With The Jibaro Tour, we offer a powerful glimpse in to Puerto Rico's rustic heritage.

They say there are no true Jibaro (country working men) left. No one these days has the spirit to be as poetic as they are hard working, as loyal as they are strong, and as humble as they are steadfast.

This tour leads West, and uncovers their unique contribution to Puerto Rico's history.

• See Ancient Taíno Indian Petroglyphs on the Ocean's Shore
• A Short HIke in the Mountains Reveals a Spectacular View
• Sample Traditional Puerto Rican Cuisine (Lechón!)
• Enjoy Ice Cream from the World Famous Heladeria Lares
• Visit Exclusive Coffee Plantation, Rebuilt to Look and Operate As It Did 100 Years Ago
• 1 Night Camping on Private Mountain Farm
• 1 Night Camping on Spectacular, Secluded Beach in the Dry "Rain Shadow" Southwest of the Island
• See Many of the Unique, Diverse Geographic and Ecological Areas of Puerto Rico
• Dine in Style with Fresh, Gourmet Breakfasts, Lunches and Dinners
• Wake to Pressed Puerto Rican coffee - in our opinion, the best coffee in the world!

Additional Information

See our Frequently Asked Questions and Puerto Rico Info pages for more info on traveling to The Island of Enchantment, Puerto Rico. 

We depart from our 9:00am meeting spot in the Isla Verde / Condado area, where we meet and drive West along the spectacular north shore of Puerto Rico. We'll hug the shoreline to our first stop, the Cueva de los Indios ceremonial Taíno Indian cave near the town of Barceloneta. We'll stop for a snack-cito ("little snack") along the sand dunes of Arecibo, near the Arecibo lighthouse. From there we'll turn South to the Cordillera Central (Central Corridor) mountains, and take a short hike to the spectacular La Ventana cave experience. After enjoying the beauty of La Ventana, we'll make our way to the town of Lares, home of the 1868 Grito de Lares, where the citizens rose up against Spain and declared an independence that lasted roughly 48 hours. In Lares, we'll stop at a Lechonera for a "light" late lunch, where we'll sample traditionally roasted pig, arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), and yucca en escabeche. For desert, we'll stop for one of the huge number of delicious ice cream flavors at the world famous Heladaria Lares. Their ice cream is so good they've been visited by former President, Bill Clinton, and TV star and chef, Andrew Zimmern. Day One will end on a beautiful private farm near Lares, where we'll share an excellent gourmet dinner, and camp "luxury camping" style, under the beautiful mountain sky. On Day Two we'll wake to the smell of pressed Puerto Rican coffee with our delicious gourmet breakfast. We'll make our way to Hacienda Lealtad, a coffee plantation that's being rebuilt to look and operate as it did 100 years ago. Master craftsman are rebuilding all of the structures using lumber harvested from the property and processed on site. The Hacienda provides a unique opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Puerto Rico as it was in the day of the true Jibaro. After a picnic lunch, we'll wind through the coffee region and drive to the southwest coast for some light off-road driving, which will lead to fantastic secluded beach camping near the city of Guanica, where Ponce de Leon landed on August 12, 1508, to found the original capital of Puerto Rico (which, at the time, was known as the Isla de San Juan Bautista). Guanica later became famous as the landing spot for the US invasion against Spain on July 25, 1898, which lead to the US acquiring Puerto Rico. We'll arrive with plenty of time to set up camp and share a gourmet, beach-side meal, and enjoy a spectacular sunset. On our final morning, we'll have a gourmet breakfast followed by a picnic lunch on the beach, where we'll raise a toast to the history and the Jibaros that made this tour possible, and then we'll motor on towards San Jaun. We'll pass through Ponce, the second largest city in Puerto Rico, and turn north through the mountains, up to almost 2,500 feet. In late afternoon, we'll return to your Isla Verde / Condado area hotel. When we say goodbye, we'll do so not just as travelers on a beautiful island, but as partners in a journey back to experience first hand how this beautiful paradise earned its nickname, La Isla Del Encanto - The Island of Enchantment - Puerto Rico.

Things To Bring

• Enthusiasm for La Isla Del Encanto (The Island of Enchantment, Puerto Rico!)
• Sunscreen (can't say it enough!)
• Swimwear and a Towel
• Second and Third day change of clothes
• Include 1 pair of light pants, and a light long-sleeve shirt, just in case
• Sleepwear
• Comfortable walking shoes, sandals, and/or beach shoes
• Personal Items (Toothbrush, hair brush, etc)

Inclusions

Entrance Fees, As Needed, Camping and Land Use Fees, Snacks Throughout the Day, All Meals, Beginning with Lunch on Day 1, Refreshments, Light Alcoholic Beverages

Exclusions

Souvenirs, Food/Drink Purchases Beyond What is Included in Tour, Gratuity (optional)

Departs

Weekly, Sunday from mid-January to the beginning of May

Unavailable Dates

Easter Week (Semana Santa)

Pickup/Departure

Typically we offer hotel pick-up and drop-off. If that doesn't work, our meeting place will be: Panadaría Kasalta, Avenida Mc Leary #1966, Ocean Park, Puerto Rico, 00911.

Drop-Off

Day 3, Roughly 3:00pm (we're on Puerto Rican time!) at the departure location, or at your hotel in Condado / Isla Verde.

Additional Locations

Guanica, Puerto Rico