Come tour the magnificent Ortinola Great House, a meticulously restored plantation house reminiscent of Trinidad’s history and stunning in its original beauty.
The tour gives you a glimpse of our story, and also touches on our long-standing connection with all things cocoa and chocolate.
Sample cacao beans raw from the pod, see and smell fermented and dried beans, and, as a special treat, we give you a taste of fine Ortinola chocolate, made locally from our very own cocoa beans.
At Ortinola we seek to provide guests with an informative and engaging experience.
We offer a variety of tours which can be modified to suit your needs, and rental of the venue or a meal is also an option (with advance arrangement) *.
For further information email us at info@ortinola.com or call us at +868-294 8456
CLASSIC TOUR (1.5 hours)
This tour covers a history of Ortinola, a visit to the cocoa field where we explain how cocoa is grown, a visit to our cocoa house, and we then return to the Great House to explain how chocolate is made with the aid of a slideshow (no chocolate factory is on site). Small samples of the estate chocolate are also included! Our tour dates are listed in our ‘tea-mail’ link below.
Dates are published monthly, up to one month in advance.
Our latest dates are in our mailing list link which you can view here:
Reservations are mandatory via ortinola@gmail.com as we mainly do private events at the estate.
Adults: $100 TTD per person for our Classic Tour for Public Tour Dates only
Private Groups
Classic Tour
Minimum spend of TT $700 per group (for up to 7 persons, with additional persons being $100 per person)
Classic Tour with Chocolate-Making
Minimum spend of TT $1,000 per group, $1,500 for weekend, December or public holiday dates
CLASSIC TOUR & CHOCOLATE-MAKING (3 hours)
This is a 3 hour event where you do our Classic Tour and More! After our full tour, complete the experience by moulding your own chocolates to take home and show off to your friends! We make some delicious CHOCOLATE (and often lots of mess).
What’s Included in a 9:30am Classic Tour & Chocolate-Making?
9:30-11:00 am Classic Tour
11:00-11:40 am Chocolate-Making – you stir your chocolate, mold, and decorate your chocolates!
11:40- 12:10 Break while chocolates cool
12:10-12:25 Packaging of Chocolates and Conference Room Closes
Classic Tour & Chocolate-Making of 2 Lollipops
$215 TTD
Classic Tour & Chocolate-Making of Chocolate Bars $300 TTD
You can also add on Lunch or our full 5-item tea can be added at $175 per person for tours*
*Minimum numbers are required to cater
How do I book?
Please email us with the following:
- Name and contact number
- Number of guests, and package (s) being taken including the date of the tour
- Notice of special dietary requests / allergies
We then send you a confirmation with a list of what to expect and how to pay. That’s it!
PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOL TOURS
TT $55 per student for a minimum of 15 students for our Classic Tour. Please contact us for details on school tours since there a possibility of adding on a chocolate-making option at an additional cost (for small groups only). Deposits are required to hold dates and we require schools to confirm in writing:
- The name of the institution
- Confirmation that you have read the quotation and notes included
- Number of students and age range
TOUR AND LUNCH/TEA
If you would like a meal after your tour, we can certainly make this possible. Please contact us for menus. Please note that catering needs to be requested in advance and once booked, is payable regardless of no-shows.
NOTES ON ALL TOURS (Tour checklist):
Please note that all estate visits are by appointment or advance reservation only
- We start tours strictly on time so we advise that you arrive at least 5 minutes in advance of your tour time so you don’t miss out on the fun!
- Tours happen whatever the weather
- Proper footwear (flat, close-toed) are required for the cocoa field. The walk is very short and not strenuous, but safety comes first and we do not want anyone getting ants in their pants!
• Change of clothing (in case of rain) and umbrella or hats
• Sunblock and insect repellent
• Bottle of water and snack if desired
• Any special medications; however we have a basic first-aid kit on site
• Need help finding a way here? We can try to assist with finding a reliable transport option. You can also contact the St. Christopher’s Taxi Association for safe transport options, or TT RideShare
• Cameras recommended! Please take photos only. Picking of any fruit, flowers or pods is not permitted at any time
• A minimum of 24 hours’ notice in writing is required to cancel a pre-booked tour, otherwise a 50% fee or cancellation fee is payable
• In the event of inclement weather, we will substitute an indoor experience
• We apologise in advance, however access to the cocoa estate for differently-abled persons is limited due to the terrain – driving the route is possible
• We prefer ages 8 and up since the tour is geared towards an adult audience, but if you do have a little one that is coming along – please be considerate of our other tour guests and the venue- and please do visit! - Tours are conducted in English only, but we can assist with finding French, Spanish, Japanese, Greek or German translators if desired
Please let us know in advance if you have any conditions or allergies that we should be aware of.
Frosty Pod Alert: If you, or any members of your group, have visited a farm in South or Central America recently, you may not be eligible for the tour. Please help us to keep the Frosty Pod disease out of Trinidad & Tobago.
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