $190 USD

Inclusions:

English speaking guide, visit to the Macao chocolate factory, coconut factory / transport Tarapoto-Pucacaca-Tarapoto, lunch, accommodation in Tarapoto, transport from Tarapoto-Chazuta, cocoa specialist, lunch in Chazuta, craft chocolate course.