The 3-hour walking and chocolate tasting tour: a guided loop through a private jungle garden,
with fresh fruit, garden honey and a sit-down chocolate tasting. What it really is, and the best alternatives.
Garden walk or cacao farmWhat you actually taste, spelled out
Real guest ratingsViator & Tripadvisor, September 2026
Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, on every tour here
Secure checkout on ViatorMobile ticket, instant confirmation
Tickets
Choose your Kauai chocolate walk
In the centre, the 3-hour garden walk and chocolate tasting at Princeville Botanical Gardens.
Beside it, the two tours people weigh it against: a working cacao farm in Kapaa and a food walk through
Hanalei, ten minutes down the road.
A working cacao farm on the east side: pods on the trees, the fresh fruit and every step from bean to bar. It ends with a long tasting of the farm's award-winning chocolate.
What's included
Three-hour guided tour of the Lydgate Farms cacao estate
In-depth chocolate tasting, plus honey, vanilla and tropical fruit
Beans named among the world's best at the Cacao of Excellence awards (2017, 2021, 2023)
Children 9 and over only; up to 25 guests
Not included: hotel pickup, gratuities, farm shop purchases
The original 3-hour walking tour: a guided loop of a private North Shore jungle garden. Midway you sit down to a chocolate tasting, with garden fruit and honey on the walk.
What's included
Guided walk through the 9-acre gardens, 9:30 AM start (check in from 9:00)
Gourmet chocolate tasting: single-origin bars from around the world plus a taste of the garden's own
Seasonal fruit samples and the garden's honey
Gratuity, walking sticks, umbrellas and DEET-free bug spray included
Not included: transport; you drive and park inside the garden gates
A two-hour stroll through Hanalei, ten minutes from Princeville, tasting local dishes at small eateries with the story of the town. The food adds up to a proper lunch.
What's included
Two-hour guided walk through Hanalei with food stops
Tastings that add up to lunch, snacks and bottled water
Small group of up to 12 guests
Flat town pavements: wheelchair and stroller accessible
Not included: gratuities; call the operator ahead about allergies
The prices sit close together. What differs is how much of the time is chocolate, whether the
chocolate is grown where you stand, and which side of the island you have to drive to.
The Princeville listing includes the gratuity; the others do not. Children 2 to 13 pay a
child rate at Princeville, while Lydgate Farms only takes children 9 and over. Every tour here cancels free up to
24 hours ahead.
What you actually get
A garden walk first, a chocolate tasting second.
The "3 Hour Walking and Chocolate Tasting Tour" is Princeville Botanical Gardens, a private garden in the
Anini Stream valley on Kauai's North Shore. Bill and Lucinda Robertson began it in 2001 on old cattle land
and opened it to guided tours in 2010. Today 9 acres of native, canoe, medicinal and rare plants from
around the world climb up terraces and down to the creek, with a small cacao grove and beehives of their own.
Most of the three hours is walking and plant stories. Midway you sit down in a shaded tasting area
for the chocolate: single-origin bars from around the world plus a taste of the garden's own, while the
guide explains how cacao becomes chocolate. It is not a chocolate factory or a cacao farm tour; for
that, Lydgate Farms near Kapaa is the one to book.
9:30
The one departure, on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
only. Check in from 9:00: tours start on time and there is no self-guided entry.
Chocolate tastingGarden honeySeasonal fruitCacao grove
The tasting is a seated break in the shade, in the middle of the walk.
01
Is transport included?
No. You drive to Princeville and park inside the gates; allow about an hour from Lihue.
02
How fit do I need to be?
Moderately. Expect stairs, gravel slopes and a cable bridge; it is not wheelchair accessible.
03
How much chocolate?
A tasting of several small squares, not a feast. Guests who want lots of chocolate prefer Lydgate Farms.
04
Who might skip it?
Anyone without a car, with limited mobility, or only in it for the chocolate.
The walk
How the three hours unfold
A small group of up to 17, one guide and a slow loop through the valley. This is the usual order.
01
Check in and gear up
Park inside the gates, collect a walking stick and an umbrella, and use the bug spray.
From 9:00 AM
02
Terraces and creek
The guide leads you down through flowering terraces to the creek beds, naming plants and their uses.
9:30 AM
03
The chocolate break
A seated tasting in the shade: chocolates from around the world, the garden's own, and the bean to bar story.
Midway
04
Fruit, honey and the climb
Seasonal fruit and garden honey on the way back up the valley floor to the start.
Getting there, prices and ages, the terrain and what to bring: one tab each.
Address: 3840 Ahonui Place, Princeville, HI 96722, on the North Shore.
You need your own car: the gardens do not offer transport, and there is parking inside the gates.
From Lihue airport it is about 30 miles and an hour on Highway 56; from Kapaa, allow about 35 minutes.
Arrive by 9:00 for the 9:30 start. Tours run Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Viator: from $126 per adult (14 and over), gratuity included; children 2 to 13 pay a child rate.
Booked direct, the gardens charge $105 per adult and $55 for children 3 to 13, plus tax and gratuity.
Viator cancels free up to 24 hours before; the gardens charge in full for cancellations within 48 hours.
Groups are capped at 17 guests, so busy dates sell out.
Several sets of stairs, and uphill and downhill stretches on loose gravel.
Wooden bridges get slick when wet, and there is one cable bridge.
Most of the route is shaded by the tree canopy.
Not suitable for wheelchairs, walkers or scooters; a moderate fitness level is needed.
Closed walking shoes with good grip.
A light rain jacket and a sun hat.
Water and a camera.
Your own insect repellent if you prefer it; the gardens hand out a DEET-free spray.
A little cash or a card for the gift shop.
IncludedThe garden walkAbout three hours through 9 acres of terraces, creek beds and valley floor.
IncludedChocolate tastingSingle-origin chocolates from around the world and a taste of the garden's own.
IncludedFruit and honeySeasonal fruit picked in the garden and honey from its hives.
IncludedGear and tipWalking sticks, umbrellas, bug spray and the guide's gratuity on Viator.
Not includedTransportDrive yourself; there is no pickup from hotels or the airport.
Extra costChocolate to take homeThe garden's own chocolate is for tasting only; the shop sells other bars.
Where the tour starts
Princeville Botanical Gardens location
Princeville Botanical Gardens
3840 Ahonui Pl, Princeville, HI 96722, USA
The gardens sit in the Anini Stream valley just inland from Princeville, near the Hanalei National Wildlife
Refuge. Drive north on Highway 56 past Kilauea and turn into Princeville; the tour meets at the gardens and
ends back at the same spot, so you leave with your car around 12:30, in time for lunch in Hanalei.
4.8★★★★★ 884 reviews · Princeville Botanical Gardens tour Viator & Tripadvisor, figures as of September 2026
5 ★91%
4 ★6%
3 ★2%
2 ★1%
1 ★1%
★★★★★
It is well paced with a wonderful chocolate tasting in the middle. And also snacks were provided along the way. Troy was a knowledgeable guide. Finally did this after many trips to the island.
★★★★★
The 9 acres of gardens are beautifully cultivated. The terraces and bridges are charming and the tour guides are well informed. The one hour chocolate tasting break in the middle of the 3 hour tour is a learning experience of the process from harvest to bar.
★★★★★
This botanical garden had so many species to enjoy; every blossom and palm leaf was captivating. Our tour included a fruit (from the garden) and chocolate (cacao beans from their garden) tasting. The best experience for plant (& chocolate) lovers!
★★★★★
The Princeville Botanical Garden Tour is way more than you might expect. There wasn't a single plant he could not identify and tell you a story about its history and use. Definitely a must do activity if you plan on going to Kauai.
★★★★★
Wonderful experience! Very friendly, knowledgeable host and guides. The chocolate tasting was a very educational break. Bring a raincoat and use one of their walking sticks to walk with!
★★★★★
Unbelievable amount of plants and trees! So much knowledge of the past and what was brought to the islands. The chocolate tasting was incredible and fresh fruit tasting was refreshing.
★★★★★
We went on a day after a wind storm but it was beautiful out. Lauren was very sweet and knew answers to every question our group had. We never felt the trek was too much, either. 10/10.
★★★★★
Beautiful garden with very knowledgeable tour guides. Worth every penny. Strikingly beautiful flora. I now see how these plants grow in nature.
★★★★★
Rob was very knowledgeable about all the plants and trees in the garden, as well as the history behind it. I would definitely recommend this place for anyone who enjoys nature, history, or even just chocolate!
No car?
Take a guided island day instead
The garden tour has no pickup. If you are not driving, this small-group day covers the east side's
waterfalls and sights from Kapaa or Lihue, with a chocolate tasting on the way.
Kauai Small-Group Sightseeing Tour with Pickup
★ 4.9 · 91 reviews · 5.5 hours
No car, or no wish to drive an hour to the North Shore? This small-group day (up to 13 guests) collects you in Kapaa or Lihue and takes in the Menehune Fishpond, Wailua Falls, Lydgate Beach Park and Opaekaa Falls, with time in Kapaa town and an optional free chocolate tasting along the way. Lunch is not included.
Search for a walking and chocolate tasting tour on Kauai and you land on a three-hour garden walk in
Princeville. It is a lovely morning, but not quite what the name suggests. Here is what the tour is, what it
costs, and who should book something else.
What the tour is, and what it isn't
Princeville Botanical Gardens is a family-owned garden in a jungle valley behind Princeville. The Robertson
family started planting in 2001 on land cleared of invasive species and opened it for small guided tours in
2010. The collection mixes native Hawaiian and Polynesian canoe plants with medicinal species, rare flowers and
useful plants from around the tropics, planted on terraces that step down to the Anini Stream. The tour is a
guided walk through all of it, with a guide who can name almost everything you point at. The chocolate is a
chapter of that walk, not the whole book: a seated tasting of a handful of chocolates, a short lesson on cacao
and a taste of chocolate made from the garden's own trees. There is no factory, no chocolate making and no
pile of samples to take home.
A tasting of single-origin chocolates is the centrepiece of the break.
What it really costs
On Viator the tour is from $126 per adult in 2026, which includes the guide's gratuity and free cancellation up
to 24 hours before. The gardens' own price is $105 per adult and $55 for children 3 to 13, but tax and a tip come on
top, and cancelling within 48 hours costs the full price. Booked direct and tipped the usual 15 to 20 percent, the
gap narrows to a few dollars, and the flexible cancellation is worth something on an island where the North Shore
weather changes by the hour. Some guests still feel the tour is dear for the amount of chocolate, which is fair:
you are paying for three guided hours in a private garden.
The honest small print: the complaints in the reviews are not about the guides or the garden.
They are about expectations: a tasting that felt small, a walk that ran a little over three hours, slopes that were
harder than expected, and guests who found it cheaper to book direct. Come for the garden, treat the chocolate as a
bonus, and wear proper shoes.
Garden tour or cacao farm?
The alternative most people weigh is Lydgate Farms, a working cacao farm near Kapaa on the east side. Its
three-hour tour follows cacao from the tree to the bar, lets you taste the fresh fruit from the pod, and finishes
with a long tasting of the farm's own award-winning chocolate. It costs more, takes children from 9 only and is
about the farm rather than the flowers. If chocolate is the reason you are booking, choose Lydgate. If you love
gardens and want a gentle morning with a chocolate break on the North Shore, choose Princeville.
Seasonal fruit from the garden is tasted along the walk.
Making the most of the morning
Book early in your trip, since the tour only runs four mornings a week. Leave in good time: from Poipu or Lihue
the drive north takes an hour or more. Wear closed shoes, bring a light rain jacket and water, and use the bug spray
at check-in. After the tour, drive ten minutes to Hanalei for lunch; if you would rather eat your way through town
with a guide, the Hanalei food walk makes a good afternoon pairing.
Shoes with grip, a rain jacket and water: the garden tour kit.
Straight answers to what visitors ask most about the garden walk and chocolate tasting.
What is the 3 Hour Walking and Chocolate Tasting Tour?
It is the Viator listing for the guided tour of Princeville Botanical Gardens, a private 9-acre garden on Kauai's North Shore. You walk the garden's terraces, creek beds and valley floor with a guide for about three hours, taste seasonal fruit and the garden's honey along the way, and stop for a sit-down chocolate tasting in a shaded outdoor area. See the tour.
How much does the Princeville Botanical Gardens chocolate tour cost?
On Viator it is from $126 per adult in 2026, with the gratuity included, a child rate for ages 2 to 13 and free cancellation up to 24 hours before. The gardens' own price is $105 per adult and $55 for children 3 to 13, plus tax and gratuity, with a stricter cancellation policy. See the price guide.
Is it a chocolate factory or cacao farm tour?
No. It is a botanical garden walk with a chocolate tasting break. Most of the chocolates you taste are single-origin bars from around the world, with a small taste of chocolate from the garden's own cacao grove. If you want to see cacao grown and turned into chocolate on a working farm, Lydgate Farms in Kapaa is the better fit.
How long is the chocolate tasting?
The gardens describe a half-hour tasting and the listing says about 50 minutes; guests report a break of up to an hour in the middle of the tour, seated in the shade, while the guide explains how cacao becomes chocolate. The rest of the three hours is walking.
What days and times does the tour run?
One tour a day at 9:30 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; the gardens are closed to tours on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Check in from 9:00: the tour starts on time. There is no self-guided entry, so every visit needs a reservation.
Is transportation included?
No. You drive yourself to 3840 Ahonui Place in Princeville and park inside the garden gates; the gardens do not offer transport. Allow about an hour from Lihue airport on Highway 56. No car? The small-group sightseeing tour on the east side includes pickup.
How hard is the walk?
Moderate. The path has several sets of stairs, uphill and downhill stretches on loose gravel, bridges that get slick in the rain and one cable bridge. Walking sticks are provided and guests say the pace is gentle, but the tour is not wheelchair accessible and is hard going with balance problems.
What should I wear?
Closed walking shoes with grip, light clothes, a hat and a rain jacket. Umbrellas, walking sticks and DEET-free bug spray are provided; bring water and a camera. See what to wear and bring.
Can children do the tour?
Yes. On Viator children 2 to 13 pay a child rate and infants sit on laps, but the gardens themselves suggest about 5 as the age at which kids enjoy it, and parents must keep children with them. Lydgate Farms only takes children 9 and over. See the guide for families.
What happens if it rains?
The tour runs rain or shine, and the North Shore gets showers all year. Most of the route is under the tree canopy and umbrellas are handed out. If the forecast is truly bad, the Viator booking can be cancelled for a full refund up to 24 hours before.
Princeville Botanical Gardens or Lydgate Farms: which is better?
Pick Princeville for the garden itself: flowers, native and rare plants, a jungle setting and a chocolate break. Pick Lydgate Farms for chocolate: a working cacao farm, bean to bar, and far more tasting of Kauai-grown chocolate. Both last three hours. Read the comparison.
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