Puerto Vallarta Botanical Gardens Hiking Tour

The Botanical Garden was absolutely beautiful! Edgar our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly! The hike next to the river was gorgeous and we got to stop and swim along the way. The hike is 1.5 miles and moderately difficult with steep inclines and slippery sections so bring good shoes for hiking. I would also recommend bring good bug spray because of the mosquitos. You also get to hang out at the animal sanctuary and eat at the delicious restaurant along the river.

The garden was beautiful and the hike was great. Edgar did a wonderful job touring the hike. His knowledge was exceptional.

Fun experience hiking the river. Edgar was our guide and he was fun and informative. Would recommend Veranos as a excursion. Definitely bring bathing suit / extra drinking water.

Wonderful staff, very accommodating and friendly. Would recommend to friends and family, they really took care of us!

It was a great experience! The botanical gardens were awesome and the wildlife presence such as peacocks was unbelievable. Edgar was an amazing tour guide. He showed us about all the different trees and animals that were unique to the area. He even included interactive experiences such as walking through the river instead of hiking through the trees for a section. Also getting to jump in off cliffs into the water was crazy awesome. The price was super affordable even with a large family. We got picked up on the speedboat at 9 and it was a full day adventure lasting until four. The boat was nearly packed to arrive but we got a private tour with just us and Edgar. The rest of the families went on the zip lines but once we got to the bottom we all got together. The bottom was unique with a petting zoo, it had a baby spider monkey, two baby lemurs,a snake and a toucan you could hold. It was great and I highly recommend it.

Booked this tour using capital one travel and we had a great time! Started at the botanical garden where we got a chance to view some glorious foliage before our hike began with mi amigo Edgar. He took my wife and I through a trail that was moderately difficult but he made it easy. Told us about native trees and plants, had us taste some berries and tree sap and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide. Edgar is the man! Finished the tour at the adventure park where we kayaked and swam and hit the water slides. Great trip!

Signed up for the botanical garden tour, but once we checked in they had us down for zip lining, which was not mentioned to us until we started to receive instructions for zip lining. We were then driven to the botanical garden and dropped off to explore on our own, although I thought it would be a guided tour but it is not. Directions and instructions aren’t clear, no one introduced themselves or gave us an itinerary. We had to keep asking questions about what was happening next. Staff is friendly and pick up and drop off were smoothed. It seemed like people who did zip lining had a better experience than those who did the botanical garden experience. I would explore other options for the botanical garden if you’re looking for a guided tour.

Edgar gave me a thorough and well-paced hike - I was alone on the hike and he made sure to match my pace, stop and highlight the flora and fauna and chit chat. He was knowledgeable and professional(I was travelling alone as a female this day and felt safe and also, that I did not miss out on any info!). We walked chest deep through a beautiful river (only a few steps) - so refreshing and a neat experience. Saw some cows resting near, banana, avocado, and other fruit trees. He also gave me plenty of options to enjoy the excursion to my liking - how long to enjoy the botanical garden alone vs. Splitting time hiking (meaning a shorter time in the botanical garden - in future I would stay longer at botanical gardens as Edgar mentioned- so much to see!! One of my favorite parts of the day!). The time to myself and with the staff was well balanced and directions were clear about where I needed to meet up and when. The hike was somewhat strenuous but totally doable as a moderate hiker. The animals at the sanctuary had fresh fruit and looked in good health and appearance. The sanctuary felt well maintained and the animal caretakers Esau and the lady caretaker (do not recall her name - she was great too and clearly knows the animals well) - both were gentle with the animals and seemed to know them well. Esau shared with me how he was along to rescue one of the animals, which was nice to hear about their bond. Waterslides, kayaks, beach swings and all the activities at the river were just perfect (use your time wisely! Limited time to enjoy it all, order immediately and play away). Servers and service at sanctuary restaurant were great too and very friendly. I felt like the staff accommodated me very well as a single traveller and chatted with me, while I also had time to wander as I pleased. Thank you to the considerate and professional staff at Los Veranos! Would love to come back again - by myself or with friends/ family.

Edgar was a treat! He had us hiking through the jungle, trekking through the river, and sampling natures gum from the gum trees. We recommend walking though the water to cool off. On your return, order food first, get pics with the animals, and then enjoy the swim and slides.

I went specifically on this excursion for the Botanical Gardens part of the trip. Not for the hike which another family member went on and liked very much. They picked up those who chose to stay the Gardens after 2 hours, which was not enough time. The driver was about 15 minutes late which wasted our precious little time there. We missed the bird feeding at the Gardens which I wanted to see very much. It attracts many beautiful tropical birds. This venue is known for it's birding along with fantastically presented gardens. After the Gardens we were brought by the bus to the river area and we had a nice snack and drink ( for a reasonable price) at the restaurant at the site. The food was homemade and very good. I then walked over the clear river and back on 2 suspension bridges. People were swimming, kayaking and zip lining below and nearby. It was my choice not to swim even though it was very sunny and hot. Then I went into the area with rescued animals. This too was a fun experience holding the cute and friendly monkeys and toucan and being photographed with my own phone. No photos to buy. There was no charge for seeing and holding the rescued animals but I made an optional donation for care of these animals. We then went to a tequila tasting bar on the property. The presenter explained about each tequila type before we had a taste. The presenter told jokes and was very entertaining. The staff for the entire excursion was very nice, helpful and friendly. If I had even 45 minutes or an hour hour more at the Gardens, I would have give this excursion 5 stars. I know that it was listed as Botanical Gardens and hiking but my choice was to spend more time at the Gardens. The pick up and leave off area at the tour operators office was only a 5 or 6 minute walk from the cruise port which is a bonus. No cabs or buses needed from my cruise ship. The bus provided for the tour was comfortable and clean. In the short 2 hours at the Gardens I did see excellent birds and a painted bunting that I hoped to see there. I would definitely recommend this trip with minor time modifications if you're interested specifically birding or seeing the beautiful gardens at the PV Botanical Gardens.

We were excited for our adventure at Los Veranos and were even more thrilled as our day went on. So many cool things to see and try out on our hike and holding the animals in the sanctuary was incredible. Edgar was so knowledgeable and fun. What a great hiking guide. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone.

Experience was amazing! Papi was very knowledgeable and had some really awesome experiences for us, from trying local fruits to raw gum. Overall a must do when in the area!!

We went on the botanical tour with the riverside hiking and they were both amazing. Our guide Edgar was great, very knowledgeable, entertaining, kind, and patient. Highly recommend!

Edgar was our hike guide and was amazing. Very friendly and happy which made our time enjoyable. The hike is great to get out in the jungle and move your body.

It was a very nice and comfortable walk with serenity and peace and beautiful nature, the birds were cool, just wish there were more , but it’s not a captive area so they can come and go

Family of 4. Little rough ride to the place but the botanical garden was beautiful. Wish we had spent a bit of extra time there. Then we went on a vigorous hike back to the compound. It was a couple miles over some really beautiful areas. Edgar our guide was awesome. He pointed out the plants, gave their uses, ate some wild berries, and went over spots known for different wild life. When we arrived back to the compound there was a little restaurant with some really delicious food. The guacamole was wonderful.

We had a wonderful time with our tour guide Edgar. The botanical gardens were lovely though we wish we had more time there. We all enjoyed the hike which was definitely more off-road than we had thought it would be. It ended at the tour meetup point with a restaurant near the river.

Hicking shoes or sandals are perfect, i had sandals

The guide Edgar was amazing,we learned so many things

The Gardens Tour and the Zip Line are operated by the same company and you are transported to their central location which includes the zip line, restaurant, small zoo and water features. Very pretty. You can either walk to the gardens (45 minutes) or they will drive you (10 minutes). Take the ride. The only drawback is you do not get to spend much time at the gardens, (Maybe 2 hours at most) I would use this company for the zip line and go to the gardens privately and spend the day, as it huge and has a great restaurant. The food and drinks at the Tour Company were very good and the place is beautiful. The folks running the group are excellent and helpful and fun. Everyone who did the zip line love it....

Bruno took us to the Botanical Gardens! He’s super friendly and knowledgeable; he told us some facts about peppers and the area around Los Veranos.

This experience started on a very positive note as we were picked up a short distance from our lodging in the Romantic Zone. The drive to the Los Veranos Activity Center was eventful as the open seated tour bus had to quickly swerve to avoid hitting an oncoming truck (both vehicles were over the center line). Once we arrived at the Center two options were offered: (1) Spend one half hour at the Botanical Gardens and hike back to the Center or (2) Spend one and a half hours at the Gardens and motor back to the Center. We opted to spend the 1.5 hours in the Gardens. The Gardens are breath taking. Plants are well marked and the paths are easily negotiated. We felt that 1.5 hours was not adequate to view all the exhibits particularly if you walk the more challenging trails to the riverside (19 & 20). Other reviews of this trip mention "knowledgeable guides" and spending 4 hours in the gardens (including lunch). We were never offered these options. Viewing/holding/photographing caged animals is not our cup of tea. We were never offered tequila tasting. We would have much preferred spending the entire 4 hours at the gardens and skipping the 2 hour animal viewing, tequila tasting and option to eat at the Center. Our advice: use public transportation to access the Gardens, stay as long as you desire and dine at the beautiful Garden Restaurant.

Bruno was awesome. He is a very knowledgeable guide and took great care of us. The botanical gardens were amazing and the hike was well worth it. At the end we were able to interact with the monkeys and toucan. Bruno is the Bomb! More than 5 STARS! Off the charts Bruno!

Wow, this was such a magical and enjoyable experience. We ended up spending about 4 hours at the gardens exploring, admiring, lunching, shopping, hiking, and photographing! There was an amazing variety of plants and flowers and trees, many of the marked. There's a simply gorgeous and charming chapel with lovely memorial grounds surrounding it, for humans and pets. It was so touching reading the gravestones. Most paths are completely easy for most anyone, we had one person with a bad knee skip the path that went down by the river due to many steps up and down. Lunch we as far fantastic too, with a peaceful view and great service! Make the trip here if you can, it's totally worth it!

We had such a wonderful experience with Jimmy as our tour lead. This was a cultural tour, and we absolutely loved it from start to finish. The day began with a local bus ride to the gardens. As Jimmy escorted us to the bus, he shared helpful local tips about the bus system, which immediately made us feel comfortable and connected to the area. Once we arrived at the gardens, Jimmy guided us through the different sections, explaining the biology of the plants and their significance to Mexico. We also visited cemeteries, a church, and monuments and statues that offered meaningful insight into Mexican history and culture. Lunch at the gardens was phenomenal. The afternoon hike to the river was truly a highlight—wow! The hike itself was incredible, and the swim in the river was absolutely over the top. This tour was a top-shelf experience, and we can’t recommend it highly enough

Overall a great tour. The only improvement would be increasing time at the botanical garden and shortening the rehab visit length.

Very Professional and Accommodating tour service. At the very last minute, I booked an excursion to a hiking tour at the Botanical Gardens and really enjoyed it. I was confused by the logistics (but that was all on me because I am not familiar with the local surroundings so I ended up missing the meeting time). Luckily, the staff was very nice and arranged for me to catch up with the rest of the tour group. I was very happy with the hike. Found a lot of floral and fauna treasures. Met some cool rescued animals and a very chill dog who was the unofficial boss at the entrance. Another visitor and I wished we could taken him home with us. There was a gift shop with a wide variety of gifts plus medicinal and food products. I wish I bought the vanilla beans when I was there. Also there is a restaurant that I wish I dined at. I smelled some fragrant spices that were sizzling, suggesting that the food would be delicious. I ended up eating at another restaurant through Los Veranos which was great. Service was very good but I think the restaurant was short-handed. I tried the grilled shrimp which fresh and flavorful, complimented by chai tea. I hope to try this again on a future trip.

50 pesos for bus from Zona Romantica area to Botanical Gardens .300 pesos entry ( cash or credit card). Bring bug spray though not terrible. Fabulous restaurant and gentle paths with options to go down steps and to the river.

Edgar was a best guide for this activities, he explain tree and plant and more history of the river. Is a beautifull trail a long of river and visit a garden with banana tree, lime, orange, clementine and more fruit

We had a great hike with Edgar as our guide. He was very knowledgeable and got the spider webs out of our way. The botanical gardens had beautiful flowers & we even saw a peacock! We also enjoyed feeding the monkeys in the animal sanctuary.

The trip was absolutely amazing, our tour guide Bruno was terrific during our hike. We were offered fresh fruit and the restaurant afterwards was a well deserved experience afterwards. Would highly recommend to anyone going!!

Bruno was an amazing tour guide! We did the hike from the gardens. Make sure you wear tennis shoes and bring bug spray! A great day!

Personally would have enjoyed more time at the botanical gardens. Edgar was a great tour guide, give him a raise and maybe a beer. Got jam on my shirt from feeding the sanctuary monkeys, it was worth it, they're pretty cute.

This was such a fun experience for my husband and me! Our guide Bruno was fantastic and taught us all about the plant and animal life. Definitely a fun way to get out of the city and resorts areas and see a different side of Puerto Vallarta.

Absolutely gorgeous area!! The botanical gardens were easy to walk around even with a stroller. Missed a few areas because they were a little rough for a stroller. With our admission we also got a free glad of hibiscus tea!! Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a relaxed day in the area

We had a wonderful time. Enjoyed the Peace and quiet. We recommend taking babies and children because the paths are made to take strollers.

Bruno was so informative and kind. He showed us all the different flora and fauna on our hike. We learned a lot about the culture and the environment. It was a beautiful and fun hike.

This place is Amazing! Beautiful views, cool animals, and great staff! Our guide, Bruno was fantastic! He was very informative and had a great sense of humor!

Edgar and Bruno were excellent guides! They took very good care of us. The Botanical Center was absolutely gorgeous! The hike back to Los Veranos was challenging but lovely. Great food in the restaurant too!

Beautiful gardens and nice hike. Relaxing for the more experienced hikers, a little harder for the novices. Overall a doable hike. Bengy was a great guide.

We had Bruno take us on an awesome hike. He was so informative about the flora and fauna. Very kind and helpful and made sure we were safe. Would highly recommend this adventure

Bruno was an amazing guide! Big knife in hand to ward off the snakes. He knows all the local history as well as fauna & flora. So interesting. The medium level hike was great!! Highly recommended.

Bruno was the guide. Very knowledgeable, always conscious of the safety of the guests and their enjoyment. Great scenery, learned a lot about the local plants, trees and animals. Hopefully you will be lucky and have Bruno too.

We did the los veranos hike with Bruno! It was excellent, we enjoyed the tour very much. Highly recommend to complete the tour! Also the birds and the monkeys... Want to take them home.

The guide was amazing and very nice really enjoyed it Hike was challenging at time because of traction but it was educational and fun

It was a wonderful day! Bruno was an excellent guide with incredible knowledge and a kind demeanour. The Botanical Gardens were breathtaking and so worth the visit. We enjoyed our river hike and lunch back at base. We would have liked more time at the Gardens, 30 min only if you did the river hike back. You had the choice to stay at the gardens for 1.5 hrs and skip the hike. It would have been nice to have that in the description when booking. Also one thing…the pick up location you chose when booking was a little confusing. I booked the one closest to us but on our ticket it showed another location. I emailed twice over two days prior to make sure we would be at the correct pick up spot, and no reply ever came 😒 so that was a little disappointing. Other than that we really enjoyed our day and Bruno was a highlight!

We had such an incredible time with Bruno! He took us on a beautiful and interesting hike along the river and taught us about the trees, wildlife, and plants. And we got delicious bananas, oranges, and limes right off the trees. Highly recommend!

It was very fun and adventurous. The views were nice and, our tour guide Bruno was awesome and very nice. (He also fought of jaguar for us)

Views were gorgeous!! Bruno is amazing!! He was a great guide during the hike and was very helpful!! The garden was beautiful as well as everything that is offered.