Churute: howler monkeys, mangroves and cacao

Allyson Aleman was the perfect guide for us. We were two people who booked this tour months prior to landing in Ecuador. Allyson kept in contact with us periodically and then the day before the tour confirmed all arrangements. She is a very pleasant person and very knowledgeable about this chocolate making tour - plants, process, products. It was hands on and loads of fun besides being educational. I’d recommend her to anyone.

Clinton L. · United States

Allyson was a very informative and considerate guide! She explained every part of the tour in excellent English with a deep knowledge of the area and Cacao farm. Everyone at the farm was very welcoming and accommodating. We highly recommend this tour and consider it one of the highlights of the trip!

Charles W.

Allyson did a fabulous job of showing us the sites of Quayaquil over the span of two days when our cruise ship was diverted from Peru this past February. She put together the perfect trip of countryside and city on very short notice. Her English is excellent, her communications are excellent, her responsiveness to questions are excellent, and her sense of humor charming. Book with Allyson and you will not be disappointed. She is a credit to the Tours by Locals service.

Margaret P. · United States

Allyson is an awesome tour guide as was the tour she created for us. Our tour was for 10 people who all flew into Guayaquil on different days and times. She was very accommodating and patient as we tried to determine the best tour and time. The chocolate tasting was very special and I highly recommend that as part of your tour if it is available. Allyson is very passionate and knowledgeable about all things Guayaquil and chocolate. I highly recommend her as a guide.

Tom A. · United States

We have been on a number of Tours by Locals outings. Before going into specifics, we’ll start by saying that the tour we had with Allyson Aleman on Guayaquil, Ecuador was easily the most enjoyable, informative, and rewarding tour we’ve ever had. Guayaquil is one of the two main jumping-off points for the Galapagos Islands, the other being Quito. Guayaquil may be less well known, but as far as we are concerned, it is absolutely not to be missed. And Allyson is the guide you want to have. She has lived here her entire life, loves the city and its environs, and is incredibly well-connected. We spent an entire day roaming around, and we lost count of how many times people on the street greeted her or were greeted by her, waved to her, shouted out to her: she seems to know everybody in this city of 3 million! This personal connection played great dividends, because she was easily able to get us into any place she wanted to show us because, well, she knows everybody! Our day began with a tour of Guayaquil’s beautiful Municipal Cathedral. We were able to get a rare inside look of a gallery hidden in the walls that encircles the structure high up above the floor, on the back side of stained glass windows depicting over 100 saints. Afterwards we strolled through parks and other sites where Allyson pointed out statues of important figures and gave a us a great overview of Ecuador’s history. We ended up at the waterfront (on the Malecon) and had a look into the fascinating Museum of Archeology and Modern Art, before sitting down for a wonderful lunch at a fine restaurant right by the river. A stop for some of Ecuador’s excellent coffee followed. After strolling through some older neighborhoods we took a cable car ride across the water to have a look at the communities on the other side. We finished our day back at our hotel. Even though the tour was described as 6 hours, Allyson spent well over 7 hours with us. While she offered us rides from place to place, we are walkers and were happy to do all of our exploring on foot. Ecuador is reknowned for its Cacao farms and the chocolate that they produce, and Allyson mentioned that she was available the following day if we were interested in an excursion to one. We immediately agreed, and we were treated to a ride out of the city to Finca Cumanda, a small farm run by Roddy and Alexandra, a couple who are justly proud of what they have built. They showed us the entire chocolate making process (and they let us help!), from hacking open the cacao fruit, extracting and drying the beans, separating and roasting the nuts inside, and finally processing all the way to amazing bars with complex flavors—nothing like the Nestle’s back home! We always thought that Belgian chocolate was the best in the world. The fact is, the Belgians have come here to learn how it’s done! Afterwards Roddy and Alexandra treated us to a delicious traditional lunch, entirely from the farm’s produce. Then back to our hotel, after another amazing day with Allyson Aleman.

Carrie Schore

In making these arrangements, Allyson wrote me to treat her as my friend in Guayaquil. In fact, she was like a best friend. The tour was amazing. She made everything run smoothly and led our family on a terrific tour of the Cocoa farm. We made our own chocolate and had a delicious farm to table lunch while the chocolate was cooling. We loved the city tour which she adjusted per our request as it was a long day - our first in the country. She is a lovely woman and has perfect English. She is extremely knowledgeable about her city and country. She went above and beyond by helping us arrange airport transfers both leaving Guayaquil and on our return. I do feel as if I have a friend in Guayaquil and would recommend her to anyone looking for the perfect guide while visiting.

Vivien M. · United States

We had a very short time in Guayaquil but Allyson did a great job of showing us her city. We visited the cathedral, which rivaled many I've seen in Europe, iguanas in the city park, a stroll through the city, a stop for some local juice drinks, a visit to a chocolate factory, a stroll along theMalacon 2000, and finally a visit to the Musuem of ancient artifacts. Our time in the city could not have been better spent. Allyson was a wonderful guide, knowledgeable and informative about the history of Ecuador and Guayaquil. Highly recommend!

Kathleen G. · United States

Allyson was a wonderful guide who showed us the highlights of her lovely city. She surprised us by taking us to a cocoa shop where we got to pick up some Ecuadorian chocolate. We enjoyed our morning with Allyson and highly recommend her.

439MarkN2017 · Los Angeles, California