Puerto Vallarta: Botanical Garden Hike & Tequila Tasting Day Trip

4.81

(134 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

Hands still a bit sticky from the mango I grabbed at the garden entrance, I tried to keep up as our guide—Luis—waved us toward a patch of orchids. He knew every plant by name (in Spanish and Latin, which made us laugh), but it wasn’t just facts; he’d pause to let us smell crushed leaves or point out a hummingbird darting through the air. The Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden is bigger than I expected—paths winding under palms and bursts of color everywhere. At some point I stopped taking photos and just listened to the breeze moving through the trees.

The hike down along the Horcones River felt like stepping into another world. There was this moment where sunlight hit the water just right and it almost looked silver. We heard parrots overhead—loud, impossible to ignore—and then someone (not me, thankfully) slipped on a mossy rock and we all cracked up. Luis didn’t rush us; he let us take our time until we reached Los Veranos Adventure Park. The river was cold but perfect after hiking in that heat—I floated for ages on an inner tube while my friend tried (badly) to paddle a kayak against the current.

I didn’t expect to meet monkeys that day, honestly. The animal sanctuary had toucans, macaws making this racket like they owned the place, and one iguana who seemed determined to photobomb everyone’s pictures. Lunch was optional but smelled so good—grilled fish and tortillas—and then came the tequila tasting. They pour it slow, tell you how it’s made; I tried saying “reposado” with my best accent and got a grin from Li (our other guide). Still think about that smoky aftertaste sometimes.